01.11.05
An absorbent article was patented. It has a longitudinal centerline and a lateral centerline, an inner surface and a garment-facing surface. The absorbent article includes a containment assembly with a rear waist region, a crotch region, a front waist region, a pair of longitudinal edges, a body facing surface and a garment-facing surface opposite the body facing surface. The containment assembly includes a topsheet, a backsheet joined to the topsheet, an absorbent core positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet and a pair of barrier leg cuffs. The leg cuffs have a proximal edge and a distal edge and are positioned adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the containment assembly.
The article also features a pair of rear ear panels extending laterally outward from the proximal edges of the barrier leg cuff in the rear waist region. A pair of front ear panels extends laterally outward from the proximal edges of the barrier leg cuff in the front waist region. A reinforcement nonwoven is located between the backsheet and a barrier leg cuff and joined to an inner-facing surface of the backsheet and to at least one of either the garment facing surface of the rear ear panels or the garment-facing surface of the front ear panels so as to form a portion of the garment-facing surface of the absorbent article. The reinforcement nonwoven does not substantially overlap the containment assembly and does not extend the entire length of the absorbent article.