Disposable absorbent garment with curved side seams

An absorbent article comprising:

• a main body having a first main body waist portion, a second main body waist portion and a central main body portion disposed between the first and second main body waist portions, the main body having orthogonal vertical and lateral axes;
• a pair of side panels, each side panel connecting the first main body waist portion to the second main body waist portion, the main body and the side panels collectively defining a waist opening edge and two leg opening edges, each side panel being formed from a first side portion extending laterally outward from the first main body waist portion and a second side portion extending laterally outward from the second main body waist portion;
• and
• a pair of side seams, each side seam connecting the first side portion of one of the side panels to the second side portion of the same side panel, each side seam intersecting the waist opening edge at a first seam angle relative to the vertical axis and intersecting one of the leg opening edges at a second seam angle relative to the vertical axis when the first and second side portions of the associated side panel are in a fully stretched condition, at least a portion of each side seam being curved when the first and second side portions of the associated side panel are in a stretched condition.

A method of forming an absorbent article comprising:

• providing a backsheet having orthogonal longitudinal and lateral axes;
• disposing an absorbent core on the backsheet;
• attaching a topsheet to the backsheet with the absorbent core disposed intermediate the topsheet and the backsheet, the backsheet, the absorbent core and the topsheet collectively forming a main body having a first lateral edge and an opposing second lateral edge and having a first main body waist portion, a second main body waist portion and a central main body portion disposed between the first and second main body waist portions;
• providing first and second side panels, each having a first side portion with a first body-facing surface, a first outward-facing surface and a first outer lateral side panel edge and having a second side portion with a second body facing surface, a second outward facing surface and a second outer lateral side panel edge;
• attaching the first side panel to the main body along the first lateral edge so that the first side portion of the first side panel extends laterally outward from the first main body waist portion and the second side portion of the first side panel extends laterally outward from the second main body waist portion;
• attaching the second side panel to the main body along the second lateral edge so that the first side portion of the second side panel extends laterally outward from the first main body waist portion and the second side portion of the second side panel extends laterally outward from the second main body waist portion;
• folding the main body so that the first body-facing surface of the first side panel engages the second body facing surface of the first panel and the first body-facing surface of the second side panel engages the second body facing surface of the second panel;
• forming a first side seam adjacent the first and second outer lateral edges of the first side panel to hold the first body facing surface of the first panel in permanent contact with the second body facing surface of the first panel, the first side seam being formed with the first side panel in a fully stretched condition and with at least a portion of the first side seam being curved;
• and
• forming a second side seam adjacent the first and second outer lateral edges of the second side panel to hold the first body facing surface of the second panel in permanent contact with the second body facing surface of the second panel, the second side seam being formed with the second side panel in a stretched condition and with at least a portion of the second side seam being curved.

A method of forming an absorbent article comprising:

• providing a generally planar backsheet having orthogonal longitudinal and lateral axes, a main backsheet portion and a first backsheet side portion extending laterally outward from a first lateral side of the main backsheet portion and a second backsheet side portion extending from a second lateral side of the main backsheet portion, the first lateral side being generally opposite the second lateral side;
• disposing an absorbent core on the main backsheet portion;
• attaching a topsheet to the backsheet with the absorbent core disposed intermediate the topsheet and the main backsheet portion, the main backsheet portion, the absorbent core and the topsheet collectively forming a main body having a first lateral edge and an opposing second lateral edge;
• forming first and second side panels, the first side panel being formed at least in part from the first backsheet side portion and extending laterally outward from the first lateral edge and the second side panel being formed at least in part from the second backsheet side portion and extending laterally outward from the second lateral edge, each of the first and second side panels having a first side portion with a first body-facing surface, a first outward-facing surface and a first outer lateral side panel edge and having a second side portion with a second body facing surface, a second outward facing surface and a second outer lateral side panel edge;
• folding the main body so that the first body-facing surface of the first side panel engages the second body facing surface of the first panel and the first body-facing surface of the second side panel engages the second body facing surface of the second panel;
• forming a first side seam adjacent the first and second outer lateral edges of the first side panel to hold the first body facing surface of the first panel in permanent contact with the second body facing surface of the first panel, the first side seam being formed with the first side panel in a fully stretched condition and with at least a portion of the first side seam being curved;
• and
• forming a second side seam adjacent the first and second outer lateral edges of the second side panel to hold the first body facing surface of the second panel in permanent contact with the second body facing surface of the second panel, the second side seam being formed with the second side panel in a fully stretched condition and with at least a portion of the second side seam being curved.