Absorbent article with improved side seams

Abstract

An absorbent article is provided that includes a top sheet and a back sheet joined to form side seam regions. An absorbent core is disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet; and laterally oriented elastics are disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet. The elastics include a first elastic region disposed adjacent to the front end and a second elastic region disposed adjacent the first elastic region. The second elastic region includes one or more elastic elements that extend between the side seam regions. The elastic elements have internal cuts adjacent the side seams in a configuration that relieves elastic tension adjacent the side seams regions.

1 . An absorbent article defining a longitudinal axis, and a front end and a back end disposed along said longitudinal axis, said absorbent article comprising: 
 (i) a body-facing surface;    (ii) a garment-facing surface, wherein said body-facing surface and said garment-facing surface are joined to form side seam regions;    (iii) an absorbent core disposed between said body-facing surface and said garment-facing surface; and    (iv) laterally oriented elastics, relative to said longitudinal axis, being disposed between said body-facing surface and said garment-facing surface, said elastics including a first elastic region disposed adjacent to said front end and said back end, and a second elastic region disposed adjacent said first elastic region,    said second elastic region including one or more elastic members that extend between said side seam regions, wherein said elastic members have internal cuts adjacent said side seam regions in a configuration that relieves elastic tension adjacent said side seam regions.    
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein said front end and said back end are each defined by two laterally-disposed side panel regions and a medially-disposed body facing region and wherein said internal cuts are disposed in said side panel regions.  
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein said side panel regions are each defined by a medial side panel region and a lateral side panel region and wherein said internal cuts are disposed in said lateral side panel region.  
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 3 , wherein said elastic elements have internal cuts in said body facing region.  
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein said first elastic region includes one or more elastic members having internal cuts adjacent to the side seam regions in a configuration that relieves elastic tension adjacent said side seam regions.  
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein said second elastic region is disposed within a laminate structure.  
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein said second elastic region comprises elastic members having internal cuts in said body facing region.  
     
     
         8 . An absorbent article having a longitudinal axis, a front region and a back region disposed along said longitudinal axis, wherein said front and back regions each being characterized by a medially-disposed body facing region and two laterally-disposed side panels, said side panels being characterized as having a medial region and a distal region, said absorbent article comprising: 
 (i) a fluid-permeable top sheet;    (ii) a fluid-impermeable back sheet, wherein said top sheet and said back sheet are joined to form side seam regions;    (iii) at least one absorbent core disposed between said top sheet and said back sheet;    (iv) a waistband having one or more waistband elastic members disposed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and running substantially the entire width of each of said front region and said back region, and    (v) a tummy band having one or more tummy band elastic members disposed perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, adjacent to said waist band, and running substantially the entire width of each of said front region and said back region, wherein said tummy band elastic members have one or more internal cuts adjacent said side seam regions in a configuration that relieves elastic tension in the distal regions of said side panels.    
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 8 , wherein said internal cuts are in the distal regions of said side panels.  
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of said tummy band elastic members has internal cuts in said body facing region.  
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of said waistband elastic members has internal cuts in said body facing region.  
     
     
         12 . A method for manufacturing an absorbent article comprising the steps of: 
 (i) providing an elastic member, an upper sheet, a lower sheet and an adhesive; (ii) applying said adhesive to at least one side of said elastic member;    (iii) assembling a laminate structure wherein said elastic member is disposed between said upper sheet and said lower sheet;    (iv) making internal cuts in said elastic member;    (v) assembling the absorbent article wherein said laminate structure is disposed between a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface which are joined to form a side seam, and wherein said internal cuts are adjacent said side seam;    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said elastic member is under elastic tension during assembly of said laminate structure.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said adhesive is applied discontinuously to said elastic member such that said elastic member is characterized as having adhesive-containing regions and non-adhesive-containing regions.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said internal cuts are made in non-adhesive-containing regions of said elastic member.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said internal cuts are made with a heated knife roller.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said adhesive is further disposed between said elastic member and said garment-facing surface.  
     
     
         18 . A method for manufacturing a laminate structure comprising the steps of: 
 (i) providing an elastic member, an upper sheet, a lower sheet, and an adhesive;    (ii) discontinuously applying said adhesive to at least one side of said elastic member such that said elastic member is characterized as having adhesive-containing regions and non-adhesive-containing regions;    (iii) assembling said laminate structure wherein said elastic member is disposed between said upper sheet and said lower sheet, and wherein said elastic member is under elastic tension during assembly;    (iv) making internal cuts in said laminate structure wherein said internal cuts are made in the non-adhesive-containing regions of said elastic member such that the elastic tension of said elastic member is relieved in the area of said internal cuts.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said internal cuts are made with a heated knife roller.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said upper sheet and said lower sheet are joined at the edges of said laminate structure.