Absorbent article including an absorbent core layer having a material free zone and a transfer layer arranged below the absorbent core layer

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to absorbent articles and in particular to an absorbent article including a liquid permeable cover layer, a liquid impermeable barrier layer, an absorbent core arranged adjacent to the cover layer, a transfer layer arranged between the core and the barrier layer, the absorbent core including an upper surface and a lower surface and a material-free zone extending from the upper surface to the lower surface.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An absorbent article comprising:
 a longitudinally extending centerline;   a transversely extending centerline;   a liquid permeable cover layer having a body facing surface;   a liquid impermeable barrier layer;   an absorbent core arranged adjacent to the cover layer;   a transfer layer arranged between the core and the barrier layer;   wherein the absorbent core includes an upper surface and a lower surface and a material-free zone extending from the upper surface to the lower surface; and   wherein the cover layer includes a first region arranged in spaced relationship to the transfer layer and a second region arranged in surface to surface contact with the transfer layer.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the material-free zone is centrally aligned with respect to the longitudinally extending centerline and the transversely extending centerline. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article according to  claim 2 , wherein the material-free zone extends over an area between about 400 mm 2  and about 6000 mm 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article according to  claim 3 , wherein the material-free zone is substantially elliptical in shape and preferably has a length as measured along the longitudinally extending centerline in the range of about 40 mm to about 250 mm and a width as measured along the transversely extending centerline of about 10 mm to about 60 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article according to  claim 4 , wherein the transfer layer, absorbent core and cover cooperate to define a longitudinally extending gutter in the body facing surface of the article, the gutter having a depth in the range of between about 0.5 mm and about 20 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article has a LWV greater than 60. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article according to  claim 6 , wherein the absorbent article has a TWV greater than 35. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article according to  claim 7 , wherein the absorbent article has a FPT less than 10 seconds. 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article according to  claim 8 , wherein the absorbent article has Rewet Value less than 1 g. 
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the transfer layer is free of superabsorbent material. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article according to  claim 10 , wherein the absorbent core comprises a mixture of cellulosic fiber and superabsorbent polymer, the absorbent core containing from 95% to about 40% percent cellulosic fiber by weight, and about 5% to about 60% superabsorbent polymer by weight. 
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary absorbent core arranged between the absorbent core and the transfer layer, wherein the secondary absorbent core includes a material-free zone extending from an upper surface of the secondary absorbent core to a lower surface of the secondary absorbent core, and wherein the material-free zone of the secondary absorbent core corresponds in size and shape to the material-free zone of the core. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article according to  claim 12 , wherein the transfer layer, absorbent core, secondary absorbent core, and cover cooperate to define a longitudinally extending gutter in the body facing surface of the article, the gutter having a depth in the range of between about 1.0 mm and about 40 mm. 
     
     
         14 . An absorbent article comprising:
 a longitudinally extending centerline;   a transversely extending centerline;   a liquid permeable cover layer having a body facing surface;   a liquid impermeable barrier layer;   an absorbent core arranged adjacent to the cover layer;   a transfer layer arranged between the core and the barrier layer;   wherein the absorbent core includes an upper surface and a lower surface, the absorbent core comprising a plurality of beams and a plurality of material-free zones, each of the beams arranged in a spaced relationship to an adjacent beam and each of the beams being separated from an adjacent beam by a material-free zone, each of the material-free zones extending from the upper surface to the lower surface; and   wherein the cover layer includes a plurality of first regions arranged in spaced relationship to the transfer layer and a plurality of second regions, each of the second regions located between two adjacent beams and arranged in surface to surface contact with the transfer layer.   
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the material-free zones preferably has a width in the range of between about 1 mm and about 10 mm and a length in the range of between about 40 mm and about 250 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article according to  claim 15 , wherein the absorbent article includes between 2 and about 7 longitudinally extending the material-free zones and each of the material free zones is spaced from an adjacent material-free zone in the transverse direction by a distance from about 5 mm to about 30 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the material-free zones extend over a surface area in the range of between 50 mm 2  and about 4000 mm 2 . 
     
     
         18 . The absorbent article according to  claim 16 , wherein the transfer layer, absorbent core and cover cooperate to define a plurality of longitudinally extending gutters in the body facing surface of the article, each of the gutters having a depth in the range of between about 0.5 mm and about 20 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The absorbent article according to  claim 18 , wherein the absorbent article has a LWV greater than 60. 
     
     
         20 . The absorbent article according to  claim 19 , wherein the absorbent article has a TWV greater than 40. 
     
     
         21 . The absorbent article according to  claim 20 , wherein the absorbent article has a FPT less than 5 seconds. 
     
     
         22 . The absorbent article according to  claim 21 , wherein the absorbent article has Rewet Value less than 1 g. 
     
     
         23 . The absorbent article according to  claim 14 , wherein the transfer layer is free of superabsorbent material. 
     
     
         24 . The absorbent article according to  claim 23 , wherein the absorbent core comprises a mixture of cellulosic fiber and superabsorbent polymer, the absorbent core containing from about 95% to about 40% percent cellulosic fiber by weight, and about 5% to about 60% superabsorbent polymer by weight.