Prefastened disposable absorbent articles having a stretch panel

Abstract

A prefastened, refastenable, disposable absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis, at least one stretch panel, and a pair a primary fasteners. The absorbent chassis defines a pair of longitudinally opposed end edges and a pair of laterally opposed side edges. The stretch panel is located in one of the waist regions and defines a waist edge, a pair of laterally opposed outboard edges which are located laterally beyond the side edges of the absorbent chassis, and an inward edge which is located longitudinally inward from the waist edge. The pair of primary fasteners are located on the laterally opposed outboard edges of the stretch panel and are releasably prefastened to an opposite waist region of the absorbent chassis to releasably engage a front waist region to a rear waist region to provide the prefastened disposable absorbent article.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A prefastened disposable absorbent article comprising an absorbent chassis which defines a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region which extends between and connects said waist regions, a pair of longitudinally opposed end edges, and a pair of laterally opposed side edges, said absorbent article further comprising: 
 a) at least one stretch panel which is located in one of said waist regions of said absorbent chassis and which defines a waist edge, a pair of laterally opposed outboard edges which are located laterally beyond said side edges of said absorbent chassis, and an inward edge which is located longitudinally inward from said waist edge; and    b) a pair of primary fasteners which are located on said laterally opposed outboard edges of said stretch panel and which are releasably prefastened to an opposite waist region of said absorbent chassis to releasably engage said front waist region to said rear waist region to provide said prefastened disposable absorbent article.    
     
     
         2 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said absorbent article includes one of said stretch panels in each of said waist regions of said absorbent chassis.  
     
     
         3 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said stretch panel comprises a latent elastic material.  
     
     
         4 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said stretch panel comprises at least one elastic member which is applied to said stretch panel in a pretensioned configuration.  
     
     
         5 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said stretch panel is designed to elongate in a lateral direction at least about 30 percent to assist in positioning said prefastened disposable absorbent article about a wearer's waist.  
     
     
         6 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said stretch panel is designed to elongate in a lateral direction at least about 50 percent to assist in positioning said prefastened disposable absorbent article about a wearer's waist.  
     
     
         7 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said primary fasteners are hook and loop type fasteners.  
     
     
         8 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  and further comprising at least one attachment panel which is located on said opposite waist region wherein said primary fasteners are releasably engaged to said attachment panel.  
     
     
         9 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said inward edge of said stretch panel is linear.  
     
     
         10 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said inward edge of said stretch panel is curvilinear.  
     
     
         11 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said absorbent chassis includes an outer cover which comprises a necked nonwoven material.  
     
     
         12 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said stretch panel is attached to a bodyfacing surface of said absorbent article.  
     
     
         13 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said absorbent chassis includes an outer cover and a bodyside liner and wherein said stretch panel is incorporated between said outer cover and said bodyside liner.  
     
     
         14 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said stretch panel is attached to a garment facing surface of said absorbent article.  
     
     
         15 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said stretch panel is perforated along a pair of laterally directed lines on at least one of two laterally opposed sides of said stretch panel to provide at least one secondary fastener tab, said secondary fastener tab being configured to releasably engage said opposite waist region to further conform said waist regions to a wearer's body after said prefastened disposable absorbent article is pulled on over a wearer's hips.  
     
     
         16 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 15  wherein said secondary fastener tab defines a length in a lateral direction which is at least about 5 percent of a total lateral width of said stretch panel.  
     
     
         17 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 15  wherein both said primary fasteners and said at least one secondary fastener tab are hook and loop type fasteners.  
     
     
         18 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said inward edge of said stretch panel is substantially fully attached to said absorbent chassis.  
     
     
         19 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein said stretch panel is located in said rear waist region of said absorbent chassis, and wherein said primary fasteners are configured to releasably engage said front waist region of said absorbent chassis.  
     
     
         20 . A prefastened disposable absorbent article comprising an absorbent chassis which defines a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region which extends between and connects said waist regions, a pair of longitudinally opposed end edges, and a pair of laterally opposed side edges, said absorbent article further comprising: 
 a) at least one stretch panel which is located in one of said waist regions of said absorbent chassis and which defines a waist edge, a pair of laterally opposed outboard edges which are located laterally beyond said side edges of said absorbent chassis, and an inward edge which is located longitudinally inward from said waist edge;    b) a pair of primary fasteners which are located on said laterally opposed outboard edges of said stretch panel and which are releasably prefastened to an opposite waist region of said absorbent chassis to releasably engage said front waist region to said rear waist region to provide said prefastened disposable absorbent article; and    c) a pair of passive side bonds which are located laterally inward of said primary fasteners on said one waist region and which releasably connect an overlapped portion of said one waist region to said opposite waist region to assist in maintaining said prefastened absorbent article in a prefastened condition.    
     
     
         21 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said passive side bonds releasably connect said overlapped portion of said one waist region to said side edges in said opposite waist region to assist in maintaining said prefastened absorbent article in said prefastened condition.  
     
     
         22 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said passive side bonds are located on said one waist region laterally inward from said primary fasteners a distance of at least about 1.0 centimeter.  
     
     
         23 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said overlapped portion of said one waist region defines an overlap distance of at least about 2.0 centimeters.  
     
     
         24 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said passive side bonds include at least one point bond.  
     
     
         25 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 24  wherein said point bond is an ultrasonic point bond.  
     
     
         26 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said passive side bonds define a peel strength of no more than about 1500 grams.  
     
     
         27 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said passive side bonds connect a body facing surface of said absorbent article in said one waist region to a garment facing surface of said absorbent article in said opposite waist region.  
     
     
         28 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said passive side bonds connect a body facing surface of said absorbent article in said one waist region to a body facing surface of said absorbent article in said opposite waist region.  
     
     
         29 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said stretch panel comprises a latent elastic material.  
     
     
         30 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said stretch panel is designed to elongate in a lateral direction at least about 30 percent to assist in positioning said prefastened disposable absorbent article about a wearer's waist.  
     
     
         31 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said stretch panel is designed to elongate in a lateral direction at least about 50 percent to assist in positioning said prefastened disposable absorbent article about a wearer's waist.  
     
     
         32 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said primary fasteners are hook and loop type fasteners.  
     
     
         33 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said stretch panel is attached to a body facing surface of said absorbent article.  
     
     
         34 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said absorbent chassis includes an outer cover and a bodyside liner and wherein said stretch panel is incorporated between said outer cover and said bodyside liner.  
     
     
         35 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said stretch panel is attached to a garment facing surface of said absorbent article.  
     
     
         36 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said stretch panel is perforated along a pair of laterally directed lines on at least one of two laterally opposed sides of said stretch panel to provide at least one secondary fastener tab, said secondary fastener tab being configured to releasably engage said opposite waist region to further conform said waist region to a wearer's body after said prefastened disposable absorbent article is pulled on over a wearer's hips.  
     
     
         37 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 36  wherein said at least one secondary fasteners tab defines a length in a lateral direction which is at least about 10 percent of a total lateral width of said stretch panel.  
     
     
         38 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 36  wherein both said primary fasteners and said at least one secondary fastener tab are hook and loop type fasteners.  
     
     
         39 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 20  wherein said inward edge of said stretch panel is substantially fully attached to said absorbent chassis.  
     
     
         40 . A prefastened disposable absorbent article comprising an absorbent chassis which defines a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region which extends between and connects said waist regions, a pair of longitudinally opposed end edges, and a pair of laterally opposed side edges, and at least one stretch panel which defines a waist edge which is superposed adjacent said end edge of said absorbent chassis in one of said waist regions, a pair of laterally opposed outboard edges which are located laterally beyond said side edges of said absorbent chassis, and an inward edge which is located longitudinally inward from said waist edge, said stretch panel comprising 
 a) a center bridge panel;    b) a pair of laterally opposed side panels which are connected to opposed lateral edges of said bridge panel and which extend laterally beyond said side edges of said absorbent chassis;    c) a pair of primary fasteners which are located on said laterally opposed outboard edges of said stretch panel and which are releasably prefastened to an opposite waist region of said absorbent chassis to releasably engage said front waist region to said rear waist region to provide said prefastened disposable absorbent article; and    d) a pair of passive side bonds which are located laterally inward of said primary fasteners on said one waist region and which releasably connect an overlapped portion of said one waist region to said opposite waist region to assist in maintaining said prefastened absorbent article in a prefastened condition.    
     
     
         41 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 40  wherein said side panels of said stretch panel are substantially non-elastomeric.  
     
     
         42 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 40  wherein said bridge panel defines a bridge panel width in a lateral direction which is at least about 10 percent of a width of said absorbent chassis.  
     
     
         43 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 41  wherein said bridge panel defines a bridge panel width in a lateral direction which is about equal to a width of said absorbent chassis, such that said bridge panel provides stretch in said one waist region and said side panels remain substantially non-elastomeric beyond said laterally opposed side edges of said absorbent chassis.  
     
     
         44 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 43  wherein said bridge panel is designed to elongate in a lateral direction at least about 30 percent to assist in positioning said prefastened disposable absorbent article about a wearer's waist.  
     
     
         45 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 40  wherein said primary fasteners are hook and loop type fasteners.  
     
     
         46 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 40  wherein said stretch panel is attached to a body facing surface of said absorbent article.  
     
     
         47 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 40  wherein said absorbent chassis includes an outer cover and a bodyside liner and wherein said stretch panel is incorporated between said outer cover and said bodyside liner.  
     
     
         48 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 40  wherein said stretch panel is attached to a garment facing surface of said absorbent article.  
     
     
         49 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 40  wherein said stretch panel is perforated along a pair of laterally directed lines on at least one of two laterally opposed sides of said stretch panel to provide at least one secondary fastener tab, said secondary fastener tab being configured to releasably engage said opposite waist region to further conform said waist regions to a wearer's body after said prefastened disposable absorbent article is pulled on over a wearer's hips.  
     
     
         50 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 49  wherein said at least one secondary fastener tab defines a length in a lateral direction which is at least about 10 percent of a total lateral width of said stretch panel.  
     
     
         51 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 49  wherein both said primary fasteners and said at least one secondary fastener tab are hook and loop type fasteners.  
     
     
         52 . The prefastened absorbent article of  claim 40  wherein said inward edge of said stretch panel is substantially fully attached to said absorbent chassis.  
     
     
         53 . A package of prefastened disposable absorbent articles comprising a container and a plurality of said prefastened disposable absorbent articles, each of which comprise an absorbent chassis which defines a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region which extends between and connects said waist regions, a pair of longitudinally opposed end edges, and a pair of laterally opposed side edges, each of said absorbent articles further comprising: 
 a) at least one stretch panel which is located on one of said waist regions of said absorbent chassis and which defines a waist edge, a pair of laterally opposed outboard edges which are located laterally beyond said side edges of said absorbent chassis, and an inward edge which is located longitudinally inward from said waist edge; and    b) a pair of primary fasteners which are located on said laterally opposed outboard edges of said stretch panel and which are releasably prefastened to an opposite waist region of said absorbent chassis to releasably engage said front waist region to said rear waist region to provide said prefastened disposable absorbent article.    
     
     
         54 . The package of prefastened absorbent articles of  claim 53  wherein said absorbent articles further comprise a pair of passive side bonds which are located inward of said primary fasteners on said one waist region and which releasably connect an overlapped portion of said one waist region to said opposite waist region to assist in maintaining said prefastened absorbent article in a prefastened condition.  
     
     
         55 . The package of prefastened absorbent articles of  claim 53  wherein said stretch panel of said absorbent articles comprises: 
 a) a center bridge panel; and  
 b) a pair of laterally opposed side panels which are connected to opposed lateral edges of said bridge panel and which extend laterally beyond said side edges of said absorbent chassis.  
 
     
     
         56 . The package of refastened absorbent articles of  claim 53  wherein said stretch panel of said absorbent articles is perforated along a pair of laterally directed lines on at least one of two laterally opposed sides of said stretch panel to provide at least one secondary fastener tab, said secondary fastener tab being configured to releasably engage said opposite waist region to further conform said waist regions to a wearer's body after said prefastened disposable absorbent article is pulled on over a wearer's hips.