An absorbent article has front and back surface sheets, and an absorbent body disposed within the front surface sheet and back surface sheet laminate. The absorbent article is further provided with a stretchable waist member disposed within the laminate in a manner enabling stretching in the width direction, and a pair of stretchable side members formed on the peripheral edge of the laminate in a manner enabling stretching in the width direction. One member and the other member of the pair of stretchable side members are formed, respectively, on one end and the other end of the laminate in the width direction. The stretchable waist member overlaps with each of the pair of stretchable side members in the lengthwise direction, is disposed further on the non-skin side than the absorbent body in the thickness direction, and overlaps with the absorbent body in the thickness direction but is not joined thereto.

An absorbent article has front and back surface sheets, and an absorbent body disposed within the front surface sheet and back surface sheet laminate. The absorbent article is further provided with a stretchable waist member disposed within the laminate in a manner enabling stretching in the width direction. The stretchable waist member is disposed between the absorbent body and the front surface sheet in the thickness direction and is joined to the front surface sheet. A portion of the stretchable waist member overlaps with and touches the absorbent body in the thickness direction but is not joined thereto, and the portion of the stretchable waist member that does not overlap with the absorbent body in the thickness direction is joined to the back surface sheet.

An absorbent article having an elastic film stretchable region in which a stretch rate changes depending on the part, and a method of manufacturing the same. The above problem is solved when a stretchable region being stretchable at least in a width direction is included in a lower-torso region having a waist portion of an outer body of a front body and an outer body of a back body, and in the stretchable region, in a state in which an elastic film is stretched in a stretching and contracting direction at a stretch rate continuously increasing from a crotch side toward a waist opening side, a first sheet layer and a second sheet layer are joined.

An absorbent article has front and back surface sheets, and an absorbent body disposed within the front surface sheet and back surface sheet laminate. The absorbent article is further provided with a stretchable waist member disposed within the laminate in a manner enabling stretching in the width direction, and a pair of stretchable side members formed on the peripheral edge of the laminate in a manner enabling stretching in the width direction. One member and the other member of the pair of stretchable side members are formed, respectively, on one end and the other end of the laminate in the width direction. The stretchable waist member overlaps with each of the pair of stretchable side members in the lengthwise direction, is disposed further on the non-skin side than the absorbent body in the thickness direction, and overlaps with the absorbent body in the thickness direction but is not joined thereto.

An absorbent article has front and back surface sheets, and an absorbent body disposed within the front surface sheet and back surface sheet laminate. The absorbent article is further provided with a stretchable waist member disposed within the laminate in a manner enabling stretching in the width direction. The stretchable waist member is disposed between the absorbent body and the front surface sheet in the thickness direction and is joined to the front surface sheet. A portion of the stretchable waist member overlaps with and touches the absorbent body in the thickness direction but is not joined thereto, and the portion of the stretchable waist member that does not overlap with the absorbent body in the thickness direction is joined to the back surface sheet.

An absorbent article having an elastic film stretchable region in which a stretch rate changes depending on the part, and a method of manufacturing the same. The above problem is solved when a stretchable region being stretchable at least in a width direction is included in a lower-torso region having a waist portion of an outer body of a front body and an outer body of a back body, and in the stretchable region, in a state in which an elastic film is stretched in a stretching and contracting direction at a stretch rate continuously increasing from a crotch side toward a waist opening side, a first sheet layer and a second sheet layer are joined.

A fastening member has inboard and outboard ends, a panel region, an end region, and a stiffening element. The panel region is disposed adjacent to the inboard end and has first and second layers. The first and second layers are joined in a face-to-face orientation. The end region is disposed adjacent to the outboard end and has a fastening element zone and an intermediate zone. The intermediate zone is disposed between the fastening element zone and the panel region adjacent an interface between the panel and end regions. The stiffening element is disposed in the end region and has a stiffness of greater than about 200 N/m. A portion of the stiffening element is disposed between the first layer and the second layer and is joined to the first layer and the second layer. The portion is disposed adjacent to the interface between the panel region and the end region.

A fastening member has inboard and outboard ends, a panel region, an end region, and a stiffening element. The panel region is disposed adjacent to the inboard end and has first and second layers. The first and second layers are joined in a face-to-face orientation. The end region is disposed adjacent to the outboard end and has a fastening element zone and an intermediate zone. The intermediate zone is disposed between the fastening element zone and the panel region adjacent an interface between the panel and end regions. The stiffening element is disposed in the end region and has a stiffness of greater than about 200 N/m. A portion of the stiffening element is disposed between the first layer and the second layer and is joined to the first layer and the second layer. The portion is disposed adjacent to the interface between the panel region and the end region.

A fastening member has inboard and outboard ends, a panel region, an end region, and a stiffening element. The panel region is disposed adjacent to the inboard end and has first and second layers. The first and second layers are joined in a face-to-face orientation. The end region is disposed adjacent to the outboard end and has a fastening element zone and an intermediate zone. The intermediate zone is disposed between the fastening element zone and the panel region adjacent an interface between the panel and end regions. The stiffening element is disposed in the end region and has a stiffness of greater than about 200 N/m. A portion of the stiffening element is disposed between the first layer and the second layer and is joined to the first layer and the second layer. The portion is disposed adjacent to the interface between the panel region and the end region.