Absorbent article

An absorbent article, comprising:

• an elastically stretchable first piece having first and second longitudinal edges and first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends are shorter than the first and second longitudinal edges;
• a second piece having first and second longitudinal edges and first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends are shorter than the first and second longitudinal edges;
• the second piece includes an absorbent element;
• the first end of the second piece is secured to a middle portion of the second longitudinal edge of the first piece so that the first piece extends substantially perpendicular to the second piece;
• the first end of the first piece is secured to the first longitudinal edge of the second piece and the second end of the first piece is secured to the second longitudinal edge of the second piece;
• and
• elastic members are arranged along at least a portion of the first longitudinal edge and along at least a portion of the second longitudinal edge of the second piece adjacent the absorbent element to contract said portions of the second piece.

A method of manufacturing an absorbent article, comprising:

• providing an elastically stretchable first piece having first and second longitudinal edges and first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends are shorter than the first and second longitudinal edges;
• securing a first end of a second piece of material to a middle portion of the second longitudinal edge of the first piece so that the first piece extends substantially perpendicular to the second piece, wherein the second piece has first and second longitudinal edges that are substantially perpendicular to the first end and the first end is shorter than the first and second longitudinal edges, and wherein the second piece includes an absorbent element;
• securing the first end of the first piece to the first longitudinal edge of the second piece and securing the second end of the first piece to the second longitudinal edge of the second piece;
• and
• providing elastic members along at least a portion of the first longitudinal edge and along at least a portion of the second longitudinal edge of the second piece adjacent the absorbent element to contract said portions of the second piece.

A method of manufacturing an absorbent article of pants shape, the absorbent article comprising an elastic waist portion, an absorbent element, which has a length and a width and which covers genitals of a wearer when the article is worn, and a liquid-impermeable outer layer which encloses the absorbent element on at least a side thereof which faces away from the wearer of the article, the method comprising:

• forming said elastic waist portion from an elastic first piece which is elongate in an extended state and partly surrounds the trunk of the wearer and forms a rear portion and side portions of the pants article when the article is worn,
• forming a front portion of the article and a crotch portion from a second piece,
• said second piece is elongate with two opposite end edges and two opposite longitudinal edges, a width of the second piece is, at least in the crotch portion, smaller than a length of the first piece, the second piece is arranged with its longitudinal direction at right angles in relation to the longitudinal direction of the first piece,
• connecting a first end portion of the second piece to one longitudinal edge portion of the first piece, centrally thereon,
• connecting one end portion of the first piece to a first longitudinal edge portion of the second piece, and
• connecting another end portion of the first piece in a corresponding manner to a second longitudinal edge portion of the second piece, and elastic members are arranged in the crotch portion on each side of the absorbent element.