ABSORBENT ARTICLES COMPRISING AUXETIC CELL FORMING STRUCTURES

摘要

The invention refers to a disposable absorbent article such as a diaper, a pant or a sanitary napkin. The disposable absorbent article further comprises a structure which is able to elongate and simultaneously convert from an initial flat configuration into an erected configuration. In the erected configuration, the structure is increased in caliper (thickness) compared to the flat configuration, the caliper being perpendicular to the longitudinal and lateral dimension of the structure. The structure comprises a first and a second layer. The first and second layer overlap each other, wherein the first layer is able to shift relative to the second layer in opposite directions along the longitudinal structure dimension upon application of a force along the longitudinal dimension. The structure further comprises ligaments provided between the first and second layer in the region of overlap. Each ligament is attached to the inner surface of the first layer with a portion adjacent to one of the ligament's lateral edges in a first ligament attachment region, and is further attached to the inner surface of the second layer with a portion at or adjacent to the ligament's other lateral edge in a second ligament attachment region. The region between the first and second ligament attachment region forms a free intermediate portion. The ligaments are spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal dimension of the structure, and the attachment of all ligaments to the first and second layer in the first and second ligament attachment regions is such that the free intermediate portions of the ligaments are able to convert from an initial flat configuration to an erected configuration upon application of a force along the longitudinal dimension of the structure, thus converting the structure as a whole from an initial flat configuration into an erected configuration, with the erection being in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and the lateral dimension of the structure (i.e. the caliper of the structure increases compared to the initial flat configuration).