Patent ID: 8562581

Claim:
An absorbent article comprising: a backsheet consisting of a single, vapor pervious layer having a shape defining a longitudinal axis, a minimum lateral dimension and a maximum lateral dimension, said backsheet defining a front region at one end of said longitudinal axis and a rear region at the other end of said longitudinal axis, and a crotch region joining said front and rear regions, wherein said front and rear regions have a lateral dimension of approximately said maximum lateral dimension, and said crotch region has a lateral dimension of approximately said minimum lateral dimension; one or more fasteners, each of said fasteners attached at one end to a first part of said backsheet and having a fastening material at a second end thereof, said fastening material adapted to removably engage a substantial portion of said backsheet; and a containment assembly having a shape defining a maximum lateral dimension which is less than the maximum lateral dimension of said backsheet, said containment assembly comprising; a vapor pervious topsheet; a vapor impervious backing film disposed beneath said topsheet; and an absorbent core sandwiched between said topsheet and said backing film; wherein said containment assembly is attached to said backsheet along said longitudinal axis, said backsheet forming a plurality of breathable regions each consisting of a single layer laterally disposed beyond said containment assembly, at least a portion of said backsheet being altered to completely resist engagement by said fastening material so that said fastener is capable of engaging only said substantial portion of said backsheet and said at least a portion of said backsheet forms a stay-away zone to which said fastening material is not capable of attaching, wherein the stay-away zone is disposed within at least one of the front and back regions and a maximum lateral dimension of the stay-away zone does not extend beyond the minimum lateral dimension of the backsheet.