Patent 7189219 was granted and assigned to Kao Corporation on March, 2007 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
An absorbent article comprises a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet and a liquid-retentive absorbent core interposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The absorbent article is substantially vertically elongated and has an upstanding gather. The topsheet has a liquid shut-off region in a line shape and adapted to prohibit migration of a liquid in the topsheet. The liquid shut-off region is formed at a region outside a peripheral edge portion but other than a joined section between the topsheet and a sheet material for forming the upstanding gather.