Better fit to the bottom area of a disposable product
View Patent ↗An absorbent article is provided with a chassis having an anterior portion and a crotch portion and a belt coupled to the chassis. The belt has end portions extending outwardly beyond side edges of the chassis. The end portions of the belt are configured to be fastened between the crotch portion and the anterior portion, and the belt is configured to draw the crotch portion toward the anterior portion of the chassis about a body portion of a wearer to limit sag and leakage at the crotch portion of the chassis.
1. An absorbent article comprising:
a chassis having a posterior portion positionable against a posterior of a wearer, a waist edge extending between side edges, an anterior portion and a crotch portion; and
a belt coupled to the chassis, said belt having a top edge and a central portion extending between the side edges of said chassis and end portions extending outwardly beyond the side edges of the chassis, the belt comprising an unfastened configuration in which the end portions remain unattached to the anterior portion of the chassis and a fastened configuration in which the end portions are directly attached to the anterior portion of the chassis;
wherein, when the belt is in the unfastened configuration, a distance between the top edge at the central portion of the belt and the waist edge of the posterior portion of the chassis is greater than a distance between the top edge at the end portions of the belt and the waist edge of the posterior portion of the chassis.
2. The absorbent article of claim 1 said belt being positioned to draw the chassis about a leg of a wearer.
3. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said belt is formed from an elastic material.
4. The absorbent article of claim 1 further comprising a fastener portion disposed on at least one of said end portions of said belt.
5. The absorbent article of claim 4 wherein said fastener portion is configured to be releasably coupled to said chassis at a location closer to the waist edge of said chassis than the location of said central portion of said belt.
6. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said belt includes a curved or slanted portion.
7. The absorbent article of claim 1 wherein said end portions are configured to be fastened between said crotch portion and said anterior portion.
8. The absorbent article of claim 7 wherein said belt is fixed to the crotch portion of said chassis and releasably coupled to said anterior portion of said chassis.
9. The absorbent article of claim 7 wherein said belt is fixed to the anterior portion of said chassis and releasably coupled to said crotch portion of said chassis.
10. A method of forming an absorbent article comprising the steps of:
coupling a central portion of a belt to a posterior portion of a chassis such that end portions of the belt extend beyond side edges of the chassis, the belt having a top edge, the chassis further comprising an anterior portion, the belt comprising an unfastened configuration in which the end portions remain unattached to the anterior portion of the chassis and a fastened configuration in which the end portions are directly attached to the anterior portion of the chassis; and
orienting the belt such that, when the belt is in the unfastened configuration, a distance between the top edge at the central portion of the belt and a waist edge of the posterior portion of the chassis is greater than a distance between the top edge at the end portions of the belt and the waist edge of the posterior portion of the chassis.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising coupling fasteners to the end portions of the belt.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising configuring the fasteners for releasable engagement of the anterior portion of the chassis.