Absorbent article having inflected barrier cuffs and method for making

Abstract

Absorbent articles having side panels that provide inflected barrier cuffs which promote better containment and fit. The absorbent article has a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region and a pair of longitudinal edges. The absorbent article further comprises a chassis including a pair of longitudinally extending side panels, each of the side panels having a front ear flap section; a barrier cuff section having a first end edge located longitudinally inboard of the front ear flap section; a second end edge located in the rear waist region; a proximal edge and a distal edge; spacing means joined with each barrier cuff section; and closing means for securing at least a portion of the barrier cuff section juxtaposed the first end edge to the absorbent article inboard of the proximal edge. The distal edges are unsecured to any underlying structure of the absorbent article in the front and rear waist regions such that the distal edges form the longitudinal edges in the front and rear waist regions. The distal edge of the barrier cuff section is secured laterally inboard of the proximal edge in the crotch region such that the second end edges of the side panels located in the rear waist region are inverted relative to the first end edges to form an inflected barrier cuff that stands up in the crotch region when the absorbent article is fitted to a wearer.