Patent ID: 7404810

Claim:
An absorbent article having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, said absorbent article comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core positioned between said topsheet and said backsheet, said absorbent article further comprising at least a first and a second edge barrier element for intercepting fluids, said at least first and second edge barrier elements being positioned on opposing sides of said longitudinal axis or of said transverse axis, each of said at least first and second edge barrier element having a first major dimension which extends along a first direction substantially parallel to respectively one of said longitudinal or of said transverse axis of said absorbent article, and a second minor dimension which extends along a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction, said at least first and second edge barrier elements comprising a liquid absorbing thermoplastic composition which comprises a water absorbent polymeric base material having particles of water-insoluble water-swellable absorbent material dispersed therein, said liquid absorbing thermoplastic composition and said particles of water-insoluble water-swellable absorbent material having respective basis weights, said liquid absorbing thermoplastic composition is provided in each of said at least first and second edge barrier elements with a gradient along said second minor dimension of each of said at least first and second edge barrier elements, said gradient being either in said basis weight of said liquid absorbing thermoplastic composition, or in said basis weight of said particles of water-insoluble water-swellable absorbent material, or in both of them.