Abstract: An individually packaged sanitary napkin having a cleansing wipe packaged therewith. The individually packaged sanitary napkin includes a wrapper that covers the sanitary napkin's adhesive fastener prior to use. The sanitary napkin wrapper can be provided with a flap or pouch for securing the used sanitary napkin for disposal. A number of alternative arrangements are disclosed for packaging the cleansing wipe with the wrapped sanitary napkin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sanitary napkin enclosed within a flexible wrapper formed of thermoplastic film. The sanitary napkin and wrapper are folded as a unit about at least two lateral fold axes, so that the sanitary napkin is disposed between two or more layers of the wrapper. The layers of the folded wrapper are joined by a pair of laterally spaced apart releasable seals. Each releasable seal extends longitudinally along a longitudinal edge of the wrapper. Each releasable seal comprises an array of discrete thermal-mechanical bonds joining the layers of the wrapper. The array of discrete bonds extends in a first direction generally parallel to a package edge and in a second direction generally perpendicular to the package edge. This arrangement of ratios of bond width to bond spacing reduces the strength of the seal parallel to the package edge relative to the strength of the seal perpendicular to the package edge.

Abstract: An article having a pliable portion which is to be elastically secured about the periphery of a member having a substantially predetermined cross-section by means of an elasticized fastening system. The pliable portion of the article has a first end portion and a second end portion located at opposite ends of the encircling portion of the article. The first end portion includes an elasticized fastening system having at least one segment which is capable of being elastically shirred along at least a portion of its length. The shirrable portion of the segment comprises an elastomeric member which, prior to the securement of the first and second end portions of the article to one another, is maintained in a prestretched and tensioned condition in the desired direction of shirring. The opposed ends of the shirrable segment in the article are interconnected to one another through the prestretched and tensioned elastomeric member.