Patent ID: 7273476

Claim:
A disposable absorbent article having a backsheet, an absorbent core and a topsheet, wherein said topsheet and backsheet are joined to form longitudinal opposing attachment areas, said absorbent article having a length L, said topsheet comprising: a) a pair of longitudinal side edges; b) a front portion and a back portion; and c) an opening, present in part of the front region and part of the back region, said opening having opposing longitudinal side edges and a crotch side portion adjacent each longitudinal side edge, said opening providing a passageway to a void space for receiving bodily exudates therein and said void space being positioned between the topsheet and the absorbent core, and each crotch side portion comprising a longitudinally extending primary elasticated area, wherein each crotch side portion of the topsheet comprises a secondary elasticated area, which is curved or angled, having an overall curvature with a radius of from 0.3 L to 3.2 L, and wherein the secondary elasticated area is at least partially disposed in a free region of the topsheet between the attachment areas and the longitudinal side edges of the opening.