Patent ID: 8617449

Claim:
A method of making an absorbent structure having a three-dimensional topography comprises: placing at least a portion of the absorbent structure between opposed mold surfaces, at least one of the mold surfaces having a three-dimensional topography; and imparting the three-dimensional topography of the mold surface onto the absorbent structure so that the absorbent structure has a three-dimensional topography corresponding to the three-dimensional topography of the mold surface, the absorbent structure having the three-dimensional topography imparted thereon having a projected area as determined by a Topography Analysis Method, an upper surface of the absorbent structure having a vertical area as determined by the Topography Analysis Method in the range of about 0.1 cm 2 to about 0.5 cm 2 per 1.0 cm 2 projected area of the absorbent structure.