Expandable cover garment

An integral absorbent article having a longitudinal article length and a lateral article width, said article comprising:

• an absorbent composite having a first end region, a second end region which is longitudinally opposed from said first end region, laterally opposed side regions, a bodyside surface, an outward surface, and a first longitudinally terminal end edge, said absorbent composite further including
• a substantially liquid-impermeable backsheet layer,
• a liquid permeable topsheet layer, and
• a retention portion sandwiched between said backsheet and topsheet layers;
• a separately provided, first body panel having
• a bodyside surface,
• an outward surface,
• a panel length which is less than said article length,
• an outboard terminal end edge,
• a relatively inboard terminal end edge, and
• laterally opposed end sections that extend laterally beyond said backsheet layer;
• an expandable attachment section joined along at least a portion of each side region of said absorbent composite in said first end region of the absorbent composite, each expandable attachment section extendible in length at least outwardly, and each expandable attachment section configured to secure its correspondingly joined side edge region of the absorbent composite to said outward surface of said first body panel;
• and
• an extensible outercover joined to extend over a major portion of said outward surface of said absorbent composite;
• wherein
• said extensible outercover provides an elongation of at least about 1 cm when subjected to a tensile force of 30 gmf per inch, and
• said extensible outercover provides a sustained deformation of at least about 20% when subjected to a tensile force of 50 gmf per inch and then allowed to relax, after a removal of said tensile force, for a period of 1 minute.

An integral absorbent article having a longitudinal article length and a lateral article width, said article comprising:

• an absorbent composite having a first end region, a second end region which is longitudinally opposed from said first end region, laterally opposed side regions, a bodyside surface, an outward surface, and a first longitudinally terminal end edge, said absorbent composite further including
• a substantially liquid-impermeable backsheet layer,
• a liquid permeable topsheet layer, and
• a retention portion sandwiched between said backsheet and topsheet layers;
• an extensible outcover joined to extend over a major portion of said outward surface of said absorbent composite, said extensible outercover capable of providing a sustained deformation when subjected to a tensible force and then allowed to relax after a removal of said tensible force;
• a first body panel having a bodyside surface, an outward surface, a panel length which is less than said article length, a first longtudinally outboard terminal end edge, and a relatively inboard, longtudinally terminal end edge;
• and
• an expendable attachment section joined along at least a portion of each region of the absorbent composite in said first end region of the absorbent composite;
• wherein
• each expandable attachment section is expandable at least along a cross-section of said article,
• each expandable attachment section is configured to secure its correspondingly joined side edge region of the absorbent composite to said outward surface of said first body panel, and
• and each expandable attachment section includes at least one substantially z-folded pleat member.

An integral absorbent article having a longitudinal article length and a lateral article width, said article comprising:

• an absorbent composite having a first end region, a second end region which is longitudinally opposed from said first end region, laterally opposed side regions, a bodyside surface, an outward surface, and a first longitudinally terminal end edge, said absorbent composite further including
• a substantially liquid-impermeable backsheet layer,
• a liquid permeable topsheet layer, and
• a retention portion sandwiched between said backsheet and topsheet layers;
• an extensible outercover joined to extend over a major portion of said outward surface of said absorbent composite, said extensible outercover capable of providing a sustained deformation when subjected to a tensile force and then allowed to relax after a removal of said tensile force;
• a first body panel having a bodyside surface, an outward surface, a panel length which is less than said article length, a first longitudinally outboard terminal end edge, and a relatively inboard, longitudinally terminal end edge;
• and
• an expandable attachment section joined along at least a portion of each side region of the absorbent composite in said first end region of the absorbent composite;
• wherein
• each expandable attachment section is expandable at least along a cross-direction of said article,
• each expandable attachment section is configured to secure its correspondingly joined side edge region of the absorbent composite to said outward surface of said first body panel, and
• each expandable attachment section includes a plurality of micro-pleats.

An integral absorbent article having a longitudinal article length and a lateral article width, said article comprising:

• an absorbent composite having a first end region, a second end region which is longitudinally opposed from said first end region, laterally opposed side regions, a bodyside surface, an outward surface, and a first longitudinally terminal end edge, said absorbent composite further including
• a substantially liquid-impermeable backsheet layer,
• a liquid permeable topsheet layer, and
• a retention portion sandwiched between said backsheet and topsheet layers;
• an extensible outercover joined to extend over a major portion of said outward surface of said absorbent composite, said extensible outercover capable of providing a sustained deformation when subjected to a tensile force and then allowed to relax after a removal of said tensile force;
• and
• a separately provided, first body panel having a bodyside surface, an outward surface, a panel length which is less than said article length, a first longitudinally outboard terminal end edge, a relatively inboard, longitudinally terminal end edge, and laterally opposed end sections that extend laterally beyond side edges of said backsheet layer and extend laterally beyond side edges of said absorbent composite to provide ear sections of said article;
• wherein
• said absorbent composite is joined to said outward surface of said first body panel,
• said relatively inboard, longitudinally terminal end edge of said first body panel has a medial portion, and
• at least said medial portion of said relatively inboard, longitudinally terminal end edge of said first body panel is substantially unattached to said absorbent composite.

An integral absorbent article having a longitudinal article length and a lateral article width, said article comprising:

• an absorbent composite having a first end region, a second end region which is longitudinally opposed from said first end region, laterally opposed side regions, a bodyside surface, an outward surface, and a first longitudinally terminal end edge, said absorbent composite further including
• a substantially liquid-impermeable backsheet layer,
• a liquid permeable topsheet layer, and
• a retention portion sandwiched between said backsheet and topsheet layers;
• an extensible outercover joined to extend over a major portion of said outward surface of said absorbent composite, said extensible outercover capable of providing a sustained deformation when subjected to a tensile force and then allowed to relax after a removal of said tensile force;
• a separately provided, first body panel having a bodyside surface, an outward surface, a panel length which is less than said article length, a first longitudinally outboard terminal end edge, a relatively inboard, longitudinally terminal end edge, and laterally opposed end sections that extend laterally beyond side edges of said backsheet layer;
• and
• an expandable attachment section joined along at least a portion of each side region of the absorbent composite in said first end region of the absorbent composite;
• wherein
• each expandable attachment section is expandable at least along a cross-section of said article,
• each expandable attachment section is configured to secure its correspondingly joined side edge region of the absorbent composite to said outward surface of said first body panel, and
• each expandable attachment section can provide a transverse elongation of at least 1 cm under a tensile force of 12 gmf per centimeter of cross-wise length of the expandable attachment section.