Patent ID: 6984225

Claim:
An absorbent article having a length and a width, a front area and a rear area, and a central area between the front and rear areas, said absorbent article comprising: (a) a liquid-permeable layer, which, when the absorbent article is in use, is turned toward a body of a wearer; (b) a liquid-impermeable layer, which, when the absorbent article is in use, is turned away from such body of such wearer; (c) a liquid distribution layer disposed between said liquid-permeable layer and said liquid-impermeable layer, said liquid distribution layer comprising (i) an undulating strip of material ( 26 ) from the central area into at least one of the front area and the rear area, and (ii) an additional strip of material ( 28 ) disposed between the undulating strip of material ( 26 ) and the liquid-impermeable layer, and extending between the front area and the rear area, said additional strip of material ( 28 ) having openings formed therethrough exclusively in one or both of the front area and the rear area of the absorbent article such that said formed openings are spaced from each other by the central area of the absorbent article which is devoid of such formed openings; and (d) a liquid storage layer between the liquid-impermeable layer and the liquid distribution layer, said liquid distribution layer transferring fluid to the liquid storage layer in one or both the front area and the rear area, said undulating layer comprising elongate undulations defining elongate open flow channels between said undulating layer and underlying and overlying elements of said absorbent article which are in contact with said undulating layer.