Outer cover of an absorbent article and method for manufacturing an outer cover of an absorbent article

Abstract

An outer cover for an absorbent article is provided, capable of preventing the fastener from being secured to an undesirable location. The outer cover (1) of the absorbent article comprises: an absorbent article (10) having a top sheet (11) that abuts against the wearer's skin and a bottom sheet (12) having a fastener (15) for securing to the worn article; and an outer cover sheet (20) disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent article for securing to the fastener. Before use, the absorbent article is folded with the skin-side surface of the absorbent article facing inward, using the article crease (FL10) along the width direction as a base point. The mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article in the folded state, folded with the article crease as a base point, are temporarily joined together by a temporary joint (18), and the absorbent article is separated from the outer cover sheet by being pulled by the user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the outer casing of an absorbent article having an absorbent article and an outer casing sheet. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose an outer casing for an absorbent article comprising an absorbent article and an outer cover sheet. A retaining portion is provided on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article for securing the absorbent article to clothing such as underwear. In Patent Document 1, the retaining portion is secured to a peel-off sheet, which serves as the outer cover sheet. In Patent Document 2, the retaining portion is secured to a packaging sheet, which also serves as the outer cover sheet. When using the absorbent article, the retaining portion is peeled off from the outer cover sheet, thereby separating the absorbent article and the outer cover sheet.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-130937

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-118320 Summary of the Invention

[0007] However, there is room for improvement in the outer casing of the aforementioned absorbent articles in the following aspects.

[0008] The stiffness of absorbent materials is not constant along the entire planar direction. Therefore, when peeling absorbent materials from the outer packaging, the materials may sometimes warp depending on the gripping position and the direction of pulling. If the absorbent material warps, the locking parts on the non-skin side may sometimes stick to each other, causing the locking parts to be locked in an undesirable position, rendering the absorbent material unusable before use.

[0009] The present invention was made in view of the following problem, and provides an outer casing for an absorbent article that can prevent the locking part from locking in an undesirable position.

[0010] One embodiment of an absorbent article includes: an absorbent article having a top sheet that contacts the wearer's skin and a bottom sheet with a locking portion for securing to the wearer; and an outer sheet disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent article for securing with the locking portion. Before use, the absorbent article is folded with its skin-side facing inwards, using a crease along its width as a reference point. A temporary joint is used to temporarily join the facing surfaces of the folded absorbent article, which is then separated from the outer sheet by being pulled by the user.

[0011] In one method of manufacturing an outer casing for an absorbent article, the outer casing comprises: an absorbent article having a top sheet that contacts the wearer's skin and a bottom sheet having a fastening portion attached to the wearer's skin; and an outer casing disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent article for fastening by the fastening portion. The manufacturing method includes the following steps: an adhesive application step, in which an adhesive is applied to the non-skin side of the top sheet; a folding step, which, after the adhesive application step, folds the absorbent article so that the top sheets face each other; and a temporary joining step, in which the absorbent article folded by the folding step is pressed, and the top sheets are temporarily joined together using the adhesive applied to the top sheets. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the outer casing of the first embodiment. Figure 1 (a) is a top view. Figure 1 (b) is along Figure 1 (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of line AA.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a top view of the unfolded exterior, viewed from the skin side.

[0014] Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of the BB line shown.

[0015] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates the separation of the absorbent article from the outer casing in the first embodiment.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the outer casing of the second embodiment. Figure 5 (a) is a top view. Figure 5 (b) is along Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of the CC line shown in (a).

[0017] Figure 6 This is a top view of the outer casing in its unfolded state as seen from the skin side, according to the third embodiment.

[0018] Figure 7 This is a top view of the folded exterior, taken from the skin side, based on the creases of the item.

[0019] Figure 8 This diagram illustrates the separation of the absorbent article from the outer casing in the third embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0020] (1) Overview of the implementation method

[0021] Based on the description in this specification and the accompanying drawings, at least the following matters become clear.

[0022] Method 1 is a technical solution for an outer casing of an absorbent article. The outer casing of the absorbent article comprises: an absorbent article having a top sheet that contacts the wearer's skin and a bottom sheet with a locking portion for securing to the wearer; and an outer casing disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent article for securing by the locking portion. Before use, the absorbent article is folded with its skin-side facing inwards, using a crease along its width as a reference point. A temporary joint is used to temporarily join the facing surfaces of the folded absorbent article, folded with the crease as a reference point. The outer casing and the absorbent article are separated by the user pulling on at least one of them. The user separates the outer casing and the absorbent article by pulling on the folded absorbent article. The temporary joint is used to temporarily join the facing surfaces of the folded absorbent article. Therefore, when separating the absorbent article and the outer casing, the absorbent article can be moved while the temporarily joined area is integrated. Compared to the unattached state, the temporarily attached area is integrated, thus exhibiting higher rigidity and less susceptibility to twisting. Therefore, it can prevent the absorbent article from twisting during separation of the outer sheet and the absorbent article, prevent the locking part from being fixed in an undesirable position before use, and prevent the absorbent article from becoming unusable before use. Furthermore, the increased rigidity of the temporarily attached area facilitates the transmission of force when applying a pulling force to the absorbent article. Therefore, by providing the temporarily attached area, the absorbent article can be smoothly separated from the outer sheet. Moreover, the presence of the temporarily attached area increases the rigidity of the absorbent article side when separating the absorbent article and the outer sheet. By increasing the rigidity of the absorbent article on the side to be peeled off when peeling off the outer sheet, it is easier to continuously apply peeling force, enabling a smooth separation operation.

[0023] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of Method 2 can have the following features compared to the technical solution of Method 1. The absorbent article is installed on the garment in a folded state without utilizing the article's creases. The absorbent article is folded when separated from the outer cover and is temporarily engaged using a temporary joint. Therefore, the absorbent article can be separated from the outer cover while suppressing any twisting of the absorbent article. Furthermore, since the absorbent article is installed on the garment in a folded state, discomfort caused by the overlap of the absorbent articles and the presence of the temporary joint can be suppressed during installation.

[0024] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of Method 3 may have the following characteristics compared to the technical solutions of Method 1 or Method 2: The shear force of the temporary joint is higher than the peel force in the 180° peel test between the locking part and the outer sheet. According to this embodiment, since the shear force of the temporary joint is higher than the peel force in the 180° peel test between the locking part and the outer sheet, the joint state of the temporary joint can be maintained when the locking part and the outer sheet are peeled at 180°, and the absorbent article and the outer sheet can be separated while still joined by the temporary joint.

[0025] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of method 4 can have the following characteristics compared to the technical solution of method 3: The shear force of the temporary joint is higher than the peel force in the 90° peel test between the locking part and the outer sheet. According to this solution, since the shear force of the temporary joint is higher than the peel force in the 90° peel test between the locking part and the outer sheet, the joint state of the temporary joint can be maintained when the locking part and the outer sheet are peeled at 90°, and the absorbent article and the outer sheet can be separated while the temporary joint is in the joint state.

[0026] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of Method 5 may have the following features in any of the technical solutions of Methods 1 to 4: The temporary joint joins the top sheets together. According to this solution, since the top sheets that come into contact with the wearer's skin are temporarily joined together, it is not easy for fingers to enter between the top sheets when removing them, and the absorbent article can be removed hygienically without contacting the top sheets.

[0027] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of Method 6 may have the following features in any of Methods 1 to 5. The temporary joint uses an adhesive to join the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article. The adhesive is configured such that it cannot be re-joined once peeled off. According to this solution, the temporary joint functions when the absorbent article and the outer cover are separated, and ceases to function once the absorbent article is unfolded. Therefore, it can suppress contact between the adhesive and the skin during wear, thereby reducing discomfort during wear.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment, the technical solution of Method 7 may have the following features in any of Methods 1 to 6: The absorbent article has a second sheet that abuts against the non-skin side of the top sheet. The temporary joint uses an adhesive to join the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article. The adhesive joins the top sheets together and also joins the top sheet and the second sheet. The shear force between the top sheets is lower than the shear force between the top sheet and the second sheet. According to this solution, the mutually facing surfaces of the top sheets can be unfolded when using the absorbent article while maintaining the joined state of the top sheet and the second sheet. Detachment of the top sheet and the second sheet can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the degradation of product quality.

[0029] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of Method 8 may have the following characteristics in any of Methods 1 to 5. The temporary joint presses the surfaces of the absorbent article together to form a bond. According to this embodiment, by forming the temporary joint through pressing, the density and stiffness of the portion where the temporary joint is formed are increased. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the twisting of the absorbent article when separating the absorbent article and the outer sheet. Furthermore, compared to a temporary joint using adhesive, no adhesive residue remains on the surface where the temporary joint is provided, thus suppressing discomfort and unpleasantness upon skin contact.

[0030] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of Method 9 can have the following characteristics in any of Methods 1 to 5. The temporary joint is formed by fusing the fibers disposed on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article together. According to this embodiment, by utilizing the fusion of fibers to form the temporary joint, the density and stiffness of the portion forming the temporary joint are increased. Therefore, the twisting of the absorbent article when separating the absorbent article and the outer sheet can be further suppressed. Furthermore, compared to a temporary joint using adhesive, no adhesive residue remains on the surface where the temporary joint is provided, thus suppressing discomfort and unpleasantness upon skin contact. For example, heat fusion can be exemplified as a joining method utilizing the fusion of fibers.

[0031] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of method 10 may have the following characteristics in any of the technical solutions of methods 1 to 9. In the folded state, the area of ​​the joint region with the temporary joint on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article is smaller than the area of ​​the non-jointing region without the temporary joint on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article. According to this solution, since the area of ​​the joint region with the temporary joint is relatively small, it is possible to prevent the joint strength of the temporary joint from becoming too strong, and the absorbent article can be smoothly unfolded when it is unfolded from the folded state.

[0032] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of method 11 may have the following characteristics in any of the technical solutions of methods 1 to 9. In the folded state, the area of ​​the joint region with the temporary joint on the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article is larger than the area of ​​the non-jointing region without the temporary joint on the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article. According to this solution, since the area of ​​the joint region with the temporary joint is relatively large, the joint strength of the temporary joint can be improved, and the temporary joint state can be easily maintained when the absorbent article and the outer sheet are separated.

[0033] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of method 12 may have the following features in any of the technical solutions of methods 1 to 11. The absorbent article in the folded state is folded in half with the article crease as the base point. The outer casing has a packaging sheet configured to individually package the absorbent article before use, and to allow the absorbent article to be removed via a dispensing port during use. The dispensing port is configured to be located at the end of the outer casing on the side opposite to the article crease in the front-to-back direction. In the folded state, the front edge and the rear edge of the absorbent article are offset in the front-to-back direction. When the user wants to remove the absorbent article from the dispensing port, they hold the front and rear ends of the absorbent article. At this time, because the front and rear edges of the absorbent article are offset, one of the front and rear edges of the absorbent article protrudes, making it easier for the user to grasp the end of the absorbent article and improving the operability of removing the absorbent article.

[0034] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of Method 13 may have the following features in any of Methods 1 to 12. The absorbent article has an absorbent layer disposed between the top sheet and the bottom sheet. In the folded state, the absorbent layer is disposed only in the area overlapping the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article. According to this embodiment, the absorbent layer is disposed only in the area overlapping the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article, and not in the area extending from those facing surfaces. The area extending from the facing surfaces is the area that the user can easily grasp when removing the item. Since the absorbent layer is not disposed in the area extending from the facing surfaces, it is not easy for the user to grasp the absorbent layer when removing the item, thus preventing the absorbent layer from becoming contaminated or flattened during removal. Furthermore, if the fasteners in the area where the absorbent layer is disposed self-adhesive before use, causing the area where the absorbent layer is disposed to become distorted, the absorbent layer cannot properly adhere to the wearer, and absorption performance cannot be ensured. However, since the absorbent layer is disposed in the area where the absorbent articles overlap, distortion of the area where the absorbent layer is disposed when separating the outer sheet and the absorbent article can be prevented, thereby ensuring absorption performance.

[0035] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of method 14 may have the following features in any of the technical solutions of methods 1 to 13. The folded absorbent article is configured to separate relative to the outer cover by moving towards the removal side in the front-back direction. The temporary engagement portion is located closer to the removal side than the center of the front-back direction of the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article. The area closer to the removal side than the center of the front-back direction of the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article is located at the end side in the direction of movement of the absorbent article and is an area easily grasped by the user. Because the temporary engagement portion is provided in the area closer to the removal side than the center of the front-back direction of the facing surfaces, when the user grasps the absorbent article from the removal side, it is difficult for fingers to enter between the facing surfaces of the absorbent article, allowing for hygienic removal of the absorbent article.

[0036] According to a preferred embodiment, the technical solution of embodiment 15 may have the following features in any of embodiments 1 to 14. The folded absorbent article is configured to separate relative to the outer sheet by moving towards the removal side in the front-rear direction. The temporary engagement portion is positioned closer to the removal side end of the locking portion than the removal side end of the locking portion. When the outer sheet and the absorbent article separate, separation begins from the removal side end of the locking portion. Because a temporary engagement portion is provided at a position closer to the removal side end of the locking portion than the removal side end of the locking portion, the absorbent article can be removed while suppressing deformation of the absorbent article when force is applied to the end of the locking portion.

[0037] According to the preferred embodiment, the technical solution of embodiment 16 may have the following characteristics in any of embodiments 1 to 14. The folded absorbent article is configured to separate relative to the outer cover by moving towards the removal side in the front-back direction. The locking portions extend along the width direction and are provided in a plurality of spaced-apart configurations in the front-back direction. The temporary joint portions are respectively provided in the area between the locking portions in the front-back direction and in the area overlapping with the locking portions. According to this embodiment, since the locking portions are spaced-apart in the front-back direction, when separating the outer cover and the absorbent article, the area overlapping with the locking portions is pulled, and the area between the locking portions is not secured to the wearable article, thus easily deforming. During the process of separating the outer cover and the absorbent article, the situation of the area overlapping with the locking portions being pulled and the area between the locking portions deforming is repeated, which easily leads to self-adhesion of the locking portions. However, since temporary joints are provided in both the area between the locking parts and the area overlapping with the locking parts, deformation of the absorbent article during the process of separating the outer sheet and the absorbent article can be suppressed, thereby preventing the locking parts from locking in undesirable locations.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment, the technical solution of embodiment 17 may have the following features in any of embodiments 1 to 16. The folded absorbent article is configured to separate from the outer cover by moving it toward the removal side in the front-rear direction. The absorbent article has an inspection member for checking the wearer's health status. The temporary joint is located closer to the removal side than the end of the inspection member on the removal side. According to this embodiment, since the temporary joint is located closer to the removal side than the inspection member, the rigidity of the area where the inspection member is located can be increased, and deformation of the inspection member when separating the absorbent article from the outer cover can be suppressed.

[0039] Method 18 is a method for manufacturing an outer casing of an absorbent article. The outer casing comprises: an absorbent article having a top sheet that contacts the wearer's skin and a bottom sheet with a fastening portion attached to the wearer; and an outer casing disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent article for fastening by the fastening portion. The manufacturing method includes the following steps: an adhesive application step, in which an adhesive is applied to the non-skin side of the top sheet; a folding step, in which, after the adhesive application step, the absorbent article is folded so that the top sheets face each other; and a temporary joining step, in which the absorbent article folded by the folding step is pressed, and the top sheets are temporarily joined together using the adhesive applied to the top sheets. According to this method, a temporary joining portion for joining the top sheets together can be provided. Therefore, when separating the absorbent material and the outer packaging sheet, the absorbent material can be moved while the temporarily joined area is integrated, and the distortion of the absorbent material can be suppressed when separating the outer packaging sheet and the absorbent material.

[0040] (2) The outer casing of the absorbent article of the first embodiment

[0041] The outer casing (hereinafter referred to as the outer casing) 1 of the absorbent article according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are labeled with the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and there may be differences from reality in terms of scale and other dimensions. Therefore, specific dimensions should be determined by referring to the following description. Additionally, the drawings may contain parts with different dimensional relationships or scales. Furthermore, in the sectional views, for ease of explanation, the constituent components are shown separately, but in the actual product, the constituent components are joined together.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the folded state of the outer casing 1 in the first embodiment. Figure 1 (a) is a top view. Figure 1 (b) is along Figure 1 (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of line AA. Figure 2 This is a top view of the unfolded outer body 1 as observed from the skin side (T1). Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view along the BB line. The outer body 1 has mutually orthogonal front-back direction L, width direction W, and thickness direction T extending along the planar direction. The front-back direction L follows the front-back direction L of the absorbent article 10. Regarding the front-back direction L of the absorbent article, the side that abuts against the user's lower abdomen is called the "front side," and the side that abuts against the user's buttocks is called the "rear side." The thickness direction T extends towards the skin side T1 and the non-skin side T2. The "skin side" corresponds to the side facing the wearer's skin during use. The "non-skin side" corresponds to the side facing the opposite side to the wearer's skin during use.

[0043] In this invention, the outer portion refers to the part occupying a certain range in the width direction W, including the outer edge, and the outer edge refers to the outer edge in the width direction W. Furthermore, the outer edge of a constituent member occupying a certain range in the front-rear direction is the edge obtained by connecting points located on the outer side of the constituent member in the width direction within the entire range of the constituent member. The inner portion refers to the part occupying a certain range in the width direction W, including the inner edge, and the inner edge refers to the inner edge in the width direction W. Furthermore, the inner edge of a constituent member occupying a certain range in the front-rear direction is the edge obtained by connecting points located on the inner side of the constituent member in the width direction within the entire range of the constituent member. Additionally, the front end and rear end in this invention are portions occupying a certain range in the front-rear direction L, including the edges, and the front edge and rear edge are edges in the front-rear direction L. The outer end includes the front end and the rear end, and the outer edge includes the front edge and the rear edge. Furthermore, the inner side includes the inner edge and extends along the front-rear direction L. The outer side includes the outer edge and extends along the front-rear direction L. Furthermore, in this specification, the term "along the front-back direction L" refers to a direction with an angle of less than 45° relative to the front-back direction L, and the term "along the width direction W" refers to a direction with an angle of less than 45° relative to the width direction W.

[0044] The outer casing 1 has at least an absorbent article 10 and an outer cover sheet 20 disposed on the non-skin side T2 of the absorbent article 10. The absorbent article 10 can be any article used for wearing as underwear, and can be a sanitary napkin, panty liner, incontinence pad, fecal pad, or other absorbent article. The absorbent article 10 in the first embodiment is a panty liner used for wearing as underwear.

[0045] The absorbent article 10 may have at least a top sheet 11, a bottom sheet 12, and an absorbent layer 13. The top sheet 11 is a sheet material that comes into contact with the wearer's skin. The top sheet 11 forms the skin-side T1 of the absorbent article 10. The top sheet 11 may be a liquid-permeable sheet material, and may be made of any sheet-like material having a structure that allows liquid to pass through, such as non-woven fabric, woven fabric, perforated plastic sheet, or mesh. In this embodiment, the top sheet 11 is made of a single sheet material disposed over the entire area of ​​the absorbent article 10 in a top view. However, in other embodiments, the top sheet 11 may also have a center sheet disposed at the center of the absorbent article 10 in the width direction W and side sheets covering the outer portion of the center sheet.

[0046] The backing sheet 12 is the sheet material that forms the non-skin side T2 of the absorbent article 10 and abuts against the garment. The backing sheet 12 is provided with a fastening part 15 for securing it to the garment. The backing sheet 12 can be a liquid-impermeable sheet material, and can be made of polyethylene sheet, laminated nonwoven fabric mainly composed of polypropylene, breathable resin film, or sheet material obtained by bonding a breathable resin film to a nonwoven fabric such as spunbond or spunlace.

[0047] The retaining portion 15 is disposed on the non-skin surface of the backing sheet 12 and is a region provided with a retaining member (e.g., adhesive) for securing the absorbent article 10 to clothing such as underwear. In this embodiment, the retaining portion 15 extends along the width direction W and is provided in multiple portions spaced apart in the front-rear direction L. Furthermore, in a modified example, the retaining portion 15 may extend along the front-rear direction L and be provided in multiple portions spaced apart in the width direction W. The retaining portion 15 may be a retaining member disposed in the region overlapping with the absorbent layer 13.

[0048] The absorbent layer 13 is a layer containing absorbent material, which can be positioned at a location closer to the skin (T1) than the backing sheet 12. The absorbent layer 13 can be a nonwoven fabric containing cellulose fibers or a laminate made of pulp. The laminate can contain a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) along with the pulp. In the case where the absorbent layer 13 is made of nonwoven fabric, the skin-side (T1) surface of the absorbent layer 13 can be positioned to contact the wearer. That is, the absorbent layer 13 can also form the top sheet 11. An example of this type of absorbent article is a structure comprising a skin-side nonwoven fabric containing cotton fibers, a hot-air nonwoven fabric positioned at a location closer to the non-skin side (T2) than the skin-side nonwoven fabric, and a backing sheet 12 positioned at a location closer to the non-skin side (T2) than the hot-air nonwoven fabric. The skin-side nonwoven fabric forms the top sheet 11 and the absorbent layer 13, and the hot-air nonwoven fabric forms the second sheet 14. Furthermore, in either the configuration where the absorbent layer 13 is composed of a laminate containing pulp or a nonwoven fabric containing cellulose fibers, the absorbent article 10 may have a core sheet covering the absorbent layer 13. The core sheet may be made of, for example, nonwoven fabric or cotton paper. The absorbent article of this embodiment has at least a top sheet 11, an absorbent layer 13 composed of air-laid pulp sheets, and a bottom sheet 12, but does not have a core sheet. Additionally, the absorbent layer 13 can reach the outer edge of the absorbent article when viewed from above.

[0049] The absorbent article 10 may have a second sheet 14 that contacts the non-skin side of the top sheet 11. The second sheet 14 may be disposed between the top sheet 11 and the absorbent layer 13. The second sheet 14 may be a liquid-impermeable sheet, for example, it may be made of non-woven fabric. In a variation, the absorbent article 10 may also not have the second sheet 14.

[0050] The outer casing 1 may have a packaging sheet 21. The packaging sheet 21 is a sheet material for individually packaging the absorbent article 10. The packaging sheet 21 may be made of non-woven fabric or film. To ensure the airtightness of the outer casing 1, the packaging sheet 21 preferably has low air permeability and may be suitable to be made of film. In the unfolded state, the packaging sheet 21 may be rectangular in shape, having: a pair of front and rear sides 211 extending along the front-rear direction L and spaced apart in the width direction W; and a pair of width sides 212 extending along the width direction W and spaced apart in the front-rear direction L. The front and rear sides 211 form the outer edges of the packaging sheet 21, and the width sides 212 form the outer end edges of the packaging sheet 21. In the state of folding with the packaging crease FL21 described later as the base point, the pair of width sides 212 are arranged overlappingly, and the overlapping width sides 212 form the edge opposite to the packaging crease FL21.

[0051] The outer casing 1 may have a release tab 22 disposed between the absorbent article 10 and the packaging sheet 21. The release tab 22 may be a sheet that has undergone a demolding process. The release tab 22 may also have a paper substrate and a release agent attached to the substrate. The release agent may be a release agent capable of reducing the coefficient of friction of the sheet surface, and examples include silicone resins, fluoropolymers, and tetrafluoroethylene resins.

[0052] The outer casing 1 has an outer casing sheet 20. The outer casing sheet 20 is a sheet material used to secure the locking portion 15 disposed in the area overlapping with the absorbent layer 13. In the case where the locking portion 15 abuts against the packaging sheet 21, the packaging sheet 21 constitutes the outer casing sheet 20. In the case where, as in this embodiment, a release tab 22 is disposed between the packaging sheet 21 and the absorbent article 10, and the locking portion 15 abuts against the release tab 22, the release tab 22 constitutes the outer casing sheet. That is, in this embodiment, the release tab 22 constitutes the outer casing sheet 20.

[0053] The packaging sheet 21 and the peeling sheet 22 can be joined in the joining area 25. Multiple joining areas 25 can be provided at intervals in the front-rear direction L. In this embodiment, the joining area 25 has a first joining area 251 overlapping the front end of the peeling sheet 22 and a second joining area 252 overlapping the rear end of the peeling sheet 22. The first joining area 251 and the second joining area 252 can be located on both sides in the front-rear direction L, separated by the packaging crease FL21 and the peeling crease FL22 described later. A non-jointing area can be continuously provided between the first joining area 251 and the second joining area 252. The area other than the first joining area 251 and the second joining area 252 is the non-jointing area where the packaging sheet 21 and the peeling sheet 22 are not joined. The non-jointing area includes not only the area between the first joining area 251 and the second joining area 252, but also the area forward of the first joining area 251, the area rearward of the second joining area 252, and the area on the outer side in the width direction W of the joining area 25.

[0054] Before use, the outer casing 1 individually packages the absorbent article 10 using the packaging sheet 21. The absorbent article 10 can be folded together with the packaging sheet 21 and packaged separately using the packaging sheet 21, or, in the case of a release liner 22, the release liner 22 can also be folded together. Alternatively, as in Modification 2, the packaging sheet can package the pre-folded absorbent article, that is, creases are set in the absorbent article and the packaging sheet in separate processes.

[0055] In this embodiment, the packaging sheet 21 is folded with the packaging crease FL21 as the base point, and the peeling sheet 22 is folded with the peeling crease FL22 as the base point. Alternatively, the packaging crease FL21 may be located near the center of the front-rear direction L of the unfolded packaging sheet 21, and the peeling crease FL22 may be located near the center of the front-rear direction L of the unfolded peeling sheet 22. When folded with the packaging crease FL21 as the base point, the packaging sheet 21 has a roughly rectangular shape surrounded by four sides. Three of the four sides, excluding the side formed by the packaging crease FL21, have overlapping packaging sheets 21 joined together to form packaging joints. The packaging joint includes: a first packaging joint 231, which engages with a region extending inward in the front-rear direction L from the width side 212; a second packaging joint 232, which engages with a region extending inward in the width direction W from the front-rear side 211 of the packaging sheet 21 on one side relative to the center of the width direction W; and a third packaging joint 233, which engages with a region extending inward in the width direction W from the front-rear side 211 of the packaging sheet 21 on the other side relative to the center of the width direction. The width of the packaging joint can be appropriately set, but is preferably 5 mm or more to ensure sealing.

[0056] The packaging joints can be joined using well-known methods such as welding or adhesives. For example, one end of the second packaging joint 232 may be connected to the first packaging joint 231, and the other end of the second packaging joint 232 may be connected to the packaging crease FL21. Alternatively, one end of the third packaging joint 233 may be connected to the first packaging joint 231, and the other end of the third packaging joint 233 may be connected to the packaging crease FL21. By connecting the packaging joints in this way, the outer packaging 1 becomes sealed. In the packaged state, a packaging space WS capable of accommodating the absorbent article 10 is formed in the outer packaging 1. The packaging space WS is the space sandwiched between the inner surfaces of the packaging sheet 21, and when viewed from above, it is surrounded by the packaging crease FL21, the first packaging joint 231, the second packaging joint 232, and the third packaging joint 233.

[0057] In the packaged state, a cut line 27 is formed on the packaging sheet 21, which is used to form an outlet 5 for removing the absorbent article 10 (see reference). Figure 4The packaging sheet 21 is configured to individually package the absorbent article 10 before use, and to allow the absorbent article 10 to be removed via the outlet 5 during use. In this embodiment, the cut line 27 extends inward from the front and rear side edges 211 toward the width direction W. The cut line 27 is formed in the area where the first packaging joint 231 and the second packaging joint 232 are located. By cutting the packaging sheet 21 with the cut line 27 as a base point, at least one of the first packaging joint 231 and the second packaging joint 232 is severed, opening the packaging space WS and forming the outlet 5. The outlet 5 can be located at the end of the outer body 1 in the front-rear direction L of the packaged state, opposite to the article crease FL10. Therefore, when removing the absorbent article 10, the user can hold the front or rear end of the absorbent article 10 opposite to the article crease FL10 and remove it.

[0058] Before use, the absorbent article 10 is folded with the skin-side T1 of the absorbent article 10 facing inward, using the article crease FL10 along the width direction W as a base point. In this embodiment, with the packaging sheet 21, the release liner 22, and the absorbent article 10 stacked, the absorbent article 10, the packaging sheet 21, and the release liner 22 are folded together with each other using the crease along the width direction W as a base point. Therefore, the packaging crease FL21, the article crease FL10, and the release crease FL22 are formed simultaneously and overlap each other. In a variation, the article crease FL10 may also be a crease where only the absorbent article 10 is folded, without folding the packaging sheet 21 and the release liner 22 together. The article crease FL10 may also be positioned at the center of the absorbent article 10 in the front-back direction L.

[0059] Furthermore, the article crease FL10 is a crease along the width direction W among the creases of the absorbent article 10 before folding for use. The absorbent article 10 before use can be folded either using only the article crease FL10 as a base point, or it can be folded using creases other than the article crease FL10. Creases other than the article crease FL10 are creases that are not along the width direction W, such as creases along the front-back direction when folding wings.

[0060] When using the absorbent article 10, the user pulls at least one of the absorbent article 10 and the outer cover sheet 20 to separate the absorbent article 10 from the outer cover sheet 20. In this embodiment, the outer cover 1 is configured to prevent the absorbent article 10 and the outer cover sheet 20 from being separated by peeling the retaining portion 15 of the absorbent article 10 from the outer cover sheet 20. Next, the structure for preventing the absorbent article 10 and the outer cover sheet 20 from being separated will be described in detail.

[0061] In the folded state of the absorbent article 10 folded around the article crease FL10, the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10 are temporarily joined together by a temporary joint 18. The outer sheet 20 and the absorbent article 10 are separated by the user pulling on at least one of the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20. The absorbent article 10 is configured to separate from the outer sheet 20 while engaged by the temporary joint 18. Figure 1 The diagram shows the range R10 in the front-back direction of the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10 in a folded state.

[0062] Furthermore, the absorbent article 10 in its folded state only needs to be folded using at least one article crease FL10. In the case of multiple article creases FL10, it can also be folded with some article creases as the base point and not with the others. That is, in the case of multiple article creases, either the absorbent article 10 has a temporary joint 18 and is separated from the outer sheet 20 when folded with some article creases as the base point and not with the others, or the absorbent article 10 has a temporary joint 18 and is separated from the outer sheet 20 when folded with all article creases as the base point. In the case of a single article crease FL10, as in this embodiment, the absorbent article 10 has a temporary joint 18 and is separated from the outer sheet 20 when folded with that single article crease FL10 as the base point.

[0063] The folded absorbent article 10 may have a first region with mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent articles and a second region extending from the first region. The first region is the area where the absorbent articles 10 are stacked in the thickness direction T, and the second region is the area where the absorbent articles 10 are not stacked in the thickness direction T but are provided with a single layer of absorbent articles 10. In this embodiment, the absorbent article 10 is folded in half, which may be the entire area of ​​the folded absorbent article 10 as the first region, without providing the second region. Alternatively, the folded absorbent article 10 may also have its front and rear edges offset, with approximately the entire area of ​​the absorbent article 10 (e.g., more than 90%) as the first region, and a very small second region (e.g., less than 10%) provided.

[0064] The folded absorbent item 10 is positioned relative to the outer packaging sheet 20 on the removal side D1 along the front-to-back direction L (see reference). Figure 4The absorbent article 10 moves relative to the outer packaging sheet 20, thereby separating from it. The movement of the absorbent article 10 relative to the outer packaging sheet 20 toward the removal side D1 includes both a movement where the absorbent article 10 is pulled toward the removal side D1 and a movement where the outer packaging sheet 20 is pulled toward the opposite side D2 of the removal side, causing the absorbent article 10 to move relative to the removal side D1. In this embodiment, the removal side D1 is the removal outlet 5 side, and the opposite side D2 is the article crease FL10 side.

[0065] When the absorbent article 10 is folded, its facing surfaces are temporarily joined together by means of a temporary joint 18. For the structure in which the facing surfaces are joined together, in the case where the top sheet 11 faces each other as in this embodiment, the top sheet 11 may be joined together, and in the case where the top sheet 11 and the bottom sheet 12 face each other as in the third embodiment, the top sheet 11 and the bottom sheet 12 may be joined together.

[0066] The absorbent article 10 is configured to separate from the outer cover sheet 20 in a folded state, i.e., in a state temporarily joined by the temporary joint 18. Figure 4 This diagram schematically illustrates an example of the separation of the absorbent article 10. When the user removes the absorbent article 10 from the outer casing 1, a portion of the packaged sheet 21 is cut off, thereby forming an outlet 5. Figure 4 (a) is a state in which an outlet 5 is formed. The user inserts a finger or the like through the outlet 5, holds the absorbent item 10, and pulls the absorbent item 10 out of the packaging space WS. Figure 4 (b) is the state in which a portion of the absorbent article (the end in the front-to-back direction L) is pulled, causing a portion of the locking part 15 to separate from the release tab 22. Furthermore, when the user pulls the absorbent article 10, as... Figure 4 As shown in (c), the absorbent article 10 is removed from the packaging space WS, and the locking part 15 is completely separated from the release tab 22.

[0067] The user separates the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20 by pulling the folded absorbent article 10. The folded absorbent article 10 uses a temporary joint 18 to temporarily join the facing surfaces together. Therefore, when separating the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20, the absorbent article 10 can be moved while the temporarily joined area remains integrated. Compared to the unjoined state, the integrated temporary joint area provides higher rigidity and is less prone to warping. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the absorbent article 10 from warping when separating the outer sheet 20 and the absorbent article 10, to prevent the locking part 15 from being locked in an undesirable position before use, and to prevent the absorbent article 10 from becoming unusable before use.

[0068] Furthermore, in the temporarily joined area, the stiffness of this joined area is increased, making it easier to transmit the force when a pulling force is applied to the absorbent article 10. Therefore, by providing the temporarily joined area, the absorbent article 10 can be smoothly separated from the outer sheet 20. Moreover, when separating the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20, the stiffness on the absorbent article 10 side is increased due to the presence of the temporarily joined area. When peeling off the outer sheet 20, by increasing the stiffness of the absorbent article 10, which is the side to be peeled off, the peeling force can be easily and continuously applied, thereby enabling a smooth separation operation.

[0069] The temporary joint 18 can be temporarily engaged only in the state where the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20 begin to separate (the folded state before pulling at least one of them). This temporary engagement can be released in the state after separation begins, such as when the locking part 15 is partially separated from the outer sheet. However, suitably, the temporary joint 18 can be engaged until the locking part 15 is completely separated from the outer sheet 20. That is, the outer sheet 20 and the absorbent article 10 can be separated while the first region (the region where the absorbent articles are stacked) R1 is maintained by the temporary joint 18. According to this structure, twisting of the absorbent article can be suppressed throughout the entire period from the start of separation of the outer sheet 20 and the absorbent article 10 to the completion of separation, and self-adhesion of the locking part 15 can be further suppressed.

[0070] The absorbent article 10 can be configured to be installed on the garment in an open state, folded using the unused article crease FL10. That is, the absorbent article 10 can be installed on the garment in a state where the temporary engagement 18 has been released. The absorbent article 10 is in a folded state when separated from the outer cover 20, and is temporarily engaged using the temporary engagement 18. Therefore, the absorbent article 10 can be separated from the outer cover 20 while suppressing the twisting of the absorbent article 10. In addition, since the absorbent article 10 is installed on the garment in an open state, discomfort caused by the overlap of the absorbent articles 10 and the presence of the temporary engagement 18 can be suppressed during installation. Furthermore, the open state can be a state where no article crease FL10 is used, or it can be folded using creases other than article crease FL10 (e.g., creases of folding wings).

[0071] like Figure 4As shown in (b), when the absorbent article 10 is pulled relative to the outer sheet 20, the outer sheet 20 first peels off relative to the locking portion 15 at a peel angle of 90°, and then peels off further relative to the locking portion 15 at a peel angle of 180°. Furthermore, since the absorbent article 10 moves in the same pulling direction along both sides of the temporary joint 18, a shear force parallel to the opposing surfaces is generated at the temporary joint 18. This shear force parallel to the opposing surfaces is the shear force generated when the surfaces joined by the temporary joint 18 are pulled in opposite directions.

[0072] The shear force of the temporary joint 18 can be 0.03 N or more and 10.0 N or less. With a shear force of 0.03 N or more, the temporary joint 18 is easily maintained in its joined state when separating the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20. Furthermore, with a shear force of 10.0 N or less, the temporary joint 18 separates with a certain force (10.0 N or less), thus preventing adverse situations such as distortion of the absorbent body due to the continued engagement of the temporary joint 18 under strong force. Additionally, the peel force of the temporary joint 18 in a 180° peel test can be 0.01 N or more and 2.0 N or less. With a peel force of 0.01 N or more in a 180° peel test, the absorbent article can be prevented from accidentally unfolding when being removed. In addition, the peeling force of the temporary joint 18 in the 180° peel test is less than 2.0N, so that the face-to-face surfaces of the absorbent article 10 can be easily peeled off from each other and the absorbent article can be unfolded during use.

[0073] The shear force of the temporary joint 18 can be higher than the peel force of the 180° peel test between the locking part 15 and the outer sheet 20. Since this shear force is higher than the peel force of the 180° peel test between the locking part 15 and the outer sheet 20, the joint state of the temporary joint 18 can be maintained when the locking part 15 and the outer sheet 20 are peeled at 180°, and the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20 can be separated while the temporary joint 18 is in the joint state.

[0074] Suitablely, the shear force of the temporary joint 18 can be higher than the peel force of the 90° peel test between the locking part 15 and the outer sheet 20. The angle between the moving direction of the outer sheet 20 and the moving direction of the locking part 15 at the start of peeling from the absorbent article 10 is 90°. Since the peel force of the 90° peel test between the locking part 15 and the outer sheet 20 is lower than this shear force, the engagement state of the temporary joint 18 can be maintained when the locking part 15 and the outer sheet 20 are peeled at 90°, and the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20 can be separated while engaged by the temporary joint 18.

[0075] The peel force of the 90° peel test and the peel force of the 180° peel test between the locking part 15 and the outer cover 20 were measured using a universal testing machine (AG-X10plus) manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation. Specifically, firstly, the outer cover was opened to prepare the sample, ensuring that the locking part and the outer cover of the sample remained in the same state. The sample was placed in the universal testing machine, and the peel force was measured at a tensile speed of 100 mm / min. At this time, the sample was set with the angle between the outer cover and the sample being 90 degrees and 180 degrees in terms of the direction of tension. Furthermore, in the case of 90-degree evaluation, the sample was fixed at 90 degrees for evaluation. The peel direction was set as the main direction when the locking part was removed from the outer cover, and the result was set as the average value of n=5. (Unit: N / mm (mm is the total length of the locking part in the width direction)).

[0076] After the absorbent article as a sample is removed from the outer sheet 20 in a manner that does not affect the temporary joint 18, (1) the article is cut into one side and the other side using a sharp cutter or the like (this is also done in a manner that does not affect the temporary joint and the measurement area). (2) In absorbent articles with side sheets, in order to eliminate the influence of friction of the side sheets, the part corresponding to the side sheet is cut off with a cutter to prepare a sample. (3) After clamping the end edge of the cut-off side of one side of the absorbent article and the end edge of the opposite side of the absorbent article on the other side of the absorbent article in the chuck, the shear force (N / mm (mm is the length in the width direction of the cut absorbent article) at a tensile speed of 100 mm / min is measured. The result is set as the average value of n=5.

[0077] The peel force of the 180° peel test of the temporary joint 18 was measured using a universal testing machine (AG-X10plus) manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation. Specifically, firstly, an absorbent article as a sample was removed from the outer packaging sheet 20 in a manner that would not affect the temporary joint 18, and a sample was prepared. The sample was placed in the universal testing machine, and the peel force was measured at a tensile speed of 100 mm / min. At this time, the sample was set with the angle between the opposing faces being 180 degrees in terms of the direction of tension. The peel direction was set as the main direction when the other face is rolled up relative to the opposing face, and the result was taken as the average value of n=5. (Unit: N / mm (mm is the length in the width direction of the absorbent article)).

[0078] The temporary joint 18 can engage the top sheets 11 together. In a structure where the top sheets 11 are engaged using the temporary joint 18, either only facing top sheets 11 can be engaged, or other constituent members (e.g., the second sheet 14) that overlap with the top sheets 11 in the thickness direction T can also be engaged with the top sheets 11 together. By engaging the top sheets 11 together using the temporary joint 18, fingers are less likely to enter between the top sheets 11 when removing the absorbent article 10, allowing for hygienic removal of the absorbent article 10 without contact with the top sheets 11. In the method of engaging the top sheets 11 together using the temporary joint 18, the top sheets 11 may have protrusions protruding in the thickness direction and recesses recessed in the thickness direction. By the engagement of the recesses formed on the facing surfaces with the protrusions, the friction between the top sheets 11 increases, making it easier to maintain the engagement state of the temporary joint 18.

[0079] The temporary joint 18 can be used to join the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10 using an adhesive. Examples of adhesives include hot-melt adhesives. The adhesive can be configured to prevent re-bonding once peeled off. According to this solution, the temporary joint functions when the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20 are separated, and ceases to function once the absorbent article 10 is unfolded. Therefore, it can suppress contact between the adhesive and the skin during wear, thereby reducing discomfort. Here, as an adhesive that cannot be re-bonded once peeled off, an olefin-based hot-melt adhesive can be exemplified, for example. Furthermore, an adhesive that cannot be re-bonded is defined as one that includes not only a structure with a bonding force of 0N after peeling off, but also a structure with a shear force of 0.01N or less caused by a tensile test when joined after peeling off. In this embodiment, the temporary joint 18 is made of an adhesive HMA (see reference) that joins the top sheet 11 and the second sheet 14. Figure 3 More specifically, the adhesive HMA is exuded through the top sheet 11 to the skin-side surface of the top sheet 11, thereby forming a temporary joint 18.

[0080] The adhesive forming the temporary joint 18 can bond the top sheet 11 facing each other in the folded state, and also bond the top sheet 11 and the second sheet 14. The shear force between the top sheets 11 can be lower than the shear force between the top sheet 11 and the second sheet 14. According to this solution, the facing surfaces of the top sheets 11 can be unfolded when using the absorbent article 10 while maintaining the bonded state between the top sheet 11 and the second sheet 14. Delamination between the top sheet 11 and the second sheet 14 can be suppressed, thereby preventing a decrease in product quality. For example, a structure that makes the bond strength between the top sheets 11 higher than the bond strength between the top sheet and the second sheet can have a higher unit area weight of the adhesive between the top sheet 11 and the second sheet 14 than the unit area weight of the adhesive between the top sheets 11.

[0081] The temporary joint 18 is not limited to structures joined using adhesives. For example, the temporary joint 18 can also be formed by pressing the surfaces of the absorbent article together. By forming the temporary joint 18 using pressing, the density and stiffness of the portion where the temporary joint 18 is formed are increased. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the twisting of the absorbent article 10 when separating the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20. Furthermore, compared to the temporary joint 18 using adhesives, since no adhesive residue remains on the surface where the temporary joint 18 is provided, discomfort and unpleasantness upon contact with the skin can be suppressed. For example, the pressing joint can be formed by pressing the non-skin side of the absorbent article inward in the thickness direction while the skin-side surfaces of the absorbent article are facing each other, and embossing can be exemplified. In addition, it is preferable that the fibers of the pressed temporary joint are not fused. By ensuring that the fibers of the joined portion are not fused, gaps between the fibers can be ensured, thus ensuring the transfer and diffusion of bodily fluids.

[0082] The temporary joint 18 can also be formed by fusing the fibers disposed on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10 together. By forming the temporary joint 18 using fiber fusion, the density and stiffness of the portion where the temporary joint 18 is formed are increased. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the twisting of the absorbent article 10 when separating the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20. Furthermore, compared with the temporary joint 18 using adhesive, since no adhesive residue remains on the surface where the temporary joint 18 is provided, discomfort and unpleasantness upon contact with the skin can be suppressed. For example, heat fusion can be exemplified by the fiber fusion bonding method.

[0083] The area of ​​the joint region with temporary joint 18 on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10 can be smaller than the area of ​​the non-joining region without temporary joint 18 on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article. The facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10 correspond to the first region. Because the area of ​​the joint region with temporary joint 18 on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article is relatively small, it is possible to prevent the joint strength of the temporary joint from becoming too strong, thus preventing breakage of the facing surfaces when the absorbent article is unfolded from a folded state. Furthermore, the absorbent article 10 can be easily and smoothly unfolded without applying excessive force. The temporary joint 18 can be provided along the outer edge of the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10, or it can be provided over the entire area of ​​the outer edge of the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10. The temporary joint 18 can also be provided at least on the outer edge of the end that is the removal side of the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10.

[0084] Alternatively, in other embodiments, the area of ​​the bonding region with temporary joint 18 on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10 can be larger than the area of ​​the non-bonding region without temporary joint 18 on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article. Because the area of ​​the bonding region with temporary joint 18 is larger, the bonding strength of the temporary joint 18 can be improved, and the temporary bond can be easily maintained when the absorbent article is separated from the outer sheet. The bonding region can be at least one of the following: an area with adhesive constituting the temporary joint, an area with a pressed portion, and an area with a fiber fusion portion.

[0085] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the absorbent article 10 is individually packaged using a packaging sheet 21, configured to be withdrawn via an outlet 5 during use. The outlet 5 is located at the end on the side opposite to the article crease FL10 in the front-to-back direction L. In the folded state, the front edge and the rear edge of the absorbent article 10 can be offset in the front-to-back direction L. When the user wants to withdraw the absorbent article 10 from the outlet 5, they hold the front and rear ends of the absorbent article 10. At this time, since the front edge and the rear edge of the absorbent article are offset, one of the front edge and the rear edge of the absorbent article protrudes, making it easier for the user to grasp the end of the absorbent article and improving the operability of withdrawing the absorbent article 10.

[0086] Furthermore, the length by which the front edge and the rear edge of the absorbent article 10 are offset in the front-rear direction is preferably 3 mm or more, and more preferably 5 mm or more. This offset length allows the user to easily grasp the protruding portion of either the front or rear edge of the absorbent article 10. Additionally, the length by which the front edge and the rear edge of the absorbent article 10 are offset in the front-rear direction is preferably 15 mm or less, and more preferably 10 mm or less. This offset length allows the user to grasp the non-protruding side of one of the front and rear edges of the absorbent article 10 together with the protruding side, enabling the user to pull out both the front and rear edges of the absorbent article 10 together while maintaining a temporary engagement. The temporary engagement portion 18 can be provided at the end of the non-protruding side of the other edge. With this structure, the non-protruding side of the other edge can also be easily pulled out together.

[0087] In the folded state, the absorbent layer 13 is only disposed in the area overlapping the surfaces of the absorbent article 10. That is, the absorbent layer 13 is disposed in the first area and not in the second area. The absorbent layer 13 is only disposed in the area overlapping the surfaces of the absorbent article 10 and not in the area extending from the facing surfaces. The area extending from the facing surfaces is the area that the user can easily grasp when taking it out. Since the absorbent layer 13 is not disposed in the area extending from the facing surfaces, it is not easy for the user to grasp the absorbent layer 13 when taking it out, which can prevent the absorbent layer 13 from being contaminated or flattened when taking it out. In addition, if the fastening parts 15 are self-adhesive to each other in the area where the absorbent layer 13 is disposed before use, causing the area where the absorbent layer 13 is disposed to be in a distorted state, the absorbent layer 13 cannot be properly attached to the wearer, and the absorption performance cannot be ensured. However, since the absorbent layer 13 is disposed in the first region where the absorbent articles 10 overlap, the distortion of the region where the absorbent layer 13 is disposed can be suppressed when the outer sheet 20 and the absorbent articles 10 are separated, thereby ensuring absorption performance.

[0088] The temporary engagement portion 18 can be located near the removal side D1, at the center R10C of the front-rear direction L of the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10. That is, the temporary engagement portion 18 is positioned near the removal side D1 (removal outlet 5 side), at the center of the front-rear direction L of the first region. This area near the removal side D1, at the center R10C of the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10, is located at the end of the direction of movement of the absorbent article 10 and is easily grasped by the user. Because the temporary engagement portion 18 is provided in this area near the removal side D1, when the user grasps the absorbent article 10 from the removal side D1, it is less likely for fingers to enter between the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10, allowing for hygienic removal of the absorbent article 10. Furthermore, as long as at least a portion of the temporary joint 18 is located at a position closer to the take-out side D1 than the center R10C in the front-back direction of the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10, at least a portion of the temporary joint 18 may also be located at a position closer to the opposite side D2 than the center R10C in the front-back direction of the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article.

[0089] The temporary engagement portion 18 can be positioned closer to the extraction side D1 than the extraction side D1 end of the locking portion 15. That is, the extraction side D1 end of the temporary engagement portion 18 is closer to the extraction port 5 than the extraction side end of the locking portion 15. When the outer packaging sheet 20 separates from the absorbent article 10, separation begins from the extraction side D1 end of the locking portion 15. Since the temporary engagement portion 18 is provided at a position closer to the extraction side D1 than the extraction side D1 end of the locking portion 15, deformation of the absorbent article 10 when force is applied to the end of the locking portion 15 can be suppressed, and the absorbent article can be extracted while suppressing deformation. Furthermore, as long as at least a portion of the temporary engagement portion 18 is provided at a position closer to the extraction side D1 than the extraction side D1 end of the locking portion 15, at least a portion of the temporary engagement portion 18 can also be provided at a position opposite to the extraction side D2 than the extraction side D1 end of the locking portion 15.

[0090] The temporary joint 18 can be provided in the area between the locking portions 15 in the front-to-back direction L and in the area overlapping with the locking portions 15. Since the locking portions 15 are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction L, when separating the outer cover sheet and the absorbent article, the area overlapping with the locking portions 15 is pulled, and the area between the locking portions 15 is not secured to the wearable article, thus easily causing deformation. During the process of separating the outer cover sheet 20 and the absorbent article 10, the situation of the area overlapping with the locking portions 15 being pulled and the area between the locking portions 15 deforming repeatedly can easily lead to self-adhesion of the locking portions 15. However, since the temporary joint 18 is provided in both the area between the locking portions 15 and the area overlapping with the locking portions 15, deformation of the absorbent article 10 during the process of separating the outer cover sheet 20 and the absorbent article 10 can be suppressed, preventing the locking portions 15 from being secured to undesirable locations. Suitablely, the temporary joint 18 may also be configured across the area between the locking portions 15 in the front-rear direction L and the area overlapping with the locking portions 15.

[0091] The temporary joint 18 can be disposed in the area overlapping with the absorbent layer 13. Suitably, the temporary joint 18 can reach the outer edge (outer edge and outer end edge) of the absorbent layer 13. In this embodiment, the outer edge of the absorbent layer 13 coincides with the outer edge of the absorbent article 10, and the temporary joint 18 is also disposed on the outer edge of the absorbent article. According to this structure, the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20 can be separated while suppressing the twisting of the area where the absorbent layer 13 is disposed. In addition, the temporary joint 18 can be disposed on both sides of the center in the width direction W of the absorbent article 10. The absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20 can be separated while the absorbent article is temporarily joined over a large area in the width direction using the temporary joint 18. In addition, the temporary joint 18 can be provided on the outer end edge of the take-out side D1 of the absorbent article 10 in the folded state. The outer end edge of the take-out side D1 of the absorbent article 10 is a part that is easy for the user to grasp, and the twisting of this part can be suppressed. In this embodiment, the temporary joint 18 is provided in the entire area of ​​the facing surfaces.

[0092] In this embodiment, the outer casing 1 is configured such that the absorbent article 10 is separated from the packaging sheet 21 while maintaining the packaging joint of the packaging sheet 21. However, in other embodiments, the packaging joint can be released when the absorbent article 10 is separated from the packaging sheet 21. In this other embodiment, the bonding strength of the packaging joint can be lower than the shear force of the temporary joint 18. According to this structure, the packaging joint of the packaging sheet 21 can be partially separated while maintaining the temporary engagement of the temporary joint 18, thereby smoothly removing the absorbent article 10. In addition, in a modified example, the bonding strength of the packaging joint can be higher than the shear force of the temporary joint 18. According to this structure, the bonding state of the packaging joint is easily maintained, and after the absorbent article 10 is removed, the space inside the packaging sheet surrounded by the packaging joint can be maintained. After use, the absorbent article 10 can be stored in this space, thereby enabling hygienic disposal of the absorbent article 10. The bonding strength of the packaging joint can be measured, for example, by the following method. With the absorbent article 10 and the outer packaging sheet 20 separated (in a folded state before pulling at least one of them), the packaging sheet on one side joined by the packaging joint and the packaging sheet on the other side are respectively clamped onto an Instron chuck, and the maximum strength when stretched at a speed of 100 mm / min is taken as the joint strength. In this embodiment, as... Figure 4 As shown in (a), the state in which the absorbent article 10 begins to separate from the outer packaging sheet 20 is such that the packaging joint with the outlet 5 is formed is engaged.

[0093] The joining area 25 of the joining packaging sheet 21 and the peeling sheet 22 can be provided in an area that does not overlap with the packaging crease FL21 and the peeling crease FL22. If the joining area 25 is provided to overlap with the packaging crease FL21 and the peeling crease FL22, then as Figure 4 As shown, when the absorbent article 10 is removed, the release tab 22 does not separate from the packaging crease FL21, and the locking part 15 is difficult to peel off from the release tab. However, by providing the engagement area 25 in a region that does not overlap with the packaging crease FL21 and the release crease FL22, the release tab 22 easily floats relative to the packaging crease FL21 when the absorbent article 10 is removed, thereby making it easy for the locking part 15 to peel off relative to the release tab. Alternatively, in a manner where the locking part 15 abuts against the packaging sheet 21 (without the release tab), the locking part 15 can be provided in a region that does not overlap with the packaging crease FL21. According to this structure, the locking part 15 is easily peeled off relative to the packaging sheet. Furthermore, the outer packaging 1 may also have a release tab 22 for the locking part 15 to abut against, without the packaging sheet 21. According to this method, by peeling off the release tab 22, which serves as the outer packaging sheet 20, the absorbent article 10 can be used, and the separation operation between the absorbent article 10 and the outer packaging sheet 20 can be performed more easily.

[0094] (3) Outer casing of absorbent articles in other embodiments

[0095] Next, the outer casing of the absorbent article according to other embodiments will be described in detail. Furthermore, in the following description, the same reference numerals are used for structures identical to those in the first embodiment, and descriptions are omitted. See also Figure 5 The outer casing 1X of the absorbent article 10X according to the second embodiment is described. Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the folded state of the outer casing 1X according to the second embodiment. Figure 5 (a) is a top view. Figure 5 (b) is along Figure 5 (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view along the CC line. In the outer garment 1X of the second embodiment, the structure of the outer garment sheet 20 is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the structure of the absorbent article 10X is different from that of the first embodiment. The absorbent article 10X of the second embodiment has an inspection member 19 for checking the health status of the wearer.

[0096] The inspection member 19 can be a member that uses an indicator to display the wearer's health status (color), such as the inspection member described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-022585. The temporary joint 18 can be positioned closer to the removal side (removal outlet 5 side) D1 than the end of the inspection member 19 on the removal side D1. Since the temporary joint 18 is positioned closer to the removal side D1 than the inspection member 19, the rigidity of the area where the inspection member 19 is disposed can be increased, suppressing deformation of the inspection member 19 when separating the absorbent article 10X and the outer sheet 20. Furthermore, as long as at least a portion of the temporary joint 18 is positioned closer to the removal side D1 than the end of the inspection member 19 on the removal side D1, at least a portion of the temporary joint 18 can also be positioned on the opposite side D2 than the end of the inspection member 19 on the removal side D1. The temporary joint 18 can be provided in the area overlapping with the inspection member 19 in the thickness direction T. According to this method, it is possible to suppress the distortion of the area where the inspection member 19 is configured, and remove the absorbent article 10X while protecting the inspection member 19.

[0097] The inspection member 19 can be disposed between the top sheet 11 and the absorbent layer 13. A membrane covering the skin side T1 of the inspection member 19 can be disposed between the top sheet 11 and the inspection member 19. The membrane covers at least a portion of the inspection member 19, which can prevent the entire inspection member 19 from being contaminated by bodily fluids, or prevent the display portion of the inspection member 19 that indicates the inspection result from being contaminated by bodily fluids, thereby ensuring the visual legibility of the display portion. The bonding strength between the top sheet 11 and the membrane can be higher than the shear force of the temporary joint 18. In the case where the top sheets 11 are temporarily bonded to each other as in this embodiment, the shear force of the temporary joint 18 is the shear force between the top sheets 11. Since the shear force of the temporary joint 18 is relatively high, when unfolding the absorbent article during use, the absorbent article can be unfolded while maintaining the bonding state between the top sheet 11 and the membrane, thus maintaining the function of the inspection member 19, allowing the absorbent article to be used appropriately, and enabling the proper inspection of the inspection member to be performed.

[0098] Next, based on Figures 6-8 The outer casing 1Y of the absorbent article 10Y of the third embodiment will be described. Figure 6 This is a top view of the unfolded outer casing 1Y, viewed from the skin side (T1). Figure 7 This is a top view of the outer body 1Y in its folded state, folded with the crease FL10 as the reference point, as observed from the skin side T1. Figure 8This diagram illustrates the separation of the absorbent article 10Y and the outer packaging sheet 20 in the outer packaging body 1Y of the third embodiment. In the state before use, the outer packaging body 1Y of the third embodiment is folded with two creases along the width direction W as base points. That is, the outer packaging body 1Y is folded into three folds. More specifically, after the absorbent article 10Y is folded with the article crease FL10 as the base point, it is folded with the second article crease FL102, which is located forward of the article crease FL10, as the base point. In this embodiment, with the packaging sheet 21, the release sheet 22, and the absorbent article 10Y stacked, the absorbent article 10Y, the packaging sheet 21, and the release sheet 22 are folded together into three folds with creases along the width direction W as base points. Therefore, the packaging crease FL21, the article crease FL10, and the release crease FL22 are formed simultaneously and overlap each other.

[0099] The peeling sheet 22 and the packaging sheet 21 are joined by a joining area 25. Multiple joining areas 25 are arranged separately in the front-back direction L. The joining areas 25 are arranged on both sides in the front-back direction L, away from the packaging crease FL21 and the peeling crease FL22, and are separated from the packaging crease FL21, the article crease FL10 and the peeling crease FL22.

[0100] Additionally, the absorbent article 10Y has wings 7. Before using the absorbent article 10Y, the wings 7 are folded towards the skin side T1 with the wing crease FL103 as the base point. When using the absorbent article 10Y, the wings 7 are folded back towards the non-skin side T2 of the worn item with the wing crease FL103 as the base point. After the absorbent article 10Y is folded with the wing crease FL103 as the base point, it is folded with the item crease FL10 as the base point, and then folded with the second item crease FL102 as the base point. By folding the packaging sheet 21 and the absorbent article 10Y together with the two creases along the width direction as base points, it becomes an independent packaged state in which the absorbent article 10 is individually packaged using the packaging sheet 21. The outer body 1Y has a locking strip 29 that secures the outer edge of the packaging sheet in the independent packaged state. The locking portions 15 of the absorbent article 10Y can extend in the front-rear direction L and are arranged at intervals in the width direction W.

[0101] The absorbent article 10Y of the third embodiment is configured such that, in Figure 7The absorbent article 10Y is separated from the outer packaging sheet 20 in the folded state shown. This folded state is the state in which the packaging sheet 21, the release sheet 22, and the absorbent article 10Y are unfolded from their individual packaging state with the second article crease FL102 as the base point. The absorbent article 10Y in the folded state is folded with the wing crease FL103 and the article crease FL10 as the base points. In addition, in the folded state, the packaging sheet 21 is folded with the packaging crease FL21 as the base point, and the outer side of the stacked packaging sheet 21 in the width direction W is joined by the packaging joint 23. The rear end edge of the unfolded packaging sheet 21, in other words, the front-rear end edge of the packaging sheet 21 folded by the packaging crease FL21, constitutes the outlet 5 for removing the folded absorbent article 10Y from the outer packaging sheet 20.

[0102] The temporary joint 18 joins the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10Y together in the folded state. In this embodiment, the absorbent article, in the folded state, has an area where the top sheet 11 faces the bottom sheet 12 (the non-skin-side surface of the wing 7) and an area where the top sheet 11 faces each other. The temporary joint 18 is provided in at least one of the areas where the top sheet 11 and bottom sheet 12 face each other and the areas where the top sheet 11 faces each other. In this embodiment, the temporary joint 18 extends along the width direction W and spans both the areas where the top sheet 11 and bottom sheet 12 face each other and the areas where the top sheet 11 faces each other. The temporary joint 18 is provided in an area that does not overlap with the wing release tab 26, which covers the locking portion 16 provided on the wing 7. Therefore, the absorbent article can be separated from the outer cover 20 while the facing surfaces of the absorbent article 10Y are temporarily joined together using the temporary joint 18.

[0103] like Figure 8 As shown, when separating the absorbent article 10Y and the outer sheet 20, with the absorbent article 10Y folded, at least one of the front ends of the absorbent article 10Y and the front ends of the outer sheet 20 is pulled in a direction away from each other. Figure 8 (a) and Figure 8 (e) is the state in which the retaining portion 15 near the front end of the absorbent article is separated from the release tab 22. If from... Figure 8 (a) and Figure 8 The state shown in (e) further separates the absorbent article 10Y from the peeling sheet 22, thus becoming Figure 8 (b) and Figure 8 The state shown in (f). Figure 8 (b) and Figure 8 (f) represents the state where the separation of the absorbent article 10Y from the release tab 22 has progressed to the area overlapping with the temporary joint 18. If from... Figure 8 (b) and Figure 8 The state shown in (f) further separates the absorbent article 10 from the peeling sheet 22, thus becoming Figure 8 (c) and Figure 8 The state shown in (g). Figure 8 (c) and Figure 8 (g) represents the state where the separation of the absorbent article 10Y from the release liner 22 has progressed to near the article crease FL10. The absorbent article 10Y remains folded and floats relative to the packaging sheet 21 by means of the temporary joint 18. At this time, since no joint area 25 is provided within a certain range extending in the front-rear direction L from the packaging crease FL21 and the release crease FL22, the release liner 22 floats from the packaging sheet 21 within a certain range across the release crease FL22, and the absorbent article 10Y remains folded and floats relative to the packaging sheet 21. If from Figure 8 (c) and Figure 8 The state shown in (g) indicates that the absorbent article 10Y is further separated from the packaging sheet 21, thus becoming... Figure 8 (d) and Figure 8 The state shown in (h) indicates that the absorbent article 10Y maintains the joint of the temporary joint 18 separated from the packaging sheet 21 and the release sheet 22.

[0104] The absorbent layer 13 of the absorbent article 10Y is positioned inside the outer edge of the absorbent article when viewed from above. That is, the outer edge of the absorbent layer 13 is separate from the outer edge of the absorbent article. The temporary joint 18 can span the outer edge of the absorbent layer 13. With this structure, the absorbent article 10 and the outer sheet 20 can be separated while suppressing distortion in the area where the absorbent layer 13 is disposed and also suppressing distortion in the area with lower stiffness outside the absorbent layer 13.

[0105] (4) Manufacturing method of the outer casing of absorbent articles

[0106] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an outer garment with such a configuration will be described. Furthermore, for processes other than those described below, well-known methods for manufacturing absorbent articles and outer garments can be applied. The method for manufacturing the outer garment in this embodiment is a method for manufacturing outer garments 1, 1X, and 1Y, which include: absorbent articles 10, 10X, and 10Y, each having a top sheet 11 that contacts the wearer's skin and a bottom sheet 12 with a fastening portion 15 attached to the wearer; and an outer garment sheet 20 disposed on the non-skin side T2 of the absorbent articles 10, 10X, and 10Y for fastening by the fastening portion 15. The absorbent article may have an absorbent layer 13 disposed between the top sheet 11 and the bottom sheet 12.

[0107] The manufacturing method of the outer casing includes at least an adhesive application step, a folding step, and a temporary bonding step. The adhesive application step involves applying an adhesive to the non-skin side (T2) of the top sheet 11. This adhesive can be either the adhesive used to bond the top sheet 11 and the second sheet 14 as in the first embodiment, or it can be the adhesive used to bond the top sheet 11 and the absorbent layer 13. The weight per unit area of ​​the adhesive is not particularly limited, as long as it is sufficient for the skin-side surface of the top sheet 11 exposed through it. The folding step, which follows the adhesive application step, involves folding the absorbent article with the top sheets facing each other. This folding step can involve folding only the absorbent article, or it can involve folding the release liner and packaging sheet 21 together with the absorbent article. The temporary bonding step, which occurs simultaneously with or after the folding step, involves pressing the absorbent article folded in the folding step and temporarily bonding the top sheets together using the adhesive applied to them. When pressing the absorbent article, either only the temporarily joined portion (the portion where the temporary joint 18 is provided) can be pressed, or the entire absorbent article can be pressed. According to this manufacturing method, a temporary joint portion can be provided to join the top sheets together. Therefore, when separating the absorbent article and the outer sheet, the absorbent article can be moved while the temporarily joined area is integrated, and the twisting of the absorbent article can be suppressed when separating the outer sheet and the absorbent article.

[0108] The present invention has been described in detail above using the embodiments described herein. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present invention can be implemented as modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description herein is for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be restrictive in any way.

[0109] Furthermore, the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-188907, filed on November 2, 2023, are incorporated herein by reference.

[0110] Industrial availability

[0111] An outer casing for an absorbent article is provided that can prevent the fastening part from fastening to an undesirable location.

[0112] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0113] 1. 1X, 1Y, outer casing; 5. Removal port; 10. 10X, 10Y, absorbent material; 11. Top sheet; 12. Bottom sheet; 13. Absorbent layer; 14. Second sheet; 15. Locking part; 18. Temporary joint; 19. Inspection component; 20. Outer casing sheet; 21. Packaging sheet; 22. Release sheet; 25. Joint area; D1. Removal side; D2. Opposite side; FL10. Item crease; HMA. Adhesive; L. Front-back direction; T. Thickness direction; T1. Skin side; T2. Non-skin side; W. Width direction.

Claims

1. An outer casing for an absorbent article, The outer casing of the absorbent article has: An absorbent article having a top sheet that contacts the wearer's skin and a bottom sheet with a fastening part for securing to the wearer; and An outer sheath, disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent article, serves to secure the locking portion, wherein... Before use, fold the absorbent article with the skin-side of the absorbent article facing inwards, using the article crease along its width as a reference point. The folded absorbent articles, which are folded with the article's crease as the base point, are temporarily joined together by a temporary joint. The absorbent articles are then separated from the outer cover by being pulled by the user.

2. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein, The absorbent material is attached to the garment in a non-folded state, without utilizing the creases of the material.

3. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein, The shear force of the temporary joint is higher than the peel force of the 180° peel test between the locking part and the outer piece.

4. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein, The shear force of the temporary joint is higher than the peel force of the 90° peel test between the locking part and the outer piece.

5. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The temporary joint joins the top pieces together.

6. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The temporary joint uses an adhesive to join the facing surfaces of the absorbent article. The adhesive is configured to prevent re-bonding once peeled off.

7. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The absorbent article has a second sheet that contacts the non-skin side of the top sheet. The temporary joint uses an adhesive to join the facing surfaces of the absorbent article. The adhesive bonds the top sheets together and the second sheet. The shear force between the top plates is lower than the shear force between the top plate and the second plate.

8. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The temporary joint presses the surfaces of the absorbent article together to join them.

9. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The temporary joint is formed by fusing the fibers disposed on the facing surfaces of the absorbent article together.

10. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, In the folded state, the area of ​​the joint region with the temporary joint on the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article is smaller than the area of ​​the non-joint region without the temporary joint on the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article.

11. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, In the folded state, the area of ​​the joint region with the temporary joint on the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article is larger than the area of ​​the non-joint region without the temporary joint on the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article.

12. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The absorbent article in its folded state is folded in half with the article's crease as the base point. The outer casing has a packaging sheet configured to individually package the absorbent article before use, and to allow the absorbent article to be removed via a dispensing port during use. The outlet is configured to be located at the end of the outer casing on the side opposite to the crease of the article in the front-to-back direction. In the folded state, the front edge and the rear edge of the absorbent article are offset in the front-to-back direction.

13. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The absorbent article has an absorbent layer disposed between the top sheet and the bottom sheet. In the folded state, the absorbent layer is disposed only in the area that overlaps with the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article.

14. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The folded absorbent article is configured to move relative to the outer sheet toward the removal side in the front-to-back direction and separate relative to the outer sheet. The temporary joint is located closer to the removal side than the center of the front-back direction of the mutually facing surfaces of the absorbent article.

15. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The folded absorbent article is configured to move relative to the outer sheet toward the removal side in the front-to-back direction and separate relative to the outer sheet. The temporary joint is positioned closer to the removal side than the end of the removal side of the locking part.

16. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The folded absorbent article is configured to move relative to the outer sheet toward the removal side in the front-to-back direction and separate relative to the outer sheet. The retaining portion extends along the width direction and is provided in multiple portions spaced apart in the front-back direction. The temporary joint is located in the area between the fixing parts in the front-rear direction and in the area overlapping with the fixing parts.

17. The outer casing of the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The folded absorbent article is configured to move relative to the outer sheet toward the removal side in the front-to-back direction and separate relative to the outer sheet. The absorbent article has a detection component for checking the wearer's health status. The temporary joint is positioned closer to the removal side than the end of the removal side of the inspection member.

18. A method for manufacturing an outer cover of an absorbent article, the outer cover comprising: an absorbent article having a top sheet that contacts the skin of a wearer and a bottom sheet having a locking portion attached to the wearer; and an outer cover disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent article for locking by the locking portion, wherein, The manufacturing method has the following steps: In the adhesive application process, adhesive is applied to the non-skin side of the top sheet; A folding process, which, after the adhesive application process, folds the absorbent article so that the top sheets face each other. as well as In the temporary joining process, the absorbent article folded through the folding process is pressed, and the top sheets are temporarily joined together using the adhesive that has passed through the top sheets.

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