Patent ID: 7008410

Claim:
Absorbent article comprising: a liquid permeable topsheet, a liquid impermeable backsheet and an absorbent body enclosed therebetween, said article having a front portion, a rear portion and a crotch portion therebetween, and a pair of belt portions attached to one of the rear portion and the front portion of the article, and fastening means provided on the other of the front portion and the rear portion, said belt portions first being attached to each other around the waist of a wearer when donning said absorbent article and said fastening means then being attached to an outer surface of the belt portions such that the article will assume a pantlike shape having a waist portion, wherein the belt portions are permanently integrated with one of the rear portion and the front portion of the article and thereby form a part of the waist portion of the article, wherein each of the belt portions includes a plurality of stiffening elements discontinuously arranged in the longitudinal direction of the belt portions so as to prevent sagging of the belt portions, the largest extension of the stiffening elements being arranged substantially across the longitudinal direction of the belt portions, and wherein aid plurality of stiffening elements maintain the belt portions extended in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in order to avoid sagging of the belt portions when applied around the waist of the wearer.