Expandable absorbent garment
First Claim
1. An expandable absorbent garment comprising:
- an absorbent composite having a length, opposite ends and opposite side regions, said absorbent composite comprising a backsheet, a topsheet and a retention portion disposed between said backsheet and said topsheet, wherein said backsheet comprises at least one fold formed along at least one of said opposite side regions, wherein said absorbent composite is laterally expandable along at least said opposite ends thereof, wherein said at least one fold of said backsheet is unfoldable along at least said opposite ends of said absorbent composite;
a pair of front body panels connected to said opposite side regions adjacent one of said opposite ends of said absorbent composite; and
a pair of rear body panels connected to said opposite side regions adjacent said other of said opposite ends of said absorbent composite.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An absorbent garment comprising a longitudinally extending and laterally expandable absorbent composite having opposite ends and opposite side regions. The absorbent composite comprises a backsheet, a topsheet and a retention portion disposed between the backsheet and the topsheet. In one preferred embodiment, the backsheet and retention portion each comprise at least one fold formed along at least one of the opposite side regions, with the folds being interfolded. A pair of front body panels are attached to the opposite side regions of the absorbent composite adjacent one of the opposite ends of said absorbent composite and a pair of rear body panels are attached to the opposite side regions adjacent the other of the opposite ends of the absorbent composite. In a preferred embodiment, the front and rear body panels are joined to form a pair of side body panels. A method for using the absorbent garment also is provided, together with a method for assembling the absorbent garment.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An expandable absorbent garment comprising:
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an absorbent composite having a length, opposite ends and opposite side regions, said absorbent composite comprising a backsheet, a topsheet and a retention portion disposed between said backsheet and said topsheet, wherein said backsheet comprises at least one fold formed along at least one of said opposite side regions, wherein said absorbent composite is laterally expandable along at least said opposite ends thereof, wherein said at least one fold of said backsheet is unfoldable along at least said opposite ends of said absorbent composite;
a pair of front body panels connected to said opposite side regions adjacent one of said opposite ends of said absorbent composite; and
a pair of rear body panels connected to said opposite side regions adjacent said other of said opposite ends of said absorbent composite. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An expandable absorbent garment comprising:
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absorbent composite having a length, opposite ends and opposite side regions, said absorbent composite comprising a backsheet, a topsheet and a retention portion disposed between said backsheet and said topsheet, wherein said backsheet comprises a pleat formed along each of said opposite side regions and wherein said retention portion comprises a pleat formed along said opposite side regions, wherein said backsheet and said retention portion are each laterally expandable at said opposite ends of said absorbent composite between at least a folded configuration, wherein said pleat of said backsheet and said pleat of said retention portion are interfolded, and an expanded configuration, wherein said backsheet and said retention portion are substantially flat, and wherein said absorbent composite has a first width when in said folded configuration and wherein said absorbent composite has a second width when in said expanded configuration; and
a pair of front body panels connected to said opposite side regions adjacent one of said opposite ends of said absorbent composite; and
a pair of rear body panels connected to said opposite side regions adjacent said other of said opposite ends of said absorbent composite. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification