Patent ID: 7696402
Filing Date: 2010-04-13
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, a body-side surface, a clothes-side surface, longitudinally opposed front and rear ends and transversely opposite side edges, said article comprising: a liquid-absorbent layer, and a continuous groove compressed into the body-side surface of the liquid-absorbent layer, wherein: said compressed groove comprises: said rear side curve has, in the vicinity of its rear end located on the longitudinal center line, a radius in a range of 0 to 10 mm; said front side curve has, in the vicinity of its front end located on the longitudinal center line, a radius greater than the radius of the rear side curve; and said absorbent layer comprises a bottom covering region which extends rearward from the rear end of said rear groove segment, has a thickness in a range of 1 to 5 mm, and is adapted to be folded along the longitudinal center line so that said bottom covering region can become convex, in use, toward a wearer; wherein a thickness of the absorbent layer within the closed-loop shape defined by the compressed groove decreases gradually in the longitudinal direction from a front portion in the vicinity of the front end of the front groove segment to a rear portion in the vicinity of the rear end of the rear groove segment.