Absorbent article using extensible leg cuffs

An absorbent article having a front portion and a rear portion, and a crotch portion connecting said front and rear portions, a longitudinal axis extending through said front, rear and crotch portions, said absorbent article having opposing longitudinal sides, with said longitudinal axis disposed therebetween, said absorbent article comprising:

• (a) an outer cover;
• (b) a bodyside liner mounted to said outer cover, said outer cover and said bodyside liner forming, in combination, a base structure;
• (c) an absorbent core located between said bodyside liner and said outer cover;
• (d) first and second extensible leg cuffs attached to said base structure along the respective opposing longitudinal sides of said absorbent article at said crotch portion, said leg cuffs each having an inboard edge mounted upon a respective portion of said base structure, said leg cuffs extending from the inboard edge outwardly to an outboard edge spaced outwardly from the respective lateral edge of said base structure, said leg cuffs being operatively confined to said crotch portion;
• and
• (e) a fastener mounted to said base structure, securing said absorbent article to the body of a user;
• whereby said leg cuffs stretch and retract in said crotch portion independently of any respective stretching and retracting of said base structure, such that outboard edges of said absorbent article are defined by said leg cuffs in said front and rear portions.

An absorbent article having a front portion and a rear portion, and a crotch portion connecting said front and rear portions, a longitudinal axis extending through said front, rear and crotch portions, said absorbent article having opposing longitudinal sides, with said longitudinal axis disposed therebetween, said absorbent article comprising:

• (a) an outer cover;
• (b) a bodyside liner mounted to said outer cover, said outer cover and said bodyside liner forming, in combination, a base structure having a relatively narrow crotch width;
• (c) an absorbent core located between said bodyside liner and said outer cover;
• and
• (d) first and second extensible leg cuffs attached to said base structure along the respective opposing longitudinal sides of said absorbent article at said crotch portion, said leg cuffs being operatively confined to said crotch portion, each said leg cuff having an outboard edge spaced outwardly from a respective lateral edge of said base structure, said leg cuffs each being mounted such that rear ends thereof are disposed at angles between 5 degrees and 25 degrees from respective front ends thereof, with respect to said longitudinal axis, the apex of the angle being located toward said front portion of said absorbent article, the combination of angles and the relatively narrow crotch width being effective to attenuate tendency of the front portion to be pulled downward in response to movement of the user's legs.

An absorbent article having a front portion and a rear portion, and a crotch portion connecting said front and rear portions, a longitudinal axis extending through said front, rear and crotch portions, said absorbent article having opposing longitudinal sides, with said longitudinal axis disposed therebetween, said absorbent article comprising:

• (a) an outer cover;
• (b) a bodyside liner mounted to said outer cover, said outer cover and said bodyside liner forming, in combination, a base structure;
• (c) an absorbent core located between said bodyside liner and said outer cover;
• and
• (d) first and second extensible leg cuffs attached to said base structure along the respective opposing longitudinal sides of said absorbent article at said crotch portion, said leg cuffs having outboard edges thereof spaced outwardly from respective lateral edges of said base structure, said leg cuffs being operatively confined to said crotch portion, said leg cuffs being partially stretched, between 50 percent and 80 percent of total potential elongation when said base structure is fully extended such that the outboard edges can stretch and flex when the base structure is fully extended;
• the enhanced expansion and contraction capabilities of said partially stretched leg cuffs, relative to said base structure, providing a relatively wider range of sizes of users on which said absorbent article can readily be used.

An absorbent article having a front portion and a rear portion, and a crotch portion connecting said front and rear portions, a longitudinal axis extending through said front, rear and crotch portions, said absorbent article having opposing longitudinal sides, with said longitudinal axis disposed therebetween, said absorbent article comprising:

• (a) an outer cover;
• (b) a bodyside liner mounted to said outer cover, said outer cover and said bodyside liner forming, in combination, a base structure, said base structure including opposing leg cut outs in said crotch portion;
• (c) an absorbent core located between said bodyside liner and said outer cover;
• and
• (d) first and second extensible leg cuffs attached to said base structure along the respective longitudinal sides of said absorbent article at said crotch portion, said leg cuffs spanning the length of said leg cut outs in said crotch portion of said absorbent article, and being partially stretched in the crotch portion when said base structure is fully extended, each said leg cuff having an outboard edge spaced outwardly from a respective lateral edge of said base structure at the respective said leg cut outs substantially straight portions of said leg cuffs spanning curvilinear lateral edge portions of said base structure in said crotch portion;
• whereby said leg cuffs operate to extend the effective width of the base structure with material that retracts and expands independently of the base structure to which such leg cuffs are attached.