Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Maria E Signoret

Clifford Jackson Ellis

Rob David Everett

Daniel R Laux

Mark Gordon Heath

David F Bishop

Generally stated, the present invention provides a distinctive absorbent article which includes a backsheet layer and an absorbent retention portion which is superposed on the backsheet layer. The retention portion has a length and a width, and has laterally opposed side edges thereof and longitudinally opposed end edges thereof. A surge management portion is located adjacent a bodyside surface of the retention portion. The surge management portion is constructed to temporarily hold received liquid and release the liquid to the retention portion. The surge management portion has a width, opposed side edges thereof and opposed end edges thereof, and has a length thereof which is less than the length of the retention portion. The end edges of the surge management portion are located longitudinally inboard from the end edges of the retention portion. A porous topsheet layer is disposed in facing relation with the backsheet layer to sandwich the retention portion and the surge management portion between the backsheet layer and the topsheet layer. The topsheet layer has marginal regions thereof attached to marginal regions of the backsheet layer. The attached marginal regions of the topsheet and backsheet layers are located laterally outboard of the side edge regions of the surge management portion. A surfactant material is applied to a medial section of the topsheet layer to provide a greater wettability of the medial section, as compared to a remainder of the topsheet layer. The medial section has a width which is substantially not more than the width of the surge management portion.

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Greenville, WI, United States of America

Maria E Signoret