Patent ID: 8147476

Claim:
A disposable absorbent article comprising: a) a front panel and a back panel, each comprising an elastic film middle layer sandwiched between two nonwoven layers, each panel having a first zone and a second zone, said first zone of each panel being extensible and retractable and said second zone of each panel being non-extensible and non-retractable, each panel also having a first end, a second end, a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein within each panel, said elastic film middle layer extends from said first side edge to said second side edge along an entire length of said first end and said elastic film middle layer extends from said first end to said second end along an entire length of said first side edge and along an entire length of said second side edge, and said second zone of each panel is spaced inward from said first and second side edges of each said panel and inward from said first end of each said panel; b) an absorbent assembly including a liquid pervious bodyside liner, a liquid-impervious outer cover, and an absorbent positioned therebetween, said absorbent assembly having a first end and a second end, said absorbent assembly being secured to said front and back panels, said first end of said absorbent assembly being secured to said second zone of said front panel and said second end of said absorbent assembly being secured to said second zone of said back panel, and said absorbent assembly capable of being folded to enable said first and second side edges of said front panel to align with said first and second side edges of said back panel; and c) a pair of seams joining said front and back panels together at said first and second side edges to form a disposable absorbent article having a waist opening and a pair of leg openings, said article is designed to be pulled up around a user's torso without having to first open said article.