Absorbent article including containment flaps

An absorbent article comprising:

• a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis;
• a front end region, a rear end region, a crotch region, the crotch region being disposed between the front end region and the rear end region;
• a front end edge in the front end region, a rear end edge in the rear end region, a first longitudinal side edge and a second longitudinal side edge, the first longitudinal side edge and the second longitudinal side edge each extending from the front end edge to the rear end edge;
• a body facing liner comprising a body facing surface and a garment facing surface;
• a backsheet coupled to the body facing liner;
• an absorbent body positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet;
• a first containment flap and a second containment flap, the first containment flap and the second containment flap each extending from the front end region to the rear end region, the first containment flap being on a first side of the longitudinal axis, the second containment flap being on a second side of the longitudinal axis, the first containment flap and the second containment flap each comprising:
• a stem bonded to one of the body facing liner and the backsheet, the stem configured to extend away from the body facing surface of the body facing liner and the backsheet in at least the crotch region when the absorbent article is in a relaxed condition, the stem of the first containment flap being positioned laterally inward of the first longitudinal side edge and the stem of the second containment flap being positioned laterally inward of the second longitudinal side edge;
• an inner flap projection extending laterally from the stem towards the longitudinal axis to a distal end when the absorbent article is in the partially relaxed state, at least a portion of the inner flap projection being elasticized;
• and
• an outer flap projection, the outer flap projection extending laterally from the stem away from the longitudinal axis and the inner flap projection when the absorbent article is in the relaxed condition, at least a portion of the outer flap projection being elasticized,
• a first fold line of the absorbent article for packaging being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis on the first side of the longitudinal axis and extending from the front end edge to the rear end edge;
• a second fold line of the absorbent article for packaging being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis on the second side of the longitudinal axis and extending from the front end edge to the rear end edge;
• wherein the distal end of the inner flap projection of the first containment flap is positioned laterally outside of the first folding line when the absorbent article is in an unfolded and stretched condition, and
• wherein the first fold line extends through at least a portion of the absorbent body.

An absorbent article comprising:

• a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis;
• a front end region, a rear end region, a crotch region, the crotch region being disposed between the front end region and the rear end region;
• a front end edge in the front end region, a rear end edge in the rear end region, a first longitudinal side edge and a second longitudinal side edge, the first longitudinal side edge and the second longitudinal side edge each extending from the front end edge to the rear end edge;
• a body facing liner comprising a body facing surface and a garment facing surface;
• a backsheet coupled to the body facing liner;
• an absorbent body positioned between the body facing liner and the backsheet;
• a first containment flap and a second containment flap, the first containment flap and the second containment flap each extending from the front end region to the rear end region, the first containment flap being on a first side of the longitudinal axis, the second containment flap being on a second side of the longitudinal axis, the first containment flap and the second containment flap each comprising:
• a stem bonded to one of the body facing liner and the backsheet, the stem configured to extend away from the body facing surface of the body facing liner and the backsheet in at least the crotch region when the absorbent article is in a relaxed condition and extend substantially parallel to the body facing surface of the body facing liner and the backsheet when the absorbent article is in a stretched condition;
• an inner flap projection extending laterally from the stem towards the longitudinal axis when the absorbent article is in the relaxed condition, the inner flap projection extending substantially parallel to the stem towards the longitudinal axis when the absorbent article is in the stretched condition, at least a portion of the inner flap projection being elasticized;
• and
• an outer flap projection, the outer flap projection extending laterally from the stem away from the longitudinal axis and the inner flap projection to a distal end when the absorbent article is in the relaxed condition, the outer flap projection extending substantially parallel to the stem away from the longitudinal axis when the absorbent article is in the stretched condition, at least a portion of the inner flap projection being elasticized;
• a first fold line of the absorbent article for packaging being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis on the first side of the longitudinal axis and extending from the front end edge to the rear end edge and through at least a portion of the first containment flap including through at least one of the inner flap projection of the first containment flap and the outer flap projection of the first containment flap when the absorbent article is in an unfolded and stretched condition;
• and
• a second fold line of the absorbent article for packaging being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis on the second side of the longitudinal axis and extending from the front end edge to the rear end edge.