Absorbent article having a closure mechanism

Abstract

The embodiment relates to an absorbent pant including longitudinally opposed first and second waist regions and a crotch region between the first and second waist regions. The longitudinally opposed first and second waist panels are disposed in the first and second waist regions and connected to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. A fastening zone region is disposed on at least one surface of the absorbent pant. In a packed configuration, at least one of the waist panels is configured to be folded laterally inwardly to engage the fastening zone region such that at least one of the leg openings is at least partially sealed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification generally relates to absorbent pants for inner lateral folding and engagement on a leg aperture, and more particularly to absorbent pants for inner folding and engagement on a leg aperture having a fastening zone region for at least partially sealing the leg aperture.

Background Art

[0002] Infants and other individuals with incontinence symptoms wear absorbent articles such as diapers or absorbent pants that receive and contain urine and other body fluids, such as excrement. Examples of absorbent pants include pull-on type absorbent articles, i.e., pants-type absorbent articles, which are worn by inserting the wearer's both legs into pre-formed leg openings and sliding the article upward to a position around the lower torso.

[0003] However, in the post-use configuration, the leg apertures remain open, and there is a possibility that urine and excrement may leak out from the absorbent pants.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Based on the above, there is a need for alternative absorbent patents and methods of use and manufacture to more efficiently prevent body exudates from leaking out of used and soiled absorbent pants after removal, including during disposal in a waste container and once placed in the waste container. Further, there is a need to provide convenient and / or more hygienic means for disposing of soiled absorbent articles.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] This disclosure includes the features of the independent claims herein.

[0006] The absorbent pant has a chassis including a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet, a first waist region and a second waist region facing each other in the longitudinal direction, a crotch region disposed between the first waist region and the second waist region, and a first waist panel and a second waist panel disposed longitudinally and facing each other in the first waist region and the second waist region. The first waist panel and the second waist panel connect the first waist region to the second waist region to form a waist opening and a pair of leg apertures. The absorbent pant also has a fastening zone region on at least one surface of the absorbent pant and a release tape disposed in an overlapping relationship with the fastening zone region, and the fastening zone region has an area of at least 1 cm 2 . In the packaged configuration, at least one of the waist panels is configured to be folded inward in the lateral direction so as to engage with the fastening zone region such that at least one of the leg apertures is at least partially sealed.

[0007] The absorbent pant has a chassis including a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core between the topsheet and the backsheet, a first waist region and a second waist region facing each other in the longitudinal direction, a crotch region disposed between the first waist region and the second waist region, a first waist panel and a second waist panel disposed longitudinally and facing each other in the first waist region and the second waist region, and a fastening zone region on at least one surface of the absorbent pant. At least a portion of the release tape is disposed in an overlapping relationship with the fastening zone region in a taping configuration and is configured to be separated from the fastening zone region and peeled off from the overlapping relationship in a peeling configuration. In the packaged configuration, at least one of the waist panels is configured to be folded inward in the lateral direction so as to engage with the fastening zone region when a portion of the release tape is separated from the fastening zone region in the peeling configuration such that at least one of the leg apertures is at least partially sealed.

[0008] An absorbent panty including a chassis, the absorbent panty having a first waist region and a second waist region facing each other in the longitudinal direction, a crotch region disposed between the first waist region and the second waist region, and opposing first and second waist panels disposed longitudinally in the first waist region and the second waist region. The first and second waist panels connect the first waist region to the second waist region to form a waist opening and a pair of leg apertures. The absorbent panty includes a fastening zone region having a first arm and a second arm. The first and second arms are separated by a lateral distance at a first longitudinal position and intersect at a second longitudinal position. The second longitudinal position is longitudinally displaced relative to the first longitudinal position. In the packaged configuration, at least one of the waist panels is configured to be folded laterally inwardly to engage the fastening zone region such that at least one of the leg apertures is at least partially sealed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] The embodiments shown in the drawings are essentially exemplary and illustrative and do not limit the subject matter defined by the "claims". The following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, in which like structures are indicated by like reference numerals.

Figure 1

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Figure 3E

Figure 3E1

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Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

[0010] Reference is now made in detail to embodiments of absorbent pants, which embodiments may include nonwoven surface protrusions, and to a forming system and methods of manufacturing and packaging such absorbent pants, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. Various embodiments of such absorbent patents, systems, and methods are described in more detail herein with specific reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] **Summary** Referring to FIGS. 1-2, the present disclosure is directed to an absorbent article 10 in the form of an absorbent pant 100, which may include absorbent pants 100 for pediatric or adult incontinence products. Although shown in the form of pants, it is contemplated that the absorbent article 10 may include other forms. The absorbent article 10 includes a chassis 102 that includes a topsheet 138, a backsheet 140, and an absorbent core 142 disposed therebetween. The article 10 also includes a first waist region 112 and a second waist region 114, a first waist region and a second waist region that face each other longitudinally, and a crotch region 116 disposed between the first waist region 112 and the second waist region 114. In the illustrated absorbent pant, the opposing first and second waist panels 104, 108 are disposed longitudinally in the first and second waist regions 112, 114. The chassis 102 may be disposed in the crotch region 116 and extend into the first and / or second waist regions 112, 114. In various embodiments, the first and second waist regions 112, 114 include a belt region joined or integrated with the chassis 102. Such a belt region may be an elastic belt region. By way of example and not limitation, the belt region may be made of an extensible material that is considered an "elastomer" or "elastomer" in that it recovers at least 40% of its elongation when the applied force is released. References to the chassis 102 for the absorbent article 10 or absorbent pant 100 described herein may include any embodiment in which the chassis 102 includes the crotch region 116, or the chassis includes the crotch region 116 and one or more portions of the first and second waist regions 112, 114, and is within the scope of the present disclosure. Further, in a packaged configuration as described in more detail below, at least one of the waist panels 104, 108 is folded laterally inwardly to engage a fastening zone region 200 on the first waist region 112, the second waist region 114, or the crotch region 116 to cover at least a portion of the leg apertures 130 as at least a partial seal to contain, prevent, and / or minimize the possibility of body fluid and / or solids leaking from the used absorbent article 10.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the first waist region 112 may include a first waist panel 104a on the first side and a first waist panel 104b on the second side that faces it laterally. The second waist region 114 may include a second waist panel 108a on the first side and a second waist panel 108b on the second side that faces it laterally. Thus, the opposing first waist panels 104a, 104b are each arranged longitudinally with respect to the opposing second waist panels 108a, 108b. The opposing first waist panels 104a, 104b are arranged in the first waist region 112, and the opposing second waist panels 108a, 108b are arranged in the second waist region 114.

[0013] It should be understood that although the waist panels 104, 108 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are side panels, the waist panel 104 may be a single integral part structure extending across the chassis 102, and / or the waist panel 108 may be a single integral part structure extending across the chassis 102. In some embodiments, both waist panels 104, 108 are formed as a single integral part structure. It should also be understood that the waist panels 104, 108 may be formed as continuous extensions of one or both of the first and second waist regions 112, 114 of the chassis. Embodiments of the absorbent pants 100 that can be used with the methods and apparatuses herein may include various types and configurations of waist panels 104, 108 that are different from those shown and described herein. Examples of various types of waist panels 104, 108 are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,246,433, 5,569,234, 6,120,487, 6,120,489, 5,897,545, 5,957,908, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003 / 0233082, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 2, the first lumbar panel 104 and the second lumbar panel 108 connect the first lumbar region 112 to the second lumbar region 114 to form a lumbar opening 128 and a pair of leg apertures 130 as shown in FIG. 1. The article also includes a fastening zone region 200 on at least one surface. In embodiments, the fastening zone region is at least 1 cm 2 or at least 15 cm 2 (150 mm 2It may include the area of (0). The fastening zone area 200 may be disposed on the surface 134 facing the clothing in the first waist region 112, the crotch region 116, or the second waist region 114, or a suitable combination thereof. In the packaged configuration, as shown in FIG. 3H described in more detail below, at least one of the waist panels 104, 108 is configured to be folded inwardly laterally so as to engage the fastening zone area 200 such that at least one of the leg apertures 130 is at least partially sealed. As a non-limiting example, in the packaged configuration, at least one waist panel 104, 108 folded inwardly laterally to engage the fastening zone area 200 covers at least a portion of one of the leg apertures 130 as at least a partial seal, containing, preventing, and / or minimizing the possibility of body fluids and / or solids leaking out of the used absorbent pant 100. In an embodiment, the fastening zone area 200 may include a plurality of fastening elements. In a non-limiting example, the fastening element comprises a hook integrally formed from any suitable material including, but not limited to, a nonwoven material, a film, a hot melt material, an adhesive, or a combination thereof. The material may include a nonwoven substrate 470 as shown in FIG. 4, and the plurality of hooks may be one or more surface protrusions 502 as shown in FIG. 5, both of which are described in more detail below. Additionally or alternatively, as described in more detail below, the absorbent pant 100 may include a release tape 202 as shown in FIGS. 2-3E, which is described in even more detail below. At least a portion of the release tape 202 is disposed in an overlapping relationship with the fastening zone area 200 in a taping configuration and is configured to be separated from the fastening zone area 200 in a release configuration and peeled from the overlapping relationship. The release tape 202 may include a surface area greater than the surface area of the fastening zone area 200 with which it overlaps. In other additional or alternative aspects, as shown in FIGS. 2-3C, the fastening zone area 200 may include a first arm 203 and a second arm 205.As shown in FIG. 3A, the first arm 203 and the second arm 205 may be separated transversely by a first width W1 at a first longitudinal position 207 and may intersect at a second longitudinal position 209 that is longitudinally displaced relative to the first longitudinal position 207. In an embodiment, the first width may be from about 50 mm to about 150 mm, or from about 60 mm to about 100 mm, and is enumerated for each range in 1 mm increments within this range. The arms may have a width Wa of from about 10 mm to about 50 mm, or from about 15 mm to about 30 mm, and are enumerated for each range in 1 mm increments within this range. The arms may have a width Wa of from about 10 mm to about 50 mm, or from about 15 mm to about 30 mm, and are enumerated for each range in 1 mm increments within this range. The arms may have the same width or different widths. The longitudinal distance L over which the arms extend may be from about 30 mm to about 100 mm, or from about 40 mm to about 60 mm, and is enumerated for each range in 1 mm increments within this range.

[0015] Definition As used herein, an "absorbent article" such as an absorbent pant refers to a device such as a consumer product that absorbs and contains body excretions, and more specifically, a device that is placed against or in proximity to the body of a wearer to absorb and contain various exudates excreted from the body, such as dirt and waste. Examples of absorbent articles include diapers, training pants, pull-on pant-type diapers (i.e., diapers having a pre-formed waist opening and leg openings as exemplified in U.S. Patent No. 6,120,487), re-fastenable diapers or pant-type diapers, incontinence briefs and underwear, diaper holders and liners, feminine hygiene garments such as pantiliners, absorbent inserts, and the like. Non-limiting examples of absorbent pants include training pants, pull-on or re-fastenable pant-type diapers, incontinence briefs, and underwear.

[0016] As used herein, the term "disposable" is used to describe absorbent articles that are not generally intended to be laundered or otherwise regenerated or reused as absorbent articles (e.g., they are intended to be discarded after a single use and may be configured to be recycled, composted, or otherwise disposed of in an environmentally compatible manner. The absorbent pant embodiments described herein are disposable.

[0017] As used herein, the terms "absorbent pant" and "pant" (also referred to as "diaper pant", "training pant", "pre-closed diaper", "pant-type diaper", and "pull-on diaper") refer to a disposable absorbent article designed for an infant or adult wearer and having a continuous waist opening at the outer perimeter and continuous leg openings at the laterally opposing outer perimeters. To avoid misunderstanding, adult incontinence articles may be in the form of absorbent pants. The pants may be configured in a packaged state, prior to application to the wearer, with a continuous or closed waist opening and at least one continuous closed leg opening. The pants can be preformed using a variety of techniques including, but not limited to, joining portions of the article to each other using any re-closable and / or permanent closure member (e.g., seams, heat bonds, pressure welds, adhesives, adhesive bonds, mechanical fasteners, etc.). The pants can be preformed at any location along the outer perimeter of the article in the waist region (e.g., the sides are fastened or joined, the front waist is fastened or joined, the back waist is fastened or joined, or combinations thereof). Examples of pants of various configurations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,246,433, 5,569,234, 6,120,487, 6,120,489, 5,897,545, 5,957,908, 10,117,787, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003 / 0233082.

[0018] Regarding structural terms, the term "disposed" is used to mean that an element is disposed as a macro-integrated structure with another element at a particular location or position, or as a separate element joined to another element.

[0019] As used herein, the term "joined" encompasses configurations in which an element is directly fixed to another element by attaching the element directly to the other element, as well as configurations in which an element is attached to an intermediate member and the intermediate member is attached to another element so that the element is indirectly fixed to the other element.

[0020] Regarding terms indicating direction, as used herein, the "longitudinal direction" means the direction that extends substantially along the axis from the waist edge of the absorbent article to the waist edge opposite in the longitudinal direction, or from the waist edge to the bottom of the crotch, i.e., the fold line of the article folded in half, when the absorbent article is in a non-shrunk state laid flat. "Extending in the longitudinal direction" refers to a component having a longitudinal dimension larger than the lateral dimension of the component.

[0021] As used herein, the "lateral direction" refers to the direction that extends from the side edge extending in the longitudinal direction of the article to the side edge extending in the longitudinal direction on the opposite side in the lateral direction and is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. "Extending in the lateral direction" refers to a component having a lateral dimension larger than the longitudinal dimension of the component.

[0022] Regarding structural terms, as used herein, "design element" means a shape or combination of shapes that visually creates distinguishable separate components, regardless of the size or orientation of the components. A design element may exist in one or more patterns. A design element may exist more than once within a single pattern. By way of non-limiting example, the same design element exists twice in a single pattern, and the second instance of the design element is smaller than the first instance. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other arrangements are possible. A design element may include a mark. A design element and / or combination of design elements may include letters, words, and / or graphics such as flowers, butterflies, hearts, letter expressions, etc. A design element may be formed from a joint, including the shape of one or more joints. A design element and / or combination of design elements may include a directive display that gives guidance or instructions to a caregiver regarding the placement and / or fit of an article around a wearer.

[0023] As used herein, "mark" means an object, letter expression, word, color, shape, or other mark that can be used to distinguish, identify, or represent a manufacturer, retailer, wholesaler, or brand of a product, and includes, but is not limited to, trademarks, logos, emblems, symbols, designs, figures, fonts, letters, coats of arms, or similar identifying marks.

[0024] "Integral" means a configuration in which an element is produced from or by an article component or a part thereof, as opposed to being joined to a component. "Formed integrally" means, for example, that an element is produced from a base material or a part thereof by shaping, conforming, and / or reconfiguring the material.

[0025] Regarding the material terms used in this specification, the term "nonwoven (nonwoven or non - woven)" refers to a material made from continuous (long) filaments (fibers) and / or discontinuous (short) filaments (fibers) by processes such as spunbond, meltblown, carding, etc. In some configurations, the nonwoven may include polyolefin - based nonwovens, including but not limited to nonwovens having polypropylene fibers and / or polyethylene fibers, and / or bicomponent fibers containing polyolefin. Non - limiting examples of suitable fibers include spunbond, spunlaced, meltblown, spunmelt, solvent - spun, electrospun, carded, film fibrillation, melt - film fibrillation, airlaid, dry - laid, wet - laid staple fibers, and other nonwoven web materials formed from some or all of the polymer fibers known in the art, and processable combinations thereof. The nonwoven does not have a woven or knitted filament pattern. It should be understood that nonwovens having various basis weights can be used in accordance with the methods of this specification. In embodiments, the bicomponent fibers of the nonwoven material may include additives configured to be more readily receptive to heating, such as by infrared rays, which can assist, for example, in pre - heating or other heating of the nonwoven material as described herein.

[0026] Referring again to FIG. 2, the absorbent pant 100 is in a flat, unfolded state with the outer portion of the absorbent pant 100 facing away from the wearer and oriented towards the viewer. The pant 100 is shown with a longitudinal axis 106, a transverse axis 110, a first waist region 112, a second waist region 114, and a crotch region 116 disposed intermediate the first waist region 112 and the second waist region 114. The periphery can be defined by a first longitudinal side edge 120, a second longitudinal side edge 122, a first waist edge 124 disposed within the first waist region 112, and a second waist edge disposed within the second waist region 114.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the pant 100 includes a surface 132 facing the inner body and a surface 134 facing the outer clothing. As shown in FIG. 2, the chassis 102 may include a top sheet 138 that forms a portion of the surface 132 facing the body. The chassis 102 may also include a back sheet 140. In an embodiment, the fastening zone region 200 may include a first nonwoven material including hooks, the first nonwoven material being separate from the back sheet 140 and joined to the back sheet 140 or being a part of the back sheet 140. The waist panels 104, 108 may include a second nonwoven material including loops integrally formed from the second nonwoven material. As described herein, the release tape 202 may be disposed in an overlapping relationship with the fastening zone region 200 and may include a third nonwoven material, a film, or a combination thereof. The release tape 202 is permanently joined to the absorbent pant 100 at a first end 206A and may be removably joined or not attached at a second end (e.g., corresponding to the second longitudinal position 209 in FIG. 3A). In a non-limiting example, the second end may not be attached to the surface of the pant or may be weakly attached to the surface such that the second end includes a lift tab 201. The lift tab 201 may be pressed against the surface of the absorbent pant 100 in a taped configuration as shown in FIG. 3A or may be placed on the surface of the absorbent pant 100, and the lift tab 201 may be configured to be easily lifted (such as in the direction of arrow 300 in FIG. 3A) as a means for a caregiver to begin peeling the remaining portion of the release tape 202. The lift tab 201 may include a relatively small surface area corresponding to a fingertip such that a caregiver can insert his or her finger between the lift tab 201 and the surface of the absorbent pant 100. Additionally or alternatively, the lift tab 201 may be provided with markings such as a textured grip material and / or a color indicator.The marking can indicate the use of the lifting tab 201 to draw the caregiver's attention towards the position of the tab 201 or to peel off the release tape 202 from the absorbent pant 100 to reveal the underlying fastening zone area 200. In an embodiment, the release tape 202 is permanently joined to the absorbent pant 100 at a first end and is not attached at a second end, such that a portion of the release tape 202 includes the second end, and the second end includes a lifting tab 201 configured to assist in the transition from an overlapping relationship to a release configuration.

[0028] When the second end is peeled from the absorbent pant 100 in the release configuration, the first end 206A may remain attached to the absorbent pant 100. The release tape 202 may be configured to cover the fastening zone area 200 in a taped configuration and to form a handle 211 (FIG. 3F) in the release configuration to function as a handle.

[0029] Referring back to FIG. 2, the absorbent core 142 may be disposed between the topsheet 138 and a portion of the backsheet 140. The chassis 102 may also include leg elastics 144 and an elastic waist region to enhance the fit around the wearer's legs and waist. Exemplary embodiments of leg elastics and leg cuffs are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,695,278 and 4,795,454. It should be understood that any one or more of the regions of the chassis 102 may be stretchable and may include various types of elastomeric materials and / or laminates. Thus, the absorbent pant 100 may be configured to conform to the wearer's anatomical structure during wear and to maintain contact with the wearer's anatomical structure during use.

[0030] As described above, the chassis 102 may include a backsheet 140 that may define an outer surface 134 of the chassis 102. In some embodiments, the backsheet 140 may be configured to prevent excrement absorbed and contained within the chassis from soiling articles that may come into contact with the absorbent pant 100, such as bedsheets and undergarments. In certain embodiments, the backsheet 140 is substantially impermeable to water. The backsheet 140 may be, for example, a thin plastic film such as a thermoplastic film having a thickness of from about 0.012 mm to about 0.051 mm, or may include the same. Other suitable backsheet materials may include breathable materials that allow vapor to escape from the absorbent article while still preventing excrement from passing through the backsheet 140.

[0031] The backsheet 140 may also be composed of two or more layers. The backsheet 140 may include an outer cover and an inner layer. The outer cover may be made of a soft nonwoven material. The inner layer may be made of a substantially liquid-impermeable film such as a polymer film. The outer cover and the inner layer may be joined to each other by an adhesive or any other suitable material or method. The outer cover material may include bonding patterns, holes, and / or three-dimensional features. The outer cover may be a water-entangled nonwoven material.

[0032] In embodiments, one or more fastening elements 503 (e.g., adhesives, snaps, male / female systems) within the fastening zone region 200 are disclosed. The fastening zone region 200 may be disposed on a surface facing the wearer and / or a surface facing the clothing. In various embodiments, the fastening zone is disposed on a surface facing the clothing. The fastening zone may be disposed at any suitable location on the article, including the waist regions 112, 114 and / or the crotch region 116.

[0033] In certain embodiments, the fastening element 503 includes surface protrusions 502 (as shown in FIG. 5 and described in further detail below). The fastening system described herein may include hook and loop fasteners for securing a portion of the article 10 to the fastening zone region 200. In an aspect, the surface protrusions 502 may be used with many other tape designs for securing clothing for disposal, including the disposal tape systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,746,434, 5,108,384, 4,869,724, 5,575,784, and 5,279,604, and International Publications Nos. 98 / 53780 and 99 / 17693. Each of the above patents and publications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0034] In embodiments, the absorbent pant 100 of the present disclosure includes a fastening zone region 200 having a plurality of hooks as surface protrusions 502, the hooks being integrally formed from a first nonwoven material, a film, or a combination thereof. In embodiments, the fastening zone region 200 may include a plurality of loops 471 (FIG. 4). The loops 471 may be disposed on a patch joined to the article or may be integrally formed from a first nonwoven or a second nonwoven material. The first nonwoven may include, for example, a portion of the backsheet 140, and the second nonwoven may include, for example, a portion of the waist panels 104, 108. Additionally or alternatively, the fastening zone region 200 may include an adhesive.

[0035] Article 10 may be packaged (e.g., it may be folded), and in the packaged configuration, a portion of article 10 may be folded inwardly to cover or at least partially seal one or both of the leg apertures 130. The packaged configurations described herein may include folding in one or more directions and may include wrap-around folding. As shown in FIG. 1, in the worn position, article 10 is provided with the front half generally facing the rear half. The packaged configuration includes additional folding or bending. Such folding may include folding article 10 in half (as shown in FIG. 3F), in which case a portion of the rear half is folded over a portion of the front half (or vice versa), and / or winding the article before folding a portion of the article inwardly in a lateral direction to engage the fastening zone region 200. Additionally or alternatively, article 10 may be at least partially wound and / or folded laterally (i.e., towards the longitudinal axis) before folding a portion of the article inwardly in a lateral direction to engage the fastening zone region 200.

[0036] In an embodiment, when article 10 is in a packaged configuration, at least a portion of the waist panels 104, 108 may be folded inwardly in a lateral direction relative to the portion of article 10 where the fastening zone region 200 is located. Such lateral folding may be folded directly or may wrap around a first half of the article (e.g., one of the front half or the rear half) and land and engage the fastening zone region 200 of the second half (e.g., the other of the front half or the rear half). However, it should be understood that any portion of absorbent article 10, not limited to waist panels 104, 108, may be folded inwardly in a lateral direction to engage the fastening zone region 200. Alternatively or additionally, such folding of a portion of absorbent article 10, such as at least one of waist panels 104, 108, may include a longitudinal inward fold to engage the fastening zone region 200.

[0037] In some embodiments, the fastening zone region 200 may be disposed in the rear half of the chassis 102, the second lumbar region 114 may be disposed in the rear half of the chassis 102 (e.g., the dorsal lumbar region), and in the packaged configuration, at least a portion of the dorsal lumbar panel 108, such as one side of the lumbar panels 108a, 108b disposed in the second lumbar region 114, is configured to be folded inwardly in the lateral direction to engage the fastening zone region 200 on the rear half of the chassis 102. In this way, the dorsal lumbar panel may at least partially seal the leg apertures 130 while additionally or at least partially sealing the respective sides of the lumbar regions 112, 114. Additionally or alternatively, at least a portion of the first lumbar panel 104 may be configured to be folded laterally to engage the fastening zone region 200 on the rear half of the chassis 102, particularly when the first and second panels 104, 108 remain connected in the packaged configuration.

[0038] Similarly, the fastening zone region 200 may be disposed in the front half of the chassis 102, the first lumbar region 112 may be disposed in the first half of the chassis 102 (e.g., the anterior lumbar region), and in the packaged configuration, at least a portion of the lumbar panel 104, such as one side of the lumbar panels 104a, 104b disposed in the anterior lumbar region 112, is configured to be folded inwardly in the lateral direction to engage the fastening zone region 200 on the front half of the chassis 102. In this way, the anterior lumbar panel may at least partially seal the leg apertures 130 and may seal or at least partially seal the openings in the lumbar regions 112, 114. Additionally or alternatively, at least a portion of the second lumbar panel 108 may be configured to be folded laterally to engage the fastening zone region 200 on the front half of the chassis 102, particularly when the first and second lumbar panels 104, 108 remain connected in the packaged configuration.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 3A - 3E1 respectively, the fastening zone region 200 may include a configuration, which may include one of the following shapes. That is, V - shaped, U - shaped, Y - shaped, or one or more rectangles, for example, a single laterally extending rectangle, or a double longitudinally extending rectangle that may include two co - aligned rectangles. In some embodiments, the fastening zone region 200 includes a first configuration, the release tape 202 includes a second configuration, and the first configuration and the second configuration may differ by one of the group consisting of shape, area, orientation, constituent material, or combinations thereof. At least one of the first configuration or the second configuration may include one of V - shaped, U - shaped, Y - shaped, or one or more rectangles. The fastening zone region 200 may have a relatively large area and may be formed to cover a shaped region such as a rectangular, circular, or other - shaped region as shown in FIG. 3E. The fastening zone region 200 may have a two - dimensional area that is at least about 1 cm 2 , or at least about 5 cm 2 , or at least about 7.5 cm 2 , or about 1 cm 2 - about 15 cm 2 , or about 3 cm 2 - about 10 cm 2 and is listed for each range in 1 cm 2 increments within this range. The fastening zone region 200 may overlap the longitudinal axis and / or the lateral axis. Additionally or alternatively, the fastening zone region 200 may include one or more other design elements including at least one of an insignia, letter, word, figure, logo, color, font, shape, or combinations thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the surface on which the fastening zone region 200 is disposed may include a graphic or other element such as a printed region that indicates and emphasizes the presence of the fastening zone region 200.

[0040] In one embodiment, referring to FIGS. 2 to 3A, the fastening zone region 200 may include a V-shaped fastening zone region 200A. In other aspects, the fastening zone region 200 may include a Y-shaped fastening zone region 200B as shown in FIG. 3B. In still other embodiments, the fastening zone region 200 may include a U-shaped fastening zone region 200C as shown in FIG. 3C. In still other aspects, the fastening zone region 200E1 may include a single rectangle as a rectangular fastening zone region 200E1. The shape of the release tape 200 may be different from the fastening zone region 200, overlap the fastening zone region 200, and may have dimensions larger than the fastening zone region 200.

[0041] As described above and as shown in FIG. 3A, the first width W1 may be about 50 mm to about 150 mm, or about 60 mm to about 100 mm, and is listed for each range in 1 mm increments within this range. The arms 203, 205 may have a width Wa of about 10 mm to about 50 mm, or about 15 mm to about 30 mm, and are listed for each range in 1 mm increments within this range. The arms 203, 205 may have the same width or different widths. The longitudinal distance L along which the arms 203, 205 extend may be about 30 mm to about 100 mm, or about 40 mm to about 60 mm, and is listed for each range in 1 mm increments within this range. In the U-shaped embodiment, the radius of curvature at each of the outer U-shaped curves at the second longitudinal position 209 may be in the range of about 10 mm to 12.5 mm (e.g., 1 to 1.25 cm) such that each diameter curve width is in the range of about 20 mm to 25 mm (e.g., 2 to 2.5 cm). In an aspect, the fastening element 503 described herein may be disposed in the fastening zone region 200 under each of the outer U-shaped curves of the release tape 202C in FIG. 3C.

[0042] In other embodiments, the fastening zone region 200 may include a single laterally extending rectangular fastening zone region 200D as shown in FIG. 3D, or a double longitudinally extending rectangular fastening zone region 200E as shown in FIG. 3E. As shown in FIG. 3D, the fastening zone region 200 may extend laterally as a single fastening zone, which may include a rectangle. The fastening zone region 200 may extend laterally on at least one surface of the first waist region or the second waist region 112, 114 or the crotch region 116. In other aspects such as shown in FIG. 3E, the fastening zone region 200 may include a plurality of fastening zones. As a non-limiting example, the fastening zone region 200 shown in FIG. 3E may include a first arm 203E and a second arm 205E. The second arm 205E may be spaced from the first arm 203E by at least 5 mm, at least about 10 mm, or at least about 50 mm, or at least about 75 mm, or a lateral distance of about 10 mm to about 150 mm, and is listed for each 1 mm increment within this range for this range.

[0043] In an aspect, the absorbent pant 100 further includes a release tape 202 disposed in an overlapping relationship with the fastening zone region 200 as shown in FIGS. 2 to 3E. The release tape 202 may have the same shape as the fastening zone region 200. The release tape 202 may include a nonwoven material, a film, or a combination thereof. The release tape 202 is joined to the absorbent pant 100 at a first end 206 (such as the first end 206A in FIG. 3A), and may not be attached at a second end (i.e., corresponding to the second longitudinal position 209 in FIG. 3A), whereby the second end includes a lift tab 201 (FIG. 3A) configured to peel in a direction such as the direction of arrow 300 in FIGS. 3A to 3B, arrow 302 in FIG. 3D, or arrow 304 in FIG. 3E. The release tape 202 may be configured to function as a handle 211 (FIG. 3F) in a release configuration as shown in FIGS. 3F to 3H described below. In an aspect, the second end is within 2 mm from the second longitudinal position. The release tape 202 may be joined to the fastening zone region 202D of the absorbent pant 100 at a central position 206D as shown in FIG. 3D, and may not be attached at a distal position, and as a result, the distal positions each include a lift tab 201.

[0044] Referring to FIGS. 3F to 3H, the V-shaped release tape 202A of the absorbent pant 100 is shown at first, second, and third positions, respectively. At the first position in FIG. 3F, the outer surface 134 of the absorbent pant 100 facing the clothing is curled, and the peelable portion of the V-shaped release tape 202A is peeled off, such as by being peeled from the surface 134 facing the clothing, to expose the underlying fastening zone region 200A for engagement. As shown in FIG. 3F, the end of the once-peeled peelable portion forms the upper portion of the handle 211. The permanent portion of the V-shaped release tape 202A remains attached to the absorbent pant 100 and forms the bottom of the handle 211.

[0045] In the second position, as shown in FIG. 3G, at least one waist panel 104, 108 is folded laterally from the absorbent pant 100 (e.g., folded outward laterally from the longitudinal axis 106 of the absorbent pant 100 as shown in FIG. 2). Such an outer lateral fold prepares the waist panels 104, 108 for an inner lateral fold onto the exposed fastening zone region 200A of the absorbent pant 100. In the third position, as shown in FIG. 3H showing the packaged configuration, at least one waist panel 104, 108 that was laterally expanded in FIG. 3G is here folded laterally inwardly onto the fastening zone region 200A (e.g., folded laterally toward the longitudinal axis 106), engaging the fastening zone region 200A and at least partially covering and sealing the underlying leg aperture 130.

[0046] As described above, chassis 102 may include a topsheet 138, such as shown in FIG. 2 for example. The topsheet 138 is generally a part of the absorbent article that may at least partially contact or be disposed closer to the wearer. Suitable topsheets generally have a compliant and soft feel against the wearer's skin and are non-irritating. Further, at least a portion or all of the topsheet can be liquid permeable, allowing liquid body exudates to easily penetrate through its thickness. Suitable topsheets can be made from a wide range of materials such as, for example, porous foams, reticulated foams, perforated plastic films, woven materials, non-woven materials, natural fibers (such as wood fibers or cotton fibers), synthetic fibers or filaments (such as polyester fibers, or polypropylene fibers, or bicomponent PE / PP fibers, or mixtures thereof), or combinations of natural and synthetic fibers, such as woven or non-woven materials. The topsheet 138 may have one or more layers. The topsheet 138 may be apertured, may have any suitable three-dimensional features, and / or may have a plurality of embossments (such as bonding patterns). The topsheet 138 may be apertured by strongly bonding the material and then rupturing the strong bond through ring rolling, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,628,097 (Benson et al., issued May 13, 1997) and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016 / 0136014 (Arora et al.). Any portion of the topsheet 138 may be coated with a skin care composition, an antibacterial agent, a surfactant, and / or other beneficial agents. The topsheet 138 may be hydrophilic or hydrophobic, or may have hydrophilic portions or hydrophilic layers and / or hydrophobic portions or hydrophobic layers. If the topsheet 138 is hydrophobic, there will typically be openings so that body exudates can pass through the topsheet 138.

[0047] As described above, the chassis 102 may also include an absorbent core 142. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the absorbent core 142 may include a first longitudinal side edge 146 that is laterally separated from the second longitudinal side edge, and a first end edge 150 that is longitudinally separated from the second end edge. The absorbent core 142 may also generally include components such as a capture layer and absorbent material that are compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer's skin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids such as urine and other body excretions. Further, the absorbent core 142 can be manufactured in a variety of sizes and shapes (e.g., rectangular, hourglass-shaped, T-shaped, asymmetric, etc.). The absorbent core 142 may also include a variety of liquid-absorbent materials commonly used in disposable diapers and other absorbent articles. In one example, the absorbent core 142 includes ground wood pulp, commonly referred to as airfelt. Examples of other suitable absorbent materials include crimped cellulose fill, meltblown polymers including coform, chemically hardened, modified, or crosslinked cellulose fibers, tissue papers including tissue wrappers and tissue laminates, absorbent foams, absorbent sponges, superabsorbent polymers, absorbent gelling materials, or any other absorbent material or combination of materials.

[0048] In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the absorbent core 142 is substantially free of cellulose, contains less than 10 wt% cellulose fibers, less than 5 wt% cellulose fibers, less than 1 wt% cellulose fibers, trace amounts or less of cellulose fibers, or is free of cellulose fibers. It should be understood that trace amounts of cellulosic materials do not substantially affect at least one of the thinness, flexibility, and absorbency of a portion of the absorbent core 142 that is substantially free of cellulose. Among other advantages, when at least a portion of the absorbent core 142 is substantially free of cellulose, this portion of the absorbent core 142 is considered to be significantly thinner and more flexible than a similar absorbent core that contains more than 10 wt% cellulose fibers. The amount of absorbent material, such as absorbent particulate polymer material, present in the absorbent core may vary, but in certain embodiments, it is present in the absorbent core 142 in an amount greater than about 80 wt%, or greater than about 85 wt%, or greater than about 90 wt%, or greater than about 95 wt% of the absorbent core. In some embodiments, the absorbent core may comprise one or more channels that are substantially free of absorbent particulate polymer material. The channels may extend longitudinally or transversely. The absorbent core may further comprise two or more channels. The channels may be straight, curved, angled, or any functional combination thereof. By way of non-limiting example, two channels are symmetrically disposed around the longitudinal axis. Exemplary absorbent structures for use as an absorbent core are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,610,678, 4,673,402, 4,834,735, 4,888,231, 5,137,537, 5,147,345, 5,342,338, 5,260,345, 5,387,207, 5,397,316, and U.S. Patent Applications Nos. 13 / 491,642 and 15 / 232,901.

[0049] The absorbent core 142 may also have a multilayer structure. More detailed discussions of various types of multilayer absorbent cores can be found in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,669,894, 6,441,266, 5,562,646, 7,750,203, 7,744,576, European Patent No. 0565606 (B1), and PCT Publication No. 2006 / 015141, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, the absorbent pant 100 includes an elastic absorbent core 142. In such a configuration, the absorbent core 142 may be adapted to extend longitudinally and / or transversely with other materials of the chassis. The absorbent core 142 can also be connected to other components of the chassis 102 in various ways. For example, the absorbent pant 100 may include a "floating core" configuration or a "bucket" configuration, and the absorbent pant 100 may include a fastening system configured to counter forces that tend to move the article on the wearer. Such a fastening system may also be configured to secure itself to the wearer's body by contacting various parts of the body. In this way, the fastening system can balance the collected movement forces with the holding forces obtained from the fastening. By balancing the collected movement forces with the obtained holding forces, the fastening system can at least assist in holding the disposable wearable absorbent article in a fixed position on the wearer.

[0050] Embodiments of the absorbent pant 100 may also include pockets for receiving and containing excrement, spacers for providing voids for excrement, barriers for restricting movement of excrement within the article, compartments or voids for receiving and containing excrement deposited in the diaper, or any combination thereof. Examples of pockets and spacers for use in absorbent products are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,514,121, 5,171,236, 5,306,266, 5,397,318, 5,540,671, and PCT Application No. 93 / 25172, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Examples of compartments or voids are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,990,147 and 6,482,191, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Examples of transverse barriers are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,554,142 and 5,653,703, and PCT Patent Publication No. 94 / 14395, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. In addition to, or instead of, the voids, pockets, and barriers described above, embodiments of the absorbent article may also include an excrement management element, as described in U.S. Patent No. 6,010,491, incorporated herein by reference, that can effectively and efficiently receive, store, and / or immobilize viscous fluid body excrement, such as liquid feces.

[0051] In one aspect, the absorbent pant 100 of the present disclosure further includes a seam joining the first waist panel and the second waist panel 104, 108, and the seam may be formed by a frangible bond. The chassis 102 may include one or more frangible seams configured to join the first waist panel and the second waist panel 104, 108 to connect the first waist region 112 to the second waist region 114. As used herein, "frangible bond" refers to attaching two or more elements or portions of elements together, which can be separated during normal use but cannot be reattached without substantially degrading the performance of the fastener upon separation. A frangible bond is generally designed to be broken by a consumer at some point during normal use of the article. The breaking of this bond may be optional depending on the desired use or may occur during substantially all uses.

[0052] It should be understood that depending on the particular configuration, various types of fastening elements may be used with the absorbent pant 100. In one example, the fastening element includes a hook and loop fastener such as those available from 3M or Velcro Industries. In other examples, the fastening element includes an adhesive and / or a tab, while others are configured as macro fasteners or hooks (e.g., MACRO or "button-like" fasteners). Some exemplary fastening elements and systems are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,848,594, 4,662,875, 4,846,815, 4,946,527, 5,151,092, and 5,221,274, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further examples of fasteners and / or fastening elements are discussed in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,482,191, 6,251,097, and 6,432,098, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Other fastening systems are described in detail in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,595,567, 5,624,427, 5,735,840, and 5,928,212, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 4, the waist panels 104, 108 may include a receiving zone region 400 that may include a nonwoven substrate 470. The nonwoven substrate 470 may be applied in an overlapping relationship to the outer surface of the polymer layer 472 to provide a plurality of loops 471 that may define separated open regions bounded by interengaged individual fibers. The receiving zone region 400 may be disposed on the waist panels 104, 108 and may be configured to engage the fastening zone region 200 of the waist regions 112, 114 or the crotch region 116 as described herein. In an embodiment, the fastening zone region 200 may be disposed on at least one surface of the crotch region 116, and a receiving landing region such as the receiving zone region 400 of FIG. 4 may be disposed on at least one of the waist panels 104, 108 configured to be folded inwardly in a lateral direction to engage the fastening zone region 200.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 5, the fastening zone region 200 may include one or more surface protrusions 502 for engaging with the receiving zone regions 400 of the waist panels 104, 108. The surface protrusions 502 may have one or more of a cross-sectional configuration, a height H, a width, a length, an angular inclination, and a hook end configuration. The one or more surface protrusions 502 may be hooks formed perpendicular to or at an angle to the clothing surface of the clothing material. Further, the one or more surface protrusions 502 as described herein may have various configurable arrangements in any direction of the hook end with respect to the clothing surface, such as left, right, angled, curved, or straight up directions. The surface protrusions 502 may be protrusions perpendicular to the clothing surface. The cross-sectional configuration of the surface protrusions 502 in FIG. 5 is shown as a cross-sectional view taken substantially perpendicular to the surface 506 of the clothing material 501 such that the individual surface protrusions 502A are divided into equal halves and extend substantially parallel to the direction defined by the projection of the individual surface protrusions 502A on the surface 506. A further cross-sectional configuration of the surface protrusions 502 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially parallel to the surface 506 of the clothing material 501. The further cross-sectional configuration may be any configuration, such as circular, elliptical, oval, triangular, square, rectangular, elongated rectangular, and polygonal. The further cross-sectional configuration may have dimensions that are substantially consistent over the height H of the individual surface protrusions 502A or may be substantially tapered by becoming larger at the surface of the clothing material 501.

[0055] The height H of the surface protrusions 502 is the distance taken substantially perpendicular between the surface 506 of the clothing material 501 and the highest point of the individual surface protrusions 502A extending above the surface 506. The width of the surface protrusions 502 may be taken in the direction defined by the projection of the individual surface protrusions 502A on the surface 506 of the clothing material 501 from the base of the individual surface protrusions 502A. The angular inclination of the surface protrusions 502 may be with respect to the surface 506 of the clothing material 501. The distal end configuration 504 of the surface protrusions 502 may have various configurations such as the hook shown by the non-limiting example of FIG. 5.

[0056] The surface protrusion 502 may be formed by a manufacturing method. Suitable methods are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 545,425.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 6, a schematic side view of an apparatus for forming the protrusion 502 on the advancing substrate 604 is shown for placing the fastening zone region 200 on the substrate 604. As shown in FIG. 6, the continuous substrate 604 may advance in the machine direction (MD) adjacent to a protrusion forming apparatus or system 600 configured to form a separate zone of the first body portion and the distal hook end at each distal end 504 of the surface protrusion 502 on the substrate 604. In an aspect, a portion of the substrate 604 is a thermoplastic material substrate. In an embodiment, the substrate 604 is a nonwoven material. Various configurations of the protrusion forming system 600 may be used to integrally mold the surface protrusion 502 directly onto the substrate 604, and it should be understood that the substrate material may function not only as a structural component material for other purposes but also as a material source, such as a polymer, for the formation of the surface protrusion 502.

[0058] A portion of the substrate 604 of FIG. 6 referred to herein for forming one or more surface protrusions 502 may include the garment material 501 of FIG. 5 such that the reference surface 506 of the garment material 501 is also the surface of the substrate 604. In an aspect, the garment material 501 is a nonwoven substrate.

[0059] Accordingly, the absorbent pant 100, fastening zone region 200, and surface protrusion 502 described herein may be formed from a manufacturing method that utilizes assemblies and systems such as the system 600 shown in FIG. 6. As a non-limiting example, referring to FIG. 6, a portion of the substrate 604 is in contact with the forming roll 606 and the vibration energy source 602 and can be softened by the vibration energy from the energy source 602. A desired portion of the thermoplastic material enters one or more cavities 608 of the forming roll 606 and forms hook-shaped or other shaped elements or protrusions 502 on the surface of the substrate 604 as the roll rotates in a rotational forming process. In an aspect, the energy source 602 is an ultrasonic force such as a sonotrode. The energy source 602 applies energy to the advancing substrate 604 such that the softened material of the substrate 604 is pressed into an opening (e.g., cavity 608) or otherwise moved or flowed into to form a zone of surface protrusions 502. Next, the surface protrusions 502 are formed directly and integrally from the material of the substrate 604.

[0060] In the rotational forming process, a required amount of pressure can be applied to the thermoplastic material to assist, for example, the entry and filling of the thermoplastic material into the cavity 608 by the secondary roll 610. The secondary roll can also assist in straightening the substrate 604 after the surface protrusions 502 are formed on the surface of the substrate 604 by the energy source 602 and the forming roll 606. The remaining portion of the thermoplastic substrate 604 can function as a support strip for the hook protrusions 502.

[0061] Referring to the flowchart of FIG. 7, process 700 is shown with block 702 for manufacturing absorbent pant 100 using, for example, system 600 of FIG. 6, and blocks 704 - 706 for later packaging absorbent pant 100 after use as described herein. Block 702 describes disposing fastening zone region 200 on at least one surface of the waist regions 112, 114 or crotch region 116 of chassis 102 of absorbent pant 100 as described herein, which can be accomplished by system 600 of FIG. 6 as described herein. With respect to the method of using and packaging the manufactured absorbent pant 100, block 704 describes folding at least one of waist panels 104, 108 of absorbent pant 100 laterally inward (i.e., inward and potentially towards central portion 208). Block 705 describes peeling a portion of release tape 202 that overlaps fastening zone region 200 of absorbent pant 100 such that the peeled portion is used as handle 211 (FIG. 3F) to pick up and, for example, dispose of soiled absorbent pant 100.

[0062] Block 706 then describes engaging fastening zone region 200 with one or both of waist panels 104, 108 to at least partially seal at least one leg aperture 130. In embodiments, waist panels 104, 108 include a nonwoven material such as nonwoven substrate 470 including loops as shown in FIG. 4. Fastening zone region 200 on waist regions 112, 114 or crotch region 116 may include surface protrusions 502 that are hooks as described herein that can engage loops of nonwoven substrate 470 of waist panels 104, 108. Alternatively, in embodiments, waist panels 104, 108 may include surface protrusions 502 such as hooks, and fastening zone region 200 on waist regions 112, 114 or crotch region 116 may include nonwoven substrate 470 including loops, and surface protrusions 502 of waist panels 104, 108 can engage loops of the nonwoven substrate of fastening zone region 200.

[0063] The dimensions and values disclosed in this specification should not be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise indicated, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

[0064] All documents cited in this specification, including any patents or patent applications that are cross-referenced or related, and any patent application or patent for which this application claims priority or the benefit thereof, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, unless expressly excluded or limited. The citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art to any disclosure herein, or that it alone or in combination with any other reference(s) teaches, suggests, or discloses any such disclosure. Further, in the event of any conflict between any meaning or definition of a term in this document and any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition given to the term in this document shall apply.

[0065] As described above, specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present disclosure are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An absorbent pant (100) comprising: a chassis (102) having a topsheet (138), a backsheet (140), and an absorbent core (142) between the topsheet and the backsheet; a first waist region and a second waist region (112, 114) facing each other in the longitudinal direction, and a crotch region (116) disposed between the first waist region and the second waist region; opposing first and second waist panels (104, 108) disposed longitudinally in the first and second waist regions, the first and second waist panels connecting the first waist region to the second waist region to form a waist opening (128) and a pair of leg apertures (130); a fastening zone region (200) on at least one surface of the absorbent pant; a release tape (202), at least a portion of the release tape being disposed in an overlapping relationship with the fastening zone region in a taped configuration and configured to be separated from the fastening zone region and peeled off from the overlapping relationship in a peeled configuration; In a packaged configuration, at least one of the waist panels is configured to be folded inwardly in the lateral direction to engage the fastening zone region when the portion of the release tape is separated from the fastening zone region in the peeled configuration such that at least one of the leg apertures is at least partially sealed; The fastening zone region is disposed on the at least one of the waist panels configured to be folded inwardly in the lateral direction to engage the fastening zone region, and a receiving landing region (400) is disposed on the at least one of the waist panels; The release tape covers the fastening zone region in the taped configuration and is configured to function as a handle (211) in the peeled configuration, the absorbent pant (100).

2. The absorbent pant according to claim 1, wherein the fastening zone region includes an area of at least 1 cm2.

3. The absorbent pant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fastening zone region comprises a plurality of hooks (502) integrally formed from a first nonwoven material. Claim 4 The absorbent pant according to claim 3, wherein the first nonwoven material is separate from the backsheet, and the first nonwoven material is joined to the backsheet. Claim 5 The absorbent pant according to claim 3, wherein the first nonwoven material includes the backsheet. Claim 6 The absorbent pant according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the waist panels comprises a loop integrally formed from a second nonwoven material. Claim 7 The absorbent pant according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the release tape comprises a third nonwoven material, a film, or a combination thereof. Claim 8 The absorbent pant according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the release tape is permanently joined to the absorbent pant at a first end and removably joined at a second end. Claim 9 The absorbent pant according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the chassis comprises one or more frangible seams configured to join the first waist panel and the second waist panel to connect the first waist region to the second waist region. Claim 10 The fastening zone region is disposed on the rear half of the chassis, The second waist region is disposed on the rear half of the chassis, In the packaged configuration, at least one of the waist panels disposed in the second waist region is configured to be folded inwardly in a lateral direction to engage the fastening zone region on the rear half of the chassis. The absorbent pant according to any one of claims 1 to 9. Claim 11 The absorbent pant according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the fastening zone region extends laterally on at least one surface. Claim 12 The absorbent pant according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the fastening zone region comprises a first arm (203) and a second arm (205), and the second arm is separated from the first arm by a lateral distance of at least 10 mm. Claim 13 The fastening zone region includes a first arm and a second arm, the first arm and the second arm are separated by a lateral distance of at least 5 mm at a first longitudinal position (207), the first arm and the second arm intersect at a second longitudinal position (209), and the second longitudinal position is longitudinally displaced with respect to the first longitudinal position. The absorbent pant according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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