Side panel for absorbent article

An absorbent article having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction and a transverse axis normal to the longitudinal axis and defining a transverse direction, the article comprising:

• a) an absorbent assembly including a core;
• b) a shell for holding the absorbent assembly, the shell including at least one elasticized retaining panel for providing a body-conforming fit about the hips of a user;
• c) the elasticized retaining panel including an outer web, an inner web overlying the outer web, and an elastic web disposed between the outer and inner webs and bonded thereto;
• d) the elastic web including a plurality of stretch strands extending parallel to the transverse axis and a plurality of support strands extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, the support strands and stretch strands defining a plurality of intersection points at which the support strands and the stretch strands are joined together;
• e) the stretch strands being elastically extendible in the transverse direction and being extended in the transverse direction relative to the outer and inner webs for exerting an elastically contractile force on the outer and inner webs;
• f) the support strands being generally unextended relative to the inner and outer webs in the longitudinal direction.

A belt segment for use in an absorbent article, comprising:

• a) an outer web extending in a transverse direction between a left and a right side edge;
• b) an inner web extending between the left and right side edges and overlying the outer web;
• and
• c) a pair of elastic retaining panel portions each comprising an elastic web sandwiched between portions of the inner and outer webs and bonded thereto, the retaining panel portions being spaced apart in the transverse direction to define an inelastic central zone between the retaining panel portions;
• d) each elastic web including a plurality of stretch strands extending in the transverse direction and a plurality of support strands extending in a longitudinal direction, the longitudinal direction being generally normal to the transverse direction, the support strands and stretch strands defining a plurality of intersection points at which the support strands and the stretch strands are joined together;
• e) the stretch strands being elastically extendible in the transverse direction and being extended in the transverse direction relative to the outer and inner webs for exerting an elastically contractile force on the outer and inner webs;
• and
• f) the support strands being generally unextended in the longitudinal direction relative to the inner and outer webs.