Patent ID: 8821467

Claim:
A washable, reusable, absorbent article comprising: a front portion, a rear portion and a crotch portion therebetween; an absorbent core; a front waist edge, a back waist edge and edges that define a leg opening therebetween; a releasable belt comprising two distal ends; a longitudinal direction that runs substantially parallel to the lengthwise direction of said crotch portion and a latitudinal direction that runs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said crotch portion; an inner surface adapted for contact with a wearers body and an outer surface, opposite said inner surface; said front portion further comprising laterally extended side flaps at said front waist edge and tapering substantially to said crotch portion; said front portion side flaps further comprising front portion side flap fasteners; said rear portion further comprising laterally extended side flaps at said rear waist edge and tapering substantially to said crotch portion; said rear portion side flaps further comprising distal ends; said rear portion side flaps further comprising belt fasteners to attach said releasable belt; said belt fasteners located adjacent to said distal ends of said rear portion side flaps; said releasable belt comprising distal end fasteners on both distal ends of said releasable belt adapted to attach to each of said rear portion side flap belt fasteners; said releasable belt constructed without fastening means for said front portion engagement wherein said front portion is only adapted to attach to said rear portion; said rear portion further comprising a set of fasteners for receiving said front portion side flaps fasteners; said set of fasteners for receiving said front portion side flaps fasteners disposed inboard of said belt fasteners in said latitudinal direction; whereby when said absorbent article is worn by a user said front portion side flaps extend past and effectively cover said belt and overlap said rear portion side flaps in such a way that said article will assume a pant like shape; whereby said front portion does not attach to said belt, thus said front portion and said back portion adjust to fit independently of said belt, allowing transformation of the article from a belted garment ideal for toileting without removing said article to a garment ideal for pulling up and down over the legs like a traditional training pant by removing said belt.