Disposable Absorbent Aritcle With Elastically Contractible Cuffs For Better Containment Of Liquid Exudates

A disposable absorbent article comprising:

• an absorbent core having a garment surface and an opposed body surface, which surfaces meet along a pair of longitudinal edges and a pair of end edges, wherein the absorbent core comprises an absorbent particulate polymer material and which is substantially cellulose free;
• a liquid permeable topsheet positioned adjacent the body surface of the absorbent core and having a pair of opposed longitudinal edges and a pair of opposed end edges;
• a liquid impermeable backsheet positioned adjacent the garment surface of the absorbent core;
• a pair of elastically contractible cuffs, each of which is constructed of a continuous cuff material and has a standing cuff portion which comprises from two to four elastic members, wherein each elastically contractible cuff is secured about one of said longitudinal edges of the topsheet by an assembly bond, with the standing cuff portion being laterally offset away from the longitudinal edge of the absorbent core and with the elastic members being located outboard of the assembly bond;
• and
• a pair of unitary waistbands connected to the pair of elastically contractible cuffs to form a continuous gasket around the periphery of the absorbent core area, wherein the elastically contractible cuff is mechanically bonded to the topsheet and glued to the backsheet.

A method for constructing a disposable absorbent article having an outboard cuff, the method comprising:

• a) adhering one or more elastic members onto a layer of a continuous cuff material;
• b) folding the continuous cuff material onto itself with the elastic members being located between at least two layers of the continuous cuff material to form a first elastically contractible cuff;
• c) repeating steps a) and b) to form a second elastically contractible cuff;
• d) folding each of the first and second elastically contractible cuffs over onto itself;
• and
• e) securing the first folded elastically contractible cuff about a first longitudinal edge of a liquid permeable topsheet by a first assembly bond and securing the second folded elastically contractible cuff about a second longitudinal edge of the topsheet by a second assembly bond, such that the elastic members of each of the first and second cuffs are located outboard of the first and second assembly bonds, to form a cuff/topsheet composite.