Absorbent article with an ear portion

Abstract

An absorbent article includes a first waist region, a second waist region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and second waist regions. The article further includes a chassis comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and an ear. The ear includes a laminate having a first nonwoven and second nonwoven and an elastomeric material sandwiched between said first and second nonwovens. The laminate comprises a plurality of ultrasonic bonds. The article has a fastening system is joined to the ear; and the ear has a Length Ratio of 3 or less.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An absorbent article comprising:
 a chassis comprising a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and   a discrete ear joined to the chassis and comprising:
 a laminate comprising a first nonwoven and second nonwoven and an elastomeric material sandwiched between said first and second nonwovens, wherein the laminate further comprises a plurality of ultrasonic bonds; and 
   a fastening system is joined to the ear; and   wherein the ear comprises a Length Ratio of 3 or less.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the ear comprises an ear area and the elastic region comprises an elastic region area, wherein said elastic region area is about 80% or less of the total ear area. 
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the fastening system is joined to the ear in overlapping relationship with a portion of the elastomeric material. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the elastomeric material comprises a film having a basis weight of about 10 gsm to about 100 gsm. 
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the first nonwoven comprises a spunbond layer. 
     
     
         6 . The absorbent article of  claim 5  wherein the second nonwoven comprises a spunbond layer. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article of  claim 5  wherein the first nonwoven further comprises a meltblown layer. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the elastomeric material comprise elastomeric polymers from the group consisting of styrene derivatives, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyether amides, polyolefins and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the laminate comprises a gathered laminate. 
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the ear is extensible in a lateral direction of the article. 
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the ear is void of adhesive outside of a chassis attachment bond and/or a fastener attachment bond. 
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the laminate comprises an Average Load at Break of about 25 N or greater. 
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the ear comprises an Air Permeability Value of at least about 1 m 3 /m 2 /min. 
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article of  claim 13  wherein the ear comprises an Air Permeability Value of from about 2 m 3 /m 2 /min to about 125 m 3 /m 2 /min. 
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  further comprising a leg gasketing system. 
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article of  claim 1  wherein the absorbent core comprises:
 an absorbent material comprising absorbent particulate material and comminuted wood pulp; and 
 at least one channel, wherein the at least one channel is void of absorbent particulate. 
 
     
     
         17 . An absorbent article comprising:
 a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core having absorbent material and being disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and   a discrete ear joined to the chassis and comprising:
 a laminate comprising a first nonwoven and second nonwoven and an elastomeric material sandwiched between said first and second nonwovens, wherein the laminate further comprises a plurality of ultrasonic bonds; and 
   wherein the ear comprises an Air Permeability Value of from about 2 m 3 /m 2 /min to about 125 m 3 /m 2 /min and the absorbent core comprises at least one channel, the channel being substantially free of absorbent material.   
     
     
         18 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the absorbent material comprising absorbent particulate material and comminuted wood pulp. 
     
     
         19 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the ear comprises an ear area and the elastic region comprises an elastic region area, wherein said elastic region area is about 80% or less of the total ear area. 
     
     
         20 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the elastomeric material comprises a film having a basis weight of about 10 gsm to about 100 gsm. 
     
     
         21 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the first nonwoven comprises a spunbond layer. 
     
     
         22 . The absorbent article of  claim 21  wherein the second nonwoven comprises a spunbond layer. 
     
     
         23 . The absorbent article of  claim 21  wherein the first nonwoven further comprises a meltblown layer. 
     
     
         24 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the elastomeric material comprise elastomeric polymers from the group consisting of styrene derivatives, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyether amides, polyolefins and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the laminate comprises a gathered laminate. 
     
     
         26 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the ear is extensible in a lateral direction of the article. 
     
     
         27 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the ear is void of adhesive outside of a chassis attachment bond and/or a fastener attachment bond. 
     
     
         28 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the laminate comprises an Average Load at Break of about 25 N or greater. 
     
     
         29 . The absorbent article of  claim 17  wherein the Air Permeability Value is from about 2 m 3 /m 2 /min to about 125 m 3 /m 2 /min. 
     
     
         30 . A package comprising a plurality of absorbent articles, wherein each of the absorbent articles comprise a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet, and an ear having a ultrasonically bonded stretch laminate and an Air Permeability of Value of at least about 1.0 m 3 /m 2 /min; and wherein the absorbent core comprises at least one curvilinear channel. 
     
     
         31 . The package of  claim 30  wherein each of the absorbent articles further comprise a fastening system joined to the ear and a Length Ratio of 3 or less. 
     
     
         32 . The package of  claim 30  wherein the absorbent core of each of the absorbent articles comprise cellulosic fibers and absorbent particulate material. 
     
     
         33 . The package of  claim 30  further comprising an In-Bag Stack Height of about 70 mm to about 110 mm.