ARTICLE ABSORBANT AYANT DES PANNEAUX LATERAUX ELASTIQUES CONNECTES PAR UN ELEMENT DE PONTAGE

The article (10), e.g. a disposable diaper or training pants, has a front waistband section (12), a rear waistband section (14), and an intermediate section (16). A liquid permeable topsheet layer (28) is superposed on a backsheet layer (30), and an absorbent body (32) is located therebetween. An elasticized side panel (56, 58) is connected to the article at each laterally (direction 24) opposed end region of at least one of the front and rear waistband sections. A bridge member (40), which is separate from the backsheet and topsheet layers, extends laterally to interconnect between the elasticised side panels (56, 58) and to maintain a desired lateral separation and alignment between the side panels. At least a portion of the bridge member is connected to at least one of the backsheet and topsheet layers and is arranged in an overlapping relation with a longitudinal end section (60) of the absorbent body (32) and may thereby act as a liquid dam. A fastening means (36) is provided for securing the article on a wearer.