Patent ID: 7018368
Filing Date: 2006-03-28
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A personal care article having a lateral cross-direction and a lengthwise longitudinal direction, a front portion, a rear portion, and a crotch portion interconnecting said front and rear portions, said personal care article comprising: (a) an article substrate comprising an outer cover and a bodyside liner, said substrate having a first waistband section in said front portion and a second waistband section in said rear portion, at least one of said first waistband section and said second waistband section being resiliently stretchable along at least said crass-direction, said first waistband section having first laterally opposed end regions and said second waistband section having second laterally opposed end regions; (b) an absorbent structure comprising an absorbent core disposed between said outer cover and said bodyside liner, said absorbent core being operable for receiving and storing exudates; (c) extendible attachment elements securing said absorbent structure to said outer cover while accommodating resilient stretching of said outer cover along the cross-direction, wherein said extendible attachment elements accommodate resilient stretching of at least one of said first waistband section and said second waistband section, of at least about 5% elongation, as determined with respect to an unstretched condition of the respective said waistband section; (d) fastener apparatus configured to hold said personal care article on a wearer, said fastener apparatus being disposed at each laterally opposed end regions of one of said first and second waistband sections; (e) first and second substantially non-stretchable grasping panels effectively free of fastening properties, and disposed at said laterally opposed end regions of the other of said first and second waistband sections, whereby said non-stretchable grasping panels are attached to said substrate at portions of said substrate which are stretchable in the cross-direction; and (f) a fastener landing zone disposed between said first and second grasping panels, at said outer cover, for receiving and securing said fastener apparatus thereto.