Manufacturing method for absorbent article

Abstract

To prevent a blade from remaining in a cutter roll when forming a slit in an absorbent article.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing an absorbent article (1) has an absorbent core (132) and a non-skin side sheet (133). The method has a slit formation step (S105) which uses a cutter roll (551) and an anvil roll (552) to form a slit (18) in the non-skin side sheet (133). The cutter roll (551) has a blade (551c) protruding outside in a radial direction from a peripheral surface (551f). The anvil roll (552) has a groove (552d) recessed inside in the radial direction from the peripheral surface (552f). A part (cp) of the blade (551c) presses the non-skin side sheet (133) toward the peripheral surface (552f) so that the slit (18) is formed, and another part (np) of the blade (551c) presses the non-skin side sheet (133) to the groove (552d) so that the slit (18) is not formed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing absorbent articles.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, absorbent articles such as interlabial pads that are worn in close contact with the labia minora have been known. In such an interlabial pad (absorbent article), a plurality of slits are provided in a member with high rigidity such as an absorber, so that it can be deformed three-dimensionally along the unevenness of the wearer's body, thereby improving the fit during wearing. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an interlabial pad provided with a plurality of slits along the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the product.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the manufacturing process of an interlabial pad (absorbent article), when forming slits in the absorber, a method of pressing the absorber while sandwiching it in the thickness direction between a cutter roll having a plurality of blade parts and an anvil roll is generally used. However, in such a method, there is a so-called "blade residue" in which the absorbent core or the like after slit formation adheres (is crimped) to the blade part of the cutter roll and becomes difficult to separate from the blade, which may reduce the manufacturing efficiency.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to suppress the occurrence of blade residue on the cutter roll when forming slits in an absorbent article using a cutter roll and an anvil roll.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The main invention for achieving the above object is a method for manufacturing an absorbent article having an absorbent core and a non-skin side sheet provided on the non-skin side in the thickness direction of the absorbent core, the method including: a conveying step of conveying the non-skin side sheet in a conveying direction; a laminating step of laminating the absorbent core on the conveyed non-skin side sheet; and a slit forming step of forming a slit in at least the non-skin side sheet using a cutter roll and an anvil roll arranged to face the cutter roll after the laminating step. The cutter roll has a blade protruding outward in the radial direction from the peripheral surface, the anvil roll has a groove recessed inward in the radial direction from the peripheral surface, a part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet toward the peripheral surface of the anvil roll so that the slit is formed, and another part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet toward the groove so that the slit is not formed. The absorbent article manufacturing method is characterized by the above.

[0007] Other features of the present invention will be clarified by the description in this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, when forming a slit in an absorbent article using a cutter roll and an anvil roll, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of blade residue on the cutter roll.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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[0010] From the descriptions in this specification and the accompanying drawings, at least the following matters become clear. (Aspect 1) A method for manufacturing an absorbent article having an absorbent core and a non-skin side sheet provided on the non-skin side in the thickness direction of the absorbent core, the method comprising: a conveying step of conveying the non-skin side sheet in a conveying direction; a laminating step of laminating the absorbent core on the conveyed non-skin side sheet; and a slit forming step of forming a slit in at least the non-skin side sheet using a cutter roll and an anvil roll arranged opposite to the cutter roll after the laminating step, wherein the cutter roll has a blade protruding radially outward from the circumferential surface, the anvil roll has a groove recessed radially inward from the circumferential surface, and a part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet toward the circumferential surface of the anvil roll so that the slit is formed, and another part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet toward the groove so that the slit is not formed. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article, characterized in that.

[0011] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Aspect 1, at the location where the blade (the other part) of the cutter roll presses the base material such as the non-skin side sheet toward the groove of the anvil roll, since no slit is formed, it is difficult for the base material to adhere to the blade. Therefore, when forming a slit, even if the base material adheres to a part of the blade, the other part serves as a base point for detaching the base material, and the whole blade can easily come off from the base material. Thereby, it is possible to make it difficult to generate blade residue.

[0012] (Aspect 2) In the slit forming step, the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet toward the circumferential surface of the anvil roll from the side where the non-skin side sheet is provided in the thickness direction. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to Aspect 1.

[0013] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Aspect 2, since the blade of the cutter roll presses (forms a cut) from the non-skin side sheet side having high rigidity and a stable shape, it is easy to cut the fibers and it is easy to detach the blade from the base material (non-skin side sheet) after forming the cut. Therefore, compared with the case of pressing from the skin side having low rigidity, it is possible to make it difficult to generate blade residue.

[0014] (Aspect 3) The absorbent article has at least an absorbent layer including the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet, and a layer provided on the skin side of the absorbent layer. The absorbent layer has a shorter average fiber length and a smaller average fiber diameter than the layer provided on the skin side of the absorbent layer. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to Aspect 1 or 2.

[0015] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Aspect 3, in the absorbent layer with a short fiber length and a small diameter, the fibers are likely to be densely packed and are more likely to have higher rigidity than the layer provided on the skin side. Then, by pressing (forming a cut) the substrate with the blade from the side of the absorbent layer with high rigidity (the non-skin side of the substrate), the shape of the substrate is more likely to be maintained and a slit can be formed neatly as compared with the reverse case.

[0016] (Aspect 4) In the width direction of the blade, one end of the blade is at the same position as one end of the groove, or is located on one side of one end of the groove, and the other end of the blade is at the same position as the other end of the groove, or is located on the other side of the other end of the groove. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3.

[0017] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Aspect 4, by pressing the substrate toward the circumferential surface of the anvil roll at the width direction end of the blade, a slit with a short width can be formed at the width direction end. That is, by using a blade that is long in the width direction, it is possible to accurately form a slit with a short width while suppressing blade wear and maintenance costs. In addition, since no slit is formed at the center in the width direction of the blade and it is difficult for the substrate to adhere to the blade, blade residue is less likely to occur and it is easy to neatly form a slit with a short width.

[0018] (Aspect 5) The boundary between the circumferential surface of the anvil roll and the groove is chamfered. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4.

[0019] According to the manufacturing method of the absorbent article of Aspect 5, at the boundary between the part of the blade of the cutter roll that overlaps with the circumferential surface of the anvil roll (the part where the slit is formed) and the part that overlaps with the groove (the part where the slit is not formed), the way the force is applied when pressed by the blade changes gently. Therefore, compared with the case where there is no chamfered part, it becomes difficult for the base material to adhere to the blade at the end of the slit, and it becomes easier to suppress blade residue.

[0020] (Aspect 6) The slit forming step includes a first slit forming step of forming a first slit along a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and a second slit forming step of forming a second slit along the conveyance direction. In the first slit forming step, a part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet toward the circumferential surface of the anvil roll so that the first slit is formed, and another part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet toward the groove so that the first slit is not formed. The manufacturing method of the absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5.

[0021] According to the manufacturing method of the absorbent article of Aspect 6, since the blade for forming the first slit is provided along a direction (CD direction) orthogonal to the conveyance direction, the part that comes into contact with the circumferential surface of the anvil roll at a certain moment during slit formation becomes longer. On the other hand, by providing a part (another part) where the blade presses toward the groove of the anvil roll in the CD direction, the length of the part where the blade comes into contact with the circumferential surface of the anvil roll becomes shorter, and it is possible to make it difficult for blade residue to occur. Also, since it becomes difficult for blade residue to occur, it is possible to make it difficult for the shape of the base material (absorbent layer, etc.) to collapse.

[0022] (Aspect 7) In the first slit forming step, the blade forms the first slit inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction. The manufacturing method of the absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6.

[0023] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Aspect 7, since the blade is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the direction (CD direction) orthogonal to the conveyance direction, it is suppressed that the entire width direction of the blade contacts the peripheral surface of the anvil roll at the same timing. As a result, the length of the portion where the blade presses the peripheral surface of the anvil roll becomes short, and it is possible to make it less likely to generate blade residue.

[0024] (Aspect 8) The absorbent article has a front-back direction and a width direction that intersect each other, the front-back direction is a direction along the conveyance direction, and in the first slit forming step, the blade is formed on one side and the other side with respect to the central position in the front-back direction of the absorbent article so that the inclination of the first slit with respect to the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction is reversed. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7.

[0025] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Aspect 8, since the inclination direction of the first slit is reversed before and after the central position of the absorbent article, the bending deformation direction of the absorbent layer is also reversed before and after the central position. Therefore, it is possible to easily fit the absorbent article to the unevenness of the wearer's crotch.

[0026] (Aspect 9) The cutter roll used in the first slit forming step has a plurality of the blades arranged intermittently along the conveyance direction, and the anvil roll used in the first slit forming step has the grooves continuous along the conveyance direction. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 8.

[0027] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Aspect 9, since the grooves of the anvil roll are continuously provided along the conveyance direction (MD direction), when pressing the blade of the cutter roll toward the grooves, it is not necessary to align the phases of the blade and the grooves. Therefore, the first slit can be formed with high precision.

[0028] (Aspect 10) The absorbent article has a longitudinal direction and a width direction that intersect each other, and the anvil roll has the grooves at both ends in the width direction of the absorbent article. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 9.

[0029] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Aspect 10, in the portion where the groove is provided, it is difficult for the base material to adhere to the blade, and blade residue is unlikely to occur. Therefore, it is possible to easily suppress the occurrence of blade residue on both sides in the width direction (CD direction) of the absorbent layer. Accordingly, on both sides in the width direction of the absorbent layer, the blade can easily detach from the base material (absorbent layer), and it is possible to suppress the absorbent layer from collapsing from both sides.

[0030] (Aspect 11) The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 10, wherein at both ends in the width direction of the absorbent article, there is no portion where the first slit formed in the first slit forming step and the second slit formed in the second slit forming step intersect.

[0031] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Aspect 11, since the first slit and the second slit do not intersect at both ends in the width direction that come into contact with the labia during wearing of the absorbent article, it is possible to suppress the non-skin-side sheet from curling up to the skin side at the intersection portion. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the labia of the wearer from being irritated by the curled non-skin-side sheet and to suppress the wearer from feeling discomfort or a sense of strangeness.

[0032] (Aspect 12) The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 11, wherein in the second slit forming step, the slit along the conveyance direction is formed so as to overlap a portion where the slit is not formed by the other part of the blade in the first slit forming step.

[0033] According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent article of Embodiment 12, by forming a second slit along the MD direction so as to overlap with a portion where the first slit is not formed in the CD direction, slits that do not cross each other can be formed with high precision at low cost.

[0034] ===Embodiment=== Hereinafter, embodiments will be described by taking the interlabial pad 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "pad 1") as an example of the absorbent article according to the present invention. The interlabial pad is a sanitary product that is sandwiched between a woman's labia and absorbs excreta (body fluids) such as menstrual blood. However, the absorbent article according to the present invention is not limited to the interlabial pad, and may be, for example, a urine collection pad that abuts against the urethra to absorb urine, an absorbent pad that abuts against the anus to absorb feces, or the like.

[0035] <Basic configuration of the interlabial pad 1> FIG. 1 is a plan view of the pad 1 in a deployed state. FIG. 1 is a view seen from the skin side of the pad 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1. FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the pad 1. The center C-C in each of the figures (FIGS. 1 to 4) indicates the center in the width direction, and the center CL indicates the center in the front-rear direction of the absorbent layer 13 (described later) when the pad 1 is viewed in the thickness direction. FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams in a state where the finger insertion sheet 15 (described later) is cut along the center C-C and the pad 1 is placed flat on a plane (the "plane flat placement" state).

[0036] The pad 1 has a front-rear direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that are orthogonal to each other. In the front-rear direction of the pad 1, when worn, the side located on the ventral side of the wearer is defined as the "front side", and the side located on the dorsal side of the wearer is defined as the "rear side". In the thickness direction of the pad 1, the side that abuts against the wearer's skin is defined as the "skin side", and the opposite side is defined as the "non-skin side".

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the pad 1 has a substantially elliptical shape in plan view, with the length in the front-back direction being longer than the length in the width direction, and is symmetric with respect to the center C-C in the width direction. In the front-back direction, it is constricted inward in the width direction at the center CL, having a portion where the length in the width direction becomes narrower. Also, the pad 1 has an asymmetric shape in plan view with respect to the center in the front-back direction. Specifically, the center CL (the center in the front-back direction of the absorption layer 13) is located on the rear side of the center of the pad 1 in the front-back direction, and the distance from the front end of the pad 1 to the front end of the absorption layer 13 is longer than the distance from the rear end of the pad 1 to the rear end of the absorption layer 13. That is, in the front-back direction of the pad 1, the absorption layer 13 is disposed closer to the rear side. The pad 1 includes a surface layer 11, a sub-absorption layer 12, an absorption layer 13, a back surface layer 14, and a finger insertion sheet 15, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0038] The pad 1 of the present embodiment is stored and distributed as a product folded on the non-skin side along the fold line F. FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining the state in which the pad 1 is disassembled into each member. As shown in FIG. 3A, the pad 1 of the present embodiment is folded toward the non-skin side along the fold line F (folding line) at the central portion (center C-C) in the width direction, and on the outermost non-skin side, the finger insertion sheet 15 for forming the finger insertion portion 20 is fixed using an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive HMA. The fold line F is a bent portion provided at the central portion in the width direction along the front-back direction. The fold line F is a portion having a predetermined width, and the vertex on the skin side of the fold line F (the portion protruding most on the skin side) is at substantially the same position as the center C-C in the width direction. FIG. 3B shows the state in which the finger insertion sheet 15 is separated from the back surface layer 14, and FIG. 3C shows the state in which the pad 1 with the finger insertion sheet 15 removed is made horizontal from the folded state at the fold line F. Then, as shown in FIG. 4 from the state shown in FIG. 3C, the surface layer 11, the sub-absorption layer 12, the absorption layer 13, and the back surface layer 14 are stacked in order from the skin side in the thickness direction, and at least some of these members are joined by an adhesive or the like (see FIG. 2).

[0039] Since the surface layer 11 is located on the side closest to the skin and contacts the wearer's skin (between the labia) during wearing, it is preferable to use a soft sheet that is less likely to irritate the skin. The surface layer 11 forms the outer shape of the pad 1 and is a liquid-permeable sheet member. Examples of the surface layer 11 include non-woven fabrics obtained from manufacturing methods such as meltblown, spunbond, pointbond, through-air, needle punch, dry / wet spunlace, and foam film, alone or in combination. Materials made of rayon, acetate, cotton, pulp, or synthetic resin (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate: PET, polypropylene: PP, polyethylene: PE, etc.) as components, alone or composite to form a core-sheath structure, alone or mixed fiber sheet members can be used. The pad 1 of the present embodiment uses a sheet member made of rayon and polyethylene terephthalate.

[0040] The secondary absorption layer 12 is located on the side away from the skin compared to the surface layer 11 and on the skin side compared to the absorption layer 13. The secondary absorption layer 12 serves as a cushion layer that flexibly follows changes such as the wearer's movement, changes in the behavior of the labia, and pressure from clothes between the surface layer 11 and the absorption layer 13, changes its own shape, and reduces the discomfort given to the wearer. The shape of the secondary absorption layer 12 is substantially elliptical, smaller than the surface layer 11, and is located at approximately the central part (accurately, closer to the rear side) of the pad 1. Also, at the center CL in the front-rear direction of the secondary absorption layer 12, it is constricted inward in the width direction, and the length in the width direction is narrowed. As the secondary absorption layer 12, for example, pulp, chemical pulp, rayon, acetate, natural cotton, and synthetic fibers can be used alone or in combination. In the present embodiment, fibers mainly mixed with pulp fibers, rayon fibers, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are used.

[0041] The absorption layer 13 is located on the side away from the skin compared to the secondary absorption layer 12 and on the skin side compared to the back layer 14, and is an absorber that absorbs body fluids such as excrement. The absorption layer 13 has a substantially elliptical shape and is located at approximately the central part (accurately, closer to the rear side) of the pad 1. Details of the absorption layer 13 will be described later.

[0042] The back surface layer 14 is a sheet member located on the non-skin side of the absorption layer 13. The back surface layer 14 forms the outer shape of the pad 1 and has substantially the same shape and size as the front surface layer 11 in plan view. As the back surface layer 14, a sheet member such as a liquid-permeable sheet or a liquid-impermeable sheet can be used. For example, a sheet-like film of synthetic resin, a breathable film, pulp, paper, non-woven fabric, a breathable liquid-blocking sheet, or a sheet member combining these can be used. In this embodiment, a sheet-like member mixed with rayon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and pulp is used.

[0043] The finger insertion sheet 15 is a sheet member for forming the finger insertion portion 20. The finger insertion portion 20 is a space between the finger insertion sheet 15 and the back surface layer 14 and is a space for the wearer to insert a finger when wearing the pad 1. The finger insertion sheet 15 is shorter in length in the front-rear direction than the back surface layer 14 and shorter in length in the width direction than the back surface layer 14. Also, it is provided on the non-skin side of the back surface layer 14 and on the rear side in the front-rear direction. Both side portions in the width direction of the finger insertion sheet 15 are joined and fixed to the non-skin side of the back surface layer 14 by a finger insertion sheet joining portion 16 formed by an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive (see FIG. 2). The front end portion of the finger insertion sheet 15 and the rear end portion of the finger insertion sheet 15 each have an opening where the finger insertion sheet 15 and the back surface layer 14 are not fixed by an adhesive. The front opening is larger than the rear opening. The wearer can insert a finger (for example, the middle finger) through the front opening of the finger insertion portion 20, bring the pad 1 into contact with the labia majora while supporting the pad 1, and wear it.

[0044] As the finger insertion sheet 15, the same materials as those of the surface layer 11 and the back surface layer 14 can be used. For example, spunlace non-woven fabrics, shrink-type non-woven fabrics, extensible spunbonds, etc. made of composite synthetic fibers such as PE / PP, PE / PET, PP / PP as raw materials, non-woven fabrics, and sheet members of fibers of rayon, acetate, cotton, pulp, or synthetic resin (for example, polyethylene terephthalate: PET), breathable films, paper, breathable liquid-blocking sheets, etc. can be used. Further, for example, sheets having elasticity such as films made of synthetic rubber or amorphous olefin-based resins, open-cell foam films, nets, woven fabrics, or fabrics in which spun filaments made of synthetic rubber are woven into woven fabrics, spunbond non-woven fabrics and meltblown non-woven fabrics mainly composed of synthetic rubber, and foamed foam sheets can be used. In the present embodiment, a sheet member mainly composed of pulp and rayon is used.

[0045] Note that although the pad 1 of the present embodiment is in a state of being folded to the non-skin side along the fold line F in the unused state, it is not limited thereto. For example, in the unused state, it may not have the fold line F and may not be folded, and the wearer himself / herself may fold it to the non-skin side for wearing at the time of wearing. Further, it may be provided with a plurality of fold lines F. The fold line F may have a so-called fold mark that is folded, or may not have a fold mark.

[0046] <Regarding the wearing of the pad 1> The pad 1 is worn by being brought into contact with the skin (excretion port) of the wearer in a state of being folded toward the non-skin side along the front-rear direction at the central portion in the width direction. The pad 1 of the present embodiment is a sanitary product, and can be worn by being folded toward the non-skin side so as to be convex in the skin direction along the fold line F and sandwiching the central portion in the width direction of the pad 1 between the labia of a woman. Since the pad 1 has higher adhesion to the body (excretion port) than a sanitary napkin, leakage of excrement (menstrual blood) is less likely to occur, and discomfort during excretion is less likely to occur.

[0047] When wearing, the wearer can be in a wearing state by inserting a finger (index finger or middle finger) into the finger insertion part 20 from the front side of the pad 1 bent at the folding part F, abutting the pad 1 against the labia from the ventral side, and sandwiching it. After use, the pad 1 in the wearing state can be dropped into the toilet, or the pad 1 in the wearing state can be grasped by hand and put into the toilet, and then flushed down the toilet for disposal. In order to flush it down the toilet, it is preferable that each member and the adhesive constituting the pad 1 are made of a biodegradable material, a water-dispersible material, or a water-soluble material. By flushing it down the toilet, the trouble of treating the pad 1 as garbage can be reduced, and the amount of garbage can be reduced.

[0048] Note that "biodegradable" means that in the presence of bacteria such as actinomycetes and other microorganisms, a substance is decomposed into gases such as carbon dioxide or methane, water, and biomass under anaerobic or aerobic conditions according to the processes of nature, and the biodegradability (biodegradation rate, biodegradation degree, etc.) of the substance is comparable to that of materials that occur naturally such as fallen leaves or synthetic polymers generally recognized as biodegradable in the same environment. "Water-dispersible" means that it is also hydrolyzable and has no effect on a limited amount of moisture (menstrual blood) during wearing, but in a large amount of water or water flow, the fibers are easily dispersed into small fragments that do not clog at least the general toilet pipes. "Water-soluble" means that it has no effect on a limited amount of moisture (menstrual blood) during wearing, but it dissolves in a large amount of water or water flow.

[0049] <Regarding the absorption layer 13> FIG. 5 is a plan view for explaining the configuration of the absorption layer 13. The absorption layer 13 of the present embodiment includes a skin-side sheet 131, an absorbent core 132, and a non-skin-side sheet 133 in order from the skin side in the thickness direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the region located at the center when the pad 1 is trisected in the width direction is defined as the central region CR, and the regions located on both sides are defined as the end regions SR.

[0050] The absorbent core 132 is a part having water absorption and water retention properties for absorbing and holding liquids (body fluids) such as menstrual blood. For example, pulp, chemical pulp, rayon, acetate, natural cotton, synthetic fibers, cellulose foam, continuous foam of synthetic resin, etc. can be used alone or in combination. Also, a particulate polymer absorbent or a fibrous polymer absorbent may be mixed, or a sheet-like polymer absorbent may be used. Further, in order to maintain the bulkiness of the absorbent core and enhance water retention, crosslinked and crimped chemical pulp, acetate, or synthetic fibers may be mixed with a crosslinking agent. In the pad 1, pulp fibers (water-absorbent fibers) formed into a predetermined shape are used.

[0051] The skin-side sheet 131 is a member that covers the absorbent core 132 from the skin side, and the non-skin-side sheet 133 is a member that covers the absorbent core 132 from the non-skin side. Examples of the skin-side sheet 131 and the non-skin-side sheet 133 include cellulose such as ground pulp and cotton, regenerated cellulose such as rayon and fibrillated rayon, semi-synthetic cellulose such as acetate and triacetate, and those obtained by subjecting thermoplastic hydrophobic chemical fibers to a hydrophilic treatment. In the present embodiment, the skin-side sheet 131 of the pad 1 is a sheet made of a span lace of pulp and rayon, and the non-skin-side sheet 133 is a sheet made of pulp such as a wet-laid tissue of 100% pulp.

[0052] Also, by providing the skin-side sheet 131, the excrement reaching the absorbent layer 13 can be easily diffused in the horizontal direction, and the horizontally spread excrement can be absorbed by the absorbent core 132. As a result, the excrement can be quickly absorbed by the absorbent core 132, and thus the discomfort given to the skin of the wearer can be easily reduced.

[0053] Further, the absorption layer 13 is provided with a plurality of slits 18, 18... and a plurality of squeezing portions 19, 19... (not shown in FIG. 5). The slit 18 is at least a cut that penetrates the absorption layer 13 (the skin-side sheet 131, the absorbent core 132, and the non-skin-side sheet 133) in the thickness direction. However, the slit 18 may penetrate the absorption layer 13 and the sub-absorption layer 12 in the thickness direction. By providing the slit 18, when the pad 1 is worn, the absorption layer 13 and the sub-absorption layer 12 can easily deform flexibly following the movement of the wearer's body, and the fit is improved. Further, by diffusing the absorbed excreted liquid in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction along the slit 18, the excreted liquid can be absorbed and held in a wide range of the absorbent core 132. Although details will be described later, the slit 18 is formed by making a cut from the non-skin side in the thickness direction of the absorption layer 13 with a cutter or the like. Therefore, in the pad 1 of the present embodiment, at least a slit (cut) is formed in the non-skin-side sheet 133.

[0054] The slit 18 has a first slit 18a along the width direction and a second slit 18b along the front-rear direction. Here, the "slit along the width direction" refers to a slit in which the smaller angle among the angles formed by the slit (or the tangent of the slit) and the width direction is 45 degrees or less. That is, the first slit 18a includes a slit provided parallel to the width direction and a slit provided inclined by a predetermined angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the width direction. Similarly, the "slit along the front-rear direction" refers to a slit in which the smaller angle among the angles formed by the slit (or the tangent of the slit) and the front-rear direction is less than 45 degrees. That is, the second slit 18b includes a slit provided parallel to the front-rear direction and a slit provided inclined by a predetermined angle of less than 45 degrees with respect to the front-rear direction.

[0055] The squeezing part 19 is a part that squeezes the absorption layer 13 (the skin-side sheet 131, the absorbent core 132, and the non-skin-side sheet 133) and the sub-absorption layer 12 in the thickness direction. For example, it is formed by stacking the absorption layer 13 and the sub-absorption layer 12 in the thickness direction and performing embossing or the like (see Fig. 4). By providing the squeezing part 19, a plurality of fibers constituting the absorption layer 13 and the sub-absorption layer 12 are crimped, and the absorption layer 13 and the sub-absorption layer 12 are each more likely to maintain their shapes and are less likely to come apart. Therefore, when the pad 1 is worn and the wearer moves their body, it is suppressed that the absorption layer 13 becomes deformed or twisted, resulting in deteriorated fit or leakage of excreted fluid.

[0056] Note that the absorption layer 13 and the sub-absorption layer 12 are only crimped by the squeezing part 19 and are not fixed using an adhesive or the like. Therefore, when the used pad 1 is flushed down the toilet, if the squeezing part 19 gets wet with water, the crimping (hydrogen bonding) between the fibers comes off, and the fibers constituting the absorption layer 13 and the sub-absorption layer 12 are more likely to come apart. As a result, the hydrolyzability (water dispersibility) is enhanced, and it is possible to make it difficult to cause problems such as clogging of the toilet pipes.

[0057] Further, the absorbent core 132 of the present embodiment contains, as pulp fibers (water-absorbent fibers), hardwood water-absorbent fibers (hardwood pulp) which are water-absorbent fibers made of hardwood. These hardwood water-absorbent fibers are characterized by having a shorter fiber length and a thinner fiber diameter compared to softwood water-absorbent fibers (softwood pulp) made of softwood.

[0058] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the fiber length distribution of hardwood water-absorbent fibers (hardwood pulp) and softwood water-absorbent fibers (softwood pulp). The horizontal axis indicates the fiber length (mm), and the vertical axis indicates the frequency (%). As shown in Fig. 6, the average fiber length of the softwood pulp is about 2.5 mm, and the distribution width of the fiber length is wide (fibers of 3 mm or more are included. The standard deviation is 1.6). In contrast, the average fiber length of the hardwood water-absorbent fibers is about 0.79 mm, and the distribution width of the fiber length is narrow (the standard deviation is 0.27).

[0059] Note that the average fiber length of pulp fibers means the length-weighted average fiber length L(l) measured by the centerline fiber length (Cont). The length-weighted average fiber length is measured as the L(l) value by kajaaniFiberLab fiber properties (off-line) manufactured by Metso Automation. This is also the method recommended by JIS P 8226-2 (Pulp - Fiber length measurement method by optical automatic analysis method - Conforming to the non-polarization method).

[0060] The absorbent core 132 has high water retention because it is composed of water-absorbent fibers with short fiber lengths such as hardwood pulp (water-absorbent fibers with an average fiber length of about 0.8 mm). For example, when comparing an absorber formed of hardwood pulp with a short fiber length and an absorber formed of softwood pulp with a long fiber length at the same weight, the fiber number density of the hardwood pulp is greater than that of the softwood pulp. That is, by using hardwood pulp, it is possible to increase the density of the absorbent core 132 compared to the case of using softwood pulp. And by increasing the density of the absorbent core 132, the capillary effect can be enhanced and the water retention can be improved. Note that the fiber number density corresponds to the average number of fibers per unit area, and is a value obtained by calculating the number of fibers contained per unit area in the case of the closest packing structure using the fiber thickness + average fiber distance.

[0061] <Method for manufacturing the interlabial pad 1> Next, the manufacturing method of the interlabial pad 1 will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of the pad 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining a manufacturing apparatus 500 for manufacturing an absorbent article such as the pad 1. Note that FIGS. 7 and 8 explain representative processes related to the manufacture of the pad 1 and do not represent all of the manufacturing processes.

[0062] The manufacturing apparatus 500 shown in FIG. 8 can intermittently manufacture the pad 1 and other absorbent articles according to this embodiment by sequentially performing each of the steps (S101 to S110) shown in FIG. 7. The manufacturing apparatus 500 includes a conveyance mechanism 510, an absorbent core laminating mechanism 520, a sub-absorbent layer laminating mechanism 530, an inversion mechanism 540, a first slit forming mechanism 550, a second slit forming mechanism 560, a cutting and sealing mechanism 570, a sealer mechanism 580, a finger insertion sheet attaching mechanism 590, and a loosening mechanism 595.

[0063] In the manufacturing process of the pad 1, first, a conveyance step of conveying a continuous body of the non-skin-side sheet 133 constituting the absorbent layer 13 in the conveyance direction is performed (S101). In the manufacturing apparatus 500, the conveyance direction is a direction along the longitudinal direction of the pad 1. Hereinafter, the conveyance direction is also referred to as the "MD direction (Machine Direction)", and the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction (the direction along the width direction of the pad 1 and the depth direction of the paper surface in FIG. 8) is also referred to as the "CD direction (Cross Direction)".

[0064] In the conveyance step, after the non-skin-side sheet continuum 133a (base material sheet) in which the non-skin-side sheets 133 are connected in the MD direction is fed out from the raw material roll, it is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the MD direction at a predetermined conveyance speed by a conveyance mechanism 510 including conveyance rollers and the like. Then, while the non-skin-side sheet continuum 133a is being conveyed, each of the steps S102 to S110 is performed, whereby the pad 1 is manufactured.

[0065] Next, an absorbent core laminating step is performed (S102) in which the absorbent core 132 is laminated on the non-skin-side sheet continuum 133a (base material sheet) conveyed in the MD direction using the absorbent core laminating mechanism 520. The absorbent core laminating mechanism 520 includes a defibrator 521, a material supply unit 522, and a rotating drum 523. In the absorbent core laminating step, first, ground pulp that is a raw material of the absorbent core 132 is produced. The ground pulp is produced by grinding the raw material pulp sheet PS1 with the defibrator 521. The defibrator 521 is provided with a rotating body (for example, Sommill 521m) having a plurality of blades provided on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical roll. By rotating this rotating body (Sommill 521m) so as to scrape the pulp sheet PS1 fed from the parent roll, the pulp sheet PS1 is finely ground and the ground pulp is produced. Note that the pulp sheet PS1 may be ground using a rotating body different from the Sommill 521m, or the pulp sheet PS1 may be ground by hitting it using a hammer mill instead of the rotating body. Also, in the present embodiment, the pulp sheet PS1 that is a raw material of the absorbent core 132 is mainly composed of pulp containing hardwood pulp, but may contain softwood pulp or may be a pulp-mixed spunlace.

[0066] The ground pulp produced by the defibrator 521 is collected inside the material supply unit 522 and supplied to the rotating drum 523. The material supply unit 522 is arranged to cover the upper part of the rotating drum 523, mixes a thermoplastic resin with the ground pulp, and further mixes superabsorbent polymer particles (SAP) if necessary, and supplies the mixture to the rotating drum 523 by air conveyance.

[0067] The rotating drum 523 is a hollow cylindrical drum and is provided with a suction mechanism (not shown) that sucks air from the outside to the inside of the outer peripheral surface. Further, a plurality of recesses 523r are formed at a predetermined pitch on the outer peripheral surface as a mold for filling the material of the absorbent core 132. When the rotating drum 523 rotates and the recess 523r enters the material supply section 522, the material (pulverized pulp) of the absorbent core 132 supplied from the material supply section 522 accumulates (collects) in the recess 523r due to the suction of the suction mechanism. Then, when the rotating drum 523 rotates and the recess 523r containing the material of the absorbent core 132 reaches the lowermost part of the drum, the material of the absorbent core 132 comes off from the recess 523r, is transferred onto the base material sheet (non-skin side sheet continuum 133a) being conveyed, and is delivered to the next process. Thereby, the absorbent core 132 is laminated on the skin side of the non-skin side sheet 133.

[0068] Next, in the process of conveying the base material sheet on which the absorbent core 132 is laminated downstream in the conveying direction (MD direction) from the absorbent core laminating mechanism 520, the continuum 131a of the skin side sheet 131 is overlapped (see FIG. 8), and reaches the sub-absorbent layer laminating mechanism 530 in a state where the absorbent layer 13 is formed. For the sake of simplicity of explanation, the skin side sheet 131 is not shown in the following processes of FIG. 8.

[0069] Next, a sub-absorbent layer laminating step of laminating the sub-absorbent layer 12 on the skin side in the thickness direction of the absorbent layer 13 is performed at the sub-absorbent layer laminating mechanism 530 (S103). The sub-absorbent layer laminating mechanism 530 has a fibrillation device 531. The fibrillation device 531 has a Somill 531m which is a rotating body having a plurality of blades provided on the peripheral surface of a cylindrical roll. Then, in substantially the same manner as the fibrillation device 521, by rotating so as to shave the pulp sheet PS2 fed out from the raw roll, the pulp sheet PS2 is pulverized to produce pulverized pulp which becomes the raw material of the sub-absorbent layer 12. The pulverized pulp is directly sprayed onto the base material sheet, and a layer of pulverized pulp (sub-absorbent layer 12) is laminated on the skin side of the absorbent layer 13.

[0070] The pulp sheet PS2 used in the secondary absorption layer lamination process is composed of softwood pulp, and may also contain hardwood pulp or may be a rayon blend. And the content rate of hardwood pulp in the pulp sheet PS2 is smaller than that in the pulp sheet PS1. As a result, the secondary absorption layer 12 has a longer average fiber length and a thicker average fiber diameter than the absorbent core 132.

[0071] Also, after the secondary absorption layer 12 is laminated on the absorption layer 13, an embossing process for forming the squeezing part 19 is performed. As a result, a plurality of fibers constituting the absorption layer 13 and the secondary absorption layer 12 are crimped, so that they are less likely to be easily peeled off or deformed in the state where both are laminated.

[0072] Next, a reversing process is performed (S104) in which the base sheet (absorption layer 13 and secondary absorption layer 12) is reversed in the thickness direction by the reversing mechanism 540. In FIG. 8, the base sheet that has been conveyed from the left side to the right side of the paper surface is reversed in the conveying direction from the right side to the left side, and at the same time, the thickness direction is also reversed. Therefore, after the reversing process, it is conveyed in the MD direction with the absorption layer 13 laminated on the upper side in the vertical direction of the secondary absorption layer 12.

[0073] Next, a first slit forming step of forming a first slit 18a in the absorbent layer 13 is performed using the first slit forming mechanism 550 (S105). The first slit forming mechanism 550 includes a cutter roll 551 and an anvil roll 552. The cutter roll 551 is a rotating body provided with a plurality of blades on the circumferential surface of a cylindrical roll and driven to rotate about a rotation axis along the CD direction. The anvil roll 552 is arranged to face the cutter roll 551 in the thickness direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 8) and is a rotating body driven to rotate about a rotation axis along the CD direction. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the cutter roll 551 is provided on the upper side (the non-skin side of the pad 1) in the vertical direction of the manufacturing apparatus 500, and the anvil roll 552 is provided on the lower side (the skin side of the pad 1). Then, the first slit 18a is formed by sandwiching and pressing the base material sheet (the absorbent layer 13 and the sub-absorbent layer 12) in the thickness direction between the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552. Specific configurations and functions of the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 will be described later.

[0074] Next, a second slit forming step of forming a second slit 18b in the absorbent layer 13 is performed using the second slit forming mechanism 560 (S106). The second slit forming mechanism 560 includes a cutter roll 561 and an anvil roll 562. The cutter roll 561 is a rotating body provided with a plurality of blades on the circumferential surface of a cylindrical roll and driven to rotate about a rotation axis along the CD direction. The anvil roll 562 is arranged to face the cutter roll 561 in the thickness direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 8) and is a rotating body driven to rotate about a rotation axis along the CD direction. Specific configurations and functions of the cutter roll 561 and the anvil roll 562 will be described later. Further, in the second slit forming step, the second slit forming mechanism 560 cuts the base material sheet (the absorbent layer 13 and the sub-absorbent layer 12) into a substantially elliptical shape as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1.

[0075] After the slit 18 is formed in the absorption layer 13 (and the sub-absorption layer 12) in the first slit forming step (S105) and the second slit forming step (S106), in the thickness direction, the continuum 11a of the surface layer 11 is laminated from the skin side of the sub-absorption layer 12, and the continuum 14a of the back surface layer 14 is laminated from the non-skin side of the absorption layer 13.

[0076] Next, a cutting and sealing step is performed (S107) in which the continuum 11a of the surface layer 11 and the continuum 14a of the back surface layer 14 in a state where the absorption layer 13 and the sub-absorption layer 12 are sandwiched in the thickness direction are joined (sealed) while being cut into a predetermined shape using the cutting and sealing mechanism 570. In the cutting and sealing step, in a region outside the sub-absorption layer 12 (absorption layer 13), the continuum 11a of the surface layer 11 and the continuum 14a of the back surface layer 14 are joined using a known welding means such as thermal welding or ultrasonic welding, or an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive. That is, in the region outside the portion surrounded by the broken line representing the sub-absorption layer 12 in the planar state of the pad 1 shown in FIG. 1, the surface layer 11 and the back surface layer 14 are sealed and joined. Then, the belt-like continua 11a, 14a extending in the MD direction are cut along the outer edge (outline) of the pad 1 to cut out individual pads 1.

[0077] Next, a seaming step is performed (S108) in which each pad 1 is bent along the longitudinal direction (MD direction) at the central portion in the width direction (CD direction) using the seaming mechanism 580. As shown in FIG. 3B, the seaming mechanism 580 bends the pad 1 into a triangular shape convex on the skin side along the folding line F along the longitudinal direction (MD direction).

[0078] Next, a finger insertion sheet attaching step is performed (S109) in which the insertion sheet 15 is attached to the non-skin side of the back surface layer 14 using the finger insertion sheet attaching mechanism 590. As shown in FIG. 3B, the insertion sheet 15 is attached to the non-skin side of the back surface layer 14 of the pad 1 bent into a triangular shape.

[0079] Next, a loosening step is performed (S110) to loosen the pad 1 (absorbent article) using the loosening mechanism 595. The loosening mechanism 595 has a plurality of rollers that convey the pad 1 folded in half along the fold line F along the circumferential surface, and by curving the pad 1 along the circumferential surface of the rollers to one side and the other side in the thickness direction, the distribution and entanglement bias of the pulp fibers contained in the pad 1 are loosened and made uniform. As a result, the absorbent layer 13 can be easily deformed flexibly, and the fit when the pad 1 is worn can be improved. Further, since the bias of the pulp fibers is corrected, the liquid absorption property and the liquid diffusibility are improved.

[0080] After the loosening step is performed, the pad 1 is individually packaged on the downstream side in the MD direction and shipped as an interlabial pad package packed one by one or in plural, and distributed in the market.

[0081] <Regarding the formation of the slit 18> Subsequently, details of the method for forming the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b will be described. First, in the first slit forming step (S105), the method for forming the first slit 18a will be described. FIGS. 9A to 9C are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the cutter roll 551 used when forming the first slit 18a. FIG. 9A is a plan view of the cutter roll 551 as viewed from the MD direction. FIG. 9B is a diagram showing the arrangement pattern of a plurality of blades 551c provided on the circumferential surface 551f of the cutter roll 551. FIG. 9C is a cross-sectional view taken along the D-D arrow in FIG. 9B. Further, FIGS. 10A to 10B are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the anvil roll 552 used when forming the first slit 18a. FIG. 10A is a plan view of the anvil roll 552 as viewed from the MD direction. FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of the region E in FIG. 10A.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 9A, the cutter roll 551 of the first slit forming mechanism 550 is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates about a rotation axis Ar1 along the CD direction, and has a plurality of blades 551c, 551c... protruding radially outward from the circumferential surface 551f of the cylinder. The plurality of blades 551c are arranged in the pattern shown in FIG. 9B, and the pattern in FIG. 9B is intermittently provided at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction on the circumferential surface 551f of the cutter roll 551 as shown in FIG. 9A. Each of the plurality of blades 551c is provided so as to be capable of forming a slit mainly along the CD direction (the width direction of the pad 1). That is, each blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 is provided mainly parallel to the CD direction or inclined by a predetermined angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the CD direction. With such blades 551c, a plurality of first slits 18a can be formed in the pad 1. However, a slit 18 along a part of the MD direction may be formed by the cutter roll 551.

[0083] The anvil roll 552 of the first slit forming mechanism 550 is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates about a rotation axis Ar2 along the CD direction, and is provided so as to face the cutter roll 551 with the pad 1 (base material sheet) interposed therebetween (see FIG. 8). Then, while the anvil roll 552 and the cutter roll 551 are rotating, at the portion where the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 and the tip of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 come into contact, a slit (cut) corresponding to the shape of the blade 551c is formed in the base material sheet (the absorption layer 13, the sub-absorption layer 12, etc. in this embodiment) sandwiched between the two.

[0084] In addition, a groove 552d that is recessed radially inward is provided in a part of the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552. In the present embodiment, a pair of grooves 552d are provided on both sides of the central position CDCL in the CD direction of the anvil roll 552. Further, the grooves 552d are continuously provided along the circumferential direction (the direction corresponding to the MD direction) of the anvil roll 552.

[0085] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of forming the first slit 18a by the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552. In FIG. 11, when the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 are aligned and opposed at the central position CDCL in the CD direction, the positional relationship between the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 and the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552 is shown.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 11, in the CD direction, on both sides of the central position CDCL, there is a portion where the blade 551c and the groove 552d overlap. For example, in the region F of FIG. 11, the first portion np located at the central part of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 in the CD direction overlaps with the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552. On the other hand, the second portion cp located at both ends of the blade 551c in the CD direction does not overlap with the groove 552d. That is, when the tip of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 abuts against the peripheral surface 552f of the anvil roll 552, the second portion cp of the blade 551c abuts against the peripheral surface 552f, but the first portion np does not abut against the peripheral surface 552f.

[0087] In this case, the second portion cp located at both ends of the blade 551c in the CD direction forms the slit 18 by pressing the base material sheet (such as the absorption layer 13) toward the peripheral surface 552f of the anvil roll 552. On the other hand, since the first portion np located at the central part of the blade 551c in the CD direction presses the base material sheet (such as the absorption layer 13) toward the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, the slit 18 is not formed. Thereby, in the first slit 18a along the width direction, a slit 18 is formed in which the central part in the CD direction (width direction) is divided (see the end region SR in FIG. 5).

[0088] FIGS. 12A and 12B are diagrams for explaining the case where no groove is provided on the peripheral surface of the anvil roll when forming a slit using a cutter roll and an anvil roll. FIGS. 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining the case where a groove is provided on the peripheral surface of the anvil roll when forming a slit using a cutter roll and an anvil roll.

[0089] When forming a slit in a base material using a cutter roll and an anvil roll, usually, the circumferential surface of the anvil roll is a uniform surface, and no groove corresponding to the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552 in the present embodiment is provided. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12A, the entire tip portion of the blade of the cutter roll presses the circumferential surface of the anvil roll, and the base material is cut at the pressed portion. That is, by pressing the base material toward the circumferential surface of the anvil roll with the entire tip portion of the blade of the cutter roll, a slit having the same length as the width of the blade is formed. Then, as the cutter roll and the anvil roll rotate, when the tip of the blade of the cutter roll and the circumferential surface of the anvil roll are separated, as shown in FIG. 12B, a so-called "blade residue" occurs in which the base material pressed by the blade is difficult to separate while adhering to the blade. When such blade residue occurs, it becomes difficult to stably convey the base material in the MD direction, and the cutting operation by the cutter roll may be hindered, which may deteriorate the manufacturing efficiency of the product.

[0090] In contrast, in the present embodiment, a groove 552d is provided in the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552. Then, as shown in FIG. 13A, the second portion cp of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 presses the base material (absorbent core 132 or non-skin side sheet 133) toward the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 to form a slit 18. On the other hand, since the first portion np of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 presses the base material toward the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, the slit 18 is not formed. In this state, when the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 rotate and the tip of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 and the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 are separated, as shown in FIG. 13B, the base material is not attached to at least the first portion np of the blade 551c.

[0091] This is because in the overlapping portion (first portion np) of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 and the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, the slit 18 is not formed, making it difficult for the blade 551c to strongly press against the base material (absorbent core 132 or non-skin side sheet 133). Therefore, even if a part of the base material (second portion cp) adheres to a part of the blade 551c, the base material does not adhere to the other part (first portion np) of the blade 551c, and a starting point for detaching the base material from the blade 551c is easily formed. As a result, the occurrence of blade residue can be reduced.

[0092] In FIG. 13, in the CD direction, the entire groove 552d overlaps with the blade 551c, but even if only a part of the groove 552d overlaps with the blade 551c, it is acceptable. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a modified example of FIG. 13. In FIG. 14, in the CD direction (width direction of the blade 551c), the first portion np' located at the other end of the blade 551c overlaps with the groove 552d, while the second portion cp' located at one end does not overlap with the groove 552d. In this case, in the second portion cp', the blade 551c presses the base material toward the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 to form the slit 18. On the other hand, in the first portion np', since the blade 551c presses the base material toward the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, the slit 18 is not formed. Therefore, in the first portion np', the base material does not adhere to the blade 551c, and a starting point for detaching the base material from the blade 551c is formed, making it possible to reduce the occurrence of blade residue.

[0093] In addition, when forming the slit 18 in the present embodiment, the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 presses the base material from the non-skin side in the thickness direction toward the peripheral surface 552f of the anvil roll 552. That is, a cut is made from the non-skin side sheet 133 side disposed on the non-skin side of the base material (absorbing layer 13 and sub-absorbing layer 12). Since the non-skin side sheet 133 has higher rigidity and a more stable shape compared to the absorbent core 132 in which pulp fibers are intertwined and aggregated and the sub-absorbing layer 12, it is easy to cut the fibers when forming the cut, and it is easy to separate the blade 551c from the base material after forming the cut. That is, burrs are less likely to occur. Therefore, it is possible to make burrs less likely to occur compared to the case of pressing from the skin side (the side of the sub-absorbing layer 12) with low rigidity.

[0094] In addition, the base material for forming the slit 18 has a structure in which the absorbing layer 13 and the sub-absorbing layer 12 are laminated. As described above, since the absorbing layer 13 is mainly composed of hardwood pulp fibers with short fiber lengths and thin diameters, the fibers are likely to be densely packed. On the other hand, since the sub-absorbing layer 12 is composed of softwood pulp fibers with long fiber lengths and thick diameters, the fibers are less likely to be densely packed compared to the absorbing layer 13. Therefore, the absorbing layer 13 has higher rigidity than the sub-absorbing layer 12. In the embodiment, the blade 551c presses the base material from the side of the absorbing layer 13 with high rigidity (the non-skin side of the base material). That is, a cut is formed from the side with higher rigidity in the thickness direction of the base material. Therefore, compared to the reverse case, the shape of the base material (absorbing layer 13 and sub-absorbing layer 12) is easily maintained when pressed by the blade 551c, and the slit 18 can be formed neatly.

[0095] Further, among the plurality of blades 551c, 551c... of the cutter roll 551, the blade 551c provided at a position facing (overlapping) the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552 is preferably provided so as to cross the entire groove 552d in the CD direction as shown in FIGS. 11 and 13A. In other words, in the CD direction (corresponding to the width direction of the blade 551c), one end of the blade 551c is at the same position as one end of the groove 552d, or is located on one side of one end of the groove 552d, and the other end of the blade 551c is at the same position as the other end of the groove 552d, or is located on the other side of the other end of the groove 552d.

[0096] With such a configuration, in the CD direction (width direction) of a single blade 551c, a short-width slit 18 can be formed in the second portion cp located at the end as shown in FIG. 13. Conventionally, when attempting to form a short-width slit, it was necessary to provide a short-width blade on the cutter roll according to the short-width slit. However, such a short-width blade was prone to wear, resulting in problems of increased labor and cost for maintenance. Also, due to the influence of blade residue and the like, it was difficult to form the slit neatly (make an accurate cut into the base material). In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the short-width slit 18 adjacent to at least one side in the width direction of the groove 552d can be easily formed by the second portion cp at the width-direction end of the blade 551c. Further, since the slit 18 is not formed in the first portion np at the center in the width direction of the blade 551c, blade residue is less likely to occur, and the short-width slit 18 can be formed neatly.

[0097] Also, in the anvil roll 552, it is preferable that the boundary between the circumferential surface 552f and the groove 552d is chamfered. In Fig. 10B, at the boundary between the circumferential surface 552f and the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, the corner portion ch shown in black is chamfered. By providing such a chamfered portion ch, among the blades 551c of the cutter roll 551, at the boundary between the portion overlapping the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 in the CD direction (the second portion cp forming the slit 18) and the portion overlapping the groove 552d (the first portion np not forming the slit 18), the way the force is applied when pressed by the blade 551c changes gently. Therefore, compared with the case where there is no chamfered portion ch, it becomes difficult for the base material to adhere to the blade 551c at the end of the slit 18, and it becomes easier to suppress blade residue. Note that the chamfering at the boundary between the circumferential surface 552f and the groove 552d may be formed linearly as shown in Fig. 10B, or may be formed curvilinearly. That is, the boundary between the circumferential surface 552f and the groove 552d may have a curved surface shape.

[0098] Subsequently, in the second slit forming step (S106), the method of forming the second slit 18b will be described. Figs. 15A to 15C are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the cutter roll 561 used when forming the second slit 18b. Fig. 15A is a plan view when the cutter roll 561 is viewed from the MD direction. Fig. 15B is a diagram showing the arrangement pattern of a plurality of blades 561c provided on the circumferential surface 561f of the cutter roll 561. Fig. 15C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line G-G in Fig. 15B.

[0099] As shown in FIG. 15A, the cutter roll 561 of the second slit forming mechanism 560 is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates about a rotation axis Ar3 along the CD direction, and has a plurality of blades 561c, 561c... protruding radially outward from the circumferential surface 561f of the cylinder. The plurality of blades 561c are arranged in the pattern shown in FIG. 15B, and the pattern of FIG. 15B is intermittently provided at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction on the circumferential surface 561f of the cutter roll 561 as shown in FIG. 15A. Each of the plurality of blades 561c is provided so as to be capable of forming a slit mainly along the MD direction (the front-rear direction of the pad 1). That is, the blade 561c of the cutter roll 561 is provided mainly parallel to the MD direction or inclined by a predetermined angle of less than 45 degrees with respect to the MD direction. With such a blade 561c, a plurality of second slits 18b can be formed in the pad 1. However, a slit 18 along a part of the CD direction may be formed by the cutter roll 561.

[0100] Further, a circumferential blade 561rc is provided on the circumferential surface 561f of the cutter roll 561 so as to surround the plurality of blades 561c, 561c... along the MD direction. The circumferential blade 561rc is provided in accordance with the shape of the outer edge of the sub-absorbing layer 12 (a substantially elliptical shape shown by the broken line in FIG. 1), and the sheet-shaped sub-absorbing layer 12 laminated in the sub-absorbing layer lamination step (S103) is cut out like so-called die-cutting to form the sub-absorbing layer 12 into a substantially elliptical shape.

[0101] The anvil roll 562 of the second slit forming mechanism 560 is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates about a rotation axis along the CD direction, and is provided so as to face the cutter roll 561 with the pad 1 (base material sheet) sandwiched therebetween (see FIG. 8). Note that no depression (groove) corresponding to the groove 552d (see FIG. 10) of the anvil roll 552 is provided on the circumferential surface of the anvil roll 562. Then, while the anvil roll 562 and the cutter roll 561 are rotating, at the portion where the circumferential surface of the anvil roll 562 and the tip of the blade 561c of the cutter roll 561 come into contact, a slit (cut) corresponding to the shape of the blade 561c is formed in the base material sheet (absorbing layer 13, sub-absorbing layer 12, etc. in this embodiment) sandwiched between the two. At the same time, at the portion where the circumferential surface of the anvil roll 562 and the tip of the circumferential blade 561rc of the cutter roll 561 come into contact, the base material sheet (absorbing layer 13 and sub-absorbing layer 12) sandwiched between the two is cut out in a substantially elliptical shape along the shape of the circumferential blade 561rc.

[0102] Note that a part of the blade 561c of the cutter roll 561 of the second slit forming mechanism 560 is arranged at a position overlapping the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552 of the first slit forming mechanism 550 in the CD direction (see FIG. 15B). Therefore, a part of the second slit 18b formed in the second slit forming step (S106) is formed in a portion where the first slit 18a was not formed in the first slit forming step (S105) (the portion corresponding to the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552). As a result, in the CD direction, at both ends in the CD direction (width direction) where the groove 552d is provided, as shown in FIG. 5, there is no portion where the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b intersect.

[0103] In this way, by using the first slit forming mechanism 550 and the second slit forming mechanism 560, a plurality of first slits 18a along the CD direction (width direction) and a plurality of second slits 18b along the MD direction (front-rear direction) are formed in the absorbing layer 13 (and the sub-absorbing layer 12) (see FIG. 5).

[0104] In the present embodiment, in the second slit forming step (S106), the entire blade 561c of the cutter roll 561 presses the absorption layer 13 toward the circumferential surface of the anvil roll 562, so that the second slit 18b is formed over the entire area of the blade 561c. On the other hand, in the first slit forming step (S105), the first portion np of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 presses the absorption layer 13 toward the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, so that the first slit 18a is not formed in the first portion np (corresponding to the other part) of the blade 551c.

[0105] Since the blade 561c of the cutter roll 561 that forms the second slit 18b is provided along the MD direction, when forming the slit, the length of the portion of the blade 561c that contacts the circumferential surface of the anvil roll 562 at a certain moment is short, and it is difficult for the base material to adhere, so it is difficult for blade residue to occur. In contrast, since the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 that forms the first slit 18a is provided along the CD direction, when forming the slit, the length of the portion of the blade 551c that contacts the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 at a certain moment becomes long, and the base material adheres to the blade 551c and blade residue is likely to occur. Therefore, in the first slit forming step (S105), by preventing the first slit 18a from being formed in a part (the first portion np) of the blade 551c, it is made difficult for blade residue to occur. Further, since it is difficult for blade residue to occur, the shape of the absorption layer 13 can be made difficult to collapse.

[0106] Also, in the first slit forming step (S105), some of the plurality of blades 551c, 551c... provided on the circumferential surface 551f of the cutter roll 551 are arranged at a predetermined angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the CD direction, and the first slit 18a inclined with respect to the CD direction is formed. In FIG. 5, the first slits 18a inclined with respect to the CD direction are provided in the regions on both sides when the pad 1 is equally divided into three in the width direction.

[0107] When forming the first slit 18a, if the blade 551c is arranged parallel to the CD direction, there is a possibility that the entire blade 551c and the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 come into contact at the same timing at a certain moment. That is, the length of the portion of the blade 551c that presses the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 may become long. In this case, the base material is likely to adhere to the blade 551c, and there is a risk of blade residue occurring.

[0108] On the other hand, when the blade 551c is arranged inclined with respect to the CD direction, only a part of the blade 551c comes into contact with the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552, so that the entire blade 551c coming into contact with the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 at the same timing is suppressed. That is, the length of the portion of the blade 551c that presses the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 at a certain moment can be shortened. Thereby, it is possible to make it difficult to generate blade residue.

[0109] Further, when arranging the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 inclined with respect to the CD direction, it is preferable to reverse the direction of inclination between the front side and the rear side in the front-rear direction. That is, the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 preferably forms the first slit 18a so that the inclination of the first slit 18a with respect to the CD direction is reversed between one side and the other side of the central position CL in the front-rear direction of the pad 1.

[0110] In FIG. 5, the direction of inclination is reversed between the first slit 18a provided on the front side of the central position CL in the front-rear direction and the first slit 18a provided on the rear side of the central position CL. If the first slit 18a is provided with an inclination in the same direction throughout the entire pad 1, the absorption layer 13 or the like is likely to be bent and deformed in the same direction along the first slit 18a, and it may be difficult to fit well to the unevenness of the wearer's crotch during wearing. On the other hand, if the direction of inclination of the first slit 18a is reversed before and after the central position CL, the direction of the bending deformation of the absorption layer 13 or the like is also reversed before and after the central position CL, so that it is possible to easily fit to the unevenness of the wearer's crotch.

[0111] Further, on the circumferential surface 551f of the cutter roll 551 used in the first slit forming step (S105), as shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of blades 551c, 551c... are intermittently provided along the circumferential direction (MD direction). On the other hand, on the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 used in the first slit forming step (S105), as shown in FIG. 10A, grooves 552d are continuously provided along the circumferential direction (MD direction). Then, while rotating the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 in the circumferential direction (MD direction) respectively, by pressing the blade 551c toward the circumferential surface 552f and the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, the first slit 18a is formed.

[0112] At this time, since the grooves 552d of the anvil roll 552 are continuously provided along the MD direction, when pressing the blade 551c toward the grooves 552d, it is not necessary to align the phase between the blade 551c and the grooves 552d. For example, even if a deviation occurs in the rotational speed between the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552, and thus the relative positional relationship in the MD direction between the circumferential surface 551f of the cutter roll 551 and the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 changes, as shown in FIG. 11, the blade 551c can always be pressed toward the grooves 552d. Therefore, the first slit 18a can be formed with high precision.

[0113] Further, a pair of grooves 552d of the anvil roll 552 are provided on both sides of the central position CDCL in the CD direction (width direction). In the portion where the groove 552d is provided, as described with reference to FIG. 13, since a part (first portion np) of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 presses the base material (absorbent layer 13 etc.) toward the groove 552d, it is difficult for the base material to adhere to the blade 551c, and blade residue is unlikely to occur. And by providing such grooves 552d on both side portions in the CD direction (width direction), it is possible to easily suppress the occurrence of blade residue on both side portions in the width direction of the absorbent layer 13. Therefore, at both side portions in the width direction of the absorbent layer 13, the blade 551c after forming the first slit 18a can easily separate from the base material (absorbent layer 13), and it is possible to suppress the absorbent layer 13 from collapsing from both side portions and the like.

[0114] In an absorbent article such as the pad 1 manufactured by such a method, a plurality of first slits 18a along the width direction and a plurality of second slits 18b along the front-rear direction are formed at both side portions in the width direction. And at both side portions in the width direction, none of the plurality of slits 18a and 18b have an intersecting portion (see FIG. 5).

[0115] If the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b intersect, a cross-shaped cut is formed in the highly rigid non-skin-side sheet 133 by the intersecting slits 18a and 18b. When the non-skin-side sheet 133 is rolled up to the skin side at the cut during wearing of the absorbent article, the labia may be irritated by the rolled-up non-skin-side sheet 133, causing discomfort and a sense of strangeness to the wearer. On the other hand, according to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, it is possible to manufacture the pad 1 in which the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b do not intersect in both side regions in the width direction that come into contact with the labia during wearing. That is, the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b can be formed so as not to intersect each other at both end portions in the width direction. Therefore, it is difficult for the non-skin-side sheet 133 to roll up, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a sense of strangeness and discomfort to the wearer.

[0116] Note that, at the central portion in the width direction of the pad 1, since there is a portion where the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b intersect (see FIG. 5), the non-skin side sheet 133 may be curled at the intersection. However, the central portion in the width direction of the pad 1 is a portion that is sandwiched between the labia (the groove of the vaginal opening) during wearing, and even if curling occurs on the skin side, it is difficult to cause discomfort to the wearer.

[0117] Then, in order to prevent the slits 18a and 18b from intersecting each other at both side portions in the width direction, in the present embodiment, the slits 18a and 18b are formed as follows. That is, in the first slit forming step (S105), the second slit forming step (S106) is performed so that a part (first portion np) of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 presses the base material (absorbing layer 13 etc.) toward the groove 552d so as to overlap a portion where the first slit 18a is not formed in the CD direction. Thus, slits that do not intersect each other can be formed with high accuracy at low cost.

[0118] <Modification Example of the First Slit Forming Mechanism 550> In the first slit forming mechanism 550, mainly, a cutter roll 551 having a blade 551c along the CD direction and an anvil roll 552 having a groove 552d along the MD direction are used to form the first slit 18a along the CD direction (the width direction of the pad 1). On the other hand, if the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 shown in the following modification example are used, it is also possible to form a slit 18 along the MD direction.

[0119] FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a modified example of the first slit forming mechanism 550. In the first slit forming mechanism 550 of the modified example, the configurations of the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 are different from those of the above-described embodiment. The cutter roll 551 of the modified example is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates about a rotation axis Ar1 along the CD direction, and has a plurality of blades 551c, 551c... on the circumferential surface 551f. However, the blades 551c of the modified example are arranged along the circumferential direction (MD direction). The anvil roll 552 of the modified example is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates about a rotation axis Ar2 along the CD direction, and is arranged to face the cutter roll 551 as shown in FIG. 16. A groove 552d along the CD direction is provided on the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552.

[0120] With the base material sandwiched between the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 of the modified example and rotated, by pressing the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 toward the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552, a slit 18 (cut) can be formed in the base material. Here, since the anvil roll 552 is provided with a groove 552d along the CD direction, no slit 18 is formed at the portion where the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 faces the groove 552d.

[0121] That is, when a part of a certain blade 551c provided on the cutter roll 551 presses the base material toward the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552, a slit 18 along the MD direction is formed. On the other hand, when another part of a certain blade 551c presses the base material toward the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, no slit 18 is formed. At the portion where the slit 18 is not formed, it is difficult for the base material to adhere to the other part of the blade 551c. Therefore, a base point for detaching the base material from the blade 551c is easily formed. Thereby, when forming the slit 18 along the MD direction, it is possible to make it difficult to generate blade residue.

[0122] ===Other Embodiments=== As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been explained. However, the above embodiments are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention and not for limiting the interpretation of the present invention. Further, the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its gist, and it goes without saying that equivalents of the present invention are included therein.

[0123] In the above-described embodiment, it has been explained that the absorbent core 132 of the absorption layer 13 is composed of short fibers having an average fiber length of about 0.8 mm. Conventionally, when it is desired to finely pulverize pulp to shorten the fiber length, it has generally been practiced to add a softening agent (debonder) such as a quaternary ammonium surfactant to the pulp sheet before pulverization to make the pulp easier to pulverize (so-called treated pulp). However, when a softening agent (debonder) is used, there is a risk that water absorbency may be easily inhibited.

[0124] Therefore, it is preferable that the water-absorbent fibers constituting the absorbent core 132 of the pad 1 are configured without including a softening agent (debonder). Thereby, a decrease in the water retention performance of the absorbent core 132 is suppressed. In the above-described embodiment, since the absorbent core 132 is formed using hardwood pulp, it is possible to set the average fiber length to about 0.8 mm without using a softening agent (debonder), and an absorbent core 132 excellent in water absorbency and flexibility can be realized.

[0125] In the above-described embodiment, the pad 1 having a configuration in which the absorption layer 13 is disposed on the non-skin side rather than the sub-absorption layer 12 has been described (see FIG. 2 and the like), but these arrangements may be reversed in the thickness direction. For example, a configuration in which the sub-absorption layer 12 is disposed on the non-skin side in the thickness direction of the absorption layer 13 may be used. Further, the pad 1 may be configured to include only the absorption layer 13 without providing the sub-absorption layer 12.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0126] 1 Interlabial pad (pad, absorbent article), 11 Surface layer, 11a Continuum, 12 Sub-absorption layer, 13 Absorbing layer, 131 Skin-side sheet, 131a Continuum, 132 Absorbent core, 133 Non-skin-side sheet, 133a Continuum, 14 Back surface layer, 14a Continuum, 15 Finger insertion sheet, 15de Non-joint part of finger insertion sheet, 16 Finger insertion sheet joint part, 17 Back surface layer joint part, 18 Slit, 18a First slit, 18b Second slit, 19 Squeezing part, 20 Finger insertion part, 500 Manufacturing device, 510 Conveying mechanism, 520 Absorbent core laminating mechanism, 521 Defibrating device, 522 Material supply part, 523 Rotating drum, 523r Concave part, 530 Sub-absorbing layer laminating mechanism, 531 Defibrating device, 540 Reversing mechanism, 550 First slit forming mechanism, 551 Cutter roll, 551f Peripheral surface, 551c Blade, 552 Anvil roll, 552f Peripheral surface, 552d Groove, 560 Second slit forming mechanism, 561 Cutter roll, 561f Peripheral surface, 561c Blade, 561rc Circumferential blade, 562 Anvil roll, 570 Cutting and sealing mechanism, 580 Sealer mechanism, 590 Finger insertion sheet attaching mechanism, 595 Loosening mechanism, F Fold line (bending line), PS1 Pulp sheet, PS2 Pulp sheet, CR Central region, SR End region

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article having an absorbent core and a non-skin-side sheet provided on the non-skin side in the thickness direction with respect to the absorbent core, the method comprising: a conveying step of conveying the non-skin-side sheet in a conveying direction; a laminating step of laminating the absorbent core on the conveyed non-skin-side sheet; a slit forming step of forming a slit at least in the non-skin-side sheet using a cutter roll and an anvil roll arranged to face the cutter roll after the laminating step; wherein the cutter roll has a blade protruding radially outward from the peripheral surface; the anvil roll has a groove recessed radially inward from the peripheral surface; a part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin-side sheet toward the peripheral surface of the anvil roll so that the slit is formed; and another part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin-side sheet toward the groove so that the slit is not formed, the method for manufacturing an absorbent article being characterized by this.

2. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein in the slit forming step, the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin-side sheet toward the peripheral surface of the anvil roll from the side where the non-skin-side sheet is provided in the thickness direction, the method for manufacturing an absorbent article being characterized by this.

3. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to claim 2, wherein the absorbent article has at least an absorbent layer including the absorbent core and the non-skin-side sheet, and a layer provided on the skin side with respect to the absorbent layer, and the absorbent layer has a shorter average fiber length and a thinner average fiber diameter than the layer provided on the skin side with respect to the absorbent layer, the method for manufacturing an absorbent article being characterized by this.

4. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in the width direction of the blade, one end of the blade is at the same position as one end of the groove, or is located on one side of one end of the groove; the other end of the blade is at the same position as the other end of the groove, or is located on the other side of the other end of the groove, the method for manufacturing an absorbent article being characterized by this.

5. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a boundary portion between the peripheral surface of the anvil roll and the groove is chamfered, the method for manufacturing an absorbent article being characterized by this.

6. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The slit forming step includes: a first slit forming step of forming a first slit along a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction; and a second slit forming step of forming a second slit along the conveying direction. In the first slit forming step, a part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet toward the peripheral surface of the anvil roll so that the first slit is formed. Another part of the blade presses the absorbent core and the non-skin side sheet toward the groove so that the first slit is not formed. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article, characterized by the above.

7. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to claim 6, wherein in the first slit forming step, the blade forms the first slit inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article, characterized by the above.

8. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the absorbent article has a front-back direction and a width direction that intersect each other, the front-back direction is a direction along the conveying direction, and in the first slit forming step, the blade forms the first slit such that the inclination of the first slit with respect to the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction is reversed on one side and the other side with respect to the central position in the front-back direction of the absorbent article. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article, characterized by the above.

9. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to claim 6, wherein the cutter roll used in the first slit forming step has a plurality of the blades arranged intermittently along the conveying direction, and the anvil roll used in the first slit forming step has the grooves continuous along the conveying direction. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article, characterized by the above.

10. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to claim 9, wherein the absorbent article has a front-back direction and a width direction that intersect each other, and the anvil roll has the grooves at both ends in the width direction of the absorbent article. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article, characterized by the above.

11. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to claim 10, at both ends in the width direction of the absorbent article, wherein there is no portion where the first slit formed in the first slit forming step and the second slit formed in the second slit forming step intersect. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article, characterized by the above.

12. The method for manufacturing an absorbent article according to claim 6, wherein in the first slit forming step, so as to overlap a portion where the slit is not formed by the other part of the blade, in the second slit forming step, the slit is formed along the conveyance direction, A method for manufacturing an absorbent article, characterized by the above.

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