Disposable Absorbent Article with Opening Tab

BACKGROUND

p-0002The present disclosure relates generally to absorbent articles intended for personal wear, and more particularly to disposable absorbent articles.

p-0003Many absorbent articles intended for personal wear, e.g., such as diapers, training pants, feminine hygiene products, adult incontinence products, bandages, medical garments and the like are designed to be sufficiently absorbent to pull moisture from liquid body exudates including urine, menses, blood, etc. away from the wearer to reduce skin irritation caused by prolonged wetness exposure. Diapers, as an example, are typically placed and secured on a wearer using a set of primary fastening tabs, such as adhesive tabs or mechanical (e.g., hook or loop) fastening system tabs and left in place to absorb insults as well as to contain fecal waste.

p-0004Training pants, unlike diapers, typically come pre-assembled in a wear configuration to more closely resemble conventional underpants. In particular, front and back waist regions of such training pants are typically attached at a seam either permanently or refastenably (such as by a primary fastening system) to define a wear configuration of the pants having a waist opening and leg openings.

p-0005For such articles where the attachment is refastenable, such as diapers and training pants, a caregiver can find the attachment difficult to open because the attachment is designed to withstand stresses placed on the attachment by movement of the wearer without pop-opens (separation of the fasteners) occurring. The addition of a finger tab that extends transversely from a side panel can assist a caregiver in opening the attachment. Such an arrangement, however, is not typically possible in a side-to-side or cross direction manufacturing process.

p-0006A pant design advantageous for a side to side manufacturing process is one that increases the ease of opening a mechanical fastener side seam by enabling the user to manipulate the tab in a less resistant longitudinal peel motion.

SUMMARY

p-0007There is a need, therefore, for an opening system provided on an absorbent article such as training pants for improved assistance in opening the side seam of a training pant to pop-opens, and for providing a sufficient visual awareness to the consumer of the presence of such an opening system and sufficient operability and use of such an opening system.

p-0008Disclosed herein is a pant design that is advantageous for a side-to-side manufacturing process that increases the ease of opening a mechanical fastener side seam by enabling the user to manipulate the tab in a longitudinal peel motion that is less resistant than a typical transverse peel opening motion.

p-0009In one aspect, an absorbent article is provided including a chassis defining two leg openings opposite a waist opening, the chassis containing an absorbent core and including a front portion, a back portion, and a crotch portion positioned in between the front portion and the back portion, the chassis further including first and second opposing side areas, the first side area including a first panel attached to a second panel along a first longitudinal attachment area and wherein the second side area also includes a first panel attached to a second panel along a second longitudinal attachment area. The article also includes at least one longitudinal opening tab attached to the first panel of the first side area, the opening tab extending substantially in parallel with the first longitudinal attachment area, the longitudinal opening tab being configured to be grasped by a user for being pulled in a direction that is substantially parallel to a length of the first longitudinal attachment area for separating the first panel from the second panel of the first side area, wherein the longitudinal opening tab extends longitudinally beyond the waist opening of the chassis.

p-0010In another aspect, a process for producing absorbent articles includes conveying absorbent subassemblies along a processing line, each absorbent subassembly including a top area forming at least a portion of a waist opening, an opposite bottom area, and a pair of opposing side areas, the absorbent subassemblies being oriented along the processing line in a side area to side area relationship; and attaching a longitudinal opening tab to a side area of each absorbent subassembly. The process also includes forming absorbent articles from the absorbent subassemblies, each absorbent article including two leg openings opposite a waist opening, each side area of each absorbent article including a first panel attached to a second panel along a longitudinal attachment area, the longitudinal opening tab being attached to the first panel and extending substantially in alignment with the longitudinal attachment area, the longitudinal opening tab being configured to be grasped by a user for being pulled in a direction that is substantially parallel to a length of the first longitudinal attachment area for separating the first panel from the second panel, wherein the longitudinal opening tab extends longitudinally beyond the waist opening of the chassis.

p-0011In another aspect, a method of producing refastenable side seams in an absorbent garment includes aligning a plurality of garment assemblies in a cross direction, each garment assembly including a chassis with two back side panels and two front side panels; bonding a fastening component to each of the front side panels of each garment assembly; and bonding a mating fastening component to each of the back side panels of each garment assembly. The method also includes bonding a longitudinal opening tab to one of a front or back side panel, wherein the longitudinal opening tab extends beyond the chassis in the cross direction; folding the garment assemblies longitudinally; separating adjacent garment assemblies from one another; and folding two of the side panels of each of the garment assemblies to align the fastening components with the corresponding mating fastening components.

p-0012Other features of the disclosure will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

p-0013The present disclosure will be more fully understood, and further features will become apparent, when reference is made to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. The drawings are merely representative and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

p-0014<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a side perspective view of an absorbent garment having refastenable lap side seams;

p-0015<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a plan view of an absorbent garment in a partially disassembled, stretched flat state, and showing the surface of the article that faces away from the wearer when the article is worn;

p-0016<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a plan view of the absorbent garment of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> in a partially disassembled, stretched flat state, and showing the surface of the article that faces the wearer when the article is worn, and with portions cut away to show the underlying features; and

p-0017<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is a plan view of a cross direction product assembly for producing an absorbent garment having refastenable lap side seams, with the machine direction being the width of the finished product.

p-0018Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present disclosure. The drawings are representational and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Certain proportions thereof might be exaggerated, while others might be minimized.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

p-0019It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary aspects of the present disclosure only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present disclosure.

p-0020Within the context of this specification, each term or phrase below will include the following meaning or meanings.

p-0021“Bonded” refers to the joining, adhering, connecting, attaching, or the like, of two elements. Two elements will be considered to be bonded together when they are bonded directly to one another or indirectly to one another, such as when each is directly bonded to intermediate elements.

p-0022“Connected” refers to the joining, adhering, bonding, attaching, or the like, of two elements. Two elements will be considered to be connected together when they are connected directly to one another or indirectly to one another, such as when each is directly connected to intermediate elements.

p-0023“Cross direction” refers to the width of a fabric in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction in which it is produced, as opposed to “machine direction” that refers to the length of a fabric in the direction in which it is produced.

p-0024“Cross direction assembly” refers to a process in which disposable absorbent products are manufactured in an orientation in which the products are connected side-to-side, in the transverse direction shown by arrow <b>49</b> in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, a process utilizing a cross direction assembly entails products traveling through a converting machine parallel to the direction of arrow <b>49</b>, as opposed to “machine direction assembly” in which the products are connected end-to-end or waist-to-waist.

p-0025“Disposable” refers to articles that are designed to be discarded after a limited use rather than being laundered or otherwise restored for reuse.

p-0026“Disposed,” “disposed on,” and variations thereof are intended to mean that one element can be integral with another element, or that one element can be a separate structure bonded to or placed with or placed near another element.

p-0027“Elastic,” “elasticized” and “elasticity” mean that property of a material or composite by virtue of which it tends to recover its original size and shape after removal of a force causing a deformation.

p-0028“Elastomeric” refers to a material or composite that can be elongated by at least 25 percent of its relaxed length and that will recover, upon release of the applied force, at least 10 percent of its elongation. It is generally preferred that the elastomeric material or composite be capable of being elongated by at least 100 percent, more preferably by at least 300 percent, of its relaxed length and recover, upon release of an applied force, at least 50 percent of its elongation.

p-0029“Fabrics” is used to refer to all of the woven, knitted and nonwoven fibrous webs.

p-0030“Film” refers to a thermoplastic film made using a film extrusion and/or foaming process, such as a cast film or blown film extrusion process. The term includes apertured films, slit films, and other porous films that constitute liquid transfer films, as well as films that do not transfer liquid.

p-0031“Flexible” refers to materials that are compliant and that will readily conform to the general shape and contours of the wearer's body.

p-0032“Hydrophilic” describes fibers or the surfaces of fibers that are wetted by the aqueous liquids in contact with the fibers. The degree of wetting of the materials can, in turn, be described in terms of the contact angles and the surface tensions of the liquids and materials involved. Equipment and techniques suitable for measuring the wettability of particular fiber materials or blends of fiber materials can be provided by a Cahn SFA-222 Surface Force Analyzer System, or a substantially equivalent system. When measured with this system, fibers having contact angles less than 90 are designated “wettable” or hydrophilic, while fibers having contact angles greater than 90 are designated “nonwettable” or hydrophobic.

p-0033“Integral” or “integrally” is used to refer to various portions of a single unitary element rather than separate structures bonded to or placed with or placed near one another.

p-0034“Layer” when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single element or a plurality of elements.

p-0035“Liquid impermeable,” when used in describing a layer or multi-layer laminate, means that a liquid, such as urine, will not pass through the layer or laminate, under ordinary use conditions, in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the layer or laminate at the point of liquid contact. Liquid, or urine, can spread or be transported parallel to the plane of the liquid impermeable layer or laminate, but this is not considered to be within the meaning of “liquid impermeable” when used herein.

p-0036“Liquid permeable material” or “liquid water-permeable material” refers to a material present in one or more layers, such as a film, nonwoven fabric, or open-celled foam, which is porous, and which is water permeable due to the flow of water and other aqueous liquids through the pores. The pores in the film or foam, or spaces between fibers or filaments in a nonwoven web, are large enough and frequent enough to permit leakage and flow of liquid water through the material.

p-0037“Longitudinal” and “transverse” have their customary meaning, as indicated by the longitudinal and transverse axes depicted in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 3</figref>. The longitudinal axis lies in the plane of the article and is generally parallel to a vertical plane that bisects a standing wearer into left and right body halves when the article is worn. The transverse axis lies in the plane of the article generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The article as illustrated is longer in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction.

p-0038“Machine direction” refers to the length of a fabric in the direction in which it is produced, as opposed to “cross direction” that refers to the width of a fabric in a direction generally perpendicular to the machine direction.

p-0039“Machine direction assembly” refers to a process in which disposable absorbent products are manufactured in an orientation in which the products are connected end-to-end or waist-to-waist, in the longitudinal direction shown by arrow <b>48</b> in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 3</figref>, a process utilizing a machine direction assembly entails products traveling through a converting machine parallel to the direction of arrow <b>48</b>, as opposed to “cross direction assembly” in which the products are connected side-to-side.

p-0040“Meltblown fiber” means fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into converging high velocity heated gas (e.g., air) streams that attenuate the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter, which can be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by the high velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly dispersed meltblown fibers. Such a process is disclosed for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,241 to Butin et al. Meltblown fibers are microfibers that can be continuous or discontinuous, are generally smaller than about 0.6 denier, and are generally self bonding when deposited onto a collecting surface. Meltblown fibers used in the present disclosure are preferably substantially continuous in length.

p-0041“Member” when used in the singular can have the dual meaning of a single element or a plurality of elements.

p-0042“Nonwoven” and “nonwoven web” refer to materials and webs of material that are formed without the aid of a textile weaving or knitting process.

p-0043“Operatively joined,” in reference to the attachment of an elastic member to another element, means that the elastic member when attached to or connected to the element, or treated with heat or chemicals, by stretching, or the like, gives the element elastic properties; and with reference to the attachment of a non-elastic member to another element, means that the member and element can be attached in any suitable manner that permits or allows them to perform the intended or described function of the joinder. The joining, attaching, connecting or the like can be either directly, such as joining either member directly to an element, or can be indirectly by means of another member disposed between the first member and the first element.

p-0044“Peel force” and “peel strain” refer to forces that tend to pull two adjoining bodies away from one another in opposite directions generally perpendicular to a plane in which the bodies are joined.

p-0045“Permanently bonded” refers to the joining, adhering, connecting, attaching, or the like, of two elements of an absorbent garment such that the elements tend to be and remain bonded during normal use conditions of the absorbent garment.

p-0046“Polymers” include, but are not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as for example, block, graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, etc. and blends and modifications thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term “polymer” shall include all possible geometrical configurations of the material. These configurations include, but are not limited to isotactic, syndiotactic and atactic symmetries.

p-0047“Refastenable” refers to the property of two elements being capable of releasable attachment, separation, and subsequent releasable reattachment without substantial permanent deformation or rupture.

p-0048“Releasably attached,” “releasably engaged” and variations thereof refer to two elements being connected or connectable such that the elements tend to remain connected absent a separation force applied to one or both of the elements, and the elements being capable of separation without substantial permanent deformation or rupture. The required separation force is typically beyond that encountered while wearing the absorbent garment.

p-0049“Shearing strain” refers to forces that tend to produce an opposite but parallel sliding motion between two bodies' planes.

p-0050“Spunbonded fiber” refers to small diameter fibers that are formed by extruding molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a plurality of fine capillaries of a spinnerette having a circular or other configuration, with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced as by, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563 to Appel et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,618 to Dorschner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 to Matsuki et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,338,992 and 3,341,394 to Kinney, U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,763 to Hartmann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,538 to Petersen, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,615 to Dobo et al., each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Spunbond fibers are quenched and generally not tacky when they are deposited onto a collecting surface. Spunbond fibers are generally continuous and often have average deniers larger than about 0.3, more particularly, between about 0.6 and 10.

p-0051“Stretchable” means that a material can be stretched, without breaking, to at least 150% of its initial (unstretched) length in at least one direction, suitably to at least 200% of its initial length, desirably to at least 250% of its initial length.

p-0052“Superabsorbent” or “superabsorbent material” refers to a water-swellable, water-insoluble organic or inorganic material capable, under the most favorable conditions, of absorbing at least about 15 times its weight and, more desirably, at least about 30 times its weight in an aqueous solution containing 0.9 weight percent sodium chloride. The superabsorbent materials can be natural, synthetic and modified natural polymers and materials. In addition, the superabsorbent materials can be inorganic materials, such as silica gels, or organic compounds such as cross-linked polymers.

p-0053“Surface” includes any layer, film, woven, nonwoven, laminate, composite, or the like, whether pervious or impervious to air, gas, and/or liquids.

p-0054“Thermoplastic” describes a material that softens when exposed to heat and that substantially returns to a nonsoftened condition when cooled to room temperature.

p-0055These terms can be defined with additional language in the remaining portions of the specification.

p-0056The present disclosure is directed to a process for making a pant-like absorbent garment having refastenable fasteners, such as hook and loop fasteners, on the side panels for ease of removal and donning of the absorbent garment without complete removal of a wearer's clothing. A pant design advantageous for a side-to-side manufacturing process increases the ease of opening a mechanical fastener side seam by enabling the user to manipulate a finger tab in a less resistant longitudinal peel motion.

p-0057Training pants typically do not have easy grasp point to open the side seam. A finger tab can be added to facilitate a grasping point. The present disclosure is directed to a process for making a pant-like absorbent garment having refastenable fasteners, such as hook and loop fasteners, on the side panels for ease of removal and donning of the absorbent garment without complete removal of a wearer's clothing. A pant design advantageous for either an end-to-end or side-by-side manufacturing process increases the ease of opening a mechanical fastener side seam by enabling the user to manipulate a finger tab in a less resistant longitudinal peel motion as compared to a more resistant transverse peel motion. Training pant mechanical fasteners typically have a longitudinal disengagement peel strength that is significantly less than the transverse disengagement peel strength. The transverse disengagement is done over a shorter distance, but its greater width requires a greater disengagement force per unit (e.g., mm) of peel. Conversely, the longitudinal disengagement is done over a greater distance, but its lesser width requires a lesser disengagement force per unit (e.g., mm) of peel.

p-0058Conventional refastenable tabs on refastenable side seam training pants lock up side panel stretch because the non-extensible hook on such tabs engages with an extensible side panel, thus reducing the amount of side panel material available for stretch. Less side panel material available for stretch then increases the force necessary to extend the material to a given extension point, increases the loading or stress at the side seam and causing a need to increase the side seam engagement strength to keep the side seam/pant closed. In addition, the greater side seam engagement strength requires the user to apply greater energy to disengage or open the side seam for removal of the training pants.

p-0059Conventional tabs on refastenable side seam training pants are also required to be robust in their materials and in their attachments because they act perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the side seam to open the article along a seam that is perpendicular and larger in width than the tab, thus requiring an attachment strength greater than the disengagement force needed to open the side seam. The side seam of refastenable side seam training pants is designed with an engagement strength sufficient to keep the side seam/pant closed during wear. When a caregiver grasps the tab in an attempt to open the side seam, the caregiver must apply enough force to overcome the engagement strength of the side seam. Such force is transmitted through the tab and its attachment; a greater engagement strength requires more disengagement force and, therefore, a tab more able to accommodate the increased force.

p-0060As a result of this relationship, tab robustness is related to the force necessary to open the seam. The engageable side seam shear strength likely represents the maximum force required to open the side seam during use. In a typical article, the peel disengagement is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the side seam, and the caregiver/tab is still acting against the greater longitudinal height of the fastener within the side seam.

p-0061What this means for training pant design is that refastenable side panel loading to extend is reduced by not locking up stretch. Reduced loading on the side seam means the side seam engagement strength can be lower without negatively impacting the frequency of side seam pop-opens. A lower required side seam engagement strength means that the side seam fasteners can use less fastening material such as less hook material, less aggressive hook material, lower bond strengths, fewer bond points, less adhesive, or some combination of these and other factors. A lower required side seam engagement strength also means that the force required to disengage the side seam is reduced.

p-0062As a result, the solution is to use a finger tab that doesn't lock up stretch. A finger tab design that doesn't lock up stretch allows for a less robust side seam and therefore a less robust finger tab. This solution reduces the amount of material and processing necessary for the finger tab, and avoids the need to increase the amount of expensive side panel material to account for locked-up stretch.

p-0063The finger tab of the present application accomplishes both of these solutions by providing, for a cross-direction process, a finger tab that does not lock up side panel stretch, and that acts other than perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the side seam.

p-0064An easy opening side (EOS) finger tab is attached to and overhangs the cross-direction side panel edge for ease of opening. This easy opening side design causes the user to grab and pull the EOS tab in a machine-direction, longitudinal peel motion. A typical side seam attachment/engagement zone has a longitudinal length four times greater than its transverse width. As a result, a longitudinal motion peel motion requires at least four times less energy to open the side seam as compared to a transverse or cross-direction peel motion. A cut-in-place type of operation well known in the business can place the EOS tab at the panel edge such that the EOS tab feature extends from the pant edge. This enables the user to grab and pull in a longitudinal motion.

p-0065Referring now to the drawings and in particular to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, a personal wear absorbent article according to one aspect is illustrated in the form of a pants-type article for wear about a wearer's waist, and more particularly in the form of children's toilet training pants, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral <b>20</b>. The term absorbent generally refers to articles that can be placed against or in proximity to the body of the wearer to absorb and/or retain various liquid wastes discharged from the body. The absorbent article can be disposable, which refers to articles that are intended to be discarded after a limited period of use instead of being laundered or otherwise restored for reuse. It is understood that the concepts described herein are suitable for use with various other pants-type articles such as adult incontinence articles, as well as other articles intended for personal wear such as clothing, diapers, feminine hygiene products, medical garments, surgical pads and bandages, other personal care or health care garments, and the like without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

p-0066By way of illustration only, various materials and methods for constructing the training pants <b>20</b> are disclosed in PCT Patent Application WO 00/37009 published Jun. 29, 2000 by A. Fletcher et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,464 issued Jul. 10, 1990 to Van Gompel et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,389 issued Jun. 16, 1998 to Brandon et al., which are incorporated herein by reference.

p-0067The pair of training pants <b>20</b> is illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> in a partially pre-assembled (i.e., as assembled during initial manufacture) configuration (broadly referred to herein as a wear configuration of the pants, i.e., absorbent article). The training pants <b>20</b> includes a front waist region <b>22</b>, a back waist region <b>24</b>, a crotch region <b>26</b> extending longitudinally between and interconnecting the front and back waist regions along a longitudinal direction of the pants, an inner surface <b>28</b> configured for contiguous relationship with the wearer, and an outer surface <b>30</b> opposite the inner surface. With additional reference to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 3</figref>, the training pants <b>20</b> also has a pair of laterally opposite side edges <b>36</b> and a pair of longitudinally opposite waist edges, respectively designated front waist edge <b>38</b> and back waist edge <b>39</b>. The front waist region <b>22</b> is contiguous with the front waist edge <b>38</b>, and the back waist region <b>24</b> is contiguous with the back waist edge <b>39</b>.

p-0068The illustrated pants <b>20</b> includes a central absorbent assembly, generally indicated at <b>32</b>, which when laid flat as in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 3</figref> can be rectangular or any other desired shape. A pair of laterally opposite front side panels <b>34</b> extends outward from the absorbent assembly <b>32</b> at the front waist region <b>22</b> (thereby forming transversely outer portions of the front waist region, and more broadly in part forming transversely opposite sides of the training pants). Laterally opposite back side panels <b>134</b> extend outward from the absorbent assembly <b>32</b> at the back waist region <b>24</b> (thereby forming transversely outer portions of the back waist region, and together with the front side panels <b>34</b> further defining the sides of the pants).

p-0069The central absorbent assembly <b>32</b> of the illustrated aspect includes an outer cover <b>40</b> and a bodyside liner <b>42</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1-3</figref>) connected to the outer cover in a superposed relation by suitable means such as adhesives, ultrasonic bonds, thermal bonds or other conventional techniques. An absorbent structure <b>44</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>) is disposed between the outer cover and the bodyside liner. A pair of containment flaps <b>46</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>) is secured to the bodyside liner <b>42</b> for inhibiting the lateral flow of body exudates. The central absorbent assembly <b>32</b> has opposite ends that form portions of the front and back waist edges <b>38</b> and <b>39</b>, and opposite side edges <b>47</b> that form portions of the side edges <b>36</b> of the training pants <b>20</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 3</figref>).

p-0070The absorbent assembly <b>32</b> and side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> can include two or more separate elements, as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref>, or they can be integrally formed. Integrally formed side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> and absorbent assembly <b>32</b> would include at least some common materials, such as the bodyside liner, flap composite, outer cover, other materials and/or combinations thereof, and could define a one-piece elastic, stretchable, or nonstretchable pants <b>20</b>. For further reference, arrows <b>48</b> and <b>49</b> in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 3</figref> depict the orientation of a longitudinal axis and a transverse or lateral axis, respectively, of the training pants <b>20</b>.

p-0071With the training pants <b>20</b> in the fastened condition as illustrated partially in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the front and back side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> are attached to each other by a primary, or article fastening system <b>80</b> to define the pre-assembled three-dimensional wear configuration of the pants, having a waist opening <b>50</b> and a pair of leg openings <b>52</b>. The front waist region <b>22</b> includes the portion of the training pants <b>20</b> that, when worn, is positioned at least in part on the front of the wearer while the back waist region <b>24</b> includes the portion of the training pants that is positioned at least in part on the back of the wearer. The crotch region <b>26</b> of the training pants <b>20</b> includes the portion of the training pants <b>20</b> that is positioned between the legs of the wearer and covers the lower torso of the wearer.

p-0072The front and back side panels <b>34</b> and <b>134</b> include the portions of the training pants <b>20</b> (and more particularly of the front and back waist regions <b>22</b>, <b>24</b>) that, when worn, are positioned on the hips of the wearer. The attached side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> thus broadly define the transversely opposite sides of the pants <b>20</b> at an engagement seam <b>100</b> along which the fastening system <b>80</b> releasably attaches the front and back side panels. The waist edges <b>38</b> and <b>39</b> of the training pants <b>20</b> are configured to encircle the waist of the wearer and together define the waist opening <b>50</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>). Portions of the side edges <b>36</b> in the crotch region <b>26</b> generally define the leg openings <b>52</b>.

p-0073The central absorbent assembly <b>32</b> is configured to contain and/or absorb exudates discharged from the wearer. For example, the containment flaps <b>46</b> are configured to provide a barrier to the transverse flow of body exudates. A flap elastic member <b>53</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>) can be operatively joined with each containment flap <b>46</b> in any suitable manner as is well known in the art. The elasticized containment flaps <b>46</b> define a partially unattached edge that assumes an upright configuration in at least the crotch region <b>26</b> of the training pants <b>20</b> to form a seal against the wearer's body. The containment flaps <b>46</b> can be located along the side edges <b>36</b> of the pants <b>20</b>, and can extend longitudinally along the entire length of the absorbent assembly <b>32</b> or can only extend partially along the length of the absorbent assembly. Suitable constructions and arrangements for the containment flaps <b>46</b> are generally well known to those skilled in the art and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,116 issued Nov. 3, 1987 to Enloe, which is incorporated herein by reference.

p-0074To further enhance containment and/or absorption of body exudates, the training pants <b>20</b> also suitably includes a front waist elastic member <b>54</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>), a rear waist elastic member <b>56</b>, and leg elastic members <b>58</b>, as are known to those skilled in the art. The waist elastic members <b>54</b> and <b>56</b> can be attached to the outer cover <b>40</b> and/or the bodyside liner <b>42</b> along the opposite waist edges <b>38</b> and <b>39</b>, and can extend over part or all of the waist edges. The leg elastic members <b>58</b> can be attached to the outer cover <b>40</b> and/or the bodyside liner <b>42</b> along the opposite side edges <b>36</b> and positioned in the crotch region <b>26</b> of the training pants <b>20</b>. The leg elastic members <b>58</b> can be longitudinally aligned along each side edge <b>47</b> of the absorbent assembly <b>32</b>.

p-0075The flap elastic members <b>53</b>, the waist elastic members <b>54</b> and <b>56</b>, and the leg elastic members <b>58</b> can be formed of any suitable elastic material. As is well known to those skilled in the art, suitable elastic materials include sheets, strands or ribbons of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or thermoplastic elastomeric polymers. The elastic materials can be stretched and adhered to a substrate, adhered to a gathered substrate, or adhered to a substrate and then elasticized or shrunk, for example with the application of heat, such that elastic retractive forces are imparted to the substrate. In one particular aspect, for example, the leg elastic members <b>58</b> include a plurality of dry-spun coalesced multifilament spandex elastomeric threads sold under the trade name LYCRA® and available from E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., U.S.A.

p-0076The outer cover <b>40</b> suitably includes a material that is substantially liquid impermeable. The outer cover <b>40</b> can be a single layer of liquid impermeable material, but more suitably includes a multi-layered laminate structure in which at least one of the layers is liquid impermeable. For instance, the outer cover <b>40</b> can include a liquid permeable outer layer and a liquid impermeable inner layer that are suitably joined together by laminate adhesive, ultrasonic bonds, thermal bonds, or the like. Suitable laminate adhesives can be applied continuously or intermittently as beads, a spray, parallel swirls, or the like. The liquid permeable outer layer can be any suitable material and is desirably one that provides a generally cloth-like texture. The outer layer can also be made of those materials of which the liquid permeable bodyside liner <b>42</b> is made. While it is not a necessity for the outer layer to be liquid permeable, it is suitable that it provides a relatively cloth-like texture to the wearer.

p-0077The inner layer of the outer cover <b>40</b> can be both liquid and vapor impermeable, or it can be liquid impermeable and vapor permeable. The inner layer can be manufactured from a thin plastic film, although other flexible liquid impermeable materials can also be used. The inner layer, or the liquid impermeable outer cover <b>40</b> when a single layer, prevents waste material from wetting articles, such as bed sheets and clothing, as well as the wearer and caregiver.

p-0078If the outer cover <b>40</b> is a single layer of material, the outer cover <b>40</b> can be embossed and/or matte finished to provide a more cloth-like appearance. As earlier mentioned, the liquid impermeable material can permit vapors to escape from the interior of the disposable absorbent article, while still preventing liquids from passing through the outer cover <b>40</b>. One suitable “breathable” material is composed of a microporous polymer film or a nonwoven fabric that has been coated or otherwise treated to impart a desired level of liquid impermeability.

p-0079It is also contemplated that the outer cover <b>40</b> can be stretchable, and more suitably elastic. In particular, the outer cover <b>40</b> is suitably stretchable and more suitably elastic in at least the transverse or circumferential direction of the pants <b>20</b>. In other aspects the outer cover can be stretchable, and more suitably elastic, in both the transverse and the longitudinal direction.

p-0080The liquid permeable bodyside liner <b>42</b> is illustrated as overlying the outer cover <b>40</b> and absorbent core <b>44</b>, and can but need not have the same dimensions as the outer cover <b>40</b>. The bodyside liner <b>42</b> is suitably compliant, soft feeling, and non-irritating to the child's skin. Further, the bodyside liner <b>42</b> can be less hydrophilic than the absorbent structure <b>44</b> to present a relatively dry surface to the wearer and permit liquid to readily penetrate through its thickness. Alternatively, the bodyside liner <b>42</b> can be more hydrophilic or can have essentially the same affinity for moisture as the absorbent structure <b>44</b> to present a relatively wet surface to the wearer to increase the sensation of being wet. This wet sensation can be useful as a training aid. The hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties can be varied across the length, width and/or depth of the bodyside liner <b>42</b> and absorbent structure <b>44</b> to achieve the desired wetness sensation or leakage performance.

p-0081The bodyside liner <b>42</b> can be manufactured from a wide selection of web materials, such as synthetic fibers (for example, polyester or polypropylene fibers), natural fibers (for example, wood or cotton fibers), a combination of natural and synthetic fibers, porous foams, reticulated foams, apertured plastic films, or the like. Various woven and nonwoven fabrics can be used for the bodyside liner <b>42</b>. For example, the bodyside liner can be composed of a meltblown or spunbonded web of polyolefin fibers. The bodyside liner can also be a bonded-carded web composed of natural and/or synthetic fibers. The bodyside liner can be composed of a substantially hydrophobic material, and the hydrophobic material can, optionally, be treated with a surfactant or otherwise processed to impart a desired level of wettability and hydrophilicity. The surfactant can be applied by any conventional means, such as spraying, printing, brush coating or the like. The surfactant can be applied to the entire bodyside liner <b>42</b> or can be selectively applied to particular sections of the bodyside liner, such as the medial section along the longitudinal center line.

p-0082The bodyside liner <b>42</b> can also be stretchable, and more suitably elastic. In particular, the bodyside liner <b>42</b> is suitably stretchable and more suitably elastic in at least the transverse <b>49</b>, or circumferential direction of the pants <b>20</b>. In other aspects the bodyside liner <b>42</b> can be stretchable, and more suitably elastic, in both the transverse <b>49</b> and the longitudinal <b>48</b> directions.

p-0083As noted previously, the illustrated training pants <b>20</b> have front and back side panels <b>34</b> and <b>134</b> defining transversely opposite sides of the pants in the wear configuration of the pants. The side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> can be permanently attached along seams <b>66</b> to the central absorbent assembly <b>32</b> in the respective front and back waist regions <b>22</b> and <b>24</b>. More particularly, as seen best in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 3</figref>, the front side panels <b>34</b> can be permanently attached to and extend transversely outward beyond the side edges <b>47</b> of the absorbent assembly <b>32</b> in the front waist region <b>22</b>, and the back side panels <b>134</b> can be permanently attached to and extend transversely outward beyond the side edges of the absorbent assembly in the back waist region <b>24</b>. The side panels <b>34</b> and <b>134</b> can be attached to the absorbent assembly <b>32</b> using attachment means known to those skilled in the art such as adhesive, thermal, pressure or ultrasonic bonding. Alternatively, the side panels <b>34</b> and <b>134</b> can be formed as an integral portion of a component of the absorbent assembly <b>32</b>. For example, the side panels can include a generally wider portion of the outer cover <b>40</b>, the bodyside liner <b>42</b>, and/or another component of the absorbent assembly <b>32</b>.

p-0084The front and back side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> each have an outer edge <b>68</b><i>a</i>, <b>68</b><i>b </i>spaced laterally from the seam <b>66</b>, a leg end edge <b>70</b> disposed toward the longitudinal center of the training pants <b>20</b>, and a waist end edge <b>72</b> disposed toward a longitudinal end of the training pants. The leg end edge <b>70</b> and waist end edge <b>72</b> extend from the side edges <b>47</b> of the absorbent assembly <b>32</b> to the outer edges <b>68</b>. The leg end edges <b>70</b> of the side panels <b>34</b> and <b>134</b> form part of the side edges <b>36</b> of the training pants <b>20</b>. The leg end edges <b>70</b> of the illustrated aspect are suitably curved and/or angled relative to the transverse axis <b>49</b> to provide a better fit around the wearer's legs. However, it is understood that only one of the leg end edges <b>70</b> can be curved or angled, such as the leg end edge of the back waist region <b>24</b>, or neither of the leg end edges can be curved or angled, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The waist end edges <b>72</b> are suitably parallel to the transverse axis <b>49</b>. The waist end edges <b>72</b> of the front side panels <b>34</b> form part of the front waist edge <b>38</b> of the training pants <b>20</b>, and the waist end edges <b>72</b> of the back side panels <b>134</b> form part of the back waist edge <b>39</b> of the pants.

p-0085The side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> suitably, although not necessarily, include a stretchable material capable of stretching in a direction generally parallel to the transverse axis <b>49</b> of the training pants <b>20</b>. More suitably the side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> include an elastic material. Suitable elastic materials, as well as one process of incorporating stretchable side panels into training pants, are described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,940,464 issued Jul. 10, 1990 to Van Gompel et al.; 5,224,405 issued Jul. 6, 1993 to Pohjola; 5,104,116 issued Apr. 14, 1992 to Pohjola; and 5,046,272 issued Sep. 10, 1991 to Vogt et al.; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. In particular aspects, the stretch material can include a stretch-thermal laminate (STL), a neck-bonded laminate (NBL), a reversibly necked laminate, or a stretch-bonded laminate (SBL) material. Methods of making such materials are well known to those skilled in the art and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,220 issued May 5, 1987 to Wisneski et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,992 issued Jul. 13, 1993 to Morman; European Patent Application No. EP 0 217 032 published on Apr. 8, 1987 in the name of Taylor et al.; and PCT application WO 01/88245 in the name of Welch et al.; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other suitable materials are described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/649,508 to Welch et al. and 12/023,447 to Lake et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

p-0086In one particularly suitable aspect at least the front side panels <b>34</b> and more suitably both the front and back side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> include a vertical filament laminate (VFL) material. A VFL is a composite material having at least one gatherable layer such as a non-woven material and at least one elastic layer. The layers are joined together when the elastic layer is extended from its original condition so that upon relaxing the layers, the gatherable layer is gathered. The composite can be stretched to the extent that the non-elastic material gathered between the bond locations allows the elastic material to elongate. One type of vertical filament laminate is disclosed, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 6,916,750 to Thomas et al., the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. More suitably, the front and back side panels include a VFL in which two non-woven (gatherable) layers sandwich an elastic layer so that both faces of the VFL are gatherable. The rugosities formed in the gatherable layers of such a VFL material allow the VFL material to be used as a loop component of a fastening system.

p-0087Alternatively, the side panel material can include other woven or nonwoven materials, such as those described above as being suitable for the outer cover <b>40</b> or bodyside liner <b>42</b>; mechanically pre-strained composites; or stretchable but inelastic materials.

p-0088The absorbent structure <b>44</b> can be any structure which is generally compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer's skin and capable of absorbing and retaining liquid body exudates, and can be manufactured in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, and from a wide variety of absorbent materials commonly used in the art. For example, the absorbent structure <b>44</b> suitably includes a matrix of absorbent fibers, and more particularly hydrophilic fibers, such as a web of cellulosic fluff. In a particularly suitable aspect, the absorbent structure <b>44</b> includes a matrix of cellulosic fluff, such as wood pulp fluff, and superabsorbent particles. The wood pulp fluff can be exchanged with synthetic, polymeric, meltblown fibers or short cut homofil bicomponent synthetic fibers and natural fibers. The superabsorbent particles can be substantially homogeneously mixed with the hydrophilic fibers or can be nonuniformly mixed. The fluff and superabsorbent particles can also be selectively placed into desired zones of the absorbent structure <b>44</b> to better contain and absorb body exudates. The concentration of the superabsorbent particles can also vary through the thickness of the absorbent core <b>44</b>. Alternatively, the absorbent structure <b>44</b> can include a laminate of fibrous webs and superabsorbent material or other suitable means of maintaining a superabsorbent material in a localized area.

p-0089Suitable superabsorbent materials can be selected from natural, synthetic, and modified natural polymers and materials. The superabsorbent materials can be inorganic materials, such as silica gels, or organic compounds, such as crosslinked polymers, for example, sodium neutralized polyacrylic acid. Suitable superabsorbent materials are available from various commercial vendors, such as Dow Chemical Company located in Midland, Mich., U.S.A., and Stockhausen GmbH &amp; Co. KG, D-47805 Krefeld, Federal Republic of Germany.

p-0090In one aspect, the absorbent structure <b>44</b> includes a blend of wood pulp fluff and superabsorbent material. As a general rule, the superabsorbent material is present in the absorbent structure <b>44</b> in an amount of from 0 to about 90 weight percent based on total weight of the absorbent assembly. The absorbent structure <b>44</b> suitably has a density within the range of about 0.10 to about 0.35 grams per cubic centimeter. The absorbent structure <b>44</b> can be wrapped or encompassed by a suitable wrap that can help maintain the integrity and/or shape of the absorbent assembly.

p-0091The article fastening system <b>80</b> includes laterally opposite first article fastening components <b>82</b> adapted for refastenable engagement to corresponding second article fastening components <b>84</b>. In one aspect, a front or outer surface of each of the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b> includes a plurality of engaging elements. The engaging elements of the first article fastening components <b>82</b> are adapted to repeatedly engage and disengage corresponding engaging elements of the second article fastening components <b>84</b> to releasably secure the pants <b>20</b> in its three-dimensional configuration. The article fastening system <b>80</b> provides an attachment strength sufficient to maintain the article in a wear configuration during use of the pants <b>20</b> by the wearer.

p-0092The article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b> can include any refastenable fasteners suitable for absorbent articles, such as adhesive fasteners, cohesive fasteners, mechanical fasteners, or the like. In particular aspects the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b> include mechanical fastening components for improved performance. Suitable mechanical fastening components can be provided by interlocking geometric shaped materials, such as hooks, loops, bulbs, mushrooms, arrowheads, balls on stems, male and female mating components, buckles, snaps, or the like.

p-0093In the illustrated aspect, the first article fastening components <b>82</b> (i.e., one on each side of the training pants <b>20</b>) include loop fasteners and the second article fastening components <b>84</b> include complementary hook fasteners. Alternatively, the first article fastening components <b>82</b> can include hook fasteners and the second article fastening components <b>84</b> can include complementary loop fasteners. In another aspect, the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b> can include interlocking similar surface fasteners, or adhesive and cohesive fastening elements such as an adhesive fastener and an adhesive-receptive landing zone or material; or the like. Although the training pants <b>20</b> illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> show the back side panels <b>134</b> overlapping the front side panels <b>34</b> upon connection thereto, which is convenient, the training pants <b>20</b> can also be configured so that the front side panels overlap the back side panels when connected. One skilled in the art will recognize that the shape, density and polymer composition of the hooks and loops can be selected to obtain the desired level of engagement between the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b>. A more aggressive hook material can include a material with a greater average hook height and/or a greater percentage of directionally-aligned hooks. When engaged, the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b> of the illustrated aspect define the refastenable engagement seams <b>100</b> (<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>).

p-0094As discussed above, in one particularly suitable aspect, as best seen in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 3</figref>, the back side panels <b>134</b> are constructed so that the inner surfaces of the respective back side panels define loop article fastening components <b>82</b> (i.e., the back side panels <b>134</b> and the article fastening components <b>82</b> are formed integrally). It is understood, however, that the loop article fastening components <b>82</b> can be formed separate from the back side panels <b>134</b> and attached thereto, such as by adhesive, thermal bonds, ultrasonic bonds, pressure bonds or other suitable techniques without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

p-0095With particular reference now to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 and 2</figref>, an opening system, generally indicated at <b>200</b>, is provided for use in opening the side seam. As illustrated in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 4</figref>, the opening system includes an opening tab <b>202</b> attached to one or more front and back side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> (broadly, to the longitudinally-opposite ends of the training pants <b>20</b>) and extending in part longitudinally-outward of the respective front or back side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b>. As seen best in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, each opening tab <b>202</b> includes an attachment region <b>204</b> at which the opening tab <b>202</b> is attached to the respective front or back side panel <b>34</b>, <b>134</b>, and a tab region <b>206</b> extending longitudinally outward from the attachment region <b>204</b>. In alternative aspects of the present disclosure, the tab region <b>206</b> of the opening tab <b>202</b> can include at least one tab fastener region having a tab fastening component for use in securing the opening tab <b>202</b> to the pants <b>20</b>, and can further or alternatively include a grip region longitudinally outward of the attachment region <b>204</b> for use in manually gripping and manipulating the opening tab <b>202</b> relative to the pants <b>20</b>. The tab region <b>206</b> via its fastener region can be releasably attached to the pants <b>20</b>.

p-0096The attachment region <b>204</b> has an attachment width, which is the transverse width of the opening tab <b>202</b> in the attachment region <b>204</b>. The tab region <b>206</b> has a gripping width, which is the transverse width of the opening tab <b>202</b> in the tab region <b>206</b>. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the opening tab <b>202</b> is substantially rectilinear, and more specifically rectangular, with one or more orthogonal corners <b>220</b> and with the attachment width substantially equal to the gripping width. If present, at least one orthogonal corner should be disposed distally from attachment region <b>206</b>. Although a rectangular opening tab <b>202</b> is illustrated for exemplary reasons, the tab can be of any suitable shape or structure, including those disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ to Sperl, filed on Oct. 22, 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein to the extent it does not conflict herewith.

p-0097Disposable articles with an improved means of disposal and removal such as those described herein can provide greater convenience for the wearer or caregiver. The opening tab <b>202</b> can have multiple functions including as a disposal securing mechanism, as a grasping point for opening the side seam, and as a grasping point for pulling the pants on, or as any combination of these. The opening tab <b>202</b> also provides a sufficient visual awareness to the consumer of the presence of such a fastening system and sufficient operability and use of such a fastening system

p-0098The tab fastening component, if present, can include a hook fastener. In this aspect, the outer surface of each front side panel <b>34</b> or the outer or inner surface of the chassis suitably defines a corresponding fastening component, e.g., a loop fastener, to permit the opening tab <b>202</b> on each side of the pants <b>20</b> to be attached at its tab fastener region to the respective front side panel (i.e., broadly, to the pants <b>20</b>) or chassis. For example, the front side panel <b>34</b> in one particularly suitable aspect can be constructed of VFL material as described previously so that the outer surface of the front side panel <b>34</b> itself defines a loop fastening component. Alternatively, a loop fastener component (not shown) can be formed separately from the front side panel <b>34</b> and attached to the panel outer surface without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The outer facing surface <b>30</b> of the outer cover <b>40</b> of the pants <b>20</b> is also suitably constructed to define a loop fastener, such as by forming the outer cover of a material that defines a loop fastening component (e.g., VFL or other suitable material) or by forming a separate loop fastening component and attaching it to the outer surface of the pants outer cover, to permit attachment of the opening tab <b>202</b> to the outer cover in the disposal configuration of the pants <b>20</b>.

p-0099It is understood that the tab fastening component(s) defining the one or more tab fastener regions of the opening tab <b>202</b> can instead be a loop fastener component, with the outer surfaces of the front side panels <b>34</b> and outer cover <b>40</b> of the pants <b>20</b> being constructed to define corresponding hook fastening components. In other aspects, the tab fastening component defining the tab fastener region(s) and the outer surfaces of the front side panels <b>34</b> and pants outer cover <b>40</b> can include other suitable releasably attachable fasteners without departing from the scope of this disclosure. It is also contemplated that the tab fastening component defining the tab fastener region can be releasably attachable to the pants <b>20</b> (e.g., to the front side panel <b>34</b>) in the wear configuration but otherwise more permanently attachable elsewhere on the pants (e.g., to the outer cover <b>40</b>) in the disposal configuration of the pants. The term permanent attachment is intended herein to refer to an attachment that is generally not releasable without some damage or substantially reduced ability to reattach to the fastening component and/or the component to which the fastening component is attached.

p-0100In these aspects, if the side of the opening tab <b>202</b> opposite the side including the tab fastening component includes a complementary engaging material, one of the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b> can also engage the folded opening tab <b>202</b> when it engages the other of the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b>. For example, if the side of the opening tab <b>202</b> opposite the side including the tab fastening component includes a loop-type material, then the one of the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b> that includes hook-type material can engage the folded opening tab in addition to the loop-type material of the other of the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b>.

p-0101In the illustrated aspect, the opening tabs <b>202</b> attach to the outer surfaces of the front side panels <b>34</b> (e.g., outer surface <b>30</b> of pants <b>20</b>) in the wear configuration of the article. It is contemplated that in the wear configuration the opening tabs <b>202</b> can be configured to attach to the inner surfaces of the front side panels <b>34</b> (e.g., inner surface <b>28</b> of pants <b>20</b>) and remain within the scope of this disclosure.

p-0102The attachment region <b>204</b> of each opening tab <b>202</b> is suitably attached to the respective back side panel <b>134</b> (broadly, to the respective side of the pants <b>20</b>) and in the illustrated aspect is attached to the inner surface of the back side panel. It is understood, however, that the attachment region <b>204</b> can instead be attached to the outer surface of the back side panel <b>134</b>. The attachment region <b>204</b>, in the aspect in which the back side panel <b>134</b> overlaps the front side panel <b>34</b>, is more suitably attached to the back side panel adjacent the transverse edge of the back side panel. But the attachment region <b>204</b> can instead be attached to the back side panel <b>134</b> more transversely distal from the transverse edge of the back side panel, such as when the front side panel <b>34</b> overlaps the back side panel, without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

p-0103The attachment region <b>204</b> of each opening tab <b>202</b> is suitably attached to the inner surface of the back side panel <b>134</b>, such as by adhesive, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, pressure bonding, or other suitable attachment technique. More suitably, an attachment face of each opening tab <b>202</b> is attached to the inner surface of the back side panel <b>134</b> at the attachment region <b>204</b> of the tab. The tab region <b>206</b> of each opening tab <b>202</b> extends longitudinally outward of the attachment region <b>204</b> so that the tab region is accessible exterior of the pants <b>20</b> in the wear configuration of the pants.

p-0104The tab fastener region of each opening tab <b>202</b> suitably extends lengthwise of the tab, within the tab region <b>206</b> thereof, to the edges of the opening tab <b>202</b> at the tab region <b>206</b>. It is understood, however, that the fastener region need not extend the full length of the opening tab <b>202</b> at the tab region <b>206</b> to remain within the scope of this disclosure.

p-0105When the opening tab <b>202</b> includes a grip region, the opening tab <b>202</b> is suitably constructed so that the grip region is non-attachable to the pants <b>20</b>, at least in the wear configuration of the pants <b>20</b>. The term non-attachable as used in this instance means that the grip region is not releasably or otherwise removably attachable to the pants <b>20</b> in the wear configuration thereof, nor is the grip region permanently attached to the pants <b>20</b>. In one aspect, the grip region extends transversely outward from the tab fastener region of each opening tab <b>202</b> a distance of at least about 1 mm, such as in the range of about 1 mm to about 10 mm to provide sufficient unattached material of the tab for readily gripping and pulling on the tab.

p-0106In one aspect, each opening tab <b>202</b> is suitably constructed of a base substrate having a tab fastening component (e.g., a hook fastening component in one aspect) attached thereto such as by adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, pressure bonding, or other suitable technique to define the tab fastener region of the opening tab <b>202</b>. In certain aspects, the base substrate can be constructed such that, other than the fastener region, the opening tab <b>202</b> is not releasably attachable to the pants <b>20</b>, particularly at the grip region (if provided) of the opening tab <b>202</b>. As an example, one suitable material from which the base substrate can be constructed is a three-layer nonwoven polypropylene material known as SMS. SMS is an acronym for Spunbond-Meltblown-Spunbond, the process by which the three layers are constructed and then laminated together. One example of an SMS material is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,203 to Brock et al. It should be noted, however, that other nonwovens as well as other materials including wovens, films, foam/film laminates and combinations thereof can be used to construct the opening tab <b>202</b> without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

p-0107In use, the training pants <b>20</b> are constructed and pre-assembled in their wear configuration, with the article fastening system <b>80</b> releasably attaching the front and back waist regions <b>22</b>, <b>24</b> (and more particularly the front and back side panels <b>34</b>, <b>134</b> in the illustrated aspect). The tab fastener region, if present, of each opening tab <b>202</b> can be releasably attached to the outer surface of the respective front side panel <b>34</b> to releasably attach the tab region <b>206</b> of each opening tab <b>202</b> to the pants <b>20</b> in the wear configuration of the pants <b>20</b>.

p-0108When the pants <b>20</b> are to be discarded after use, the pants <b>20</b> can be slipped off of the wearer in the manner of conventional underpants, or the front and back waist regions <b>22</b>, <b>24</b> can be detached from each other (e.g., by separation of the article fastening components <b>82</b>, <b>84</b> of the article fastening system <b>80</b>) and the pants <b>20</b> removed from the wearer.

p-0109With particular reference to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, a plurality of garment assemblies <b>96</b> aligned in a cross direction, wherein the widths of the assemblies <b>96</b> are the machine direction, is shown. The disclosure can be carried out in the cross direction, wherein the widths of the assemblies <b>96</b> are the machine direction (FIG. <b>4</b>). The garment assembly <b>96</b> includes a lamination of films and nonwovens, including a bodyside liner <b>42</b> and an outer cover <b>40</b>, together with waist elastics <b>54</b> and <b>56</b>, leg elastics <b>58</b>, and an absorbent structure <b>44</b>, as described above, placed on a vacuum device (not shown). The layers of each garment assembly <b>96</b> are joined between the back side panel <b>134</b> and the front side panel <b>34</b>. The exposed surface of the garment assembly <b>96</b> is the inner surface <b>28</b> of the chassis <b>32</b>, as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>.

p-0110In carrying out the disclosure in the cross direction, two fastening components <b>82</b> are bonded to the front side panels <b>34</b> on the inner surface <b>28</b> of each garment assembly <b>96</b> near the planned locations of the distal edges <b>68</b><i>a</i>, with a spacing <b>81</b> of roughly 0.25-1.0 inch between fastening components <b>82</b> on adjacent garment assemblies <b>96</b>. Alternatively, a single, oversized fastening component (not shown) encompassing the areas of two adjacent fastening components <b>82</b> and the spacing <b>81</b> in between can be placed overlapping the planned locations of the distal edges <b>68</b><i>a </i>of two adjacent assemblies, to be separated into two fastening components <b>82</b> at the product cut-off stage. The fastening components <b>82</b> can include hook type fasteners or loop type fasteners, as described above, and can be bonded to the assembly <b>96</b> with ultrasonic, thermal, or adhesive bonds, or other suitable means.

p-0111Two mating fastening components <b>84</b> are bonded to the back side panels <b>134</b> on the outer surface <b>30</b> of each garment assembly <b>96</b> near the planned locations of the distal edges <b>68</b><i>b </i>with a spacing of roughly 0.25-1.0 inch between mating fastening components <b>84</b> on adjacent garment assemblies <b>96</b>. Alternatively, as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>, a single, oversized mating fastening component <b>85</b> encompassing the areas of two adjacent mating fastening components <b>84</b> and the spacing in between can be placed overlapping the planned locations of the distal edges <b>68</b><i>b </i>of two adjacent assemblies, to be separated into two mating fastening components <b>84</b> at the product cut-off stage. The mating fastening components <b>84</b> can include hook type fasteners or loop type fasteners, as described above, and can be bonded to the assembly <b>96</b> with ultrasonic, thermal, or adhesive bonds.

p-0112In one aspect of the present application, two opening tabs <b>202</b> are cut and placed on either side of the distal edges <b>68</b><i>b </i>of two adjacent assemblies <b>96</b> such that the opening tabs <b>202</b> extend beyond the waist edge <b>39</b> in a cross-direction. The opening tabs <b>202</b> can be configured to be cut from a web of tab material without producing waste tab material. The opening tabs <b>202</b> are then bonded to the assembly <b>96</b> with ultrasonic, thermal, or adhesive bonds. In an alternative aspect, a single, oversized opening tab <b>202</b> is cut and placed on the joined garment assemblies <b>96</b> covering the distal edges <b>68</b><i>b </i>of two adjacent assemblies <b>96</b> such that the opening tab <b>202</b> extends beyond the waist edge <b>39</b> in a cross-direction. The opening tab <b>202</b> is then bonded to the assembly <b>96</b> with ultrasonic, thermal, or adhesive bonds. In this aspect, the oversized opening tab <b>202</b> is cut into two opening tabs <b>202</b> when the assemblies <b>96</b> are separated.

p-0113All of the joined garment assemblies <b>96</b> are then folded longitudinally (front to back or back to front), thereby aligning the front side panels <b>34</b> with the back side panels <b>134</b>. Adjacent garment assemblies <b>96</b>, and any oversized fastening components and/or mating fastening components <b>85</b>, are then separated by cutting in the CD, thereby forming discrete products. In this process, either the front side panels <b>34</b> or the back side panels <b>134</b> are under high tension because of elastic properties in the material. Thus, when the folded assemblies <b>96</b> are cut into discrete products, the side panels <b>34</b> or <b>134</b> under high tension retract more from the cutting line than the opposite side panels <b>134</b> or <b>34</b>, such that side panels <b>34</b> or <b>134</b> under high tension are shorter in the transverse direction than the side panels <b>134</b> or <b>34</b> not under high tension. Alternatively, a portion (not shown) of the assembly <b>96</b> could be cut out between adjacent resulting distal edges <b>68</b><i>a </i>or <b>68</b><i>b </i>to create the difference in length in the transverse direction. The discrete products are then rotated roughly 90 degrees and the back side panels <b>134</b> are folded over onto the corresponding front side panels <b>34</b> such that the fastening components <b>82</b> adhere to the mating fastening components <b>84</b>.

p-0114Alternatively, in the cross direction process, the fastening components <b>82</b> can be bonded to the outer surface <b>30</b> of the chassis <b>32</b> and the mating fastening components <b>84</b> can be bonded to the inner surface <b>28</b> of the chassis. In this case, after the assemblies <b>96</b> are rotated, the back side panels <b>134</b> are folded over onto the corresponding front side panels <b>134</b> such that the fastening components <b>82</b> adhere to the mating fastening components <b>84</b>.

p-0115The product resulting from the disclosure is an absorbent product <b>20</b>, shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, having refastenable hook and loop fasteners, oriented as lap side seams <b>68</b>, along the distal edges <b>68</b><i>a </i>and <b>68</b><i>b </i>(<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2 and 3</figref>) of the front and back side panels <b>34</b> and <b>134</b>. The resulting orientation of the lap side seams <b>100</b> puts the fastened seams under shearing strain during use, as opposed to peel forces. The term “lap side seam,” as used herein, refers to a seam connecting the front and back side panels <b>34</b> and <b>134</b> or materials bonded thereto, such as fastening components <b>82</b> and <b>84</b>, such that the front and back side panels and/or materials bonded thereto overlap and the seam is located between the distal edges <b>68</b><i>a </i>and <b>68</b><i>b </i>of the front and rear side panels <b>34</b> and <b>134</b>.

p-0116As described herein, the various components of the absorbent garment <b>20</b> can be integrally assembled together employing various types of suitable attachment means, such as adhesive, sonic and thermal bonds or combinations thereof. The resulting product is an absorbent garment having refastenable side seams that can be opened for donning or removal at either side of the garment.

Peel Strength Test

p-0117The level of securement of any particular area of the finger tab or refastenable seam can be quantified using the following Peel Test method, which is designed to quantify, in grams, the peak and the average dynamic peel strength of the refastenable seam holding the front waist region of the absorbent article to the rear waist region, or of the connection between the finger tab and a side panel. The refastenable seam is used in this description as an example. The direction of removal or peel in this disclosure is that direction in which the fastener material would generally be removed from a substrate when the product is in use. This direction is in the transverse direction for a typical finger tab and more parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the product for the finger tab described herein.

Sample Preparation

p-0118The size of suitable samples of refastenable seam material having a single enhanced refastenable attachment zone can measure 7.6 cm. by 1.9 cm. (3 by 0.75 inch), with the enhanced refastenable attachment zone located 0.6 cm. (0.25 inch) inboard of one end edge. The size of the sample may need to be adjusted for different refastenable seam configurations.

Equipment

p-01191. Constant rate of extension tensile tester equipped with an appropriate load cell. A suitable tensile testing system is a Sintech Tensile Tester, commercially available from MTS, Research Triangle Park, N.C., under the trade designation Sintech Model 1/G Tensile Tester. <br /> 2. Software commercially obtained from MTS under the trade designation MTS TESTWORKS® for Windows Version 3.10. <br /> 3. Pneumatic-action grips commercially available from Instron Corporation, Canton, Mass., under the trade designation Instron Model 2712-004. <br /> 4. 2.5 cm. by 10.1 cm. (1 by 4 inch) grip faces, rubber coated, commercially available from Instron Corporation, Canton, Mass. <br /> 5. Test facility having a temperature of 23±1° C., and a relative humidity of 50±2 percent.

Test Procedure

p-01201. A sample to be tested is conditioned in the test facility for at least 4 hours prior to testing. <br /> 2. A 2041.2 grams (4.5 lb.) roller with a total diameter of 95 mm., the outer 6.7 mm. of which is rubber, is rolled over the sample from one end to the other and then back again (1 cycle). <br /> 3. The load cell is calibrated and the software loaded. <br /> 4. The grips are installed on the tensile tester with the jaws closed. <br /> 5. The test conditions for the tensile tester are set as follows: <br /> Crosshead speed: 500 millimeters/minute <br /> Full-scale load: 11.34 kilograms (25 lbs.) <br /> Gage length: 25.4 millimeters (1 inch) <br /> 6. The weight of the clamp is tared out. <br /> 7. The sample is pulled apart on the end opposite from the enhanced refastenable attachment zone so that the fastening component and the mating fastening component disengage to form free ends each 25.4 millimeters long. <br /> 8. The free end of the fastening component on the back waist region of the article is inserted into the upper jaw. <br /> 9. The free end of the mating fastening component on the front waist region of the article is inserted into the lower jaw, such that the fastened inner surface of the back waist region and the fastened inner surface of the front waist region are facing the same direction and are parallel to one another. The lower jaw is closed. <br /> 10. The crosshead is started in motion, and the test is run until the fastening component and mating fastening component are no longer connected. <br /> 11. The average load needed to separate the fastener is recorded for the main refastenable attachment zone by averaging load values at separation distances that avoid any enhanced refastenable attachment zone, for example from 1 cm. by 6.4 cm. (0.4 to 2.5 inch) for the sample specified in the Sample Preparation section above. The peak load needed to separate the fastening components is recorded for the refastenable attachment zone(s). Two or more tests may be needed to obtain values for the refastenable attachment zones.

p-0121When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the preferred aspect(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there can be additional elements other than the listed elements.

p-0122The disclosure has been described with reference to various specific and illustrative aspects and techniques. However, it should be understood that many variations and modifications can be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.