Absorbent article

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article having a side flap achieving both tensile strength and flexibility, and a fastening tape that can be attached and detached repeatedly and is hardly peeled off when temporarily fastened to the side flap.SOLUTION: An absorbent article (1) includes a body part (10), side flaps (20), and fastening tapes (30). In the state that both side parts (10F) are spread and the side flaps 89 (20) are folded at a first folding line part (41) and a second folding line part (42), and the fastening tapes (30) are folded at a tape folding line part (36), folded tape skin side surfaces and opposed surfaces are temporality fastened by engagement parts (34). Each of the side flaps (20) is composed of one piece of non-woven fabric provided with high density parts (25) whose density is higher than that of the surrounding part. Each of the engagement part (34) includes a hook part (34f) and an adhesive part (34a).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an absorbent article. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a tape-type absorbent article is known that has a pair of side flaps on both sides of a main body and fastening tapes at the tips of the side flaps. Such absorbent articles may be shipped in a state in which the fastening tape is folded so that the engagement portion faces inward and the fastening tape is temporarily attached to the side flaps via the engagement portion. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a tape-type absorbent article in which the folded fastening tape is temporarily attached to the side flaps via a fastening surface coated with an adhesive. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-202724 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When wearing a tape-type absorbent article, the side flaps are pulled and wrapped around the wearer's waist while the fastening tape is engaged (locked) to the waistband member of the absorbent article. Therefore, the side flaps need to be strong enough to withstand pulling and flexible at the same time. In addition, the fastening tape needs to be repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the waistband member for reasons such as adjusting the engagement position, and when the fastening tape is temporarily attached to the side flaps as in Patent Document 1, the temporarily attached engagement portion needs to be difficult to peel off.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide an absorbent article having side flaps that combine tensile strength and flexibility, and fastening tape that can be repeatedly attached and detached and is difficult to peel off when temporarily attached to the side flaps. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The main invention for achieving the above object is an absorbent article comprising a main body portion having a liquid-absorbent core, both side portions of which are folded along a main body fold line portion along the longitudinal direction of the main body, side flaps joined to the main body portion, and fastening tape joined to the tip portions of the side flaps, wherein, in a state in which the both side portions are unfolded, and the side flaps are folded along a first fold line portion and a second fold line portion which is closer to the base end portion of the side flaps than the first fold line portion and protrude outward from the main body portion, and in a state in which the fastening tape is folded along a tape fold line portion, a surface of the main body portion which will be the skin side when worn is called the skin side of the main body, a surface of the main body portion which will not be the skin side when worn is called the non-skin side of the main body, and a surface of the side flaps which will be the skin side when worn is called the fastening tape. the surface of the side flap that will be the non-skin side when worn is referred to as the flap non-skin side, the surface of the fastening tape that will be the skin side when worn is referred to as the tape skin side, and the surface of the fastening tape that will be the non-skin side when worn is referred to as the tape non-skin side, the flap non-skin sides folded back by the first fold line are temporarily fastened to each other by a first temporary fastening portion, the flap skin side folded back by the second fold line and the surface of the main body that will be the skin side are temporarily fastened to each other by a second temporary fastening portion, the tape skin side folded back by the tape fold line and a surface facing the tape skin side are temporarily fastened by an engagement portion provided on the tip side of the fastening tape closer to the tape fold line, the main body fold line is located more inward in the width direction of the main body than the fastening tape, the side flaps are formed from a single piece of nonwoven fabric having a high density portion that is denser than the surrounding area, and the engagement portion has a hook portion with a plurality of hooks protruding in the thickness direction and an adhesive portion to which an adhesive is applied.

[0007] Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention and the accompanying drawings. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an absorbent article having side flaps that combine tensile strength and flexibility, and fastening tape that can be repeatedly attached and detached and is difficult to peel off when temporarily attached to the side flaps. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the absorbent article 1 in an unfolded state, as viewed from the skin side. [Diagram 2] Fig. 2A is an exploded explanatory view of the AA cross section in Fig. 1. Fig. 2B is an enlarged explanatory view of the BB cross section in Fig. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the absorbent article 1 in a worn state. [Figure 4] Figures 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams of the fastening tape 30 before it is unfolded. Figure 4C is an explanatory diagram showing the fastening tape 30 in the same state as in Figure 4B with some components omitted. [Diagram 5] Fig. 5A is an explanatory diagram of the folding line of the side flap 20. Fig. 5B is an explanatory diagram of the absorbent article 1 in a state in which the side flap 20 is folded and temporarily fixed (temporarily fixed state). Fig. 5C is an enlarged explanatory diagram of the CC cross section of Fig. 5B. [Figure 6] Fig. 6A is an explanatory diagram of a main body folding line portion 43 of the absorbent article 1. Fig. 6B is an explanatory diagram of the absorbent article 1 in a state in which both side portions in the main body width direction are folded at the main body folding line portion 43. Fig. 6C is an enlarged explanatory diagram of the DD cross section of Fig. 6B. [Figure 7] Fig. 7A is a plan view illustrating the configuration of an engaging portion 34 of the fastening tape 30. Fig. 7B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the fastening tape 30 is folded and temporarily fastened. [Figure 8]13 is a plan view illustrating a modified configuration of an engaging portion 34 of the fastening tape 30. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating the arrangement of a main body non-joint portion 17. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the absorbent article 1 when worn. [Figure 11] 13A and 13B are a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of the absorbent core 11. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] At least the following points will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0011] (Aspect 1) An absorbent article comprising a main body portion having a liquid-absorbent core, both side portions of which are folded along a main body fold line along the longitudinal direction of the main body, side flaps joined to the main body portion, and fastening tapes joined to the tip portions of the side flaps, wherein, in a state in which the both side portions are unfolded, and the side flaps are folded along a first fold line and a second fold line that is closer to the base end of the side flaps than the first fold line and protrude outward from the main body portion, and in a state in which the fastening tapes are folded along tape fold lines, a surface of the main body portion that will be the skin side when worn is referred to as the main body skin side, a surface of the main body portion that will be the non-skin side when worn is referred to as the main body non-skin side, a surface of the side flaps that will be the skin side when worn is referred to as the flap skin side, and a non-skin side when worn is referred to as the flap skin side. an absorbent article characterized in that, when the surface of the side flap that faces the skin is defined as the flap non-skin side, the surface of the fastening tape that faces the skin when worn is defined as the tape skin side, and the surface of the fastening tape that faces the non-skin side when worn is defined as the tape non-skin side, the non-skin sides of the flaps folded back by the first fold line are temporarily fastened to each other by a first temporary fastening portion, the skin side of the flap folded back by the second fold line and the skin side surface of the main body are temporarily fastened by a second temporary fastening portion, the skin side of the tape folded back by the tape fold line and a surface facing the skin side of the tape are temporarily fastened by an engaging portion provided on the tip side of the fastening tape closer to the tape fold line, the main body fold line is located more inward in the width direction of the main body than the fastening tape, the side flaps are formed of a single sheet of nonwoven fabric having a high density portion that is denser than the surrounding area, and the engaging portion has a hook portion with a plurality of hooks protruding in the thickness direction and an adhesive portion coated with an adhesive.

[0012] According to the absorbent article of the first aspect, the side flaps are formed of a single sheet of nonwoven fabric with a high density portion, thereby realizing side flaps that are both tensile strength and flexibility. In addition, in the fastening tape, the engaging portion has a hook portion, which allows it to be repeatedly attached to and detached from the nonwoven fabric, and the engaging portion has an adhesive portion, which makes it difficult to peel off when the fastening tape is folded and temporarily fixed. In particular, even if the main body and the fastening tape rub against each other when both sides of the main body are folded during product shipping, the engaging portion can be made difficult to peel off.

[0013] (Aspect 2) 2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric constituting the side flaps has a basis weight greater than the basis weight of other sheet members constituting the absorbent article.

[0014] According to the absorbent article of the second aspect, the nonwoven fabric constituting the side flaps tends to be thicker and more rigid than the other sheet members constituting the absorbent article, which makes it easier to ensure the tensile strength when the side flaps are pulled to both sides.

[0015] (Aspect 3) 3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the engagement portion has the adhesive portion closer to the tip portion of the fastening tape than the hook portion.

[0016] According to the absorbent article of aspect 3, when the fastening tape is folded and temporarily secured by the engaging portion, the area near the tip is engaged by the adhesive portion, making it difficult for the tip of the fastening tape to roll up and making it easier to prevent the hook portion located on the base end side from rolling up.

[0017] (Aspect 4) The absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the engaging portion further includes the hook portion on the tip end side of the fastening tape relative to the adhesive portion.

[0018] According to the absorbent article of aspect 4, the fastening tape is provided with two hook portions, which makes it possible to further increase the engaging force of the engaging portion when worn. Even if the engaging force of one of the two hook portions decreases, the engaging portions can be engaged as long as the engaging force of the other hook portion is maintained, so that the engaging force is easily maintained even when the article is repeatedly put on and taken off.

[0019] (Aspect 5) The absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 4, wherein the engagement portion is provided at a predetermined distance from the tape fold line portion.

[0020] According to the absorbent article of the fifth aspect, the engaging portion is less likely to bend when the fastening tape is folded, so that the engaging force is prevented from deteriorating. In particular, the hooks of the hook portion are prevented from being deformed or damaged, so that the engaging force of the engaging portion is less likely to decrease, and the absorbent article can be easily attached and detached to the target area repeatedly.

[0021] (Aspect 6) An absorbent article as described in any one of aspects 1 to 5, wherein the tip of the fastening tape has a tab which is an area that is pinched by a user during use, and the engagement portion is provided at a predetermined distance from the tab.

[0022] According to the absorbent article of the sixth aspect, since the engaging portion is provided away from the tab, the engaging portion is less likely to be pinched by fingers when the fastening tape is deployed, and the hook is prevented from being crushed, which would reduce the engaging force, or the hook can prevent the fingers from being injured. This makes it easier to ensure good engaging force and safety.

[0023] (Aspect 7) An absorbent article as described in any of aspects 1 to 6, wherein the main body portion has a back sheet arranged on the non-skin side of the absorbent core and a side gather sheet arranged on the skin side of the back sheet, and in the main body width direction, there is a main body non-jointed portion between the absorbent core and the side flaps where the back sheet and the side gather sheet are not joined, and the width of the area where the main body portion and the side flaps are joined is larger than the width of the main body non-jointed portion.

[0024] According to the absorbent article of the seventh aspect, when the side flaps are pulled to both sides and wrapped around the wearer's waist during wearing, the force pulling the side flaps is buffered by the non-jointed parts of the main body and is less likely to act directly on the absorbent core. This makes it less likely for the absorbent core to lose its shape, making it easier to prevent deterioration of water absorption performance. In addition, since the width of the base end region joining the side flaps to the main body is wider than the width of the non-jointed parts of the main body, it is easier to ensure the joining strength of the side flaps compared to the reverse case. This makes it easier to prevent the joining of the side flaps from coming loose or breaking.

[0025] (Aspect 8) An absorbent article as described in any of aspects 1 to 7, wherein the side flaps have two pairs of fastening tapes spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the main body, and the main body non-jointed portions are longer than the side flaps in the longitudinal direction of the main body and are continuous at least from the front end of the side flaps to the rear end of the main body portion.

[0026] According to the absorbent article of the eighth aspect, when the side flaps are pulled outward, the main body portion (non-jointed portion) becomes easily deformed over the entire area overlapping the side flaps in the longitudinal direction of the main body, and the angle of the side flaps and the two pairs of fastening tapes provided on the outside of the side flaps can be changed. This makes it possible to finely adjust the tightness of the waist and the engagement position according to the wearer's body shape and size, improving the fit of the absorbent article.

[0027] (Aspect 9) An absorbent article described in any of aspects 1 to 8, wherein the absorbent core has an absorbent core central region, which is the region with the narrowest width in the main body width direction, and absorbent core wing regions, which are regions protruding from the absorbent core central region on both sides in the main body width direction, and at least a portion of the outer edge of the absorbent core wing region has a curved shape.

[0028] According to the absorbent article of the ninth aspect, when the side flaps are pulled to both sides during the wearing action, the occurrence of stress concentration at a certain location in the absorbent core wing region is suppressed, and the stress is easily dispersed. Therefore, the absorbent core is prevented from losing its shape, and the action of pulling the side flaps to both sides in the main body width direction is prevented from being interfered with by the highly rigid absorbent core. This makes it easier to freely change the angle and position at which the fastening tape is engaged, and the fit of the absorbent article when worn can be further improved.

[0029] (Aspect 10) 10. The absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 9, wherein the wing regions of the absorbent core have a lower bending resistance than the central region of the absorbent core.

[0030] According to the absorbent article of the tenth aspect, the absorbent core wing region is more easily deformed than the absorbent core central region. Therefore, when the side flaps are pulled to both sides, the absorbent core wing region is deformed, and the fastening tape is easily engaged at an angle. This improves the fit of the absorbent article when worn.

[0031] (Aspect 11) An absorbent article as described in any one of aspects 1 to 10, wherein the absorbent core central region has a plurality of compression sections arranged along the longitudinal direction of the main body to compress the absorbent core in the thickness direction, and the absorbent core wing region has no compression sections.

[0032] According to the absorbent article of the eleventh aspect, the compression parts are provided to increase the stiffness of the absorbent core central region, and the absorbent core is prevented from losing its shape. On the other hand, the absence of compression parts makes the rigidity of the absorbent core wing regions lower than that of the absorbent core central region, and the absorbent core wing regions are more likely to deform. This makes it easier to engage the fastening tape obliquely. This improves the fit of the absorbent article when worn.

[0033] (Aspect 12) An absorbent article described in any of aspects 1 to 11, wherein a core wrap sheet covering the absorbent core in the thickness direction is provided on both thickness directions of the absorbent core central region, and the core wrap sheet is not provided on at least one thickness direction side of the absorbent core wing region.

[0034] According to the absorbent article of the twelfth aspect, by being covered with the core wrap sheet, the liquid absorbent fiber (SAP, etc.) in the absorbent core central region is less likely to come apart, and deformation, etc., can be prevented. Meanwhile, since the core wrap sheet is not provided on at least one side of the absorbent core wing region in the thickness direction, the absorbent core wing region is easily deformed flexibly, and when the side flaps are pulled to both sides, the fastening tape can be easily engaged at an angle. This can further improve the fit of the absorbent article when worn.

[0035] (Aspect 13) An absorbent article as described in any one of aspects 1 to 12, having a main body both side joint portion between the absorbent core and the main body non-joint portion in the main body width direction, which joins the back sheet and the side gather sheet along the main body longitudinal direction.

[0036] According to the absorbent article of the thirteenth aspect, when the side flaps are pulled to both sides during the wearing action, the force along the width direction of the main body acts on a wide range in the longitudinal direction of the main body at the joints on both sides of the main body. In other words, the pulling force is easily distributed over a wide range in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent core. This makes it possible to prevent the absorbent core from losing its shape.

[0037] (Aspect 14) 14. The absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 13, wherein a distance between the absorbent core and the main body side joint portions in the main body width direction is greater than a maximum value of a thickness of the absorbent core.

[0038] According to the absorbent article of the fourteenth aspect, the width of the body two-side joint parts provided between the absorbent core and the body non-joint parts can be made larger than in the reverse case. Also, by suppressing the thickness of the absorbent core, the rigidity of the absorbent core is unlikely to be excessively high, and the action of pulling the side flaps to both sides is unlikely to be interfered with.

[0039] (Aspect 15) 15. The absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 14, wherein when the side flaps are folded and temporarily fastened, the second temporarily fastened portion is spaced a predetermined distance from the main body non-joined portion.

[0040] According to the absorbent article of the fifteenth aspect, when the folded side flaps are unfolded and the second temporary fastening parts are peeled off, the side gather sheet is integrated with the back sheet in the area overlapping with the second temporary fastening parts, so that the side gather sheet alone is prevented from being pulled by the side flap sheet. This makes it possible to prevent the side gather sheet from being torn.

[0041] ===First embodiment=== <Overall configuration of absorbent article 1> Fig. 1 is a plan view of the absorbent article 1 in an unfolded state, as viewed from the skin side. Fig. 2A is an exploded explanatory view of the AA cross section in Fig. 1. Fig. 2B is an enlarged explanatory view of the BB cross section in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an explanatory view of the absorbent article 1 in a worn state.

[0042] In the following description, the side that should be located on the skin side of the wearer may be referred to as the "skin side", and the side that should be located on the non-skin side of the wearer may be referred to as the "non-skin side". As shown in FIG. 1, the longitudinal direction of the main body 10 of the long absorbent article 1 may be referred to as the "main body longitudinal direction", and the short side direction of the main body 10 may be referred to as the "main body width direction". In the main body width direction, the center side of the absorbent article 1 may be referred to as the "inner side", and the opposite side may be referred to as the "outer side". In addition, the inner end of each sheet may be referred to as the "base end", and the outer end of each sheet may be referred to as the "tip end". In addition, the direction perpendicular to the main body longitudinal direction and the main body width direction may be referred to as the "thickness direction". In addition, in the thickness direction, the side of the top sheet 12 as viewed from the absorbent core 11 may be referred to as the "front side", and the opposite side may be referred to as the "rear side". When the absorbent article 1 is fully unfolded, the "skin side" becomes the "outer side", but as will be described later, when the sheet is folded, the "non-skin side" may become the "outer side".

[0043] The absorbent article 1 is an article that absorbs and retains excretory liquid (e.g., urine) from a wearer. The absorbent article 1 of this embodiment is a disposable diaper for adults. However, the absorbent article 1 may also be a diaper for infants, a sanitary napkin, or the like.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 1, the absorbent article 1 has a front portion 3, a crotch portion 5, and a rear portion 7. The front portion 3 is a portion that will be located on the front side (abdominal side) of the wearer. The rear portion 7 is a portion that will be located on the rear side (buttocks side, back side) of the wearer. The crotch portion 5 is a portion that will be located between the front portion 3 and the rear portion 7.

[0045] The absorbent article 1 has a main body 10, side flaps 20, and a fastening tape 30. As described below, the absorbent article of this embodiment also has a skin-side side gather sheet 14 (skin-side sheet) constituting the main body, and a side flap sheet 21 having a base end region 21A joined to the skin-side sheet and an area outside the base end region 21A constituting the side flap 20.

[0046] The main body part 10 is a strip-shaped part located at the central part in the main body width direction of the absorbent article 1, and is configured along the longitudinal direction across the front part 3, the crotch part 5, and the rear part 7. The main body part 10 has an absorption region 10A and a wing region 10B. The absorption region 10A is a region for absorbing and holding liquid, and is formed at the central part of the main body part 10. The wing region 10B is a region outside the absorption region 10A. A side flap 20 is formed outside the rear part 7 of the wing region 10B. An elastic part 15 that constitutes a leg gather for preventing urine and feces leakage from around the wearer's legs is provided at the crotch part 5 of the wing region 10B (see FIG. 1).

[0047] The main body part 10 has an absorbent core 11, a topsheet 12, and a backsheet 13. The absorbent core 11 is a member for absorbing and holding liquid (excreted liquid), and is formed in a substantially hourglass shape as shown in FIG. 1 by liquid-absorbent fibers such as pulp fibers mixed with a superabsorbent polymer (SAP), for example. Specifically, in the absorbent core 11 of the present embodiment, the width W11a is the narrowest in the region of the central part (crotch part 5) in the main body longitudinal direction, and the width W11b is the widest in the regions of both ends in the main body longitudinal direction (W11a < W11b). Hereinafter, in the absorbent core 11, the region of the width W11a at the central part in the main body width direction is called the absorbent core central region 11C, and the region protruding outward in the main body width direction from the absorbent core central region 11C is called the absorbent core wing region 11W. Further, at least a part of the region of the absorbent core 11 may be covered by a liquid-permeable sheet member such as tissue paper or non-woven fabric (see the core wrap sheet 19 shown in FIG. 19, not shown in FIG. 1).

[0048] The topsheet 12 is a liquid-permeable sheet member (non-woven fabric) disposed on the skin side of the absorbent core 11. The backsheet 13 is a sheet member disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent core 11, and is a sheet member having a laminated structure (not shown) in which a liquid-impermeable film and a non-woven fabric provided on the non-skin side of the liquid-impermeable film are laminated. Hereinafter, in the main body part 10, the surface that becomes the skin side in the thickness direction when the absorbent article 1 is worn is also referred to as the "main body skin side surface", and the surface that becomes the non-skin side in the thickness direction when worn is also referred to as the "main body non-skin side surface".

[0049] The main body portion 10 also has a pair of side gather sheets 14. The pair of side gather sheets 14 are sheets that constitute three-dimensional gathers that stand on the skin side of the top sheet 12. The outer ends of the side gather sheets 14 are joined at joints along the longitudinal direction of the main body so that they cannot stand up. The inner ends of the side gather sheets 14 are given a contraction force in the longitudinal direction by rubber thread (not shown) or the like, and this contraction force causes them to stand on the skin side in the thickness direction and function as three-dimensional gathers.

[0050] The side flaps 20 are portions joined to the main body portion 10 and formed to protrude outward in the width direction of the main body. The side flaps 20 are composed of a side flap sheet 21 which is a nonwoven fabric. An inner base end region 21A of the side flap sheet 21 is joined between the back sheet 13 and the side gather sheet 14, and an area outside the base end region 21A of the side flap sheet 21 constitutes the side flap 20. Hereinafter, the surface of the side flap 20 which faces the skin in the thickness direction when the absorbent article 1 is worn is also referred to as the "flap skin side", and the surface which faces away from the skin in the thickness direction when worn is also referred to as the "flap non-skin side".

[0051] In this embodiment, since the side gather sheet 14 is joined to the skin side of the base end region 21A of the side flap sheet 21, the side gather sheet 14 becomes the "skin side sheet". However, the top sheet 12 may be joined to the skin side of the base end region 21A of the side flap sheet 21, in which case the top sheet 12 becomes the "skin side sheet". Also, the non-skin side of the base end region 21A of the side flap sheet 21 may be joined to another sheet instead of the back sheet 13.

[0052] At least a part of the region of the side flap sheet 21 constituting the side flap 20 is subjected to a compression process such as embossing to form a high density portion 25 having a higher density than the surrounding region (see FIG. 5A, etc., described later). The high density portion 25 is formed, for example, by sandwiching the side flap sheet 21 (nonwoven fabric) between an embossing roller having projections and recesses and a flat roller. That is, the projections of the embossing roller heat-bond the fibers of the side flap sheet 21 (nonwoven fabric), and the nonwoven fabric is turned into a film, thereby forming the high density portion 25 having a higher density than the surrounding region. The high density portion 25 may be formed in a line shape arranged in a lattice or stripe shape, or in a dot shape having a predetermined size. Then, a high density region 25R is formed in the side flap sheet 21 by distributing a plurality of these dot-shaped or line-shaped high density portions 25. In this embodiment, the high density region 25R is formed over almost the entire side flap sheet 21, thereby increasing the rigidity of the side flap 20. However, the high density region 25R may be formed only in a part of the side flap sheet 21.

[0053] The fastening tape 30 is a tape-like portion joined to the flap tip 23 of the side flap 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the fastening tape 30 is deployed so as to protrude outward from the flap tip 23 when in use. As shown in FIG. 3, the fastening tape 30 is used by engaging with the target area 3A (the engagement area on the non-skin side of the backsheet 13) of the front part 3 when the absorbent article 1 is worn. Hereinafter, the surface of the fastening tape 30 that faces the skin in the thickness direction when the absorbent article 1 is worn is also referred to as the "tape skin side", and the surface that faces the non-skin side in the thickness direction when worn is also referred to as the "tape non-skin side".

[0054] An engaging portion 34 is formed on the skin side (tape skin side) of the fastening tape 30. The engaging portion 34 will be described in detail later.

[0055] The fastening tape 30 is composed of two base sheets (a first base sheet 31 and a second base sheet 32) that are bonded together. An engagement portion 34 is formed on the skin-facing surface of the first base sheet 31 that is disposed on the skin-facing side. As shown in FIG. 2B, the two base sheets that constitute the fastening tape 30 can be divided into a base end region 33X, an intermediate region 33A, an engagement region 33B, and a tip region 33C.

[0056] The base end region 33X is a region joined to the side flap 20. In the base end region 33X, the tip of the side flap sheet 21 is sandwiched and joined between the first base sheet 31 and the second base sheet 32. The base end region 33X belongs to the side flap 20, and a part of the first base sheet 31 (base end region 33X) is arranged on the skin side surface of the side flap 20, and a part of the second base sheet 32 ​​(base end region 33X) is arranged on the non-skin side surface of the side flap 20.

[0057] The regions other than the base end region 33X (the intermediate region 33A, the engagement region 33B, and the tip region 33C) are regions that are deployed by protruding outward from the flap tip 23 of the side flap 20 during use. The intermediate region 33A is a region between the base end region 33X and the engagement region 33B. The engagement region 33B is a region where the engagement portion 34 is provided. The tip region 33C is a region closer to the tape tip 35 side than the engagement region 33B. The tip region 33C is configured as a non-engagement surface where the engagement portion 34 is not provided, and functions as a "knob" that is held by the fingers when the fastening tape 30 is used (when it is deployed or worn). The tip region 33C may be colored to improve the visibility of the part where the fastening tape 30 is held.

[0058] 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams of the fastening tape 30 before being unfolded. FIG. 4A is a plan view of the fastening tape 30 before being unfolded. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the fastening tape 30 before being unfolded. In the fastening tape 30 before being unfolded, the tape tip 35, which is the end portion on the tip side of the fastening tape 30, is folded back from the outside to the inside in the width direction of the main body by the tape folding line 36 along the longitudinal direction of the main body. The tape folding line 36 is formed in the middle region 33A (or the boundary between the base end region 33X and the middle region 33A). The tape skin side folded back by the tape folding line 36 and the surface facing the tape skin side (the side flap skin side in FIG. 4B) are temporarily fixed by the engagement portion 34, so that the fastening tape 30 is maintained in a folded state. Note that "temporarily fixed" means that the tape is not peeled off during manufacturing and transportation, etc., but is joined to such an extent that it can be peeled off by hand when used.

[0059] In addition, in order to make it easier to grasp the tip region 33C in the folded state, the fastening tape 30 is folded so that the tape tip portion 35 (the tip portion of the tip region 33C) protrudes inward beyond the first base sheet 31.

[0060] Fig. 4C is an explanatory diagram illustrating the fastening tape 30 in the same state as Fig. 4B, with some components omitted. In the following description, the fastening tape 30 may be illustrated with the base end region 33X omitted, as in Fig. 4C. In the following description, the fastening tape 30 may be illustrated as a single sheet, as in Fig. 4C.

[0061] Fig. 5A is an explanatory diagram of the folding line of the side flap 20. Fig. 5B is an explanatory diagram of the absorbent article 1 in a state where the side flap 20 is folded and temporarily fastened (temporarily fastened state). Fig. 5C is an enlarged explanatory diagram of the CC cross section of Fig. 5B. As shown in the figure, the side flap 20 of the absorbent article 1 is temporarily fastened in a folded state. This makes it easier to tuck the rear part 7 of the absorbent article 1 under the wearer when the absorbent article 1 is worn by the wearer.

[0062] The side flaps 20 are folded from a state in which they protrude outward from the main body 10 in the width direction of the main body (see FIG. 5A) by a first fold line 41 and a second fold line 42 (see FIG. 5B and FIG. 5C). The first fold line 41 is provided on the side of the flap tip 23 of the side flap 20 and is a fold line along the longitudinal direction of the main body. The second fold line 42 is provided on the base end side in the width direction of the main body from the first fold line 41 and is a fold line along the longitudinal direction of the main body. When the side flaps 20 in the unfolded state are viewed from the skin side, the first fold line 41 is a mountain fold line and the second fold line 42 is a valley fold line (see FIG. 5A). In other words, the side flaps 20 are folded in an accordion-like manner by being folded back alternately.

[0063] In the following description, the region between the first fold line 41 and the flap tip 23 in the side flap 20 may be referred to as the "outer region 20B". Also, the region facing the skin side surface of the main body 10 when folded (here, the region between the first fold line 41 and the second fold line 42) may be referred to as the "inner region 20A". Since the side flap sheet 21 constituting the side flap 20 has a thickness, the region that is folded when the side flap 20 is folded has a width, but here, the "fold line" refers to the center position of the folded region. Also, as described above, the side flap sheet 21 has a high density region 25R in which the high density portion 25 is distributed and arranged over the entire surface, and the rigidity is increased, so that the first fold line 41 and other folds are easily formed and the folded shape is easily maintained.

[0064] The side flaps 20 are temporarily secured in a folded state. Specifically, the side flaps 20 are temporarily secured by a first temporary securing portion 51 and a second temporary securing portion 52. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5C, the first temporary securing portion 51 temporarily secures the non-skin-facing sides of the side flaps 20 folded back by the first folding line portion 41, and the second temporary securing portion 52 temporarily secures the skin-facing sides of the side flaps 20 folded back by the second folding line portion 42 to the skin-facing side of the main body portion 10. As a result, the shape of the side flaps 20 is fixed in a bellows-like folded state by the first folding line portion 41 and the second folding line portion 42, making it easier to lay the rear portion 7 of the absorbent article 1 under the wearer.

[0065] The first temporary fastening portion 51 and the second temporary fastening portion 52 are each formed by applying an adhesive, such as a hot melt adhesive, in a line shape. For example, the adhesive is applied in a zigzag pattern along the longitudinal direction of the main body while being moved back and forth at a predetermined width in the width direction of the main body. In addition to applying the adhesive in a zigzag pattern, the adhesive may be applied in a repeating wavy or circular pattern, or the adhesive may be applied continuously along the longitudinal direction of the main body.

[0066] 5B and 5C, in the state where the side flap 20 is folded and temporarily fixed, the flap tip 23 is located outside the first fold line 41. As a result, in the temporarily fixed state, the outer region 20B of the side flap 20 (the region between the first fold line 41 and the flap tip 23) is arranged on the front side with the flap tip 23 on the outside. This makes it easy to pull the flap tip 23 outward and unfold the side flap 20 (flap unfolding work). If the side flap 20 is folded so that the flap tip 23 is on the inside of the first fold line 41, the flap tip 23 will be on the inside and will be below the wearer when the rear part 7 of the absorbent article 1 is laid under the wearer, and as a result, it will be difficult to pull the flap tip 23 outward, making the flap unfolding work difficult. In contrast, in this embodiment, even after the rear portion 7 of the absorbent article 1 has been placed under the wearer, the flap tip portions 23 can be easily pulled outward, facilitating the operation of unfolding the flaps.

[0067] As already explained, the fastening tape 30 is folded with the engagement portion 34 engaged with the flap skin side surface of the side flap 20. When the fastening tape 30 is folded in this manner and the flap tip portion 23 is positioned outside the first fold line portion 41, the fastening tape 30 is disposed on the front side of the side flap 20. Therefore, in this embodiment, the operation of unfolding the fastening tape 30 (tape unfolding operation) is also facilitated.

[0068] On the other hand, when the fastening tape 30 is disposed on the front side of the side flap 20, the tape tip 35 of the fastening tape 30 is likely to come into contact with the wearer's skin. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 5B and 5C, when the side flap 20 is temporarily fastened (temporarily fastened state), the tape tip 35 of the fastening tape 30 is located outside the first fold line 41. As a result, the tape tip 35 of the fastening tape 30 disposed on the front side in the temporarily fastened state does not protrude inward from the folded side flap 20, and is therefore unlikely to come into contact with the wearer's skin. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the rear portion 7 of the absorbent article 1 is placed under the wearer, the wearer does not feel uncomfortable.

[0069] Fig. 6A is an explanatory diagram of the main body fold line portion 43 of the absorbent article 1. Fig. 6B is an explanatory diagram of the absorbent article 1 in a state where both side portions in the main body width direction are folded at the main body fold line portion 43. Fig. 6C is an enlarged explanatory diagram of the DD cross section of Fig. 6B. Note that Fig. 6A shows a state where the absorbent article 1 is in a state where the side flaps 20 and the fastening tape 30 are folded and temporarily fastened while the main body fold line portion 43 is unfolded (see Figs. 4C and 5C).

[0070] When the absorbent article 1 is packaged, the side flaps 20 are folded and temporarily fixed (see FIG. 6A), and then both side portions in the width direction of the main body portion 10 are folded from outside to inside by a pair of main body folding lines 43 along the main body longitudinal direction (see FIG. 6B and FIG. 6C). Hereinafter, the portions of the main body portion 10 that are outside the main body folding lines 43 in the main body width direction, i.e., the portions folded by the main body folding lines 43, are also referred to as main body side portions 10F.

[0071] When the absorbent article 1 is viewed from the skin side with the main body fold lines 43 unfolded, the two main body fold lines 43 form valley folds. In other words, the absorbent article 1 with the side flaps 20 folded and temporarily fastened is folded into three along the main body longitudinal direction by the two main body fold lines 43 during packaging as shown in Fig. 6B. The absorbent article 1 folded into three in this way is further folded into three by fold lines along the main body width direction, but a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0072] In this embodiment, in a state where the side flaps 20 are folded and temporarily fixed while the main body fold line portion 43 is unfolded (see FIG. 6A), the main body fold line portion 43 is located inside the fastening tape 30 in the main body width direction. If the main body fold line portion 43 is arranged to cross the fastening tape 30, the fastening tape 30 will have a fold when the main body side portions 10F are folded at the main body fold line portion 43. If the fastening tape 30 has a valley-like fold, the tape tip portion 35 (tip region 33C) will stand up when the main body fold line portion 43 is unfolded, causing a problem that the tape tip portion 35 of the fastening tape 30 is likely to come into contact with the wearer's skin. In contrast, in this embodiment, the main body fold line portion 43 is located inside the fastening tape 30 in the main body width direction, so that the fastening tape 30 does not have a fold of the main body fold line portion 43.

[0073] In this embodiment, in a state where the side flaps 20 are folded and temporarily fixed while the main body fold line 43 is unfolded (see FIG. 6A), the main body fold line 43 is located more inward in the main body width direction than the first fold line 41. This prevents the side flaps 20 from being unnecessarily folded when the main body side portions 10F are folded at the main body fold line 43.

[0074] <Wearing action of absorbent article 1> When wearing the absorbent article 1, first, the folded main body portion 10 (both sides 10F of the main body), side flaps 20, and fastening tape 30 are unfolded to the state shown in Fig. 1. Then, while placing the main body portion 10 against the wearer's crotch, the side flaps 20 are pulled to both sides and wrapped around the wearer's waist from the back side (front portion 7 side) to the ventral side (front portion 3 side), and the engaging portion 34 of the fastening tape 30 is engaged with the target region 3A (front portion 3) of the main body portion 10 (see Fig. 3).

[0075] In this embodiment, the side flap 20 is composed of a side flap sheet 21, which is a single piece of nonwoven fabric. Therefore, compared to when the side flap 20 is composed of a film sheet or a laminate of multiple sheet members, it is more flexible and deformable, and when wrapped around the wearer's waist, the side flap 20 is more likely to fit the waist. In addition, the side flap sheet 21 is formed with a high density region 25R consisting of multiple high density parts 25, and the rigidity is increased. Therefore, compared to when the high density region 25R is not formed, the tensile strength of the sheet itself is greater, and the side flap 20 is less likely to tear or break when pulled to both sides. In other words, the side flap 20 is configured to have both flexibility and tensile strength.

[0076] Furthermore, the basis weight of the nonwoven fabric constituting the side flap sheet 21 is greater than the basis weight of other sheet members (e.g., the nonwoven fabric constituting the top sheet 12 and the side gather sheet 14) constituting the absorbent article 1. Specifically, the basis weight of the side flap sheet 21 in this embodiment is 30 g / m 2 ~60g / m 2 , preferably 40 g / m 2 The basis weight of the side gather sheet 14 is about 15 g / m 2 Therefore, the side flap sheets 21 tend to be thicker and more rigid than the other sheet members constituting the absorbent article 1. This makes it easier to ensure the tensile strength when the side flaps 20 are pulled to both sides.

[0077] In this embodiment, the engaging portion 34 of the fastening tape 30 has the following configuration. Fig. 7A is a plan view illustrating the configuration of the engaging portion 34 of the fastening tape 30. Fig. 7B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the fastening tape 30 folded and temporarily fastened, and corresponds to Fig. 4B and Fig. 4C. The engaging portion 34 of the fastening tape 30 has a hook portion 34f (e.g., a hook-and-loop fastener or the like) having a plurality of hooks protruding from the skin side of the tape toward the skin side in the thickness direction, and an adhesive portion 34a coated with an adhesive.

[0078] As described above, when the absorbent article 1 is worn, an operation is performed to engage the engagement portion 34 of the fastening tape 30 with the target region 3A (front portion 3) of the main body portion 10 (see FIG. 3). At that time, in order to improve the fit around the waist, it is necessary to finely adjust the engagement position of the fastening tape 30 (engagement portion 34), and usually the operation of engaging and disengaging the engagement portion 34 with the target region 3A is repeated multiple times. Also, when the absorbent article 1 is removed from the wearer's body and worn again, the engagement and disengagement of the engagement portion 34 is performed multiple times.

[0079] Here, since the target area 3A is formed of a nonwoven fabric provided on the non-skin side (non-skin side of the main body) of the backsheet 13, if the engagement portion 34 were formed only of the adhesive portion 34a (adhesive surface), there is a risk that the adhesiveness will gradually decrease during repeated engagement, making it impossible to maintain the engagement force. In contrast, in this embodiment, the engagement portion 34 is provided with a hook portion 34f. The hook portion 34f is engaged by catching the raised fibers on the surface of the target area 3A (nonwoven fabric), so the engagement force is unlikely to decrease even if the engagement and removal are repeated multiple times. Therefore, a good fit can be easily ensured when wearing the absorbent article 1.

[0080] On the other hand, the absorbent article 1 is shipped and distributed in the market with the side flaps 20 and the fastening tape 30 folded and temporarily fixed. Specifically, the fastening tape 30 is shipped with the tape skin side folded back by the tape fold line portion 36 and the side flap skin side facing the tape skin side temporarily fixed by the engagement portion 34 (see Figs. 4B and 4C). Here, if the material constituting the side flap skin side with which the engagement portion 34 is engaged is a sheet member with a smooth surface, rather than a sheet member with raised fibers on the surface such as a nonwoven fabric, it is difficult to engage the hook portion 34f of the engagement portion 34. For example, if the side flap skin side is the first base sheet 31 of the fastening tape 30 (as shown in Fig. 4B), the first base sheet 31 is a resin sheet with a smooth surface, so that the hook of the hook portion 34f is unlikely to be caught. Furthermore, when the skin side of the side flap is the side flap sheet 21 (as shown in FIG. 4C), the side flap sheet 21 is provided with the above-mentioned high density region 25R (high density portion 25), and has a smoother surface than a nonwoven fabric without the high density portion 25, so the hook of the hook portion 34f is also less likely to be caught. In these cases, the temporary fastening of the engagement portion 34 may come off, causing the fastening tape 30 to roll up, and the exposed hook portion 34f of the engagement portion 34 may damage the wearer's body or other members (e.g., the main body portion 10, etc.). In addition, the fastening tape 30 may roll up and create unnecessary creases, which may worsen operability.

[0081] Therefore, in the engaging portion 34 of this embodiment, an adhesive portion 34a is provided in addition to the hook portion 34f. By providing the adhesive portion 34a, even if the skin surface of the side flap is smooth and the hook portion 34f is unlikely to catch on it, the adhesive portion 34a adheres to the skin surface as shown in Fig. 7B, making it difficult for the temporary fastening by the engaging portion 34 to come off, and the folded state of the fastening tape 30 can be easily maintained.

[0082] In particular, the absorbent article 1 of this embodiment is distributed in the market in a state in which both sides 10F of the main body part 10 are folded at the main body folding line part 43. In this folded state, as shown in FIG. 6C, the fastening tape 30 (non-skin side of the tape) folded at the tape folding line part 36 is arranged facing the top sheet 12 etc. (skin side of the main body) of the main body part 10, so that the facing parts are likely to rub against each other and cause friction. In this case, a force in the shear direction acts on the engagement surface of the engagement part 34, making the engagement part 34 more likely to peel off. In contrast, in this embodiment, the adhesive part 34a is provided in the engagement part 34, so that the tape skin side of the fastening tape 30 and the facing surface (flap skin side) are firmly engaged via the engagement part 34 (adhesive part 34a), and the engagement part 34 can be made difficult to peel off against the force in the shear direction. This makes it possible to distribute the absorbent article 1 while stably maintaining the folded state of the fastening tape 30.

[0083] In this embodiment, the engagement portion 34 has the adhesive portion 34a on the tip portion (tape tip portion 35) side of the fastening tape 30 rather than the hook portion 34f. In other words, in the main body width direction in the state where the fastening tape 30 is unfolded as shown in FIG. 7A, the adhesive portion 34a is located outside the hook portion 34f. With this configuration, when the fastening tape 30 is folded and the engagement portion 34 is temporarily fixed as shown in FIG. 7B, the hook portion 34f can be made difficult to roll up. This is because, when the fastening tape 30 is folded, the adhesive portion 34a adheres to the flap skin side surface, so that the area including the hook portion 34f on the base end side (outside the main body width direction in FIG. 7B) is difficult to roll up. In other words, even if the tape tip portion 35 of the fastening tape 30 is about to roll up, the adhesive portion 34a can suppress the influence of the rolling up from the tip portion side to the base end side. Therefore, when the fastening tape 30 is in a folded state, the hook portion 34f is more likely to be prevented from being turned up and exposed.

[0084] Moreover, the engaging portion 34 is provided at a predetermined distance from the tape fold line portion 36 of the fastening tape 30. With this configuration, when the fastening tape 30 is folded as shown in Fig. 7B, the engaging portion 34 is less likely to bend, and therefore deterioration of the engaging force can be suppressed. In particular, since the hooks provided on the hook portion 34f are suppressed from being deformed or damaged, the engaging force of the hook portion 34f is less likely to decrease, and the action of repeatedly attaching and detaching to and from the target area 3A can be easily performed.

[0085] As described above, the tape tip 35 (tip region 33C) of the fastening tape 30 has a "knob" that is pinched by the fingers of the user when the fastening tape 30 is unfolded, but the engagement portion 34 is provided at a predetermined distance from the "knob." If the engagement portion 34 were provided at the tape tip 35, there is a risk that the engagement portion 34 would be pinched by the fingers. In this case, the hook of the hook portion 34f may be crushed, reducing the engagement force, or the fingers may be injured by the hook. In this embodiment, the engagement portion 34 is provided at a distance from the "knob," making it easier to ensure safety and engagement force.

[0086] The engaging portion 34 may be modified as follows. FIG. 8 is a plan view for explaining a modified configuration of the engaging portion 34 of the fastening tape 30. Compared with the engaging portion 34 of FIG. 7A, the engaging portion 34 of the modified configuration has a hook portion 34f on the outer side of the adhesive portion 34a in the main body width direction (the tip end side of the fastening tape 30). That is, the engaging portion 34a is arranged between the two hook portions 34f, 34f. By providing two hook portions 34f for each fastening tape 30, the engaging force of the engaging portion 34 with respect to the target region 3A (nonwoven fabric) can be further increased when the absorbent article 1 is worn. Even if the engaging force of one of the two hook portions 34f decreases, the engaging portion 34 can be engaged as long as the engaging force of the other hook portion 34f is maintained, so that the engaging force is easily maintained even when the attaching and detaching operations are repeatedly performed. Furthermore, since the adhesive portion 34a is disposed between the two hook portions 34f, it is easy to prevent both of the hook portions 34f from being turned up when the fastening tape 30 is temporarily fastened in the folded state.

[0087] Although the main body 10 is formed by bonding members stacked in the thickness direction together using an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive, the main body 10 of this embodiment has a portion where the members stacked in the thickness direction are not bonded to each other. Specifically, the main body 10 has a main body non-bonding portion 17 where the back sheet 13 of the main body 10 and the side gather sheet 14 stacked on the skin side of the back sheet 13 in the thickness direction are not bonded to each other.

[0088] Fig. 9 is a plan view for explaining the arrangement of the main body non-joining portion 17. As shown by the hatched portion in Fig. 9, the main body non-joining portion 17 is provided in an area overlapping with the side flap 20 in the main body longitudinal direction and in an area between the absorbent core 11 and the side flap 20 in the main body width direction. The length L17 of the main body non-joining portion 17 in the main body longitudinal direction is longer than the length L20 of the side flap 20 in the main body longitudinal direction (L17>L20). In Fig. 9, the main body non-joining portion 17 is provided continuously from the rear end 10eb of the main body portion 10, beyond the front end 20ef of the side flap 20, to the rear end 15eb of the part where the stretchability of the stretchable portion 15 (the elastic member constituting the leg gather) is active (so-called "effective length") in the main body longitudinal direction. In addition, the width W17 in the width direction of the main body of the non-jointed portion 17 is smaller than the width W21A in the width direction of the main body of the base end region 21A (see Figure 2B), which is the region where the side flap 20 is joined to the main body portion 10 (the back sheet 13 and the side gather sheet 14) (W21A>W17).

[0089] As described above, when the absorbent article 1 is worn, the unfolded side flaps 20 are pulled to both sides and wrapped around the wearer's waist. At this time, if the force pulling the side flaps 20 to both sides acts on the absorbent core 11, the absorbent core 11 may lose its shape or shift in position, resulting in a deterioration in water absorption performance. In contrast, in this embodiment, the back sheet 13 and the side gather sheet 14 are not joined to each other at the main body non-jointed portion 17, and each is freely deformable. Therefore, the force pulling the side flaps 20 to both sides is consumed to deform the back sheet 13 and the side gather sheet 14, and the pulling force is unlikely to directly act on the absorbent core 11. In other words, the force pulling the side flaps 20 to both sides is easily dispersed by the main body non-jointed portion 17, and the main body non-jointed portion 17 functions as a buffer region that buffers the pulling force. Therefore, even if the side flaps 20 are pulled strongly when the absorbent article 1 is worn, the absorbent core 11 is unlikely to lose its shape, and the water absorption performance is unlikely to deteriorate.

[0090] Furthermore, since the width W21A of the base end region 21A is larger than the width W17 of the main body non-jointed portion 17, the joint strength of the side flap 20 in the base end region W21A is more easily ensured than in the opposite case, and even if the side flap 20 is pulled strongly, it is easier to prevent the joint of the side flap 20 from coming undone or the side flap 20 from tearing.

[0091] In addition, the non-jointed portion 17 of the main body functions as a buffer region, thereby improving the wearability and fit of the absorbent article 1. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of the state of the absorbent article 1 when worn. The side flap 20 of this embodiment is provided with two pairs of fastening tapes 30 arranged at an interval in the longitudinal direction of the main body, and each fastening tape 30 can be engaged with the target region 3A in a state in which it is inclined or bent obliquely with respect to the width direction of the main body. For example, in FIG. 10, the fastening tape 30 arranged on the upper side is engaged at an inclination downward, and the fastening tape 30 arranged on the lower side is engaged at an inclination upward, and the upper and lower fastening tapes 30, 30 are engaged so as to cross each other in the target region 3A.

[0092] Such an engagement method is possible because the non-joined portion 17 (buffer region) between the side flap 20 and the main body 10 is easily deformed, and therefore the angle of the fastening tape 30 (side flap 20) can be easily changed by pulling it outward. As described in FIG. 9, the non-joined portion 17 is provided in the range from the rear end 10eb of the main body 10 to the rear end 15eb of the stretchable portion 15 in the main body longitudinal direction, and is longer than the length L20 of the side flap 20. That is, the non-joined portion 17 is provided in a range overlapping the entire side flap 20 in the main body longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the side flap 20 is pulled outward, the entire region adjacent to the inside of the base end region 33X in the main body width direction is easily deformed, and the angle of the side flap 20 and the fastening tape 30 provided on the outside of the side flap 20 can be freely changed as shown in FIG. 10. This makes it possible to finely adjust the tightness around the waist and the engagement position according to the wearer's body shape and size, improving the fit when the absorbent article 1 is worn.

[0093] In addition, in order to make it easier to engage the fastening tape 30 obliquely as shown in FIG. 10, the shape of the absorbent core 11 may be modified as follows. FIG. 11 is a plan view and a cross-sectional view for explaining a modified absorbent core 11. As explained in FIG. 1, the absorbent core 11 has an absorbent core central region 11C, which is a region in the center of the main body width direction where the width is narrowest, and an absorbent core wing region 11W, which is a region protruding from the absorbent core central region 11C to both sides in the main body width direction. In the modified absorbent core 11, a part of the outer edge of the absorbent core wing region 11W has a curved shape. For example, in the region continuing from the rear portion 7 to the crotch portion 5 in the main body longitudinal direction, the outer edge of the absorbent core wing region 11 is formed in a smooth curved shape.

[0094] The portion of the main body 10 where the absorbent core 11 is provided has higher rigidity than the other portions. Therefore, when the absorbent article 1 is worn, the operation of pulling the side flaps 20 to both sides in the rear portion 7 may be interfered with by the rigidity of the absorbent core 11, which may make it difficult to adjust the position when engaging the fastening tape 30 with the target region 3A. In contrast, by curving the outer edge of the absorbent core wing region 11W as shown in FIG. 11, stress concentration at a certain point (certain point) of the absorbent core wing region 11W when the side flaps 20 are pulled to both sides in the rear portion 7 is suppressed, and stress is easily dispersed. Therefore, the absorbent core 11 is prevented from losing its shape, and the side flaps 20 can be easily pulled to both sides in the main body width direction. In other words, the operation of pulling the fastening tape 30 obliquely to engage it as shown in FIG. 10 is easily prevented from being interfered with by the absorbent core 11. This makes it easier to freely change the angle and position at which the fastening tape 30 engages, and allows the absorbent article 1 to fit better when worn.

[0095] In addition, it is preferable that the stiffness of the absorbent core 11 in the absorbent core wing regions 11W is lower than that of the absorbent core 11 in the absorbent core central region 11C. With this configuration, the absorbent core wing regions 11W are more easily deformed than the absorbent core central region 11C. Therefore, when the side flaps 20 are pulled to both sides while wearing the absorbent article 1, the absorbent core wing regions 11W are deformed in the rear portion 7, which makes it easier to engage the fastening tape 30 obliquely as shown in FIG. 10. This improves the fit of the absorbent article 1 while wearing it.

[0096] The magnitude of the bending resistance can be measured by using a known cantilever method for the portion of the absorbent core 11 to be measured. For example, the absorbent core central region 11C and the absorbent core wing region 11W are cut out from the absorbent core 11 and used as test pieces. It is preferable to prepare a plurality of test pieces. Then, the bending resistance of each of the plurality of test pieces taken is measured using a commercially available cantilever tester (for example, bending resistance tester: model number CAN-1MCB manufactured by Daiei Scientific Instruments Co., Ltd.), and the average value is calculated to be the bending resistance.

[0097] In this embodiment (and modified example), the absorbent core central region 11C is provided with compressed parts 16 that compress the absorbent core 11 in the thickness direction (see Figs. 1 and 11). The compressed parts 16 are parts of the absorbent core 11 embossed in a lattice pattern along the main body longitudinal direction at predetermined intervals in the main body width direction. By providing the lattice-shaped compressed parts 16, liquids such as urine absorbed by the absorbent core 11 are easily diffused in the main body longitudinal direction, and the absorbency can be improved over a wide area of ​​the absorbent core 11. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of the compressed parts 16, the stiffness of the absorbent core central region 11C of the absorbent core 11 is increased, and deformation of the absorbent core 11 is suppressed. On the other hand, the compressed parts 16 are not provided in the absorbent core wing regions 11W. Therefore, the bending resistance of the absorbent core wing regions 11W tends to be lower than that of the absorbent core central region 11C, and as described above, the absorbent core wing regions 11W tend to deform easily, which facilitates the fastening tape 30 to be obliquely engaged. This can improve the fit of the absorbent article 1 when worn.

[0098] Also, in the absorbent core central region 11C, a core wrap sheet 19 may be provided to cover the absorbent core 11 in the thickness direction. In FIG. 11, the core wrap sheet 19 is provided to cover the absorbent core central region 11C from the skin side and non-skin side in the thickness direction of the absorbent core 11. By being covered with the core wrap sheet 19, the liquid absorbent fiber (SAP, etc.) constituting the absorbent core 11 is less likely to come apart, and the absorbent core 11 is less likely to lose its shape in the absorbent core central region 11C. On the other hand, the absorbent core wing region 11W does not have the core wrap sheet 19 on one or both sides in the thickness direction. Therefore, the absorbent core wing region 11W is more flexibly deformed than the absorbent core central region 11C, and when the side flaps 20 are pulled to both sides when the absorbent article 1 is worn, the fastening tape 30 can be easily engaged obliquely. This can further improve the fit of the absorbent article 1 when worn.

[0099] As shown in FIG. 9, a body joint portion 18 on both sides that joins the materials constituting the body portion 10 in the thickness direction may be provided between the absorbent core 11 and the body non-joint portion 17 (buffer region) in the body width direction. The body joint portion 18 on both sides is formed by applying an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive along the body longitudinal direction. The back sheet 13 and the side gather sheet 14 are joined in the thickness direction by the body joint portion 18 on both sides. By providing such body joint portion 18 on both sides between the absorbent core 11 and the body non-joint portion 17 (buffer region), it is possible to easily suppress the absorbent core 11 from losing its shape. For example, when the side flaps 20 are pulled to both sides when the absorbent article 1 is worn, the pulling force along the body width direction acts on a wide range of the body longitudinal direction of the body joint portion 18 on both sides. That is, the tensile force is prevented from acting locally at a certain point in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent core 11, and the tensile force is easily distributed over a wide range in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent core 11. Therefore, it is possible to easily prevent the absorbent core 11 from losing its shape.

[0100] Furthermore, it is preferable that the gap g17 between the absorbent core 11 and the non-jointed portion 17 (buffer region) in the width direction of the absorbent core 11 is larger than the maximum thickness of the absorbent core 11. With this configuration, the width of the jointed portions 18 on both sides of the absorbent core 11 can be made larger than in the opposite case. This makes it easier to prevent the absorbent core from losing its shape. Furthermore, by reducing the thickness of the absorbent core 11, the rigidity of the absorbent core 11 is less likely to become excessively high, and the action of pulling the side flaps 20 to both sides is less likely to be interfered with.

[0101] The thickness of the absorbent core 11 is measured using, for example, a dial thickness gauge ID-C1012C manufactured by Mitutoyo Corporation or an equivalent device, and the area of ​​the contact is set to 20 cm 2 , contact pressure 3gf / cm 2 Alternatively, cross-sectional measurements may be performed using a microscope, or measurements may be performed using an image of a cross section of a sample cut along the longitudinal direction of the body.

[0102] In addition, in the state where the side flaps 20 are folded and temporarily fixed as shown in FIG. 5C, it is preferable that the second temporary fastening portion 52 of the side flaps 20 is separated from the main body non-jointed portion 17 (buffer area) by a predetermined distance. When the folded side flaps 20 are unfolded, the second temporary fastening portion 52 is peeled off. If the second temporary fastening portion 52 overlaps with the main body non-jointed portion 17, the second temporary fastening portion 52 may be difficult to peel off. That is, since the side gather sheet 14 and the back sheet 13 are not joined in the main body portion 10, when the side flap sheet 21 is pulled, the side gather sheet 14 is also easily pulled toward the side flap sheet 21 via the second temporary fastening portion 52. In this case, the side gather sheet 14 may be torn.

[0103] In contrast, if the second temporary fastening portion 52 and the main body non-joint portion 17 are spaced apart, when the side flap sheet 21 is unfolded, the side gather sheet 14 is integrated with the back sheet 13 in the area overlapping with the second temporary fastening portion 52, so that only the side gather sheet 14 is prevented from being pulled by the side flap sheet 21. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the side gather sheet 14 from being torn.

[0104] ===Other=== The above-mentioned embodiment is for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0105] In the above embodiment, two fastening tapes 30 are provided on each of the pair of side flaps 20, 20. However, the number of fastening tapes 30 provided on each side flap 20 is not limited to this, and may be one on each side flap, or two or more on each side flap.

[0106] In the above-described embodiment, the fastening tape 30 is composed of two base sheets (the first base sheet 31 and the second base sheet 32). However, the fastening tape 30 may be composed of one base sheet, or may be composed of two or more base sheets.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the skin side sheet joined to the skin side surface of the base end region 21A of the side flap sheet 21 is the side gather sheet 14. However, the skin side sheet joined to the skin side surface of the base end region 21A of the side flap sheet 21 is not limited to the side gather sheet 14, and the skin side sheet joined to the skin side surface of the base end region 21A of the side flap sheet 21 may be the top sheet 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1. Absorbent articles, 3 Anterior, 3A target area, 5 inseam, 7 rear, 10 Main body, 10A: Absorption area, 10B: Wing area, 10F: Both sides of the main body, 11 absorbent core, 11C absorbent core central area, 11W wing area, 12 top sheet, 13 back sheet, 14 Side gather sheet (skin side sheet), 15 Elastic part, 16 compressed portion, 17 non-jointed portion of main body (buffer area), 18 joints on both sides of main body, 19 Core wrap sheet, 20 Side flaps, 20A inner area, 20B outer area, 21 Side flap sheet (flap sheet), 21A proximal region, 23 Flap tip, 25 high density area, 25R high density area, 30 Fastening tape, 31 first base sheet, 32 second base sheet, 33X proximal region, 33A intermediate region, 33B engagement area, 33C tip area, 34 engagement portion (joint surface), 34a adhesive portion, 34f hook portion, 35 Tape tip, 36 Tape fold line, 41 first fold line portion, 42 second fold line portion, 43 Main body fold line portion, 51 first temporary fastening portion, 52 second temporary fastening portion (temporary fastening portion)

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising a main body portion having a liquid-absorbent absorbent core, both side portions of which are folded along main body fold lines along the longitudinal direction of the main body, side flaps joined to the main body portion, and fastening tapes joined to tip portions of the side flaps, The side portions are unfolded, and The side flaps are folded from a state in which they protrude outward from the main body portion by a first fold line portion and a second fold line portion that is closer to the base end portion of the side flaps than the first fold line portion, and When the fastening tape is folded along the tape folding line, When the surface of the main body portion that faces the skin when worn is referred to as the main body skin side, the surface of the main body portion that faces away from the skin when worn is referred to as the main body non-skin side, the surface of the side flap that faces the skin when worn is referred to as the flap skin side, the surface of the side flap that faces away from the skin when worn is referred to as the flap non-skin side, the surface of the fastening tape that faces the skin when worn is referred to as the tape skin side, and the surface of the fastening tape that faces away from the skin when worn is referred to as the tape non-skin side, The non-skin side surfaces of the flaps folded back along the first fold line are temporarily fastened together by a first temporary fastening portion, The flap skin side folded back along the second fold line and the main body skin side are temporarily fastened together by a second temporary fastening portion, the tape skin side surface folded back by the tape folding line portion and a surface facing the tape skin side surface are temporarily fastened by an engaging portion provided closer to the tip end of the fastening tape than the tape folding line portion, the main body folding line portion is located more inward in the main body width direction than the fastening tape, The side flap is made of a single piece of nonwoven fabric having a high density portion that is denser than the surrounding area, The absorbent article is characterized in that the engaging portion has a hook portion having a plurality of hooks protruding in the thickness direction, and an adhesive portion coated with an adhesive.

2. The absorbent article of claim 1, An absorbent article, characterized in that the basis weight of the nonwoven fabric constituting the side flaps is greater than the basis weight of other sheet members constituting the absorbent article.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, The absorbent article, wherein the engaging portion has the adhesive portion closer to the tip end of the fastening tape than the hook portion.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 3, The absorbent article is characterized in that the engaging portion further has the hook portion on the tip end side of the fastening tape relative to the adhesive portion.

5. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, The absorbent article is characterized in that the engagement portion is provided at a predetermined distance from the tape fold line portion.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, The fastening tape has a tab at the tip thereof, which is an area to be held by a user during use, The absorbent article is characterized in that the engagement portion is provided at a predetermined distance from the tab.

7. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, The main body portion has a back sheet disposed closer to the skin than the absorbent core, and a side gathered sheet disposed closer to the skin than the back sheet, a main body non-joined portion between the absorbent core and the side flaps in the main body width direction, where the back sheet and the side gathered sheet are not joined; An absorbent article, characterized in that the width of the region where the main body portion and the side flaps are joined is greater than the width of the non-jointed portion of the main body portion.

8. The absorbent article according to claim 7, The side flaps are provided with two pairs of fastening tapes spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the main body, An absorbent article characterized in that, in the longitudinal direction of the main body, the main body non-jointed portion is longer than the side flaps and continues at least from the front end of the side flaps to the rear end of the main body portion.

9. The absorbent article according to claim 8, The absorbent core has an absorbent core central region which is the region where the width in the main body width direction is narrowest, and absorbent core wing regions which are regions protruding from the absorbent core central region on both sides in the main body width direction, An absorbent article, characterized in that at least a portion of the outer edge of the absorbent core wing region has a curved shape.

10. The absorbent article according to claim 9, An absorbent article, wherein the wing regions of the absorbent core have a lower bending resistance than the central region of the absorbent core.

11. The absorbent article of claim 10, a plurality of compression sections for compressing the absorbent core in a thickness direction are provided in the central region of the absorbent core along the longitudinal direction of the main body; An absorbent article, characterized in that the compressed portions are not provided in the absorbent core wing region.

12. The absorbent article of claim 11, a core wrap sheet covering the absorbent core in the thickness direction is provided on both sides of the absorbent core central region in the thickness direction; An absorbent article, characterized in that the core wrap sheet is not provided on at least one side in the thickness direction of the absorbent core wing region.

13. The absorbent article according to claim 7, An absorbent article characterized in that it has a main body both side joining portion joining the back sheet and the side gathered sheet along the main body longitudinal direction between the absorbent core and the main body non-joint portion in the main body width direction.

14. 14. The absorbent article of claim 13, An absorbent article, characterized in that the distance between the absorbent core and the two side joints in the width direction of the main body is greater than the maximum thickness of the absorbent core.

15. The absorbent article according to claim 7, When the side flaps are folded and temporarily fastened, The absorbent article is characterized in that the second temporary fastening portion is spaced a predetermined distance from the main body non-joining portion.

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