Patent ID: 7504552

Claim:
An absorbent article comprising a liquid absorbent layer, the absorbent article having a skin surface and a garment surface; a pair of compressed grooves, where the liquid absorbent layer is compressed and recessed from a side of the skin surface toward the garment surface, being provided to extend in a longitudinal direction of the article, the compressed grooves being located laterally apart from a longitudinal centerline of the article, each one of the pair of grooves being located on a single side of the longitudinal centerline, the pair of grooves each curving inwardly within a range of an equal distance forward and rearward from a lateral reference line in the longitudinal direction such that a separation distance between the compressed grooves is smallest at a point within the range, the pair of grooves being substantially parallel to each other over distances forward and rearward of the range; and a rear flexible portion, where the liquid absorbent layer is recessed from the side of the garment surface toward the skin surface, being provided to extend toward a rear end edge of the article from a starting point that is located closer to the rear end edge than the lateral reference line, at least a portion of the rear flexible portion being located on the longitudinal centerline and between the substantially parallel compressed grooves, and a front flexible portion, where the liquid absorbent layer is also recessed from the side of the garment surface toward the skin surface, the front flexible portion extending toward a front end edge of the article from a starting point that is located closer to the front end edge than the lateral reference line, at least a portion of the front flexible portion being located between the compressed grooves, and the front and rear end edges are located an equal distance apart from the lateral reference line, and the front and rear flexible portions are also located an equal distance apart from the lateral reference line.