Patent ID: 7732039

Claim:
An absorbent article comprising: a liner adapted for contiguous relationship with the wearer's body; an outer cover in generally opposed relationship with the liner; and an absorbent body disposed between the liner and the outer cover, the absorbent body at least partially comprising an absorbent structure having a length, a thickness, a width, a longitudinal axis, laterally opposite side edges and a non-uniform lateral compression stiffness across its width, said non-uniform lateral compression stiffness being such that the absorbent structure assumes a generally buckled configuration under lateral compression thereof, said buckled configuration of the absorbent structure being generally symmetric about a plane normal to the absorbent structure and in which the longitudinal axis of the absorbent structure lies, the lateral compression stiffness of the absorbent structure generally decreasing laterally outward from the longitudinal axis thereof toward the side edges of the absorbent structure.