| abstract |
This invention is a disposable absorbent article (20) which is substantially flat prior to use for wearing adjacent a body discharge area, having a body facing surface and a garment facing surface. The disposable absorbent article (20) includes a liquid pervious topsheet (24), a backsheet (26), and an absorbent core (28) intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent core (28) has a body facing surface and a garment facing surface, and has an expanding layer (46) for expanding the article into a tridimensional structure while being worn by a user. The expanding layer (46) includes a number of smaller expanding elements (50) that are activated by body fluids, are de-coupled from one another, and are capable of expanding substantially in only one direction upon activation by body fluids. |