Patent ID: 7744576

Claim:
An absorbent core useful for an absorbent article comprising a first substrate layer, said first substrate layer comprising a first surface and a second surface, said absorbent core further comprising a discontinuous layer of absorbent material, said absorbent material comprising an absorbent polymer material, said discontinuous layer of absorbent material comprising a first surface and a second surface, said absorbent core further comprising a layer of thermoplastic material, said layer of thermoplastic material comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein said second surface of said discontinuous layer of absorbent material is in at least partial contact with said first surface of said first substrate layer and wherein portions of said second surface of said layer of thermoplastic material are in direct contact with said first surface of said first substrate layer forming areas of junction and portions of said second surface of said layer of thermoplastic material are in direct contact with said first surface of said discontinuous layer of absorbent material; and a second substrate layer, said second substrate layer comprising a first surface and a second surface, said absorbent core further comprising a second discontinuous layer of absorbent material, said second discontinuous layer of absorbent material comprising a first surface and a second surface, said absorbent core further comprising a second layer of thermoplastic material, said second layer of thermoplastic material comprising a first surface and a second surface, wherein said second surface of said second discontinuous layer of absorbent material is in at least partial contact with said first surface of said second substrate layer and wherein portions of said second surface of said second layer of thermoplastic material are in direct contact with said first surface of said second substrate layer forming areas of junction and portions of said second surface of said second layer of thermoplastic material are in direct contact with said first surface of said second discontinuous layer of absorbent material; wherein said first surface of said first substrate layer and said first surface of said second substrate layer are arranged such that said first surface of said discontinuous layer of absorbent material of said first substrate layer directly faces said areas of junction of said second substrate layer and said first surface of said discontinuous layer of absorbent material of said second substrate layer directly faces said areas of junction of said first substrate layer, such that said areas of junction are offset.