Absorbent article comprising an outer cover and a detachable insert

An absorbent article extending along a longitudinal direction, and along a transversal direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and wherein a thickness direction is defined perpendicular to both the longitudinal and transversal directions, said thickness direction being an inward direction towards the wearer when the article is worn, and an outward direction away from the wearer when the article is worn, the absorbent article comprising a front section, a back section and a crotch section extending between the front section and the back section along a longitudinal direction, and comprising:

• a reusable outer cover, comprising a garment portion that extends in at least the front section, and the back section of the absorbent article, said garment portion being adapted to fit around a wearer's waist, with the front section being positioned at the wearer's belly side and the back section being positioned against the wearer's lower back when the article is worn;
• and
• an absorbent insert comprising a liquid impermeable backsheet, a liquid permeable topsheet, and an absorbent assembly provided in between said backsheet and said topsheet, the insert being shaped to, in use, cover a wearer's pubic area and a predefined part of the buttocks with an inward facing side comprising said topsheet directed towards the wearer, and an outward facing side directed towards the garment portion of the outer cover,
• wherein, in at least one of the front section and the back section of the absorbent article,
• the outer cover further comprises at least one flap member extending from said garment portion with an outward facing inner side of the flap member facing the inward facing side of the insert in a front or back edge portion, respectively, of the insert, and
• in said at least one of the front section and the back section of the absorbent article, the absorbent article comprises a set of one or more attachment areas, wherein, in each attachment area, a surface area of the inward facing side of the insert is detachably attached to a surface area of said outward facing inner side of the flap member via at least one surface fastening material, such that the front or back edge portion, respectively, of the insert is detachably attached to the outer cover in said set of attachment areas while, in at least said crotch section of the absorbent article, the inward facing side of the insert forms the innermost side of the absorbent article, so as to be directly adjacent the wearer's skin, when the article is in use.

A reusable outer cover for an absorbent article, extending along a longitudinal direction, and along a transversal direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and wherein a thickness direction is defined perpendicular to both the longitudinal and transversal directions, said thickness direction being an inward direction towards the wearer, when the article is worn, and an outward direction away from the wearer, when the article is worn,

• the outer cover comprising a garment portion having a longitudinal length that extends along the longitudinal direction, the garment portion being subdivided into a front section, a back section and a crotch section along said longitudinal length, and the garment portion being adapted to fit around a wearer's waist, with the front section being positioned at or close to the wearer's belly, the back section being positioned against the wearer's lower back, and the crotch section being positioned over the wearer's pubic area and a predefined part of the buttocks, transversally extending between two leg openings formed by the outer cover, such that the garment portion defines an inward facing side intended to face towards the wearer, and an outward facing side, intended to face away from the wearer, when the outer cover is worn,
• wherein,
• in at least one of the front section and the back section, the outer cover comprises at least one flap member extending from said garment portion, each flap member having a use position wherein an outward facing inner side of the flap member is facing the inward facing side of the garment portion so as to form a space between the outward facing inner side of the flap member and the inward facing side of the garment portion, which space is open in a longitudinal direction towards the crotch section;
• and wherein
• in said at least one of the front section and the back section, the outer cover comprises a set of one or more insert fastener areas being positioned on said outward facing inner side of the at least one flap member, each insert fastener area in said set comprising a surface fastening material for detachably attaching an insert to said outer cover such that, when an insert is attached to the outer cover in said absorbent article, said one or more insert fastener areas of the at least one flap member allow detachable attachment to the inward facing side of a respective front edge portion or a back edge portion of the insert received in said space, while the insert extends inwardly over at least part of the crotch portion of the garment portion.

An absorbent insert for use with an outer cover for forming an absorbent article adapted to be worn about a wearer's waist, the insert being shaped to, in use, cover a wearer's pubic area and a predefined part of the buttocks, and the insert extending along a longitudinal direction, and along a transversal direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein a thickness direction is defined perpendicular to the transversal and longitudinal directions, said thickness direction being an inward direction, towards the wearer, when the absorbent article is worn, and an outward direction, away from the wearer, when the article is worn,

• wherein
• the insert has a longitudinal length that extends along the longitudinal direction and the insert is subdivided into a front section, a back section and a crotch section along said longitudinal length,
• the insert comprises a liquid impermeable backsheet, a liquid permeable topsheet, and an absorbent assembly between said backsheet and said topsheet, and
• the insert has an inward facing side comprising said topsheet to be directed towards the wearer, and an outward facing side to be directed towards the outer cover, when the article is in use, wherein
• in at least one of the front section and the back section of the insert, the insert comprises a set of one or more cover fastener areas being provided on the inward facing side of the insert, each cover fastener area comprising a surface fastening material for detachably attaching said insert to said outer cover.