Disposable absorbent article with flushable insert

An absorbent article having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

• a shell having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface and defining a front waist section, a back waist section, and opposed first and second sides extending between the front and back waist sections;
• an insert pad formed of an absorbent material and adapted to be flushed down a toilet, the insert pad positioned against the top surface of the shell;
• and
• a cover positioned over the insert pad, the cover having front and back edges and longitudinal sides extending between the front and back edges, the longitudinal sides attached to the top surface of the shell, the cover having longitudinally-extending lines of relative weakness with respect to other portions of the cover formed therein inboard of the longitudinal sides and elasticized containment flaps attached to the cover inboard of the lines of relative weakness;
• whereby the cover may be torn along lines of relative weakness to expose the insert pad.

An absorbent article having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

• a shell including a first sheet of a substantially liquid pervious material and a second sheet of a substantially liquid impervious material, the shell defining a front waist section, a back waist section, and opposed sides extending between the front and back waist sections, the first sheet being at least partially attached to the second sheet and including longitudinally-extending lines of relative weakness with respect to other portions of the first sheet, the lines of relative weakness located inboard of the sides;
• an insert pad formed of a flushable absorbent material, the insert pad positioned within the shell between the first and second sheets and adjacent the lines of relative weakness;
• and
• a pair of elasticized containment flaps attached to the first sheet outboard of the insert pad and inboard of the lines of relative weakness;
• wherein the insert pad is removable from within the shell upon severing the first sheet along the lines of relative weakness.

An absorbent article having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

• a shell having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface and defining a front waist section, a back waist section, and opposed first and second sides extending between the front and back waist sections;
• an absorbent body disposed between the top and bottom surfaces of the shell;
• an insert pad formed of an absorbent material and adapted to be flushed down a toilet, the insert pad positioned against the top surface of the shell, the absorbent material of the insert pad being in substantially direct fluid contact with the absorbent body;
• and
• a cover positioned over the insert pad, the cover having front and back edges and longitudinal sides extending between the front and back edges, the cover including longitudinally-extending lines of relative weakness with respect to the other portions of the cover formed therein inboard of longitudinal sides and elasticized containment flaps inboard of the lines of relative weakness;
• whereby the cover may be torn along the lines of relive weakness to expose the insert pad.

An absorbent article having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

• a shell having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface and defining a front waist section, a back waist section, and opposed first and second sides extending between the front and back waist sections;
• an absorbent body disposed between the top and bottom surfaces of the shell;
• an insert pad formed of an absorbent material and adapted to be flushed down a toilet, the insert pad positioned against the top surface of the shell, the absorbent material of the insert pad being in substantially direct fluid contact with the absorbent body;
• and
• means for releasably maintaining the insert pad in contact with the top surface of the shell, wherein the means for releasably maintaining the insert pad comprises a cover attached to the top surface, the cover having front and back edges and longitudinal sides extending between the front and back edges, the cover including two longitudinally-extending lines of relative weakness with respect to other portions of the cover formed therein inboard of the longitudinal sides, the cover also including a pair of containment flaps attached to the cover inboard of the lines of relative weakness;
• whereby the cover may be torn along the lines of relative weakness to, expose the insert pad.