U.S. Patent No.: 8,263,820 B2
Inventor(s): Giovanni Carlucci, Chieti, Italy; Maurizio Tamburro, S. Giovanni Teatino, Italy; Alessandro Gagliardini, Villa Vomano, Italy; Evelina Toro, Chieti, Italy; and Pancrazio Veronese, Pescara, Italy.
Company: The Procter and Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH, U.S.
Filed: 7/28/08
Issued: 9/11/12

An absorbent core for an absorbent article intended for absorption of menses or blood, the core comprising a substrate layer; the substrate layer comprising a substrate layer first surface and a substrate layer second surface; the absorbent core further comprising a non uniform layer of absorbent material, the absorbent material comprising an absorbent polymer material; the non uniform layer of absorbent material comprising a non uniform layer of absorbent material first surface and a non uniform layer of absorbent material second surface; the absorbent core further comprising a layer of a thermoplastic material; and the layer of thermoplastic material comprising a layer of thermoplastic material first surface and a layer of thermoplastic material second surface, wherein the non uniform layer of absorbent material second surface is in at least partial contact with the substrate layer first surface, wherein portions of the layer of thermoplastic material second surface are in direct contact with the substrate layer first surface and portions of the layer of thermoplastic material second surface are in direct contact with the non uniform layer of absorbent material first surface, and wherein the substrate layer comprises a fibrous material substantially free of cellulose fibers, the substrate layer having a basis weight from about 25 g/m2 to about 120 g/m2 ; said absorbent article having in use a body facing surface and a garment facing surface, wherein said substrate layer in said absorbent core provides the function of a top layer to the absorbent core; wherein the top layer of the absorbent core corresponds to the body facing surface of the core; wherein said absorbent article further comprises a fibrous layer positioned below said core towards said garment facing surface of said absorbent article, wherein said fibrous layer comprises greater than zero and not more than 60% of cellulose fibres; and wherein the absorbent core comprises at least a cover layer in direct contact with the layer of thermoplastic material first surface.