Patent ID: 8304600

Claim:
An absorbent article, comprising: a first sheet member that is liquid-permeable; a second sheet member that is liquid-impermeable; and an absorbent member that absorbs and retains liquid, disposed between the first and second sheet members, wherein at least a portion of the first sheet member comprises nonwoven fabric having a plurality of convex and concave portions extending in a first direction of the nonwoven fabric, wherein said convex and concave portions are alternatively arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a fiber density of entire each convex portion is greater than that of entire each concave portion, wherein each of said convex portions has side edge areas and a central area between said side edge areas, wherein a fiber density of each of said side edge areas and central areas is substantially uniform in a thickness direction of the nonwoven fabric, respectively, a fiber density of each of said side edge areas is greater than that of each of the central areas, and a dimension of each of the convex portions in the second direction is greater than that of each of the concave portions.