Patent ID: 7179951

Claim:
An absorbent article comprising: a. a topsheet; b. an outer cover; c. an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the outer cover; d. an absorbent barrier structure is disposed between the absorbent core and the outer cover wherein the absorbent barrier structure has a hydrohead value of at least about 10 mBars: a convective air permeability of at least about 10 Darcy/mm; and a liquid impact transmission value of less than about 20 g/m 2 and wherein said absorbent barrier structure is substantially free of a film; and wherein said barrier structure comprises: 1) a first barrier zone disposed adjacent to a garment-facing surface of the absorbent core and a reservoir zone disposed between the barrier zone and the outer cover; 2) a second barrier zone disposed at least partially between the reservoir zone and the outer cover 3) a dampness management means disposed between the absorbent barrier structure and the outer cover, or between the reservoir zone and one of the barrier zones wherein a combination of the absorbent barrier structure and the outer cover has a hydrohead value of at least about 25 mBars: a convective air permeability of at least about 10 Darcy/mm; and a liquid impact transmission value of less than about 20 g/m 2 .