Absorbent articles with refastenable side seams

Abstract

A disposable absorbent article includes an absorbent chassis and a fastening system that together define a refastenable pant. The refastenable pant includes a pair of elastomeric front side panels extending from the waist opening to each leg opening, a pair of elastomeric back side panels extending from the waist opening to each leg opening, and a pair of refastenable seams extending from the waist opening to each leg opening and positioned between the elastomeric front and back side panels.

1 . An absorbent article, comprising:
 an absorbent chassis defining a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, front and back waist edges parallel to the transverse axis, opposite side edges extending between the front and back waist edges, a front waist region contiguous with the front waist edge, a back waist region contiguous with the back waist edge, and a crotch region which extends between and interconnects the front and back waist regions, the front waist region defining a pair of transversely opposed front side panels and a front center panel positioned between and interconnecting the front side panels, the back waist region defining a pair of transversely opposed back side panels and a back center panel positioned between and interconnecting the back side panels, at least one pair of side panels being elastomeric in a direction generally parallel to the transverse axis, the absorbent chassis comprising a bodyside liner, an outer cover bonded to the bodyside liner, and an absorbent assembly disposed between the bodyside liner and the outer cover; and   a fastening system for releasably securing the absorbent article in a pant-like configuration, the fastening system comprising first and second fastening components disposed on the back side panels and adapted to releasably engage first and second mating fastening components disposed on the front side panels;   wherein the transverse distance between the first and second fastening components is substantially equal to the transverse distance between the first and second mating fastening components.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein each side panel has a waist end edge parallel to the transverse axis and forming part of one of the waist edges and an opposite leg end edge, and each side panel is elastomeric from the waist end edge to the leg end edge. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein each of the side panels comprises an elastomeric material and is elastomeric in a direction generally parallel to the transverse axis. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article comprises elastomeric components transversely disposed between the fastening components and the absorbent assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , further comprising leg elastic members longitudinally aligned along each side edge in the crotch region, the leg elastic members having front terminal points located adjacent longitudinally innermost parts of the front side panels and back terminal points located adjacent longitudinally innermost parts of the back side panels. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent article has an overall length dimension and the side panels have an average length dimension that is about 20 percent or greater of the overall length dimension. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent chassis defines an inner surface and an opposite outer surface, and the first and second fastening components comprise loop type fasteners disposed on the inner surface and the first and second mating fastening components comprise hook type fasteners disposed on the outer surface. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 7 , wherein the loop type fasteners are sized larger than the mating hook type fasteners. 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the pant configuration defines a waist opening and leg openings and engagement of the fastening components and mating fastening components defines refastenable seams that cover about 90 to about 98 percent of the distance between the waist opening and the leg openings. 
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fastening components are disposed in the back waist region abutting the back waist edge and the first and second mating fastening components are disposed in the front waist region abutting the front waist edge. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein each first and second fastening component defines a length dimension that is aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, a width dimension, and a length-to-width ratio of about 2 or greater. 
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 11 , wherein each first and second mating fastening component defines a length dimension that is aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, a width dimension, and a length-to-width ratio of about 2 or greater. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 12 , wherein each first and second fastening component and each first and second mating fastening component has a length-to-width ratio of about 5 or greater. 
     
     
         14 - 46 . (canceled)