Patent ID: 8231593

Claim:
An absorbent article comprising: a) a fluid permeable topsheet; b) a backsheet, said backsheet being joined to said topsheet about a periphery of said absorbent article; and c) an absorbent core disposed between said topsheet and said backsheet, said absorbent core comprising: i) a storage system comprising at least one storage layer having a density of at least about 0.4 g/cm 3 ; and ii) a substantially cellulose-free acquisition system comprising an acquisition/storage layer having a density of at least about 0.4 g/cm 3 which comprises a superabsorbent material; and iii) regions of low superabsorbent basis weight in the acquisition/storage layer or the storage system to create one or more preferential fold zones; wherein the ratio of the width of said absorbent core at a transverse axis to the widest lateral width in either of a first waist region or a second waist region is less than about 1.0; wherein said absorbent article has a circular bend flexibility of less than about 15 N in a crotch region thereof and an acquisition rate selected from measurements of at least one of the following gushes: a) on the third gush of less than about 170 seconds; or b) on the fourth gush of less than about 190 seconds.