Absorbent article

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article which allows a user to distinguish a front side from a rear side of the absorbent article.SOLUTION: An absorbent article has: an abdominal side external body; a back side external body; an interior body including an absorber and being arranged between the abdominal side external body and the back side external body; a first coloration part which is arranged on the inside of the sheet forming the external body in parallel to an edge of a trunk opening, and in one of the abdominal and back side external bodies, exhibits a hue different from a hue of a color in the surrounding in a prescribed range from the trunk opening to the first position; a second coloration part which is arranged on whole or a partial part from a second position to a third position separated from the second position by a prescribed distance, the second position separated from the trunk opening by a prescribed distance and on the other of the abdominal and back side external bodies, and exhibits a hue different from the hue of the color of the surrounding; and a bending position which is arranged between the first and second positions, extends in a waist direction and is bent to a non skin face side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to absorbent articles.

Background Art

[0002] Pant-type disposable diapers, which are absorbent articles, are known (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Pant-type disposable diapers are suitable for wearing by wearers who can perform activities such as walking independently because they can easily follow the movements of the wearer themselves. On the other hand, compared with tape-type disposable diapers, it is difficult to distinguish the front and the back. Since diapers are designed in consideration of the feeling of wearing and the flow of excreted liquid, if the diaper is worn backwards, the effects may not be properly exerted.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article that is easy to distinguish between the front and the back.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The absorbent article according to one aspect of the present invention is configured by overlapping two or more sheets, and includes an abdominal-side outer body that is arranged on the abdominal side of the wearer in a worn state and is configured by overlapping two or more sheets, and a back-side outer body that is arranged on the back side of the wearer in a worn state and is connected at both ends in the body-circumferential direction of the abdominal-side outer body to form a body opening through which the outer body and the body of the wearer are inserted, an inner body including an absorber provided between the abdominal-side outer body and the back-side outer body, and a first color-presenting portion that is arranged inside the sheet constituting the outer body in parallel with the edge of the body opening and exhibits a color different from the surrounding color in a region within a predetermined range from the body opening to a first position on one of the abdominal-side outer body and the back-side outer body, a second color-presenting portion that is arranged in all or part of the region between a second position that is a predetermined distance away from the body opening and a third position that is a predetermined distance away from the second position on the other of the abdominal-side outer body and the back-side outer body and exhibits a color different from the surrounding color, and a bending position that is arranged between the first position and the second position, extends in the body-circumferential direction, and bends toward the non-skin surface side.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an absorbent article that is easy to distinguish between the front and the back.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, a diaper according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments.

[0010] <Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adult-sized pant-type disposable diaper (hereinafter simply referred to as "diaper") according to an embodiment. In the diaper, the direction connecting the front body portion disposed facing the abdomen of the wearer and the back body portion disposed facing the back is defined as the longitudinal direction. Between these front body portions (one side in the longitudinal direction) and the back body portions (the other side in the longitudinal direction) (the center in the longitudinal direction), there is a crotch portion disposed under the crotch of the wearer (opposite to the crotch). Further, in a state where the diaper is worn by the wearer, the side facing the wearer's skin is defined as the skin side, and the side opposite to the skin side is defined as the non-skin side. Furthermore, the direction connecting the skin side and the non-skin side is defined as the thickness direction, and the direction orthogonal to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction is defined as the width direction. In addition, viewing from the thickness direction is defined as a plan view. The diaper 1 has a length along the longitudinal direction and a width along the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and is worn under the crotch of the wearer. Also, the terms related to the directions used in the present application shall mean the directions that coincide with the front, rear, left, and right of the wearer in a state where the diaper 1 is worn by the wearer. For example, when referring to the left-right direction in the present application, it means the direction that coincides with the left and right of the wearer in a state where the diaper 1 is worn by the wearer.

[0011] In the present embodiment, as an example of an absorbent article, a pant-type disposable diaper having a tubular structure with a body opening into which the abdominal circumference of the wearer fits and a pair of left and right leg openings through which the left and right lower limbs of the wearer are inserted is exemplified. However, the "absorbent article" referred to in the present application is not limited to adult-sized pant-type disposable diapers. The "absorbent article" referred to in the present application includes pant-type disposable diapers for children.

[0012] The diaper 1 has a crotch region 1B which is a part corresponding to the crotch region (crotch) of the wearer covering the crotch of the wearer in the worn state, a front body region 1F which is a part corresponding to the front body in the wearer's body circumference and covers the abdominal side of the wearer, and a back body region 1R which is a part corresponding to the back body in the wearer's body circumference and covers the back side of the wearer. Here, the front body region 1F is located on the front side of the crotch region 1B, and the back body region 1R is located on the back side of the crotch region 1B. Since the diaper 1 in the present embodiment is a pants-type disposable diaper, the left edge of the front body region 1F and the left edge of the back body region 1R are joined to each other, and the right edge of the front body region 1F and the right edge of the back body region 1R are joined to each other. Therefore, a body opening 2T is formed by the upper edges of the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R in the diaper 1. Further, a left leg opening 2L is formed in the left part of the crotch region 1B where the above joining is not performed, and a right leg opening 2R is formed in the right part of the crotch region 1B in the diaper 1. And when the left leg of the wearer, which is the leg of the wearer, is inserted through the left leg opening 2L, the right leg of the wearer, which is the leg of the wearer, is inserted through the right leg opening 2R, and the body of the wearer is inserted through the body opening 2T and worn, the front body region 1F is arranged on the abdominal side of the wearer, the back body region 1R is arranged on the back side of the wearer, and the left leg opening 2L and the right leg opening 2R are fixed to the body of the wearer in a state of surrounding the thighs of the wearer. Since the diaper 1 is fixed to the body of the wearer in such a form, the wearer can move freely while wearing the diaper 1. Incidentally, the left leg opening 2L and the right leg opening 2R may be referred to as a pair of leg-around openings.

[0013] An absorber that can absorb and hold liquid is mainly arranged around the crotch region 1B in the diaper 1. Further, in the diaper 1, in order to suppress the formation of a gap serving as a liquid outflow path between the diaper 1 and the skin of the wearer, a leak-proof wall 3BL is provided at the left leg opening 2L surrounding the thigh of the left leg of the wearer, and the right leg opening surrounding the thigh of the right leg of the wearer A leak-proof wall 3BR is provided in the part 2R, and a waist gather 3R is provided at a position surrounding the wearer's abdominal circumference. Also, leg gathers 3LL and 3LR are provided at positions surrounding the base of the wearer's legs. The leak-proof walls 3BL and 3BR and the waist gather 3R adhere closely to the wearer's skin by the elastic force of the thread rubber. Also, the leg gathers 3LL and 3LR prevent a gap from being generated between the base of the wearer's legs and the diaper 1. Therefore, the discharge liquid discharged from the crotch of the wearer is absorbed by the absorber of the diaper 1 with almost no leakage from the diaper 1.

[0014] The diaper 1 can be used in combination with an inner pad (not shown). The inner pad is a substantially rectangular absorbent article provided with an absorber and absorbs the discharge liquid. When the diaper 1 and the inner pad are used in combination, the inner pad is placed on the skin side of the diaper 1 so as to contact the discharge hole of the wearer. First, the discharge liquid is absorbed by the inner pad, and only the discharge liquid that could not be absorbed by the inner pad reaches the absorber of the diaper 1 and is further absorbed. For this reason, even when the amount of the discharge liquid is large, it is possible to prevent the discharge liquid from leaking from the diaper 1. Also, when the amount of the discharge liquid is small and can be completely absorbed by the inner pad, only the inner pad needs to be replaced even when the discharge liquid is generated, so that the assistance cost can be reduced. Also, the diaper 1 can be used for a long time.

[0015] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the diaper 1 according to the embodiment. The diaper 1 has a cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheets 5F and 5R. The cover sheet 4 is a sheet having a substantially hourglass shape (pear shape) that forms the non-skin side surface of the diaper 1. The inner cover sheets 5F and 5R are sheets that are adhered to the cover sheet 4 in the front body region 1F and the rear body region 1R, respectively, and reinforce the cover sheet 4 in the front body region 1F and the rear body region 1R. In the state where the wearer is wearing the diaper 1, the cover sheet 4 is laminated on the non-skin side of the wearer, and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R are laminated on the skin side of the wearer to form the outer surface of the diaper 1. Between the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R, thread rubber for forming the waist gather 3R and the leg gathers 3LL and 3LR is provided. Note that, instead of the thread rubber, an elastic member such as a belt-shaped rubber can be appropriately selected.

[0016] The cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R can be made of, for example, a non-woven fabric made of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin as a material to suppress leakage of excrement. Here, examples of the liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin include polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). In the example of this figure, a front-rear direction indicating tape 12 is attached to the non-skin side of the rear body region 1R of the cover sheet 4. The front-rear direction indicating tape 12 has a color different from other parts of the diaper 1 and is a resin tape having a bending rigidity that does not shrink depending on the shrinkage of the thread rubber disposed between the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R. The front-rear direction indicating tape 12 has a function of allowing the wearer or the caregiver to identify the front-rear direction of the diaper 1 by its color. The front-rear direction indicating tape 12 is an example of the second colored portion in the present disclosure. The entire surface of the front-rear direction indicating tape 12 may be attached to the non-skin side of the rear body region 1R of the cover sheet 4, or only both end portions in the width direction thereof may be attached. As will be described later, the front-rear direction indicating tape 12 overlaps with the thread rubber extending in the left-right direction, and by attaching only a part of the front-rear direction indicating tape 12, the thread rubber can be easily stretched and contracted, leading to an improvement in the wearing feeling.

[0017] The diaper 1 has a backsheet 6, an absorber 8, and a topsheet 9, which are laminated in order on the wearer side surface of the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R. The backsheet 6 has a length in the longitudinal direction that reaches from the front body of the wearer via the crotch to the back body, and is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped sheet having a predetermined lateral width in the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The absorber 8 and the topsheet 9 are both sheet-like members having a substantially rectangular appearance similar to the backsheet 6, and are laminated on the backsheet 6 in order with the longitudinal direction being the same as the longitudinal direction of the backsheet 6. The backsheet 6 is a sheet formed of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin material for suppressing leakage of excrement. Further, the topsheet 9 is a sheet-like member disposed on the skin side of the wearer so as to cover the water-absorbing surface of the absorber 8. This topsheet 9 has liquid permeability in part or all of it. Therefore, in a state where the diaper 1 is worn, the liquid excreted from the wearer penetrates through the topsheet 9 that can come into contact with the wearer's skin and enters the absorber 8, where it is absorbed. Examples of the liquid-permeable sheet include woven fabric, non-woven fabric, and porous film. Further, the topsheet 9 may have hydrophilicity.

[0018] The absorber 8 has an absorption core 8c composed of one or more mats and a core wrap sheet 7 that wraps the absorption core 8c. The absorption core 8c has a structure in which a granular absorbent resin (high molecular water-absorbing material) such as a hydrophilic polymer having a crosslinked structure capable of absorbing and holding water is held in the gaps between short fibers of cellulose-based fibers such as pulp fibers, rayon fibers, or cotton fibers, or short fibers obtained by subjecting synthetic fibers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate to a hydrophilization treatment. When the absorption core 8c absorbs the liquid excreted from the wearer, it swells the absorbent resin held in the gaps in the short fibers and holds the liquid in the short fibers. The absorption core 8c can take an appropriate shape according to the purpose, and for example, can take a rectangular shape, an elliptical shape, or various other shapes. In the present embodiment, the absorption core 8c is hourglass-shaped with the vicinity of the central portion constricted.

[0019] The absorption core 8c may be provided with a liquid guiding hole that penetrates the center in the width direction of the crotch region 1B and extends longitudinally through the skin side and the non-skin side. When providing the liquid guiding hole, the extending range of the liquid guiding hole includes the urethra contact position. Therefore, urine generated from the wearer falls into the liquid guiding hole and spreads longitudinally, and is likely to be efficiently absorbed over a wide range of the absorption core 8c.

[0020] The core wrap sheet 7 is a thin liquid-permeable sheet. By wrapping the absorption core 8c with the core wrap sheet 7, it becomes difficult for the SAP of the absorption core 8c described above to mix into other structures. Also, the collapse of the shape of the absorption core 8c is suppressed. The core wrap sheet 7 can be formed of pulp fibers, and for example, tissue paper can be used. The core wrap sheet 7 may be a single sheet, but may also be composed of two sheets, an upper sheet disposed on the skin side of the wearer and a lower sheet disposed on the non-skin side of the wearer and wrapping around the side surface and the skin side of the absorption core 8c. When the core wrap sheet 7 is composed of two sheets, the widthwise end portions of the upper sheet may be wrapped by other sheets (for example, the side sheets 10L and 10R, the back sheet 6, and the top sheet 9 described later). Note that the absorber 8 is wrapped by the back sheet 6 and the top sheet 9, and the shape collapse can also be suppressed by these sheets, so the core wrap sheet 7 may not be provided.

[0021] The back sheet 6, the absorber 8, and the top sheet 9 all extend from the front body region 1F to the back body region 1R. Therefore, when the back sheet 6, the absorber 8, and the top sheet 9 are laminated to cover the crotch (subpubic region) of the wearer, both longitudinal ends of the back sheet 6, the absorber 8, and the top sheet 9 are in a state of being located on the ventral side and the dorsal side of the wearer. That is, the crotch of the wearer is in a state of being covered by the absorber 8 from the ventral side to the dorsal side of the wearer. Therefore, no matter whether the wearer discharges liquid out of the body in a posture with the abdomen facing downward or a posture with the back facing downward, the discharged liquid will contact the absorber 8 through the top sheet 9.

[0022] In addition, the diaper 1 has elongated strip-shaped side sheets 10L and 10R for forming the leakage-preventing walls 3BL and 3BR described above. The side sheets 10L and 10R are provided at the long-side portions of the top sheet 9. Thread rubbers 10L1 and 10R1 are adhered to the side sheets 10L and 10R along the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the edge 4F4, which is the left edge of the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4, and the edge 4R4, which is the left edge of the rear body region 1R, are joined to each other, and the edge 4F5, which is the right edge of the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4, and the edge 4R5, which is the right edge of the rear body region 1R, are joined to each other, the diaper 1 in the completed state as shown in FIG. 1 is formed. The side sheets 10L and 10R are drawn in the longitudinal direction by the contraction force of the thread rubbers 10L1 and 10R1 and rise from the top sheet 9 along the folding lines 10L2 and 10R2. As a result, leakage-preventing walls 3BL and 3BR for preventing the outflow of liquid from the left lower limb opening 2L and the right lower limb opening 2R are formed. The joining methods of the edges 4F4 and 4R4, and the edges 4F5 and 4R5 are not particularly limited, and for example, they can be performed by heat sealing, high-frequency sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or the like. When the diaper 1 in the completed state as shown in FIG. 1 is formed by joining the edge 4F4, which is the left edge of the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4, and the edge 4R4, which is the left edge of the rear body region 1R, to each other, and the edge 4F5, which is the right edge of the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4, and the edge 4R5, which is the right edge of the rear body region 1R, to each other, the side sheets 10L and 10R are drawn in the longitudinal direction by the contraction force of the thread rubbers 10L1 and 10R1 and rise from the top sheet 9 along the folding lines 10L2 and 10R2. As a result, leakage-preventing walls 3BL and 3BR for preventing the outflow of liquid from the left lower limb opening 2L and the right lower limb opening 2R are formed. The joining methods of the edges 4F4 and 4R4, and the edges 4F5 and 4R5 are not particularly limited, and for example, they can be performed by heat sealing, high-frequency sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or the like.

[0023] Furthermore, the diaper 1 includes an end sheet 11F laminated on the wearer-side surface in the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4, and an end sheet 11R laminated on the wearer-side surface in the rear body region 1R of the cover sheet 4, with the back sheet 6, the absorber 8, the top sheet 9, and the side sheets 10L and 10R interposed therebetween. The end sheets 11F and 11R are strip-shaped sheets that are overlaid on the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R at one end side in the longitudinal direction of the top sheet 9. The end sheets 11F and 11R are non-water-permeable nonwoven fabrics, and mainly reinforce the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R at the body-circumference contact portion of the diaper 1. Also, adhesives are applied to the end sheets 11F and 11R respectively, and they are adhered to the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R by the adhesives. The end sheets 11F and 11R are disposed on the skin-side of the laminate formed by the back sheet 6, the absorber 8, the top sheet 9, and the side sheets 10L and 10R, and prevent the edge of the laminate from directly touching the skin and giving the wearer a sense of discomfort.

[0024] In the example shown in this figure, the cover sheet 4 is a single sheet that covers the non-skin-side of the front body region 1F, the crotch region 1B, and the rear body region 1R with a single sheet. However, similar to the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R, a separate sheet that covers only the front body region 1F and the rear body region 1R may be arranged. When adopting this configuration, a pad cover sheet (not shown) that covers the non-skin-side of the arrangement region of the absorber 8 may be provided. Hereinafter, the absorber 8 and the combination of the back sheet 6, the top sheet 9, and the side sheets 10L and 10R with the absorber 8 are referred to as the interior body. As a corresponding concept, the combination of the cover sheet 4 extending from the front body region 1F to the rear body region 1R, and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R and the end sheets 11F and 11R in which thread rubber is arranged therewith may be expressed as the exterior body. The exterior body has a configuration in which two or more sheets are superimposed in the front body region 1F and the rear body region 1R.

[0025] More specifically, the outer garment can be considered separately as an abdominal-side outer garment that covers the front body region 1F and corresponds to the ventral side of the wearer in the worn state, and a back-side outer garment that corresponds to the dorsal side of the wearer in the worn state and covers the back body region 1R. The abdominal-side outer garment and the back-side outer garment are connected at both ends in the body circumference direction to form a single outer garment, and a single body opening 2T is formed inside thereof. And an inner garment that forms the crotch region is disposed between the two outer garments, and two leg openings are formed between the abdominal-side outer garment, the inner garment, and the back-side outer garment.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the state in which the diaper 1 according to the embodiment is unfolded and extended. FIG. 3(A) schematically shows the internal structure when the unfolded and extended diaper 1 is viewed from the left side. FIG. 3(B) schematically shows a plan view of the unfolded and extended diaper 1. In FIG. 3(B), the illustration of the side sheets 10L and 10R and the end sheets 11F and 11R is omitted. In this figure, an inner cover sheet 5F is provided so as to cover the front body region 1F of the diaper 1, and an inner cover sheet 5R is provided so as to cover the back body region 1R of the diaper 1. And in the crotch region 1B, the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R do not exist. As shown in the figure, the crotch region 1B is narrower in width than the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R.

[0027] The cover sheet 4 has one end folded at the folding lines 4FF and 4RF shown in FIG. 2. In the front body region 1F, a plurality of thread rubbers (thread-like rubbers) 4F1 and 4F2, which are elastic members, extend in the width direction in an extended state and are adhesively bonded at intervals in the longitudinal direction between the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5F or the folded cover sheet 4. Also, in the rear body region 1R, a plurality of thread rubbers (thread-like rubbers) 4R1 and 4R2, which are elastic members, extend in the width direction in an extended state and are adhesively bonded at intervals in the longitudinal direction between the rear body region 1R of the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5R or the folded cover sheet 4. The thread rubbers 4F1 and 4F2 are provided in the order of the thread rubber 4F1 and the thread rubber 4F2 from the folding line 4FF side along the folding line 4FF that will form the upper edge of the front body region 1F when folded. The thread rubbers 4R1 and 4R2 are also provided in the order of the thread rubber 4R1 and the thread rubber 4R2 from the folding line 4RF side along the folding line 4RF that will form the upper edge of the rear body region 1R when folded, similar to the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4F2.

[0028] Therefore, the longitudinal direction, which is the expansion and contraction direction, of the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4F2 will be provided on the cover sheet 4 in the direction that is the left - right direction of the diaper 1. Also, the longitudinal direction, which is the expansion and contraction direction, of the thread rubbers 4R1 and 4R2 will be provided on the cover sheet 4 in the direction that is the left - right direction of the diaper 1. Thus, when the edge 4F4 and the edge 4R4 are joined to each other and the edge 4F5 and the edge 4R5 are joined to each other, the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4F2 and the thread rubbers 4R1 and 4R2 form a substantially annular expansion and contraction member that circulates along the body opening 2T and exhibits the function as the waist gather 3R that contracts the body opening 2T in the body circumferential direction. That is, the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4F2 and the thread rubbers 4R1 and 4R2 exert a contraction force to make the diaper 1 fit closely to the wearer and prevent a gap from being formed between the diaper 1 and the wearer's abdominal circumference. The thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2 overlap the interior body including the absorber 8 in a part on the crotch region 1B side.

[0029] The thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 are provided so as to extend in the width direction, parallel to each other with a constant interval in the longitudinal direction, along the portions that form the upper edges of the front body region 1F and the rear body region 1R shown in FIG. 1. The thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2 are provided so as to extend in the width direction, parallel to each other with a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction. The interval between the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 is narrower than the interval between the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2. Therefore, in the state where the diaper 1 is worn, the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 tightly fasten the wearer's abdominal circumference relatively strongly above the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2. The thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 have the function of preventing the wearing position from shifting by closely attaching the diaper 1 to the wearer and preventing the discharge liquid from leaking from the abdomen and back.

[0030] The interval between the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2 is wider than that between the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4F2, and alleviates the sense of pressure on the wearer caused by the contraction force of the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1. Also, when using an inner pad, it suppresses the displacement of the inner pad.

[0031] A plurality of thread rubbers 4F3, which are elastic members, are adhesively bonded in an extended state between the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5F, and a plurality of thread rubbers 4R3, which are elastic members, are adhesively bonded in an extended state between the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5R. The thread rubbers 4F3 and 4R3 are elastic members provided in a region further on the crotch region 1B side than the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2 among the thread rubbers provided between the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R. However, unlike other thread rubbers that are adhesively bonded without interruption from the left end to the right end of the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R, the thread rubbers 4F3 and 4R3 are curved in the direction of the crotch region 1B and are located at the constricted portion of the hourglass-shaped absorption core 8c, overlapping a part of the core wrap sheet 7. With this configuration, the arrangement region of the thread rubber 4F3 functions as the leg gathers 3LL and 3LR, which are leg circumference constriction parts, and brings a pair of leg circumference openings including the left lower limb opening 2L and the right lower limb opening 2R into contact with the skin surface of the wearer, following the movement of the wearer's lower limbs.

[0032] The cover sheet 4 is folded along the folding lines 4FF and 4RF and extends to the areas where the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 are arranged, and reinforces the areas where the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 are arranged at the folded parts. The end sheets 11F and 11R are provided in the areas where the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2 are arranged where the cover sheet 4 folded along the folding lines 4FF and 4RF does not extend, and reinforce the areas where the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2 are arranged. A part of the lower crotch region 1B side of the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2 and the end sheets 11F and 11R overlaps with the absorber 8, but does not overlap with the extending region of the absorption core 8c.

[0033] In the present application, the state where the sheets overlap is not limited to the form where the sheets to be overlapped overlap in a state where they are in full contact with each other, but is a concept including the form where a part of the sheets overlaps. For example, one end side part of the end sheet 11F in the longitudinal direction of the back sheet 6 is overlapped in a state of touching a part of the cover sheet 4. The diaper 1 has a laminate formed by stacking the cover sheet 4, the end sheets 11F and 11R, the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R, and the side sheets 10L and 10R in addition to the back sheet 6 and the top sheet 9 with the absorber 8 sandwiched therebetween, and thus it can be said that the diaper 1 has a laminate formed by stacking these multiple sheets.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the vicinity of the body opening of the diaper. More specifically, it is a schematic cross-sectional view of the central part in the width direction of the diaper exterior body, and the upper side is the body opening 2T. A plurality of thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 are arranged at equal intervals on the body opening 2T side of the diaper 1. The thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 are covered with sheets forming the skin side and the non-skin side of the exterior body, but are adhered with an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive and are visible from both the skin side and the non-skin side.

[0035] The coloration of thread rubber 4F1 and thread rubber 4R1 is different. As an example, while the coloration of thread rubber 4R1 is the same as that of other parts of the diaper 1, thread rubber 4F1 has a color different from that of other parts of the diaper. Thread rubber 4F1 is an example of the first coloration part in the present disclosure. Thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 are joined by an adhesive such as a sheet that covers the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 to form an exterior body and a hot melt adhesive, and their coloration is visible from the skin side and the non-skin side surfaces of the exterior body. Note that the first coloration part is not necessarily limited to thread rubber 4F1 and may be any stretchable member. Also, instead of thread rubber 4F1, the first coloration part may be realized by changing the color of the exterior body.

[0036] The wearer or caregiver can distinguish the front and back of the diaper from the difference in coloration between thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1. The position where the lower longitudinal ends of thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 are arranged is the first position in the present disclosure. Thread rubber 4F1 constitutes a first coloration part that exhibits a color different from the surrounding color in a region within a predetermined range from the body opening 2T to the first position. Note that the first coloration part may be on the side of thread rubber 4R1. That is, it is sufficient that the color of the first coloration part arranged on one of the abdominal side exterior body and the back side exterior body is different from that of the other. On the exterior body on the other side as seen from the exterior body where the first coloration part is arranged, a second coloration part having a form different from that of the first coloration part is arranged. The member constituting the second coloration part may be of any type as long as it can be clearly distinguished from other parts of the diaper and can be easily distinguished from the first coloration part. As an example, it is a front-back direction indicating tape 12 attached to the non-skin side of the exterior body on the other side as seen from the exterior body where the first coloration part is arranged. The form of the second coloration part is not limited to a tape. For example, it may be an elastic member such as thread rubber 4F2 or a member obtained by coloring the inner side in the width direction of a stretchable material similar thereto. Also, a part of the exterior body on the other side as seen from the exterior body where the first coloration part is arranged may be colored in a shape different from that of the first coloration part. In the range where the second coloration part overlaps, the sheets constituting the exterior body may be joined by a method such as an adhesive or ultrasonic sealing, and the second coloration part is visible from the skin side and the non-skin side of the exterior body.

[0037] Inside the longitudinal direction of the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1, a plurality of thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2 are arranged at equal intervals. In the example of this figure, the arrangement interval of the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2 is wider than that of the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1, and the contraction force of the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 is higher than that of the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2. Note that there is a predetermined interval without thread rubbers arranged between the first position which is the inner end in the longitudinal direction of the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 and the second position which is the outer end in the longitudinal direction of the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2. The interval between the first position and the second position is wider than the interval between the thread rubbers constituting the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 and the interval between the thread rubbers constituting the thread rubbers 4F2 and 4R2. For example, the first position is at a position 250 mm from the body opening 2T, and the second position is at a position 400 mm from the body opening 2T.

[0038] The outer end in the longitudinal direction of the front - rear direction indicating tape 12 overlaps with the one of the thread rubbers 4R2 that is arranged most outward in the longitudinal direction. In other words, the outer end in the longitudinal direction of the front - rear direction indicating tape 12 overlaps with the second position. The position of the inner end in the longitudinal direction of the front - rear direction indicating tape 12 is an example of the third position in the present disclosure. The third position is at a predetermined distance from the second position, and between the second position and the third position, there is an arrangement area of the front - rear direction indicating tape 12 which is the second coloring part. As an example, the distance between the second position and the third position is approximately equal to the longitudinal length of the front - rear direction indicating tape 12. For example, the third position is at a position 650 mm from the body opening. And the length from the second position to the third position is also approximately equal to the length from the body opening 2T to the first position. Note that the front - rear direction indicating tape 12 does not overlap with the interior body, and the third position also does not overlap with the interior body. In the range where it overlaps with the front - rear direction indicating tape 12, the skin side and the non - skin side of the sheet constituting the exterior body may have a part joined without an intervening separate member by methods such as an adhesive or ultrasonic sealing. By joining in this way, the front - rear direction indicating tape 12 can be visible not only from the non - skin side of the exterior body but also through the exterior body from the skin side of the exterior body.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the front-back discrimination display of the diaper. FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the diaper 1 as viewed from the side of the body opening 2T. In the example of this figure, a thread rubber 4F1, which is a first colored portion having a color different from other portions of the diaper 1, is arranged on the front side, i.e., the abdominal side, of the diaper 1. Further, in the example of this figure, a front-back direction indicating tape 12, which is a second colored portion having a color different from other portions of the diaper 1, is attached to the back side, i.e., the dorsal side, of the diaper 1. The color of the first colored portion and the color of the second colored portion may be of the same system. For example, when the diaper 1 is white as a whole, both the thread rubber 4F1 and the front-back direction indicating tape 12 may be of a blue system.

[0040] As shown in this figure, by arranging front-back discrimination means with different shapes on the abdominal side and the dorsal side of the diaper 1, it becomes easy for the wearer or the caregiver to distinguish the front and the back. Further, since the width-direction lengths of the discrimination means on the abdominal side and the dorsal side are different, it becomes even easier to distinguish the front and the back. Note that the bending rigidity of the front-back direction indicating tape 12 may be higher than that of other parts of the diaper 1. That is, the front-back direction indicating tape 12 maintains its shape against the contraction force of the elastic member that overlaps with the front-back direction indicating tape 12. Since the front-back direction indicating tape 12 maintains its shape even when the diaper 1 is contracting, the visibility of the second colored portion is enhanced, and it becomes easy for the wearer or the caregiver to distinguish the front and the back of the diaper 1.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which the vicinity of the body opening of the diaper is folded back once. When putting on and taking off the pants-type diaper, the longitudinal ends are folded back to facilitate gripping and force is applied. In the diaper 1 according to the present embodiment, since the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1 have a high contraction force and are arranged at a high density, the diaper 1 is difficult to fold back in the region from the body opening 2T to the first position, which is the arrangement region of the thread rubbers 4F1 and 4R1. Further, the rigidity of the front-back direction indicating tape 12 may be higher than that of other parts of the diaper 1. The rigidity of the front-back direction indicating tape 12 is high As a result, in the region with the longitudinal both ends of the front-back direction indicating tape 12 as the longitudinal both ends including the second position and the third position, the diaper 1 becomes difficult to fold back. On the other hand, no thread rubber is arranged between the first position and the second position, and there is no structure that inhibits folding back. Therefore, the diaper 1 easily bends in the region between the first position and the second position. When the wearer or caregiver tries to fold back the diaper 1, the region between the first position and the second position naturally becomes a bent portion, and the longitudinal end portions of the diaper 1 take the form shown in FIG. 6.

[0042] When the longitudinal end portions of the diaper 1 bend as shown in FIG. 6, the front-back direction indicating tape 12, which is the second coloring portion, is covered by the bent outer body, and the coloring becomes difficult to be visually recognized from the outside. On the other hand, the thread rubber 4F1, which is the first coloring portion, is joined to both surfaces of the outer body and can be visually recognized through a single sheet on both the skin side and the non-skin side. Therefore, even when turned inside out, visual recognition from the outside is still easy. Thus, the diaper 1 according to the present embodiment arranges the first coloring portion and the second coloring portion as a plurality of front-back discrimination means at intervals in the longitudinal direction so that a bent portion is formed between the first coloring portion and the second coloring portion. With this configuration, it is possible to distinguish between the front and the back by the difference in coloring even in the folded state.

[0043] FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which the vicinity of the body opening of the diaper is folded back twice. When putting on and taking off the pants-type diaper, the longitudinal end portions are folded back twice to make it easier to grasp. In the diaper 1 according to the present embodiment, as described above, the first bending position is formed between the first position and the second position. Then, when the rigidity of the thread rubber 4R2 arranged at equal intervals and the front-back direction indicating tape 12 has sufficient rigidity, due to the rigidity, in the extending region of the thread rubber 4R2 and in the region between the second position, which is the outer longitudinal end of the front-back direction indicating tape 12, and the third position, which is the inner longitudinal end of the front-back direction indicating tape 12, the bending of the diaper 1 is inhibited. And the distance between the body opening 2T and the first position and the distance between the second position and the third position are substantially the same. With this configuration, the second bending position of the diaper 1 is further below the crotch side of the third position.

[0044] When the longitudinal end of the diaper 1 bends as shown in FIG. 7, the thread rubber 4F1, which is the first color - presenting part, is covered by the re - bent exterior body. Since it will pass through three or more sheets when viewed from the outside, the color - presentation becomes difficult to visually recognize from the outside. On the other hand, in the region where the second color - presenting part is arranged, since the sheets constituting the exterior body are joined to each other, the color - presentation of the second color - presenting part such as the front - back direction indicating tape 12 passes through to the opposite side of the exterior body. Also, since the second color - presenting part and the interior body do not overlap in the thickness direction, the color - presentation of the second color - presenting part can be visually recognized from the outside. Thus, the diaper 1 according to the present embodiment, as a plurality of front - back discrimination means, arranges the first color - presenting part and the second color - presenting part apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, and forms bending parts between the first color - presenting part and the second color - presenting part and under the crotch of the second color - presenting part. With this configuration, even in the state of being folded back twice, it is possible to distinguish the front and back by the difference in color - presentation.

[0045] Thus, the diaper 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with color - presenting parts having different forms in the front - back direction, making it easy to distinguish the front and back when viewed from either the front or the back side, and capable of suppressing mis - wearing. Also, by shifting the positions of the respective color - presenting parts in the longitudinal direction so that the region between the respective color - presenting parts becomes the bending position, when the diaper 1 is folded back for attachment and detachment, one of the color - presenting parts can be visually recognized from the outside. Therefore, it is possible to provide a diaper 1 in which the front - back direction can still be discriminated even after folding back.

[0046] As described above, the present embodiment and the modification examples have been explained, but the content of the present invention is not limited to the above - described embodiment. The arrangement of the first color - presenting part and the second color - presenting part may be reversed front - back. Also, in the above - described example, the front - back direction indicating tape 12 is used as the second color - presenting part, but it is not necessarily required to use a tape. As an example, the second color - presenting part may be formed by partially coloring the thread rubber 4R2 with enhanced strength in part.

[0047] The features included in each of the embodiments and their modification examples disclosed above can be combined with each other.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0048] 1. Diaper 1F ·· Front body area 1B ·· Crotch area 1R ·· Rear body area 2R ·· Right lower limb opening 2L ·· Left lower limb opening 3BL, 3BR ·· Leak - proof wall 3R ·· Waist gather 3LL, 3LR ·· Leg gather 4 ·· Cover sheet 4F1, 4F2, 4F3, 4R1, 4R2, 4R3 ·· Thread rubber 4F4, 4R4, 4F5, 4R5 ·· Edge 4FF, 4RF ·· Fold line 5F, 5R ·· Inner cover sheet 6 ·· Back sheet 7 ·· Core wrap sheet 8 ·· Absorbent body 9 ·· Top sheet 10L, 10R ·· Side sheet 10L1, 10R1 ·· Thread rubber 11F, 11R ·· End sheet 12 ·· Front - to - back direction indicating tape

Claims

1. An abdominal side outer garment formed by overlapping two or more sheets and arranged on the abdominal side of the wearer in a worn state, A back side outer garment formed by overlapping two or more sheets and arranged on the back side of the wearer in a worn state, and forming a body opening through which the outer garment and the body of the wearer are inserted by connecting at both ends in the body circumferential direction of the abdominal side outer garment, An inner garment provided between the abdominal side outer garment and the back side outer garment and containing an absorber, On the inner side of the sheet constituting the outer garment, it is arranged parallel to the edge of the body opening, and in one of the abdominal side outer garment and the back side outer garment, a first color presenting portion presenting a color different from the surrounding color in a region within a predetermined range from the body opening to the first position, In the other of the abdominal side outer garment and the back side outer garment, it is arranged in all or part of the interval from a second position at a predetermined distance from the body opening to a third position at a predetermined distance from the second position, and presents a color different from the surrounding color, A bending position arranged between the first position and the second position, extending in the body circumferential direction and bending toward the non-skin side, Comprising An absorbent article.

2. Elastic members are arranged at equal intervals between the body opening and the first position and between the second position and the third position, respectively, The interval between the first position and the second position is wider than the intervals between the elastic members arranged between the body opening and the first position and between the second position and the third position, The absorbent article according to Claim 1.

3. The second color presenting portion is a film with both end portions in the width direction attached to the non-skin side of the outer garment, An elastic member is arranged inside the sheet constituting the outer garment at a position overlapping the second color presenting portion, The inner garment and the second color presenting portion do not overlap in the thickness direction, The absorbent article according to Claim 1.

4. The outer end portion in the longitudinal direction of the second color presenting portion overlaps the second position, The absorbent article according to Claim 3.

5. The inner end portion in the longitudinal direction of the second color presenting portion overlaps the third position, The absorbent article according to Claim 3.

6. The interval between the body opening and the first position and the interval between the second position and the third position are substantially the same, The absorbent article according to any one of Claims 3 to 5.

7. The shapes of the first color presenting portion and the second color presenting portion are different, The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Images