Disposable diapers

Claim 1

A disposable diaper comprising an integral laminate of (a) a liquid-permeable first topsheet (11) having opposite longitudinal side portions, a liquid impermeable backsheet (12), and a liquid absorbent core (13) sandwiched between said first topsheet (11) and said backsheet (12), (b) a second topsheet (14) (1) consisting of a single sheet of material, (2) having a surface area which is substantially coextensive with the surface area of said first topsheet (11) except for a centrally located first opening (16) formed entirely within the outer periphery of said second topsheet (14), said first opening (16) having two spaced apart lateral sides and two spaced apart end sides, and (3) being bonded adjacent its outer periphery to the periphery of said first topsheet (11), (c) elastic members (23) provided between said opposite longitudinal side portions of said first topsheet (11) and said second topsheet (14), said elastic members (23) being stretchable longitudinally, (d) a pair of spaced apart flaps (17) having opposite inner side edges (17a), and opposite outer side portions (17b) and extending partially into said first opening (16), said pair of flaps (17) extending inwardly from the undersides of said spaced apart lateral sides of said first opening (16), respectively so that said opposite inner side edges (17a) of said pair of flaps (17) define between them a second opening (18), longitudinally opposite ends of each of said pair of flaps (17) extending under said spaced apart end sides of said second topsheet (14), respectively said outer side portions (17b) of said pair of flaps (17) being bonded to the underside of said second topsheet (14), and (e) elastic members (19) encased in said opposite inner side edges (17a), respectively along lines which are adjacent to and generally parallel to said two spaced apart lateral sides of said first opening (16), said elastic members (19) being stretchable longitudinally.