Refastenable Absorbent Article

Abstract

An absorbent article is provided that comprises a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region disposed between the front waist region and the back waist region, a front waist end edge, a back waist end edge, a longitudinal axis extending from a mid-point of the front waist end edge to a mid-point of the back waist end edge, a first longitudinally extending side edge, a second longitudinally extending side edge, an exterior surface, an interior surface, a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet. A portion of the front waist region and a portion of the back waist region are joined in a surface to surface relationship to form a pant comprising a first permanent side edge seam and a laterally opposed second permanent side edge seam. The first and second permanent side edge seams define an initial waist opening circumference and a pair of leg openings. The first and second permanent side edge seams may be folded to be offset from a transverse axis of the absorbent article. The absorbent article comprises a first fastening component comprising a first fastening surface and a first attachment surface. The first attachment surface is disposed on the exterior surface of the absorbent article in the front waist region. The absorbent article comprises a second fastening component comprising a second fastening surface. The second fastening component is disposed on or forms a portion of the exterior surface of the absorbent article. The initial waist opening circumference formed by the first and second permanent side edge seams is configured to be opened. The first fastening surface and the second fastening surface are configured to be refastenably engaged and separated with each other.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An absorbent article comprising:
 a front waist region, a back waist region, a crotch region disposed between the front waist region and the back waist region, a front waist end edge, a back waist end edge, a longitudinal axis extending from a mid-point of the front waist end edge to a mid-point of the back waist end edge, a first longitudinally extending side edge, a second longitudinally extending side edge, an exterior surface, an interior surface, a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet;   wherein a portion of the front waist region and a portion of the back waist region are joined in a surface to surface relationship to form a pant comprising a first permanent side edge seam and a laterally opposed second permanent side edge seam, and wherein the first and second permanent side edge seams define an initial waist opening circumference and a pair of leg openings, and wherein the first and second permanent side edge seams are folded to be offset from a transverse axis of the absorbent article;   a first fastening component comprising a first fastening surface and a first attachment surface, wherein the first attachment surface is disposed on the exterior surface of the absorbent article;   a second fastening component comprising a second fastening surface, wherein the second fastening component is disposed on or forms a portion of the exterior surface of the absorbent article;   wherein the initial waist opening circumference formed by the first and second permanent side edge seams is configured to be opened; and   wherein the first fastening surface and the second fastening surface are configured to be refastenably engaged and separated with each other.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , comprising a separation zone disposed in the same waist region as one of the first fastening component and the second fastening component. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein the initial waist opening circumference is configured to be opened by separating a first portion of the separation zone from a second portion of the separation zone. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein the first fastening surface is free from refastenable engagement with the second fastening component or another portion of the absorbent article prior to separation of a first portion the separation zone from a second portion of the separation zone. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the separation zone is disposed between the first fastening component and the second fastening component. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the separation zone is disposed laterally inward of the first permanent side edge seam and the first fastening component is disposed between the first permanent side edge seam and the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein the separation zone, after separation, comprises:
 a first separation zone edge extending from the waist opening to one of the leg openings; and   a second separation zone edge extending from the waist opening to one of the leg openings.   
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein the separation zone comprises a visual signal comprising one or more structural, graphical or textural elements. 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein the separation zone comprises a bond, and wherein the bond is one of a sonic sealed bond, a thermal sealed bond, a high pressure bond, a radio frequency bond, an adhesive bond, a cohesive bond, a sewed bond, an autogenous bond, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the separation zone is disposed laterally inward of the first fastening component. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of  claim 2 , wherein the first fastening component is disposed laterally inward of the separation zone. 
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first fastening component and the second fastening component comprises a hook-type material. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein the first fastening component is disposed laterally between the first longitudinally extending side edge and the first permanent side edge seam. 
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , comprising a separation zone, wherein the absorbent article comprises only one first fastening component and only one second fastening component disposed in the same waist region as the separation zone. 
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first fastening component and the second fastening component comprise at least one hooks, loops, bulbs, mushrooms, arrowheads, balls on stems, buttons, snaps, refastenable cohesives, refastenable adhesives, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , comprising a first set of side panels disposed in the front waist region and a second set of side panels disposed in the back waist region, wherein a portion of one of the side panels disposed in the front waist region comprises the first fastening component, and wherein one of the side panel of the front waist region is disposed in an overlapping interior surface to interior surface relationship with a portion of one of the side panels of the back waist region. 
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article of  claim 1 , comprising two side panels and a waistband, wherein the two side panels and the waistband are both disposed in one of the front waist region and the back waist region, wherein the second fastening component is formed by the exterior surface of one or more of the backsheet, one of the side panels, and the waistband.