Patent ID: 7797810

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an absorbent article, comprising: providing an elastically stretchable first piece having first and second lateral edges and first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends are shorter than the first and second lateral edges; securing a first end of a second piece of material to a middle portion of the second lateral edge of the first piece so that the first piece extends substantially perpendicular to the second piece, wherein the second piece has first and second longitudinal edges that are substantially perpendicular to the first end and the first end is shorter than the first and second longitudinal edges, and wherein the second piece includes an absorbent element; securing the first end of the first piece to the first longitudinal edge of the second piece and securing the second end of the first piece to the second longitudinal edge of the second piece; and providing elastic members along at least a portion of the first longitudinal edge and along at least a portion of the second longitudinal edge of the second piece adjacent the absorbent element to contract said portions of the second piece.