DISPOSABLE ABSORBENT ARTICLE HAVING RELEASABLE AND REATTACHABLE POSITIONING FLAPS

摘要

An absorbent article for positioning in the crotch area of a garment of a wearer and against or closely adjacent to the body of the wearer for absorbing body fluids. The absorbent article includes a pair of outwardly extending side flaps that are adapted to be folded around the edges of the crotch panel of the garment, and to overlap each other for attachment together to aid in properly positioning and retaining the absorbent article on the wearer's garment. Attachment of the flaps is effected by a fastening system that permits attachment, release, and subsequent reattachment of the flaps to enable the absorbent article to be repositioned by the wearer. The fastening system also enables the article to be folded for convenient carrying and packaging before use, and to be refolded for convenient disposal of the article after use. Optionally, a line of weakness can be provided across at least one of the flaps to facilitate severance of the encircling flap assembly for ease of removal of the article from a panty after use, and extensibility zones can be formed in the flaps to permit lateral extension of the flaps to accommodate a wider crotch panel of the garment and also to accommodate stresses imposed on the flaps during application of the article to the garment and while it is in use.