Patent ID: 7785309

Claim:
A disposable absorbent garment having a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, a front waist region, a back waist region and a crotch region extending longitudinally between and interconnecting the front waist region and the back waist region, longitudinal ends and lateral side edges, the disposable absorbent garment comprising: an inner layer having an interior surface for facing a wearer of the garment, and an exterior surface, the inner layer having a first end panel at least in part defining the front waist region of the garment, a second end panel separate from the first end panel and longitudinally spaced therefrom to at least in part define the back waist region of the garment, said first and second end panels each being stretchable in at least the lateral direction of the garment, and a pair of side panels formed separate from the first and second end panels and extending longitudinally between said first and second end panels in laterally spaced relationship with each other such that the end panels and side panels together define a central opening of the inner layer, the central opening being sized for allowing liquid, semi-liquid, and solid exudates released by the wearer to pass therethrough, said side panels each being secured to the first and second end panels and being extensible in at least the lateral direction of the garment; an outer layer in opposed relationship with the inner layer; and an absorbent assembly disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer for receiving the liquid, semi-liquid, and solid exudates that passes through the inner layer at said central opening, the absorbent assembly being secured to the inner layer and being sized larger than the central opening of said inner layer for underlying substantially the entire opening.