Patent Publication Number: US-2010125263-A1

Title: Disposable absorbent article having dual layer barrier cuff strips

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/158,563, filed Jun. 22, 2005, the substance of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to disposable absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and other articles intended for use on incontinent persons. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Disposable absorbent articles are designed to absorb and contain bodily waste in order to prevent soiling of the body and clothing of the wearer, as well as bedding or other objects with which the wearer comes into contact. 
     As the usage of disposable absorbent articles has expanded, their complexity has increased with the incorporation of additional features serving to enhance their performance and appearance. The costs of the materials and the costs of the manufacturing processes have also increased in conjunction with the increase in complexity. As a result, the prices at which these articles are sold have risen to levels that many potential purchasers around the world cannot afford to pay. Thus, a need exists for a simple disposable absorbent article. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a disposable absorbent article including two laterally opposing longitudinally extending dual layer barrier cuff strips attached to an absorbent assembly in laterally opposing attachment zones. Each barrier cuff strip is water vapor-permeable and includes a water-impermeable layer and may be extensible. A longitudinally extending elastic gathering member is attached to each barrier cuff strip adjacent to its proximal edge. When the article is worn, the elastic gathering members contract and raise the barrier cuff strips to form breathable side barriers. The absorbent assembly includes an absorbent core that may contain superabsorbent particles, which may be contained inside pockets. A portion of the absorbent assembly such as the portion that lies between the barrier cuff strip attachment zones may be extensible and may include a water-impermeable layer. The laterally opposing attachment zones may act as dams preventing a lateral flow of liquid bodily waste. 
     In the accompanying drawing figures, like reference numerals identify like elements, which may or may not be identical in the several exemplary embodiments that are depicted. Some of the figures may have been simplified by the omission of selected elements for the purpose of more clearly showing other elements. Such omissions of elements in some figures are not necessarily indicative of the presence or absence of particular elements in any of the exemplary embodiments, except as may be explicitly delineated in the corresponding written description. 
    
    
     
       In the drawing figures and in the written description, lowercase letters appended to reference numerals indicate generally symmetric elements, e.g., the left and right side edges of the absorbent assembly  200  are respectively identified by the reference numerals  237   a  and  237   b . A reference numeral without an appended lowercase letter identifies all of the elements to which that particular reference numeral applies. 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exemplary diaper  20 , shown in its flat, uncontracted state, i.e., without the contraction induced by elastic members, and with the interior portion of the diaper  20  that faces inwardly toward the wearer and contacts the wearer facing the viewer. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the diaper  20  of  FIG. 1  with the exterior portion of the diaper  20  that faces outwardly away from the wearer shown facing the viewer. 
         FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 5  are section views of the diaper  20  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  taken at the respective section lines  3 - 3 ,  4 - 4 , and  5 - 5 , with the interior portion of the diaper  20  that faces inwardly toward the wearer and contacts the wearer shown facing upward. 
         FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 8  are simplified side, front, and back elevation views of an exemplary diaper  20  being worn about a lower torso of a wearer. 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of an exemplary fragment of a formed web material. 
         FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11  are simplified left and right side elevation views of an exemplary diaper  20  including cohesive fastening patches being worn about a lower torso of a wearer. 
         FIG. 12  is a section view of an exemplary diaper  20  taken at a section line corresponding to section line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 , having an additional layer  412  in the barrier cuff strip  400 . 
         FIG. 13  is a section view of an exemplary diaper  20  taken at a section line corresponding to section line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 , in which the lower layer  411  of the barrier cuff strip  400  is attached to the exterior surface  204  of the absorbent assembly  200 . 
         FIG. 14  is a simplified plan view of an exemplary diaper  20 , shown in its flat, uncontracted state, i.e., without the contraction induced by elastic members, having adhesive tape tabs  114  and fastening surfaces  116 , and with the exterior portion of the diaper  20  that faces outwardly away from the wearer facing the viewer. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of an exemplary diaper  20 , shown in its relaxed, contracted state, i.e., with the contraction induced by elastic members, and with the interior portion of the diaper  20  that faces inwardly toward the wearer and contacts the wearer facing upward. 
         FIG. 16  is a plan view of an exemplary absorbent assembly  200 , shown separately from the other portions of an exemplary diaper  20  and with the interior portion of the absorbent assembly  200  that faces inwardly toward the wearer and contacts the wearer facing the viewer. 
         FIG. 17  and  FIG. 18  are section views of the absorbent assembly  200  of  FIG. 16  taken at the section lines  17 - 17  and  18 - 18 . 
         FIG. 19  is a section view of an exemplary absorbent assembly  200  showing details of an exemplary absorbent core having particles of superabsorbent material contained inside pockets 
         FIG. 20  is a section view of an exemplary absorbent assembly  200  having an additional bottom sheet  226 , taken at a section line corresponding to the section line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 21  is a plan view of another exemplary disposable absorbent article in the form of a diaper  20 , shown in its flat, uncontracted state and with its interior portion facing the viewer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In this description, the following terms have the following meanings: 
     The term “absorbent article” refers to a device that absorbs and contains liquid, and more specifically, refers to a device that is placed against or in proximity to the body of the wearer to absorb and contain the various exudates discharged from the body. 
     The term “diaper” refers to an absorbent article that is generally worn by infants and incontinent persons about the lower torso so as to encircle the waist and the legs of the wearer and that is specifically adapted to receive and contain urinary and fecal waste. 
     The term “disposable” refers to the nature of absorbent articles that generally are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored or reused as an absorbent article, i.e., they are intended to be discarded after a single use and, preferably, to be recycled, composted or otherwise disposed of in an environmentally compatible manner. 
     The term “longitudinal” refers to a direction running from a waist edge to an opposing waist edge of the article and generally parallel to the maximum linear dimension of the article. Directions within  45 ° of the longitudinal direction are considered to be “longitudinal”. 
     The term “lateral” refers to a direction running from a side edge to an opposing side edge of the article and generally at a right angle to the longitudinal direction. Directions within  45 ° of the lateral direction are considered to be “lateral”. 
     The term “disposed” refers to an element being attached and positioned in a particular place or position in a unitary structure with other elements. 
     The term “attached” refers to elements being connected or united by fastening, adhering, bonding, etc. by any method suitable for the elements being attached together and their constituent materials. Many suitable methods for attaching elements together are well-known, including adhesive bonding, pressure bonding, thermal bonding, mechanical fastening, etc. Such attachment methods may be used to attach elements together over a particular area either continuously or intermittently. 
     The term “cohesive” refers to the property of a material that, once set, sticks to itself but does not to any significant degree stick to other materials. 
     The terms “water-permeable” and “water-impermeable” refer to the penetrability of materials in the context of the intended usage of disposable absorbent articles. Specifically, the term “water-permeable” refers to a layer or a layered structure having pores, openings, and/or interconnected void spaces that permit liquid water to pass through its thickness in the absence of a forcing pressure. Conversely, the term “water-impermeable” refers to a layer or a layered structure through the thickness of which liquid water cannot pass in the absence of a forcing pressure. A layer or a layered structure that is water-impermeable according to this definition may be permeable to water vapor, i.e., may be “water vapor-permeable”. Such a water vapor-permeable layer or layered structure is commonly known in the art as “breathable”. As is well known in the art, a common method for measuring the permeability to water of the materials typically used in absorbent articles is a hydrostatic pressure test, also called a hydrostatic head test or simply a “hydrohead” test. Suitable well known compendial methods for hydrohead testing are approved by INDA (formerly the International Nonwovens and Disposables Association, now The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry) and EDANA (European Disposables And Nonwovens Association). 
     The terms “proximal” and “distal” refer respectively to the location of an element relatively near to or far from the center of a structure, e.g., the proximal edge of a longitudinally extending element is located nearer to the longitudinal axis than the distal edge of the same element is located relative to the same longitudinal axis. 
     The terms “interior” and “exterior” refer respectively to the location of an element that is intended to be placed against or toward the body of a wearer when an absorbent article is worn and the location of an element that is intended to be placed against or toward any clothing that is worn over the absorbent article. Synonyms for “interior” and “exterior” include, respectively, “inner” and “outer”, as well as “inside” and “outside”. Also, when the absorbent article is oriented such that its interior faces upward, e.g., when it is laid out in preparation for setting the wearer on top of it, synonyms include “upper” and “lower”, “above” and “below”, “over” and “under”, and “top” and “bottom”, respectively. 
     Description of Exemplary Diaper Embodiments 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 8  for this section of this description. 
     One end portion of the exemplary diaper  20  is configured as a front waist region  36 , the longitudinally opposing end portion is configured as a back waist region  38 , and an intermediate portion is configured as a crotch region  37 . 
     The basic structure of the diaper  20  includes an absorbent assembly  200 , which has a front edge  236 , a back edge  238 , a left side edge  237   a , a right side edge  237   b , an interior surface  202 , and an exterior surface  204 . A longitudinal axis  42  extends through the midpoints of the front edge  236  and the back edge  238  and a lateral axis  44  extends through the midpoints of the side edges  237 . 
     The basic structure of the diaper  20  also includes two laterally opposing longitudinally extending barrier cuff strips designated the left barrier cuff strip  400   a  and the right barrier cuff strip  400   b . The barrier cuff strips have respective front waist edges  436 , back waist edges  438 , proximal edges  457 , and distal edges  437 . The barrier cuff strip distal edges  437  form the respective side edges  137  of the diaper  20 . 
     The barrier cuff strips  400  and the absorbent assembly  200  are attached together in laterally opposing longitudinally extending attachment zones such as the exemplary attachment zones  420  shown in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 5 . 
     When the diaper  20  is worn on the lower torso of a wearer, the front waist edges  436  of the barrier cuff strips, the front edge  236  of the absorbent assembly, the back waist edges  438  of the barrier cuff strips, and the back edge  238  of the absorbent assembly encircle the waist of the wearer, the side edges  137  of the diaper encircle the legs of the wearer, the crotch region  37  is generally positioned between the legs of the wearer, and the absorbent assembly  200  extends from the front waist region  36  through the crotch region  37  to the back waist region  38 . 
     A portion or the whole of each of the barrier cuff strips may be formed of an elastically extensible material or materials. Alternatively or in addition, a portion or the whole of each of the barrier cuff strips may be made extensible to a degree greater than the inherent extensibility of the material or materials from which the barrier cuff strip is made. Similarly, a portion or the whole of the absorbent assembly may be formed of an elastically extensible material or materials. Alternatively or in addition, a portion or the whole of the absorbent assembly may be made extensible to a degree greater than the inherent extensibility of the material or materials from which the absorbent assembly is made. The additional extensibility may be desirable in order to allow the diaper  20  to conform to the body of a wearer during movement by the wearer. Additional lateral extensibility may be particularly desirable to allow the user of a diaper to extend the front waist region and/or the back waist region to encircle the waist of a wearer, i.e., to tailor the waist size and fit of a diaper to the individual wearer. Such a lateral extension of the waist region or regions may give the diaper a generally hourglass shape and may impart a tailored appearance to the diaper when it is worn. In addition, the additional extensibility may be desirable in order to minimize the cost of the diaper, because a relatively lesser amount of material is needed when the material is made extensible as described. 
     For the purpose of fitting to the waist of the wearer, in some embodiments additional lateral extensibility in the absorbent assembly  200  is provided only between the laterally opposing attachment zones  420  where the absorbent assembly  200  and the barrier cuff strips  400  are attached together, rather than in the entire absorbent assembly. 
     Additional extensibility in the barrier cuff strips and/or the absorbent assembly may be provided in a variety of ways. For example, a material or materials from which the barrier cuff strips and/or the absorbent assembly is/are made may be pleated by any of many known methods. Alternatively, all or a portion of the barrier cuff strips and/or the absorbent assembly may be made of a formed web material or a formed laminate of web materials like those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,801 issued on 21 May 1996 in the name of Chappell et al. An exemplary fragment  300  of such a formed web material  305  is shown in  FIG. 9 . This formed web material  305  includes distinct laterally extending regions  310  in which the original material has been altered by embossing or another method of deformation to create a pattern of generally longitudinally oriented alternating ridges  312  and valleys  314 . The formed web material  305  also includes laterally extending unaltered regions  316  located between the laterally extending altered regions  310 . 
     Such a formed web material  305  can be laterally extended beyond its original dimension with the application of relatively less force than that required to extend the same material to the same extent when undeformed. In particular, the application of opposing divergent forces directed generally perpendicular to the ridges  312  and valleys  314  extends such a formed web material along an axis between the opposing forces and generates a resistive contractive force, primarily in the unaltered regions  316 . This resistive force is relatively smaller than the resistive force that is generated by the same material in its unaltered form when extended to the same extent, at least up to an extension at which the ridges and valleys in the altered regions flatten and begin to contribute to the resistive force. Thus, such formed web materials exhibit an extensible behavior resembling that of traditional elastic materials in the range of extensibility that is useful in absorbent articles, but may be made of relatively less expensive materials that are not inherently elastic and, thus, their use may provide an advantage in terms of the cost of manufacturing the absorbent articles. 
     In addition, different portions of the barrier cuff strips and/or the absorbent assembly may be formed to have different ranges of extensibility and/or to be extensible to a greater or lesser degree when subjected to a given level of opposing tensile forces, i.e., to be relatively more easily or less easily extensible. Such differential extensibility may be desirable so that, for example, one or both of the waist regions may be laterally extended relatively farther or relatively more easily than the crotch region. 
     Description of the Barrier Cuff Strips 
     The diaper  20  includes two laterally opposing longitudinally extending barrier cuff strips designated the left barrier cuff strip  400   a  and the right barrier cuff strip  400   b  as shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 5 . Each barrier cuff strip includes two layers, namely an upper layer  410  and a lower layer  411 , at least between its proximal edge  457  and the attachment zones  420  where the barrier cuff strips  400  and the absorbent assembly  200  are attached together. Laterally outward of the attachment zone  420 , each barrier cuff strip  400  may include only one of these two layers or, alternatively, may include both of these layers, to equal or unequal lateral extents. For example, in the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 5 , the lower layer  411  of each barrier cuff strip  400  extends less far laterally outward than the upper layer  410  of the same barrier cuff strip, i.e., the distal edge  413  of the upper layer  410  lies laterally distally relative to the distal edge  414  of the lower layer  411 . Alternatively, the lower layer  411  of each barrier cuff strip  400  may extend farther laterally outward than the upper layer  410  of the same barrier cuff strip, i.e., the distal edge  414  of the lower layer  411  may lie laterally distally relative to the distal edge  413  of the upper layer  410 . Whichever distal edge  413  or  414  of each barrier cuff strip  400  lies laterally most distally forms the distal edge  437  of that barrier cuff strip. In embodiments in which the distal edges  413  and  414  are collinear, they jointly form the distal edge  437 . 
     The barrier cuff strips are formed of a water vapor-permeable, i.e., breathable, nonwoven material, for example a synthetic nonwoven such as spunbonded or carded polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, or rayon. The nonwoven material preferably is hydrophobic and the dual layer nonwoven barrier cuff strip preferably is water-impermeable. Suitable hydrophobic nonwovens include SM (spunbond meltblown), SMS (spunbond meltblown spunbond), and SMMS (spunbond meltblown meltblown spunbond) composites. The materials of the water vapor-permeable barrier cuff strips  400  may be selected to balance overall product economics and function. For example, in comparison to the nonwoven materials commonly used in disposable diapers, a relatively inexpensive nonwoven having a relatively low basis weight may provide the requisite level of water-impermeability when it is doubled to form the dual layer barrier cuff strip. 
     In addition to the doubled nonwoven material, each barrier cuff strip may include a third layer that is formed of a suitable water-impermeable material, for example a film of polyethylene or another polyolefin, a microporous breathable film, a hydrophobic nonwoven, or a film formed of coextruded polyolefin layers. For example, a suitable coextruded film is available from Clopay Plastic Products Co. of Mason, Ohio, U.S.A. under the designation of M18-327. Such a multi-layer barrier cuff strip may be arranged with the additional water-impermeable layer sandwiched between the nonwoven layers that provide the feel and appearance of a cloth-like outermost layer or with the additional water-impermeable layer disposed either above or below the doubled nonwoven layers. For example,  FIG. 12  shows an exemplary arrangement in which an additional water-impermeable layer  412  is sandwiched between the nonwoven layers  410  and  411 . Such a third layer may extend to approximately the same lateral extent as the nonwoven layer that extends least far laterally. For example, the third layer  412  in  FIG. 12  extends to approximately the same lateral extent as the lower layer  411 . Alternatively, such a third layer may extend to approximately the same lateral extent as the nonwoven layer that extends farthest laterally, or to an intermediate lateral extent. 
     The barrier cuff strips may overlap the absorbent core  250 , i.e., the proximal edges  457  of the barrier cuff strips may lie laterally inward of the respective side edges  257  of the absorbent core  250 . Alternatively, the barrier cuff strips may not overlap the absorbent core. The barrier cuff strips are water vapor-permeable, i.e., breathable, at least in the crotch region  37  where they form side barriers when the diaper is worn, as described in detail below. 
     Each of the barrier cuff strips  400  is attached to the interior surface  202  of the absorbent assembly  200  in attachment zones located at or adjacent to the front edge  236  and the back edge  238 . For example, in the diaper  20  shown in  FIG. 1 , the barrier cuff strips  400  are attached to the interior surface  202  of the absorbent assembly  200  in the front edge and back edge attachment zones  451 . These attachment zones may have equal areas or may be unequal in area. 
     Between the front edge and back edge attachment zones, the proximal edges  457  of the barrier cuff strips  400  remain free, i.e., are not attached to the interior surface  202  of the absorbent assembly  200 . Also between the attachment zones, each barrier cuff strip preferably includes a longitudinally extensible cuff elastic member that is attached adjacent to the proximal edge of the barrier cuff strip. For example, in the exemplary diaper  20  shown in  FIG. 1 , elastic strands  467  are sandwiched between the upper layer  410  and the lower layer  411  and attached adjacent to the respective proximal edges  457  of the barrier cuff strips. Alternatively, each cuff elastic member may be attached on an exposed surface of the barrier cuff strip and remain exposed. 
     When stretched, the cuff elastic members allow the proximal edges of the barrier cuff strips to extend to the flat uncontracted length of the absorbent assembly, as shown in  FIG. 1 . When allowed to relax, the cuff elastic members contract to gather the portions of the proximal edges  457  along which the cuff elastic members are attached. For example, when the exemplary diaper  20  is in a relaxed condition, as shown in  FIG. 15 , the elastic strands  467  contract to gather the proximal edges  457  of the barrier cuff strips  400 . The contractive forces of the elastic strands pull the front waist region  36  and the back waist region  38  toward each other and thereby bend the absorbent assembly  200  and the entire diaper  20  into a “U” shape in which the interior of the “U” shape is formed by the interior portions of the diaper. Because the proximal edges  457  remain free between the attachment zones, the contractive forces of the elastic strands lift the proximal edges  457  of the barrier cuff strips  400  away from the interior surface  202  of the absorbent assembly and thereby raise the barrier cuff strips into position to serve as side barriers. The lateral spacing of the lifted proximal edges  457  is selected to allow the deposit of bodily wastes from the lower torso of the wearer into the space between the raised barrier cuff strips. The width of each of the barrier cuff strips  400  preferably is selected to allow the lifted proximal edges  457  to fit into the leg creases of the body of the wearer to form seals to help prevent the leakage of deposited bodily waste out of the diaper. 
     Each barrier cuff strip  400  may be doubled either by folding the barrier cuff strip or by adding a second layer to the cuff strip. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 5 , each barrier cuff strip is folded to form the two layers  410  and  411 . As is also shown in these figures, the cuff elastic member may be sandwiched between the folded layers. In this embodiment, the proximal edge  457  of each barrier cuff strip  400  is formed where the barrier cuff strip is folded for doubling. 
     The lower layer  411  of each doubled barrier cuff strip  400  is attached to the absorbent assembly  200  in the attachment zone  420  adjacent to the respective side edge  237  of the absorbent assembly. The upper layer  410  is in turn attached to the lower layer  411  in an attachment zone  458  disposed either laterally coincidently with the attachment zone  420  or laterally farther outward than the attachment zone  420 . For example, the attachment zone  458  is disposed laterally coincidently with the attachment zone  420  in the exemplary diaper shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 5 . When a third layer  412  is present and extends laterally outwardly to or beyond the attachment zone  420  where the lower layer  411  is attached to the absorbent assembly  200 , the upper layer  410  may be attached to the third layer  412  which may in turn be attached to the lower layer  411 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     The lower layer  411  may be attached to the interior surface  202  of the absorbent assembly as shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 5 . Alternatively, the lower layer  411  may be attached to the exterior surface  204  of the absorbent assembly. For example, in  FIG. 13 , the lower layer  411  of each barrier cuff strip  400  is shown wrapped over the respective side edge  237  and attached to the exterior surface  204  of the absorbent assembly  200 . As another alternative, the lower layer  411  may be attached to both the interior surface  202  and the exterior surface  204 . 
     Between the proximal edge  457  and the attachment zone  458 , the layers of each doubled barrier cuff strip  400  may remain unattached to each other and thus free to contact each or separate from each other. Alternatively, the layers of each barrier cuff strip  400  may be attached together continuously or intermittently in one or more additional attachment zones located between its proximal edge  457  and the attachment zone  458  and spaced laterally inward from the attachment zone  458 . These additional attachment zones extend at least in the crotch region  37  and may extend into one or both of the waist regions  36  and  38 . For example, in the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 5 , the layers are attached together in laterally spaced additional attachment zones  460  extending longitudinally through the crotch region  37  and into the waist regions  36  and  38 . Such additional attachment together prevents the layers from separating and thereby presenting an undesirable baggy or blousy appearance around the legs of the wearer, as well as tending to stiffen the doubled barrier cuff strips  400  slightly and thereby helping to ensure their proper fit against the body. The layers of each doubled barrier cuff strip may be attached together by adhesives, mechanical bonds, or thermal bonds, or by a combination of known bonding methods. 
     Alternatively, or in addition, the layers of the each doubled barrier cuff strip  400  may be attached together in the waist regions  36  and  38  adjacent to the waist edges  436  and  438 , for example in laterally extending attachment zones  459  as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5 . This lateral attachment may be laterally intermittent or laterally continuous. When such a laterally extending attachment zone is laterally continuous from the proximal edge  457  to the attachment zone  458  where the upper layer  410  is attached to the lower layer  411 , as in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5 , it prevents the layers from separating and thereby presenting an undesirable unfinished appearance at the waist edges, as well as preventing the leakage at the waist edge of any liquid waste from between the layers. 
     An additional elastic member may be attached to each barrier cuff strip  400  laterally outward of the attachment zone  458  where the upper layer  410  and the lower layer  411  are attached together, for example, adjacent to its distal edge  437 , to form an outer leg gather (not shown). Such an additional elastic member may be enclosed inside a hem formed by folding one or both of the upper layer and the lower layer of the barrier cuff strip, or may be sandwiched between the upper layer and the lower layer. 
     The front waist region and the back waist region can be fastened together to encircle the waist and the legs of the wearer in many ways. For example, separate fastening devices such as safety pins, separate tapes, a separate tie strap or straps, and/or a separate belt can be used for this purpose. Alternatively or in addition, fastening elements can be incorporated into the disposable absorbent article to enable a user to apply the diaper to the body of the wearer without, or in conjunction with, any separate fastening devices. Many suitable types of such incorporated fastening elements are well-known, including, for example, tapes, adhesives, adhesive tape tabs, ties, buttons, hooks, loops, snap fasteners, other forms of mechanical fasteners, cohesive patches, etc. Some suitable mechanical fasteners may be adapted to engage with a nonwoven layer of a diaper. For example, a mechanical fastener may engage with a nonwoven layer of a barrier cuff strip. 
     The fastening of the front waist region and the back waist region together may be openable and refastenable to allow for the adjustment of the fit of the diaper on the wearer and for the inspection of the interior of the diaper without fully removing it from the wearer. Alternatively, the fastening may be permanent, i.e., its opening may require the destruction of a portion of the diaper, e.g., the tearing of a portion of the diaper or the breaking of fused side seams. 
     Cohesive fastening patches may be formed by the application of a cohesive material onto a substrate. The cohesive material may be applied in any of a variety of patterns, such as a continuous film, discrete dots, stripes, polygons, etc., and/or spaced and interconnected geometric elements describing a grid. Suitable synthetic cohesive products are available from Andover Coated Products, Incorporated, of Salisbury, Mass., U.S.A. and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,424 issued on 5 Dec. 2000 in the name of Taylor. 
     Such cohesive fastening patches may be disposed on the exterior of the diaper  20 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 10 , and  FIG. 11 , cohesive fastening patches  110  may be disposed on the exterior surfaces of the respective barrier cuff strips  400  and/or the absorbent assembly  200  in the front waist region  36 . In this exemplary embodiment, functionally complementary cohesive fastening patches  120  are disposed on the interior surfaces of the respective barrier cuff strips  400  in the back waist region  38 . When the diaper  20  is worn as shown in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , the cohesive fastening patches on the interior overlap the cohesive fastening patches on the exterior and the cohesion of the overlapped cohesive fastening patches fastens the front waist region  36  and the back waist region  38  together at the sides of the diaper  20 . The configuration shown in these figures is adapted for back-over-front fastening. 
     Alternatively, the front cohesive fastening patches may be disposed on the interior of the diaper  20  and the back cohesive fastening patches may be disposed on the exterior of the diaper  20  in order to adapt the configuration for front-over-back fastening. Alternatively, the cohesive fastening patches may be disposed in a reversible configuration that is adapted to provide the user of the diaper with both options for fastening, i.e., either back-over-front or front-over-back, according to personal preference. For example, cohesive fastening patches that are disposed on both the exterior and the interior of the diaper  20  may allow a back cohesive fastening patch to overlap a front cohesive fastening patch or the front cohesive fastening patch to overlap the back cohesive fastening patch. When the underlying portion of the diaper is extensible, it is preferable that the cohesive fastening patches be similarly extensible such that the underlying extensible portion of the diaper is not restrained. 
     Alternatively, adhesive tape tabs may be attached to the diaper  20  and may be used to fasten the back waist region  38  and the front waist region  36  together. For example, as shown in  FIG. 14 , adhesive tape tabs  114  may be attached to the barrier cuff strips  400  at or adjacent to their distal edges  437 . Suitable adhesive tapes are available from the  3 M Corporation of St. Paul, Minn., U.S.A., under the designation of XMF99121, and from the Avery Dennison Corporation, Specialty Tape Division, Mentor, Ohio, U.S.A., under the designation of F4416. 
     Optionally, one or more fastening sheets may also be attached to the diaper  20  and used in conjunction with such adhesive tape tabs. For example, fastening sheets  116  may be attached onto the exterior surfaces  404  of the respective barrier cuff strips  400  and the exterior surface  204  of the absorbent assembly  200  as shown in  FIG. 14 . When a fastening sheet is provided, the adhesive tape tabs may be adhered to the fastening sheet to fasten the back waist region  38  and the front waist region  36  together. The fastening sheet serves to distribute the tensile force transmitted by each of the adhesive tape tabs over an area larger than the adhered area of the adhesive tape tab and may, itself, bear a portion of the tensile force and thereby relieve a portion of the force exerted on the underlying portion of the diaper, such as the barrier cuff strips. Thus, for example, the incorporation of such a fastening sheet may make it possible to use a relatively inexpensive and relatively weak material for the underlying portion of the diaper. When mechanical fasteners are used instead of adhesive tape tabs, a fastening sheet can have a surface and/or elements that engage with the mechanical fastener, e.g., loops with which hooks may engage. When the underlying portion of the diaper is extensible, it is preferable that the fastening sheet be similarly extensible such that the underlying extensible portion of the diaper is not restrained. 
     Description of the Absorbent Assembly 
     In the exemplary diaper  20  shown in  FIG. 1 , the absorbent assembly  200  extends the full length of the barrier cuff strips  400  between the front waist edges  436  and the back waist edges  438 . Such a full length configuration may be desirable in order to minimize the amount of waste material and the difficulty associated with the manufacture of the diaper  20 , especially when the method used to manufacture the diaper  20  requires the introduction of the material or materials for the absorbent assembly  200  in the form of a continuous web or multiple continuous webs. Alternatively, the absorbent assembly  200  may be shorter and extend less than the full length of the barrier cuff strips. Such a shorter configuration may be desirable in order to minimize the total amount of material used and the cost of the diaper  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 16 ,  FIG. 17 , and  FIG. 18 , the absorbent assembly  200  includes an absorbent core  250  that serves to absorb and retain liquid bodily waste materials. The absorbent core  250  has a front edge  256 , a back edge  258 , side edgs  257 , an interior surface  252 , and an exterior surface  254 . 
     The absorbent assembly  200  may include an upper covering sheet that is disposed in a face-to-face arrangement with the interior surface  252  of the absorbent core  250  in addition to a lower covering sheet that is disposed in a face-to-face arrangement with the exterior surface  254  of the absorbent core  250 . If both are present, such an upper covering sheet and lower covering sheet may be attached together to contain the absorbent core  250  between them and thereby form the absorbent assembly  200 . For example, in the exemplary absorbent assembly  200  shown in  FIG. 16 ,  FIG. 17 , and  FIG. 18 , an upper covering sheet  24  and a lower covering sheet  25  are attached together adjacent to the side edges  237  in attachment zones  29   a  and  29   b.    
     The upper covering sheet is water-permeable and allows liquid bodily waste to pass through its thickness to the absorbent core. The upper covering sheet preferably is formed of a soft material that will not irritate the skin of the wearer, for example a synthetic nonwoven such as spunbonded or carded polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, or rayon. A portion or the whole of either or both of the upper covering sheet and the lower covering sheet may be water vapor- permeable, i.e., breathable. 
     The lower covering sheet may include a water-impermeable layer that is formed of a suitable material, for example a film of polyethylene or another polyolefin, a microporous breathable film, a hydrophobic nonwoven, or a film formed of coextruded layers of polypropylene-polyethylene-polypropylene. For example, a suitable coextruded film is available from Clopay Plastic Products Co. of Mason, Ohio, U.S.A. under the designation of M18-327. A multi-layer lower covering sheet, such as a laminate of a film and a nonwoven, may also be suitable and may be oriented with the nonwoven disposed exteriorly to provide the feel and appearance of a cloth-like outermost layer, with the nonwoven disposed interiorly to separate the film from the skin of the wearer, or with nonwovens disposed both exteriorly and interiorly. 
     The upper covering sheet and the lower covering sheet may extend to the same width and the same length. Alternatively, one or more of the edges of one of the covering sheets may lie distally relative to the respective edge or edges of the other covering sheet. For example, the upper covering sheet may extend longitudinally only to an extent sufficient to cover the absorbent core and to be attached to the lower covering sheet adjacent to either the front or the back edge of the absorbent core, while the lower covering sheet may extend longitudinally beyond the upper covering sheet toward or to the adjacent waist edges of the barrier cuff strips. Similarly, the upper covering sheet may extend laterally only to an extent sufficient to cover the absorbent core and to be attached to the lower covering sheet adjacent to either the left or the right side edge of the absorbent core and the lower covering sheet may extend laterally beyond the upper covering sheet. For example, in the exemplary absorbent assembly  200  shown in  FIG. 4 , the upper covering sheet  24  extends laterally only a relatively small distance beyond the side edges  257  of the absorbent core  250  and is attached to the lower covering sheet  25  in this area. The lower covering sheet  25  in this exemplary absorbent assembly extends laterally beyond the upper covering sheet  24  and is attached to the barrier cuff strips  400 . 
     The absorbent assembly and the barrier cuff strips may be attached together over any part or the whole of the length of the absorbent assembly. Preferably, the absorbent assembly is attached on its interior surface to the barrier cuff strips in laterally opposing longitudinally extending attachment zones such as the exemplary attachment zones  420   a  and  420   b  shown in 
       FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 14 . The portions of the barrier cuff strips that lie outside such an attachment pattern are not restrained by attachment to the absorbent assembly and therefore remain extensible. For example, a relatively narrow longitudinally extending attachment zone such as left attachment zone  420   a  leaves the majority of the width of the left barrier cuff strip  400   a  freely extensible and thereby allows extension of the left barrier cuff strip  400   a  in the lateral direction. 
     Within the extent of the attachment zones, the absorbent assembly may be attached to the barrier cuff strips continuously or intermittently. For example, a film of an adhesive may be applied continuously over the entire area of the attachment zones and then used to continuously attach the absorbent assembly to the barrier cuff strips. As an alternative example, an adhesive may be applied discontinuously at and inside the boundaries of the attachment zones, such as in the form of dots, stripes, beads, spirals, etc., and then used to attach the absorbent assembly and the barrier cuff strips together. 
     In some embodiments, one or both of the longitudinally extending attachment zones  420  may act as a dam that prevents the lateral flow of liquid bodily waste in a direction away from the absorbent core toward the adjacent side edge  137  of the diaper. For example, in an embodiment in which the lower covering sheet  25  extends laterally beyond the upper covering sheet  24 , as in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 4 , and in which both the lower covering sheet  25  and each of the barrier cuff strips  400  includes a water-impermeable layer, as described above, such a longitudinally extending attachment zone acting as a dam may effectively trap liquid bodily waste materials between the lower covering sheet, the barrier cuff strips, and the body of the wearer of the diaper. 
     The absorbent core may be attached to the lower covering sheet over any part or the whole of the area of the absorbent core. Preferably, the absorbent core is attached on its exterior surface to the lower covering sheet in a cruciform attachment pattern, i.e., in an attachment pattern that forms or is arranged in a cross or “+” shape. The cruciform attachment pattern may be contiguous, i.e., all of its portions may be touching or connected throughout the pattern in an unbroken sequence, or may include detached portions and thereby lack contiguity but still be arranged such that the shape of the overall pattern is a cruciform. An exemplary contiguous cruciform attachment pattern  210  is shown in  FIG. 16 ,  FIG. 17 , and  FIG. 18 . When an adhesive is used for the attachment, less may be necessary in a cruciform attachment pattern than in a more extensive attachment pattern. In addition, the portions of the lower covering sheet that lie outside such a cruciform attachment pattern are not restrained by attachment to the absorbent core and therefore remain extensible. In particular, a relatively narrow longitudinally extending portion  212  of a cruciform attachment pattern  210  like that shown in  FIG. 16  and  FIG. 18  leaves the majority of the width of the lower covering sheet  25  in the front waist region  36  and in the back waist region  38  freely extensible and thereby allows extension of the lower covering sheet  25  in the lateral direction in these regions. A relatively wide laterally extending portion  214  of a cruciform attachment pattern  210  like that shown in  FIG. 16  and  FIG. 17  prevents the portion of the lower covering sheet  25  in the crotch region  37  to which the absorbent core  250  is attached from shifting relative to the absorbent core  250  in that region. 
     Within the extent of the cruciform attachment pattern, the absorbent core may be attached to the lower covering sheet continuously or intermittently. For example, a film of an adhesive may be applied continuously over the entire area of the cruciform attachment pattern and then used to continuously attach the absorbent core to the lower covering sheet. As an alternative example, an adhesive may be applied discontinuously at and inside the boundaries of the cruciform attachment pattern, such as in the form of dots, stripes, beads, spirals, etc., and then used to attach the absorbent core to the lower covering sheet. Suitable configurations of cruciform attachment patterns are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/880,128 filed on 29 Jun. 2004. 
     The absorbent core  250  includes a storage component  272  that serves to absorb and retain liquid bodily waste materials. Suitable known materials for the absorbent core storage component include cellulose fibers in the form of comminuted wood pulp, which is commonly known as “airfelt”, layers or sheets of a natural or synthetic fibrous material or materials, a superabsorbent polymer or polymers, etc. These absorbent materials may be used separately or in combination. Many known absorbent materials may be used in a discrete form, i.e., in the form of fibers, granules, particles, and the like. Such a discrete form of an absorbent material may be immobilized by an adhesive that attaches the discrete pieces together to form a coherent layer or that attaches the discrete pieces to a substrate layer or that attaches the discrete pieces both to each other and to the substrate layer. 
     The absorbent core may include an acquisition component in addition to one or more storage components. The absorbent core acquisition component serves to acquire deposited liquid bodily waste material and transfer it to the absorbent core storage component. Any porous absorbent material which will imbibe and partition liquid bodily waste material to the storage component or components may be used to form the acquisition component. Preferred materials for the acquisition component include synthetic fiber materials, open celled polymeric foam materials, fibrous nonwoven materials, cellulosic nonwoven materials, and various combination synthetic/cellulosic nonwoven materials. For example, the acquisition component may be formed of a nonwoven web or webs of synthetic fibers including polyester, polypropylene, and/or polyethylene, natural fibers including cotton and/or cellulose, blends of such fibers, or any equivalent materials or combinations of materials. Examples of such acquisition materials are more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,264 issued to Osborn on Aug. 21, 1990. High loft nonwoven acquisition materials suitable for the acquisition component of the present invention can be obtained from Polymer Group, Inc., (PGI), 450 N.E. Blvd, Landisville, N.J. 08326, U.S.A., under the material code designation of 98920. 
     Such an absorbent core acquisition component  290  is shown overlying the absorbent core storage component  272  in  FIG. 16 ,  FIG. 17 , and  FIG. 18 . A separation sheet  292  of, e.g., a tissue or a nonwoven material, may be disposed between the absorbent core storage component  272  and the absorbent core acquisition component  290  to help ensure that none of the gel formed by a superabsorbent polymer reaches the skin of the wearer. This separation sheet  292  may extend laterally beyond the side edges  257  of the absorbent core  250  and the upper covering sheet  24  may be attached to the separation sheet  292 . In this arrangement, the liquid bodily waste material that is deposited onto the upper covering sheet  24  will pass through the thickness of the upper covering sheet  24  to be absorbed by the absorbent core acquisition component  290 , and some or all of it may then pass through the thickness of the separation sheet  292  and then be absorbed and retained by the absorbent core storage component  272 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 19 , in some exemplary embodiments, an absorbent core storage component  272  may include the discrete form of an absorbent material that is immobilized in pockets formed by a layer of a thermoplastic material, such as a hot melt adhesive, that intermittently contacts and adheres to a substrate sheet, while diverging away from the substrate sheet at the pockets. Absorbent core components having such structures and being suitable for the storage of liquid bodily wastes are described in co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 10/776,839 and 10/776,851, both filed on 11 Feb. 2004 in the name of Ehrnsperger et al. An exemplary absorbent core storage component  272  having such a structure is shown in  FIG. 19 . In this absorbent core storage component  272 , particles  270  of a superabsorbent polymer are contained inside pockets  280  formed by a layer  275  of a thermoplastic material. The absorbent core storage component may include both particles of a superabsorbent polymer and airfelt and both materials may be contained inside the pockets formed by the layer of the thermoplastic material. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 19 , an exemplary absorbent core storage component may contain no airfelt and therefore the component can be made relatively thinner and more flexible for the comfort of the wearer. In addition, the particles of the superabsorbent polymer can be immobilized relatively more easily in the absence of airfelt. As shown in  FIG. 19 , the layer  275  of the thermoplastic material intermittently contacts and adheres to a substrate sheet  274  at the areas of attachment  282 . Between the areas of attachment  282 , the layer  275  diverges away from the substrate sheet  274  to form the pockets  280 . The layer  275  may have the form of a sheet of fibers of the thermoplastic material through which the liquid bodily waste may pass to be absorbed by the particles  270  of the superabsorbent polymer. 
     In  FIG. 19 , a separate thermoplastic layer covering sheet  276  is shown overlying the layer  275  of the thermoplastic material. Alternatively, the separate thermoplastic layer covering sheet  276  may be omitted. As another alternative, two absorbent core storage components each like that shown in  FIG. 19  except for the omission of the thermoplastic layer covering sheet  276  may be superposed with one absorbent core storage component inverted such that the respective substrate sheets distally oppose each other. In such a combination of absorbent core storage components, either or both of the distally opposing substrate sheets may serve respectively as either or both of an upper covering sheet and a lower covering sheet for the absorbent assembly. Alternatively, the absorbent assembly may include a separate lower covering sheet and/or a separate upper covering sheet. 
     The absorbent assembly may include an additional bottom sheet of a film or other water-impermeable material to enhance the protection against leakage. For example, as shown in  FIG. 20 , an additional bottom sheet  226  of a film or other water-impermeable material may be attached inside the absorbent assembly between the lower covering sheet  25  and the absorbent core  250 . Alternatively, the additional bottom sheet may be attached to the absorbent assembly exteriorly of the lower covering sheet. This additional bottom sheet may extend laterally less far than either or both of the side edges  237  of the absorbent assembly  200 , as shown in  FIG. 20 , or may extend laterally to overlap one or both of the side edges of the absorbent assembly. 
     When such an additional bottom sheet is attached inside the absorbent assembly between the lower covering sheet and the absorbent core, the additional bottom sheet may be attached to the lower covering sheet in a cruciform attachment pattern similar to that shown in  FIG. 16 , thus leaving the portions of the lower covering sheet that lie outside the cruciform attachment pattern unrestrained by attachment to the additional bottom sheet and allowing these portions to be extensible. For example, a laterally extending portion  214  of such a cruciform attachment pattern is shown in  FIG. 20 . 
     Alternatively or in addition, the additional bottom sheet in such an embodiment may be attached in such a cruciform attachment pattern to the absorbent core, thus leaving the portions of the additional bottom sheet that lie outside the cruciform attachment pattern unrestrained by attachment to the absorbent core and therefore allowing these portions to be extensible. In such an embodiment, even if the additional bottom sheet is attached to the lower covering sheet in a pattern other than a cruciform, the lower covering sheet is not indirectly restrained by the absorbent core and therefore is allowed to be extensible. 
     Description of Shape of Article 
     The finished diaper may have a generally rectangular shape, as in the exemplary diaper  20  shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . Such a generally rectangular configuration may be desirable in order to minimize the amount of waste material and the difficulty associated with the manufacture of the diaper  20 . Alternatively, the diaper may have side edges  137  that are not straight, but instead are curved and/or notched, thereby giving an overall shape in plan view of an hourglass or of an “I” to the diaper  20 . Such a non-rectangular configuration may be desirable in order to impart a tailored appearance to the diaper  20  when it is worn. Such a non-rectangular configuration may also be desirable in order to impart an impression that the diaper  20  will fit comfortably between the legs of a wearer. 
     Any one of many well-known ways may be used to form a non-rectangular configuration of the diaper. For example, laterally distal portions may be removed from the diaper to make its lateral dimension at and adjacent to the lateral axis  44  smaller than its lateral dimension at and adjacent to the front waist edge  436  and smaller than its lateral dimension at and adjacent to the back waist edge  438 , i.e., to make the diaper narrower in the crotch region  37  than at the waist edges. An exemplary form of such a non-rectangular configuration of the diaper is shown in  FIG. 21 . As shown in this figure, portions of the barrier cuff strips  400  may be removed to form laterally opposing side notches  111   a  and  111   b.    
     The disclosures of all patents, patent applications and any patents which issue thereon, as well as any corresponding published foreign patent applications, and all publications listed and/or referenced in this description, are hereby incorporated in their entireties herein by reference. It is expressly not admitted that any of the documents or any combination of the documents incorporated herein by reference teaches or discloses the present invention. 
     While particular embodiments and/or individual features of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, it should be apparent that all combinations of such embodiments and features are possible and can result in preferred executions of the invention. Therefore, the following claims are intended to cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.