11.06.07
A disposable absorbent article including an absorbent article body has been patented. It comprises a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, an absorbent core between the liquid-permeable topsheet and the liquid-impermeable backsheet and a coversheet attached to the outer surface of the liquid-impermeable backsheet. The absorbent article body has a rear waist region, a crotch region and a front waist region, which are integrally arranged in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article body. The rear waist region and the front waist region are adapted to be respectively located at the rear and front waist side of a wearer. The crotch region has leg opening portions at both lateral side edges thereof. By joining each side edge portion of the rear waist region and the corresponding side edge portion of the front waist region, a waist opening becomes formed around the waist of the wearer and a pair of leg openings are formed around the upper thighs of the wearer. The absorbent article body also has one or more waist opening elastic members extending circumferentially around the waist opening, a plurality of rear waist elastic members that are stretchable in the width-wise direction of the absorbent article body and a plurality of front waist elastic members that are stretchable in the widthwise direction of the absorbent article body. The rear waist elastic members form a rear elastic area in the rear waist region. The front waist elastic members form a front elastic area in the front waist region. A greater number of rear waist elastic members are provided than front waist elastic members. The rear elastic area is broader than the front elastic area with respect to the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article body. The rear waist elastic members are arranged so that the distance between each rear waist elastic member and its adjacent rear waist elastic member is approximately equal to the distance between each front waist elastic member and its adjacent front waist elastic member. When each side edge portion of the rear waist region and the corresponding side edge portion of the front waist region are joined, both ends of some but less than all of the rear waist elastic members are respectively connected to the ends of the corresponding front waist elastic members. The distance between the waist opening elastic members and the portion of the rear waist elastic members closest to the waist opening elastic members is approximately equal to the distance between the waist opening elastic members and the portion of the front waist elastic members closest to the waist opening elastic members. The absorbent core is arranged so as not to overlap the front elastic area while overlapping at least a part of the rear elastic area.