A new disposable absorbent article having a plurality of slits positioned in a middle region below the top and above the bottom edges of side panels of the absorbent article has been discovered. By placing the plurality of slits below the top and above the bottom edges of the side panels improve absorbent article breathability and lessens the amount of force the absorbent article applies onto the wearer's leg when donned.

A meltblown nonwoven formed from a bicomponent fiber, wherein: the bicomponent fiber has a first region and a second region, the first region is formed from a first composition comprising at least 75 wt. % of a polypropylene; the second region is formed from a second composition comprising at least 75 wt. % of an ethylene/alpha-olefin interpolymer.

The present disclosure relates to methods for assembling elastomeric laminates, wherein elastic material may be stretched and joined with either or both first and second substrates. First spools are rotated to unwind first elastic strands from a first unwinder in a machine direction. The first elastic strands are positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate to form an elastomeric laminate. Before the first elastic strands are completely unwound from the rotating first spools, second spools are rotated to unwind second elastic strands from a second unwinder. Subsequently, the advancement of the first elastic strands from the first unwinder is discontinued. Thus, the elastomeric laminate assembly process may continue uninterrupted while switching from an initially utilized elastic material drawn from the first spools to a subsequently utilized elastic material drawn from the second spools.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for making elastomeric laminates with deactivated regions that may be used as components of absorbent articles. The methods and apparatuses may be configured with a pattern roll and a pressing surface adjacent the pattern roll. The pattern roll may include a bonding surface and a protuberance. As the pattern roll rotates, first and second substrates are welded together between the bonding surface and the pressing surface to create bonds between the first and second substrates. As the pattern roll continues to rotate, the first and second substrates and one or more stretched elastic strands are compressed between the pressing surface and the protuberance to sever the one or more stretched elastic strands to create deactivated regions in the elastomeric laminate. The processes and apparatuses may be configured to help prevent ends of the severed elastic strands from retracting in an uncontrolled fashion.

An article includes a chassis having a topsheet, backsheet and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and an ear joined to the chassis. The ear includes a ring-rolled laminate having a first nonwoven web and an elastomeric film; wherein the first nonwoven web has a crimped spunbond fiber nonwoven web.

A stretchable member has a second sheet layer with an exposed portion, first sheet layer, and elastic sheet interposed therebetween. The second and the first sheet layers are joined at multiple sheet joining portions arranged at intervals through joining holes penetrating the elastic sheet or via the elastic sheet, and vent holes each opened at least in a spread state by displacement of the edge of each joining hole away from the circumferential edge of each sheet joining portion in the stretchable direction ED. The colors of the external surface of the elastic sheet and of portions of the external surface of the first sheet layer observed through the vent holes are observable through the second sheet layer, and the color difference ΔE between the colors of the external surface of the elastic sheet and of the external surface of the first sheet layer is 30 or more.

An absorbent article includes a first waist region, a second waist region, and a crotch region disposed between the first and second waist regions. The article also includes a chassis having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet; and an ear joined to the chassis. The ear includes a laminate formed from a first nonwoven and second nonwoven and an elastomeric material sandwiched between said first and second nonwovens. The laminate further includes a plurality of ultrasonic bonds.

A nonwoven substrate. The nonwoven substrate can have a first surface defining a plane of the first surface and a plurality of three-dimensional features extending outwardly from the plane of the first surface. The plurality of three-dimensional features can have a first three-dimensional feature having a first intensive property having a first value and a second three-dimensional feature having the first intensive property having a second value different from the first value. The nonwoven substrate can have an MD Fuzz Value of less than 0.25 mg/cm.sup.2 when tested according to the Fuzz Level Test herein.

A forming structure includes an outer surface configured to receive a polymer web, an inner surface, a thickness between the outer surface and the inner surface, and a plurality of openings extending through the thickness at an acute angle relative to a plane tangential to the outer surface. Each of the plurality of openings has a shape at the outer surface defined by a first ellipse having a first major axis and a first minor axis and a second ellipse having a second major axis and a second minor axis. The first major axis is substantially parallel to a machine direction and coincides with the second minor axis. The second major axis is substantially parallel to a transverse direction orthogonal to the machine direction and is offset from the first minor axis.

A nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property. The nonwoven further has a plurality of apertures, wherein at least a portion of the aperture abuts at least one of the first region and the second region of the microzone.