Absorbent articles

Abstract

This technology improves wearing comfort by enabling the skin-facing surface of an absorbent material to conform well to the wearer's skin. [Solution] An absorbent article having an impermeable backsheet and a skin-side structure disposed on the skin side of the backsheet, wherein the skin-side structure includes an absorbent portion directly disposed on the skin side of the backsheet and a permeable topsheet disposed on the skin side of the absorbent portion, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure have a non-fixed region in which they are not fixed, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure are relatively slidable in the non-fixed region.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This disclosure relates to absorbent articles. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, absorbent products such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, and incontinence pads have been known to have an impermeable backsheet, an absorbent core, and a permeable topsheet, in that order. Because absorbent products are worn in close contact with delicate areas of the skin, many wearers are concerned about friction between the absorbent product and their skin.

[0003] As a means of preventing chafing and improving wearing comfort, it is known to use a top sheet with an uneven surface (for example, Patent Document 1). Also known are absorbent articles in which a drug such as a skin care agent is applied to the skin-facing side of the top sheet (for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-55841 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-19296 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 involve modifications to components that come into direct contact with the skin. While such technologies can reduce damage caused by friction between the skin-facing surface of an absorbent article and the skin, they do not improve the wearing comfort by preventing friction itself. Therefore, there is a need for a configuration that minimizes friction and improves wearing comfort by allowing the skin-facing surface of the absorbent article to conform as closely as possible to the skin.

[0006] In view of the above, one aspect of this disclosure aims to provide a technology that improves the wearing comfort by enabling the skin-facing surface of an absorbent article to conform well to the wearer's skin. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first aspect of the present disclosure is an absorbent article having an impermeable backsheet and a skin-side structure disposed on the skin side of the backsheet, wherein the skin-side structure includes an absorbent portion disposed directly on the skin side of the backsheet and a permeable topsheet disposed on the skin side of the absorbent portion, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure have a non-fixed region in which they are not fixed, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure are relatively slidable in the non-fixed region.

[0008] The absorbent material is used by attaching it to underwear with the backsheet side facing outwards. When the wearer's body moves, the underwear moves in accordance with that movement, and the absorbent material also moves in accordance with the movement of the underwear (including deformation and / or shifting). In this case, even though the absorbent material moves in accordance with the movement of the underwear, the skin in the crotch area to which the skin-facing side of the absorbent material is in contact does not move much, so friction is likely to occur between the skin-facing side (topsheet side) of the absorbent material and the skin in contact with that side. For this reason, especially when the absorbent material is worn for a long time or when there is vigorous movement, the feeling of wearing it may be impaired due to friction.

[0009] In contrast, the absorbent article according to the first embodiment described above has an unfixed region where the back sheet and the skin-side structure are not fixed, and is configured so that the back sheet and the skin-side structure can slide relative to each other. As a result, one of the opposing back sheets and skin-side structures can move independently along the surface relative to the other. Therefore, even if the back sheet moves in accordance with the movement of the underwear while the absorbent article is in close contact with the wearer's skin, the movement of the back sheet is not directly transmitted to the skin-side structure, preventing the absorbent article from rubbing against the skin. In other words, because the components inside the absorbent article are relatively slidable, even if the back sheet moves in accordance with the underwear, the skin-side surface of the absorbent article can follow the wearer's skin and maintain close contact with the skin, making it difficult for friction to occur between the absorbent article and the skin, thus improving the wearing comfort.

[0010] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the backsheet and the skin-side structure are arranged in contact, eliminating the need to interpose an additional layer between them and the absorbent portion. As a result, the number of materials used in the manufacture of absorbent articles can be reduced, and the manufacturing process can be streamlined.

[0011] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, the absorbent article has a front-to-back direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of the body when worn, and a lateral direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction, and further has a central region including a portion facing a bodily fluid outlet that faces the wearer's bodily fluid outlet when worn, a front region forward of the central region, and a rear region backward of the central region, wherein the non-fixed region is formed in at least the central region and extends over the entire lateral direction of the absorbent portion.

[0012] According to the second embodiment described above, the non-fixed area is formed over the entire lateral surface of the absorbent portion. This allows the backsheet and the skin-side structure to slide relative to each other over the entire lateral surface of the absorbent portion, increasing the ease with which the skin-side surface of the absorbent article conforms to the wearer's skin (hereinafter also referred to as conformability). Furthermore, since the non-fixed area is formed at least in the central region where the wearer is most likely to feel friction between the absorbent article and their skin, the wearer can more easily perceive the wearing comfort.

[0013] In a third aspect of this disclosure, when the back sheet and the skin-side structure are pulled in opposite directions in the lateral direction, the relative lateral movement distance d1 between the back sheet and the skin-side structure is 10 mm or more.

[0014] According to the third embodiment described above, the relative lateral movement distance d1 of the back sheet and the skin-side structure when they are pulled laterally in opposite directions is set to be greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Therefore, this embodiment improves the conformability of the absorbent article to the wearer's skin and achieves further improvement in wearing comfort.

[0015] In a fourth aspect of this disclosure, the backsheet is provided with a slip-prevention portion on the non-skin side for securing the absorbent article to the underwear when worn, and the lateral length of the easily deformable region extending from the outermost lateral end of the slip-prevention portion to the outer lateral end of the non-fixed region is denoted as A, and the travel distance d1 is measured by attaching the slip-prevention portion to a substrate, grasping the substrate and the skin-side structure respectively, and pulling them in opposite directions along the lateral direction until a predetermined maximum load is applied, and the maximum value of the travel distance d1 is d1 max as, d1 max ≥ A.

[0016] According to the fourth embodiment described above, since the absorbent article is provided with a slip-prevention portion, the absorbent article can be securely fixed to the underwear and prevented from slipping away from the underwear, thereby preventing leakage of bodily fluids, etc.

[0017] Since the portion on the outer side in the lateral direction from the outermost end in the lateral direction of the misalignment prevention portion is not fixed to the underwear, the absorbent article itself is also free from the underwear. Therefore, if the skin-side structure portion is pulled in one direction in the lateral direction, the other end portion in the lateral direction of the absorbent article can easily separate from the underwear, and the skin-side structure portion is more likely to be pulled in the lateral direction by that amount. Further, as described in the first aspect, in the non-fixed region, the back sheet and the skin-side structure portion are relatively slidable. Therefore, when the skin-side structure portion is pulled in one direction in the lateral direction as described above, at the other end portion in the lateral direction of the absorbent article, deformation inside the absorbent article can also occur due to the relative sliding between the back sheet and the skin-side structure portion. Also due to this deformation, the skin-side structure portion is more likely to be pulled in the lateral direction and is more likely to follow the wearer's skin. Thus, in this aspect, the region from the outermost end in the lateral direction of the misalignment prevention portion to the outermost end in the lateral direction of the non-fixed region is referred to as an easily deformable region, which is free from the underwear and can easily deform internally and is easily movable and deformable.

[0018] And in this aspect, the maximum value d1 of the relative movement distance d1 in the lateral direction when the back sheet and the skin-side structure portion are pulled in opposite directions in the lateral direction max is not less than the lateral length A of the easily deformable region (d1 max ≧A). Here, in this specification, d1 max is the maximum value of the movement distance d1 measured by attaching the misalignment prevention portion to the substrate, gripping the substrate and the skin-side structure portion respectively, and pulling them in opposite directions along the lateral direction until a predetermined maximum load (a load that can be applied in the normal usage method) is applied. According to this aspect, since d1 max ≧A, not only is the portion on the outer side in the lateral direction from the outermost end in the lateral direction of the misalignment prevention portion easily movable, but also sufficient deformation (relative movement between the back sheet and the skin-side structure portion) occurs inside the absorbent article, so that an absorbent article with a sufficiently high followability to the skin can be provided.

[0019] In the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the length A is at least 10 mm or more in at least the central region.

[0020] According to the above fifth aspect, since the length A of the easily deformable region is a predetermined value or more in the central region, the lateral outer portion that is free from the undergarment extends over a certain range in the central region, so that the skin side surface of the absorbent article can more easily follow the skin.

[0021] In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, the area of the non-fixed region in the overlapping region between the back sheet and the absorbent body portion is 50% or more with respect to the area of the overlapping region.

[0022] According to the above sixth aspect, since the area of the non-fixed region with respect to the area of the overlapping region between the back sheet and the absorbent body portion is a predetermined value or more, the back sheet and the skin side structural portion can slide relatively largely, and the followability of the skin side surface of the absorbent article to the skin can be improved.

[0023] In a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, the outer end in the lateral direction of the non-fixed region is separated from the outer end in the lateral direction of the absorbent body portion.

[0024] According to the above seventh aspect, in a plan view, it can be said that there is a separation between the absorbent body portion and the region where the back sheet and the sheet overlapped on the skin side of the back sheet are fixed, and a play is formed on the lateral outside of the absorbent body portion. Therefore, the absorbent body portion can move more easily in the lateral direction inside the absorbent article, so that the back sheet and the skin side structural portion can slide more easily relatively.

[0025] In an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the length A is 10% or more and 90% or less with respect to the length from the center line along the front-back direction to the outer end in the lateral direction of the non-fixed region.

[0026] According to the eighth aspect described above, if the lateral length A of the easily deformable region is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the portion of the absorbent article that is free from the underwear when the absorbent article is worn becomes larger, and the conformability of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article to the wearer's skin can be improved. Also, if the length A is less than or equal to the predetermined value, the anti-slip portion is positioned to some extent outside the lateral center, so that the absorbent article can be more securely fixed to the underwear.

[0027] A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is that the absorbent portion has an absorbent portion compressed in the thickness direction, and the absorbent portion compressed is formed to overlap the easily deformable region.

[0028] In the ninth embodiment described above, the compressed portion of the absorbent section is formed to overlap the easily deformable region, thereby increasing the rigidity of the absorbent section in the easily deformable region and making it less likely to lose its shape. Therefore, even when the easily deformable region moves away from the underwear while the absorbent item is being worn, it becomes easier to keep the entire easily deformable region in close contact with the skin.

[0029] In a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, the anti-slip portion is formed in a band shape along the front-rear direction, and the plurality of anti-slip portions include a central anti-slip portion located in the center in the lateral direction and lateral anti-slip portions located outside the central anti-slip portion in the lateral direction, wherein the lateral anti-slip portions are intermittent in the front-rear direction.

[0030] According to the tenth embodiment described above, the multiple strip-shaped anti-slip portions are formed along the front-to-back direction, allowing the absorbent article to be stably fixed to the underwear in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, the fact that the lateral anti-slip portions among the multiple anti-slip portions are intermittently spaced across the central region allows the length A of the easily deformable region to be increased, thereby improving the conformability of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article to the wearer's skin.

[0031] An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is that the lateral anti-slip portion is not formed in the central region and the rear region.

[0032] The rear region, which faces the buttocks, is a region where friction with the skin is relatively likely to occur. However, according to the eleventh embodiment described above, the lateral shear prevention portion is not formed in the rear region. Therefore, in the rear region, the back sheet and the skin-side structure are not fixed together, and the area where the absorbent article is free from the underwear can be made larger, thereby improving the skin-conforming properties of the skin-side surface of the absorbent article.

[0033] In a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, the garment has wings that extend outward from the central region in the lateral direction and are folded back to the non-skin side of the garment when worn, the wings are provided with a wing anti-slip portion on the non-skin side when not folded back, and when the wings are folded back, the ratio of the lateral length B of the portion of the wing anti-slip portion that overlaps with the easily deformable region to the lateral length A of the easily deformable region (B / A) is 0.25 or less, or the wing anti-slip portion does not overlap with the easily deformable region.

[0034] According to the twelfth aspect described above, the presence of wings and anti-slip portions for the wings ensures that the absorbent article is securely fixed to the underwear and prevents the absorbent article from twisting. Furthermore, by setting the ratio of the lateral length of the portion of the anti-slip portion for the wings that overlaps with the easily deformable region to the length A of the easily deformable region within a predetermined range, it is possible to prevent the anti-slip portion for the wings from restricting the free movement of the easily deformable region away from the underwear. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a technology can be provided to improve the wearing comfort by enabling the skin-facing surface of an absorbent article to conform well to the wearer's skin. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0036] [Figure 1] This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from the skin side. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of an absorbent article relating to the conventional technology, as seen from the skin side. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view along the line I'-I' in Figure 4. [Figure 6] This is a plan view of an absorbent article relating to a modified example. [Figure 7] This is a plan view of an absorbent article relating to a modified example. [Figure 8] This is a plan view of an absorbent article relating to a modified example. [Figure 9] This is a plan view of the absorbent article according to a modified example, with the absorbent portion exposed. [Figure 10] This figure illustrates the state of the absorbent material when it is attached, as explained with reference to Figure 9. [Figure 11] This is a plan view of an absorbent article relating to a modified example. [Figure 12] This is a diagram illustrating a part of the manufacturing process of an absorbent article according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] This graph shows the results of the example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0037] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, unless otherwise specified, the same or corresponding components may be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted. Also, the drawings are schematic in order to aid in understanding the invention, and some dimensions may be shown larger or smaller than they actually are. Furthermore, in cross-sectional views, two components may be shown separated to indicate that no other component is interposed between them.

[0038] The absorbent articles according to the embodiments of this disclosure may specifically be sanitary napkins, light incontinence pads, panty liners, diapers, etc., but are preferably used as sanitary napkins. In the following, this embodiment will be described based on the example of a sanitary napkin.

[0039] <Basic composition of absorbent materials> Figure 1 shows a plan view of an absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from the side facing the skin when worn (skin side). Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view along line II of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view along line II-II of Figure 1. In the cross-sectional views, the gray color indicates the joining or fixing of layers. That is, the gray area in the cross-sectional view indicates that the two members sandwiching the gray area are joined or fixed to each other. Two laminated members without an intervening gray area are in direct contact or can be in direct contact, but are not joined or fixed to each other.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the absorbent article 1 is made up of an impermeable backsheet 2, an absorbent portion 4, and a permeable topsheet 3, which are laminated in this order from the non-skin side to the skin side. When the wearer is wearing the absorbent article 1, the backsheet 2 side (non-skin side) is fixed to underwear such as shorts by a slip-prevention portion (described in detail later), and the topsheet 3 side (skin side) is in contact with the skin. In this specification, the portion of the backsheet 2 laminated on the skin side is called the skin-side structure 15. The skin-side structure 15 is a portion that includes at least the absorbent portion 4 and the topsheet 3, and may also include an intermediate sheet, as will be described later. Furthermore, the skin-side structure 15 may be the entire portion up to the surface that comes into contact with the wearer's skin. The skin-side structure 15 is arranged such that the absorbent portion 4 is directly superimposed on (in direct contact with) the backsheet 2. However, although the absorbent portion 4 of the skin-side structure 15 is mainly in contact with the backsheet 2, the topsheet 3, or another layer other than the absorbent portion 4 and topsheet 3, such as the sidesheet 7, may also be in contact with the backsheet 2 around the absorbent portion 4. Within the skin-side structure 15, the components may or may not be fixed to each other, but the absorbent portion 4 and the topsheet 3 may be fixed together by adhesive or embossing as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0041] The absorbent article 1 may be equipped with wings wg, wg extending from both sides. The wings wg, wg are for securely fixing the absorbent article 1 to the underwear when worn. The part excluding the wings wg, wg is called the main body of the absorbent article (also called the absorbent article body) bd. The absorbent article body bd has an elongated shape with a predetermined length in the front-to-back direction D1 and a predetermined width in the lateral direction D2 perpendicular to this front-to-back direction D1. The front-to-back direction (longitudinal direction) D1 of the absorbent article 1 corresponds to the front-to-back direction of the wearer's body when worn, and the lateral direction (short direction) D2 corresponds to the left-to-right direction of the wearer's body. The width of the absorbent article body may be approximately constant, but may vary along the front-to-back direction D1. Furthermore, the absorbent article 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 has a shape and structure that is approximately symmetrical with respect to the center line (front-to-back center line) CL extending in the front-to-back direction, but the structure of the absorbent article does not necessarily have to be symmetrical.

[0042] The portion Q facing the bodily fluid outlet shown in Figure 1 is the part that faces the wearer's vaginal opening or other bodily fluid outlet when worn, and is located on the anterior-posterior center line CL. The portion Q facing the bodily fluid outlet may be in the range of 10 mm to 50 mm in the anterior-posterior direction D1 and 10 mm to 30 mm in the width direction D2, but the size of the portion Q facing the bodily fluid outlet is not necessarily limited to the above range.

[0043] The absorbent article 1 has a central region C including a portion Q facing a bodily fluid drainage port, a front region F in front of the central region C, and a rear region R behind the central region C. The wings wg, wg described above may extend laterally from the central region C (outward in the lateral direction D2). The central region C may be the region corresponding to the crotch area of ​​the wearer's underwear when worn. The central region C may also be the region from one edge to the other in the anterior-posterior direction D1 of the wing wg at the position in the lateral direction D2 where the wing wg is connected to the absorbent article body bd (the base end of the wing wg).

[0044] The length (total length) of the absorbent article 1 in the front-to-back direction D1 is preferably 150 mm or more and 450 mm or less, more preferably 170 mm or more and 360 mm or less. The thickness of the portion of the absorbent article body bd containing the absorbent part 4 is preferably 0.3 mm or more and 30 mm or less, more preferably 1.0 mm or more and 15 mm or less, when measured at a location other than the compressed area in the thickness direction. However, the absorbent article body bd may have a configuration in which the absorbent part 4 is partially bulged by bulging a part of the absorbent part 4, for example, the area opposite the body fluid outlet Q and the area near it, and the center of the width direction D2 of the rear area.

[0045] One embodiment of the present disclosure may be an absorbent article without wings wg, wg. In that case, assuming that wings wg, wg are formed, the region from one edge to the other in the front-rear direction D1 at the base end of the wings wg, wg in the lateral direction D2 can be defined as the central region C.

[0046] On the skin-facing side of the top sheet 3, side sheets 7, 7 are superimposed, extending in the front-to-back direction D1 along both sides of the absorbent portion 4. The side sheets 7, 7 extend to both sides and are joined to the back sheet 2, which also extends to both sides, to form wings wg, wg. The side sheets 7, 7 may extend inward in the width direction D2 to form gathers. The absorbent article 1 does not necessarily have side sheets 7, 7; in that case, the wings wg may be formed by joining the back sheet 2 and a sheet positioned on the non-skin side of the back sheet 2.

[0047] In the example shown in Figure 1, both the back sheet 2 and the top sheet 3 have the same length in the front-to-back direction D1, extending from the front end to the rear end of the absorbent article 1. On the other hand, the width of the top sheet 3 (length in the lateral direction D2) is smaller than the width of the back sheet 2. The absorbent portion 4 is provided sandwiched between the top sheet 3 and the back sheet 2 so as not to be exposed to the outside. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the absorbent portion 4 is positioned so as to fit within the back sheet 2 in a plan view, that is, so as not to protrude from the back sheet 2. The absorbent portion 4 is also configured and positioned so as to fit within the area where the top sheet 3 and side sheets 7, 7 are provided. For example, the absorbent portion 4 may protrude from the top sheet 3 at both ends in the width direction D2, but in that case, the protruding portions are covered by the side sheets 7, 7.

[0048] As the backsheet 2, a sheet material having at least water-impermeable properties, such as an olefin resin sheet made of polyethylene or polypropylene, can be used. Laminated nonwoven fabrics, such as polyethylene sheets laminated with nonwoven fabric, or laminated nonwoven fabric sheets with a waterproof film interposed to ensure substantially liquid impermeability can be used. Furthermore, it is even more desirable to use a material that has moisture permeability from the viewpoint of preventing stuffiness. As such a water-impermeable and moisture-permeable sheet material, a microporous sheet obtained by melt-kneading an inorganic filler into an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, forming a sheet, and then stretching it in a uniaxial or biaxial direction can be used.

[0049] The top sheet 3 is a permeable sheet that allows bodily fluids such as menstrual blood, vaginal discharge, and urine to pass through quickly. Suitable materials for the top sheet 3 include perforated or non-perforated nonwoven fabrics and porous plastic sheets. Suitable materials for the nonwoven fabric include, for example, olefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, synthetic fibers such as polyester and polyamide, regenerated fibers such as rayon and cupro, and blends thereof, as well as natural fibers such as cotton, which can be used individually or in combination of two or more. Processing methods for the nonwoven fabric include the spunlace method, spunbond method, thermal bond method, meltblown method, and needle punch method. Of these processing methods, the spunlace method is preferred for producing flexible nonwoven fabrics, the spunbond method for producing nonwoven fabrics with good drape, and the thermal bond method for producing bulky and soft nonwoven fabrics. Furthermore, composite fibers such as core-sheath type fibers, side-by-side type fibers, and split type fibers, which use fibers with high melting points as a core and fibers with low melting points as a sheath, can be used.

[0050] As the side sheet 7, a water-repellent nonwoven fabric or a hydrophilic nonwoven fabric can be used. For example, to prevent menstrual blood or vaginal discharge from penetrating or to enhance the feel against the skin, it is preferable to use a water-repellent nonwoven fabric coated with a silicone-based or paraffin-based water-repellent agent. Also, to improve the absorbency of menstrual blood etc. in the wing wg, it is preferable to use a hydrophilic nonwoven fabric as the nonwoven fabric material. As for the type of nonwoven fabric, an air-through nonwoven fabric that is soft, does not easily crease or wrinkle, and is resistant to folding is preferred.

[0051] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the absorbent section 4 can be configured to include an absorbent body 4a that substantially absorbs bodily fluids, and a covering sheet 4b that encloses the absorbent body 4a.

[0052] The materials constituting the absorbent body 4a are not limited as long as they can absorb and retain bodily fluids, but it is preferable that they include cotton-like pulp and a superabsorbent polymer. As the superabsorbent polymer, superabsorbent polymer granules (SAP), superabsorbent polymer fibers (SAF), and combinations thereof can be used. As the pulp, examples include cellulose fibers such as chemical pulp and dissolved pulp obtained from wood, and artificial cellulose fibers such as rayon and acetate. Recycled pulp and recycled fibers can also be used. As raw materials for chemical pulp, hardwoods and softwoods can be used, but softwoods are preferably used due to their long fiber length. The absorbent body 4a can be manufactured by the fiber stacking or airlaid method. In addition, as the absorbent body 4a, a thin sheet consisting of a layer of superabsorbent polymer granules and / or superabsorbent polymer fibers sandwiched between sheets of nonwoven fabric, so-called SAP sheets, can also be used. When using SAP sheets, the encasing sheet 4b can be omitted.

[0053] Furthermore, synthetic fibers may be mixed into the absorbent body 4a. As synthetic fibers, polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, polyamides such as nylon, and copolymers thereof can be used, and two of these can also be mixed and used. In addition, composite fibers such as core-sheath fibers (with a high melting point fiber as the core and a low melting point fiber as the sheath), side-by-side fibers, and split fibers can also be used. Furthermore, hydrophobic fibers can be surface-treated with a hydrophilizing agent to impart affinity to body fluids.

[0054] The structure in which the absorbent body 4a is encased in a covering sheet 4b prevents the fibrous or granular material contained in the absorbent body 4a from spilling out, and also prevents the entire absorbent part 4 from becoming distorted or cracked, thus improving the shape retention of the absorbent part 4. However, the covering sheet 4b is not necessarily required.

[0055] The material of the covering sheet 4b is not particularly limited, but may be nonwoven fabric, paper, etc. As for nonwoven fabrics, air-through nonwoven fabric, spunbond nonwoven fabric, flexible spunbond nonwoven fabric, etc. are used. As for paper, crepe paper is used. When the absorbent body 4a is wrapped by the covering sheet 4b, the back sheet 2 and the covering sheet 4b will be in direct contact within the absorbent article 1. Therefore, from the viewpoint of reducing friction between the back sheet 2 and the absorbent body 4, and consequently friction between the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 on the skin side of the back sheet 2, an air-through nonwoven fabric is preferred.

[0056] Furthermore, an intermediate sheet may be provided between the top sheet 3 and the absorbent section 4 to facilitate the transfer and diffusion of bodily fluids that have reached the top sheet 3 toward the non-skin side and / or in the planar direction. However, the intermediate sheet 5 may be omitted. If an intermediate sheet is provided, the material of the intermediate sheet may be the same as the material of the top sheet 3 described above.

[0057] The non-skin side of the backsheet 2 of the absorbent article body bd is provided with an anti-slip portion 9b (hereinafter also referred to as the anti-slip portion for the main body). When the absorbent article 1 is worn, the anti-slip portion 9b can be attached to the underwear to prevent the absorbent article 1 from shifting away from the underwear.

[0058] The material constituting the anti-slip portion 9b is not particularly limited, as long as it can suppress the shifting of the absorbent article 1 against the underwear when the absorbent article 1 is attached to the underwear, and allows the absorbent article 1 to be easily removed from the underwear after use. The anti-slip portion 9b is preferably formed as an adhesive layer, and it is preferable to use a hot-melt type adhesive. The main components of the anti-slip portion 9b can be styrene polymers, tackifiers, plasticizers, or combinations thereof.

[0059] Examples of styrene-based polymers include styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-butylene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-isobutylene-styrene copolymers, and styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, and one or more of these can be used. Among these, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers are preferred due to their good thermal stability. In addition, tackifiers and plasticizers that are solid at room temperature can be used. Examples of tackifiers include C5 petroleum resins, C9 petroleum resins, dicyclopentadiene petroleum resins, rosin petroleum resins, polyterpene resins, and terpene phenol resins. Examples of plasticizers include monomer plasticizers such as triflethyl phosphate, dibutyl phthalate, and dioctyl phthalate, as well as polymer plasticizers such as vinyl polymers and polyesters.

[0060] The anti-slip portion 9b may be provided as a single unit, or as shown in Figure 1, as in multiple units. Multiple anti-slip portions 9b may be provided in a strip shape extending along the front-to-back direction D1, spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction D2. This allows for appropriate adhesive force to be applied along the front-to-back direction D1, and prevents the anti-slip portions 9b from sticking together during attachment, which would prevent the absorbent article 1 from being properly attached to the underwear. In the example shown in Figure 1, three anti-slip portions 9b are provided along the front-to-back direction D1, but the number of anti-slip portions 9b is not limited to three; there may be one, two, or four or more. However, it is preferable to have anti-slip portions 9b that overlap the front-to-back center line CL, as this allows for more stable fixation of the absorbent article body bd to the underwear.

[0061] Furthermore, the anti-slip portion 9b is partially provided on the entire absorbent article body bd in a plan view, but it may also be provided over the entire absorbent article body bd or absorbent portion 4 (over the entire surface). However, the outermost end of the anti-slip portion 9b in the lateral direction D2 is separated from the outer end of the absorbent article body bd in the lateral direction D2, that is, the area on the side of the absorbent article 1 where the anti-slip portion 9b is not provided is free from the underwear even when the absorbent article 1 is attached to the underwear, thus contributing to improved conformability of the absorbent article 1 to the skin (details to be described later).

[0062] Furthermore, a wing anti-slip portion 9w is provided on the non-skin side of the wing wg, that is, on the non-skin side of the backsheet 2 that constitutes the wing wg. The wing anti-slip portions 9w ensure that the wings wg are securely fixed to the underwear when worn. The wing anti-slip portion 9w may also be made of the same material as the main body anti-slip portion 9b provided on the main body bd as described above.

[0063] <Securing the back sheet to the skin-side structural part> An absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure has an unfixed region 25 in the absorbent article body bd where the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structural part 15 directly arranged on the skin side of the back sheet 2 are not fixed. First, the fixing of the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structural part 15 in the conventional absorbent article 1' will be explained with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a plan view of the conventional absorbent article 1' as seen from the skin side, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I'-I' in Figure 4.

[0064] The basic structure of the conventional absorbent article 1' is the same as that of the absorbent article 1 described above. However, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, in the absorbent article 1', the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are fixed to each other with adhesive 8 (shown in textured hatching or gray). More specifically, the back sheet 2 and the side sheet 7 are bonded together with side adhesive 8a, and in the absorbent article body bd, the back sheet 2 and the absorbent part 4 are bonded together over the entire surface (over the entire surface in the front-to-back direction D1 and the entire surface in the lateral direction D2) with body adhesive 8b. That is, in the body bd of the absorbent article 1', a fixed area 21 is formed over the entire surface of the body bd to which the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are fixed. For this reason, in the conventional absorbent article 1', the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15, including the absorbent part 4 and the top sheet 3, are fixed in the thickness direction, and the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 cannot slide relative to each other. Therefore, when the wearer moves their body while wearing absorbent item 1', the underwear also deforms with the movement, but the entire absorbent item 1' deforms in accordance with the deformation of the underwear. As a result, the skin-facing side of absorbent item 1' moves in a way that causes it to rub against the wearer's skin.

[0065] In contrast, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, in the absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the absorbent article body bd has an unfixed region 25 in which the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structural part 15 directly arranged on the skin side of the back sheet 2 are not fixed. In the cross-sectional view of Figure 2, the back sheet 2 and the absorbent part 4 are shown separated, but this is shown to indicate that there is no other member (including adhesive) interposed between the back sheet 2 and the absorbent part 4, and the back sheet 2 and the absorbent part 4 are in direct contact or can be in direct contact in the thickness direction.

[0066] The non-fixed region 25 is a region in which the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are not bonded together by adhesive means including adhesive 8 or means other than adhesive 8, and in which the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are relatively slidable. More specifically, it includes a region in which the backsheet 2 and the absorbent portion 4 are not bonded together and are relatively slidable. Furthermore, within the non-fixed region 25, not only the absorbent portion 4 but also the top sheet 3 may be slidable relative to the backsheet 2, or layers other than the absorbent portion 4 and the top sheet 3, such as the side sheet 7, may be slidable relative to the backsheet 2. Thus, within the absorbent article 1, the backsheet 2 can move along the surface facing the skin-side structure 15, and the backsheet 2 can move along the surface facing the backsheet 2 of the skin-side structure 15. This allows the skin-side structure 15 to follow the skin and the backsheet 2 to follow the underwear. Therefore, regardless of the movement of the backsheet 2, the skin-side structure 15 can conform well to the wearer's skin while remaining in close contact with it (high conformability to the skin is achieved). As a result, friction between the skin and the skin-side surface of the absorbent article 1 during application is reduced, and a superior fit that could not be achieved by simply modifying the configuration of the topsheet 3 is obtained.

[0067] In the non-fixed region 25, the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are directly laminated, and no other material is interposed between them. Therefore, in the manufacture of the absorbent article 1 according to this embodiment, the number of materials can be reduced, and the manufacturing process can also be simplified.

[0068] In the example shown in Figure 1, the non-fixed area 25 is formed over the entire lateral direction D2 of the absorbent portion 4. This allows the entire lateral direction D2 of the absorbent portion 4 to slide relative to the backsheet 2, further improving the skin conformity of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent article 1. Alternatively, the non-fixed area 25 may be formed over both ends of the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent article body bd. In that case, it is preferable that the edges of the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent article body bd are closed by applying adhesive to the edges or by applying a sealing process such as heat sealing, in the front region F and rear region R in the configuration with wings wg, and over the entire front-to-back direction D1 in the configuration without wings wg.

[0069] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is preferable that the outer end of the non-fixed region 25 in the lateral direction D2 and the outer end of the absorbent portion 4 in the lateral direction D2 are separated by a length k in the lateral direction D2. This separation provides play for the absorbent portion 4, making it easier for the absorbent portion 4 to move relative to the backsheet 2, thereby improving the skin-side structure portion 15's conformity to the skin. The length k in the lateral direction D2 between the outer end of the non-fixed region 25 in the lateral direction D2 and the outer end of the absorbent portion 4 in the lateral direction D2 is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and more preferably 1 mm or more and 3.5 mm or less.

[0070] Furthermore, if the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are relatively slidable, the non-fixed area 25 does not necessarily have to be formed over the entire length of the lateral direction D2. For example, the lateral adhesive 8a may be extended so that the edge of the absorbent part 4 in the lateral direction D2 extends beyond the center, thereby bonding the end of the absorbent part 4 in the lateral direction D2 to the backsheet 2 along the front-rear direction D1. In that case, the length of the lateral direction D2 to which the backsheet 2 and the absorbent part 4 are bonded is preferably 10 mm or less, more preferably 5 mm or less, and even more preferably 3 mm or less.

[0071] Furthermore, the non-fixed area 25 may be formed in the central area C, preferably extending across the entire central area C as shown in Figure 1, or more specifically, beyond the front and rear ends of the central area C. Since the difference in fit is particularly easily felt by the wearer in the crotch area, the formation of the non-fixed area 25 in the central area C facing the crotch area allows the wearer to more clearly feel the improvement in fit.

[0072] Areas other than the non-fixed area 25 are fixed areas 21 in which the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are bonded together by adhesive 8 or other adhesive means. In the examples shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fixed areas 21 are formed by bonding the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 to the front area F and the rear area R, respectively, with the main adhesive 8b. In the wings wg, wg, the fixed areas 21 are also formed by bonding the back sheet 2 and the side sheet 7 with the side adhesive 8a.

[0073] In this embodiment, the location where the fixed area 21 is formed may be at least one, preferably both, of the front area F and the rear area R. A smaller area of ​​the fixed area 21 results in a larger area of ​​the non-fixed area 25, which is preferable in that it allows the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 to slide more easily (with less force) over a wider area, thus improving the skin-following ability of the skin-side structure 15 to the skin. However, the presence of the fixed area 21 is preferable in that it prevents the laminated structure of the absorbent article 1 from breaking and the absorbent article 1 from disintegrating when a large force is applied to the absorbent article 1, thereby improving the robustness of the absorbent article 1. When the fixed area 21 is formed in the front area F, the length of the fixed area 21 in the front-rear direction D1 from the front end of the front area F may be preferably 30% to 80%, more preferably 50% to 70%, of the length of the front-rear direction D1 of the front area F. Furthermore, even when the fixed region 21 is formed in the rear region R, the length D1 in the front-rear direction from the rear end of the rear region R may be preferably 30% to 85%, more preferably 40% to 70%, of the length D1 of the rear region R in the front-rear direction.

[0074] The area of ​​the non-fixed area 25 in the overlapping region between the backsheet 2 and the absorbent portion 4, that is, the area of ​​the non-fixed area 25 relative to the area of ​​the absorbent portion 4, is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 70% or more. Having the non-fixed area 25 be 50% or more of the absorbent portion 4 further improves the skin conformity of the absorbent article 1. The area of ​​the non-fixed area 25 in the main body bd, that is, the area of ​​the non-fixed area 25 relative to the area of ​​the main body bd, is also preferably 20% or more, more preferably 30% or more.

[0075] In this specification, "relatively slidable" means that the two components are able to slide relative to each other due to the force applied to the absorbent article when the user of the absorbent article handles it in the normal manner, and that this sliding is perceptible to the user of the absorbent article in the normal manner (i.e., through human senses such as sight and touch). Therefore, even if there is a part within the fixed area 21 where the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are not adhered, if they cannot slide relative to each other, that part is not included in the "unfixed area". For example, if the fixed area 21 is formed by applying adhesive in a spiral pattern using a spiral gun or spiral coater, a closed part where the adhesive is not attached is formed, but the part within such a closed part where the adhesive is not attached is not included in the unfixed area 21 because the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 cannot slide relative to each other. The same applies to a fixed area 21 formed by overlapping and applying multiple annular adhesives while shifting them in one direction.

[0076] As described above, the non-fixed area 25 is an area in which the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 can slide relative to each other, so it is preferable that it is an area having a certain degree of continuous area. For example, the non-fixed area 25 is preferably a continuous area in which the maximum length D1 in the front-to-back direction is 50 mm or more and the maximum length D2 in the lateral direction is 50 mm or more, and it is more preferable that it is a continuous area in which the maximum length D1 in the front-to-back direction is 60 mm or more and the maximum length D2 in the lateral direction is 60 mm or more. Furthermore, the non-fixed area 25 may be a continuous area in which the maximum length D1 in the front-to-back direction is greater than or equal to the length D1 in the front-to-back direction of the central area C and the maximum length D2 in the lateral direction is greater than or equal to the length D2 in the lateral direction of the absorbent part 4.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are pulled in opposite directions in the lateral direction D2, the relative distance d1 of movement between the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 in the lateral direction D2 may be 10 mm or more. This distance d1 depends on the overall size of the absorbent article 1, but is preferably 15 mm or more, more preferably 20 mm or more, and even more preferably 30 mm or more. The above distance d1 may be the distance measured by the force applied when the absorbent article is handled in a normal manner.

[0078] The displacement distance d1 can be measured, for example, by attaching the anti-slip portion 9b to the substrate, gripping the substrate and the skin-side structure portion 15 respectively, and pulling them in opposite directions along the lateral direction D2 until a predetermined maximum load is applied. In this case, it is preferable to cover the substrate with a fabric similar to that used for underwear. This test can also be performed using a tensile testing machine. The "predetermined maximum load" may be, for example, the load that can be applied to the absorbent article 1 when it is handled in the normal manner, and specifically, 0.5 to 0.6 N / cm. 2 This is a general guideline and does not include loads that would damage the structure of the absorbent material. More specifically, the travel distance d1 can be measured under conditions such as those described in the embodiment below. Note that the maximum value of the travel distance d1 is d1 max This can usually be the distance traveled at the point when the maximum load is applied in the above test.

[0079] As described above, the non-fixed region 25 is a region where members can slide inside the absorbent article 1, and is a portion that affects the followability to the skin of the skin-side surface of the absorbent article 1, which is likely to deform during wearing. Further, among the non-fixed region 25, the region extending from the outermost end in the lateral direction D2 of the displacement prevention portion 9b to the outer end in the lateral direction D2 of the non-fixed region 25 (hereinafter also referred to as the easily deformable region) is a portion where the absorbent article 1 is free from the underwear when the absorbent article 1 is actually worn on the underwear, and thus is a portion that particularly affects the followability of the absorbent article 1 to the skin. This is because when the skin-side structure portion 15 is pulled in one direction of the lateral direction D2 with respect to the backsheet 2, the end portion on the opposite side of the absorbent article in the lateral direction D2 can easily leave the underwear, and accordingly, the skin-side structure portion 15 is more likely to be pulled in the above one direction of the lateral direction D2. That is, the easily deformable region is a region where deformation is likely to occur inside and positional movement is also likely to occur.

[0080] In the present embodiment, the maximum value d1 of the relative movement distance d1 in the lateral direction D2 between the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 when they are pulled in opposite directions in the lateral direction D2 max is equal to or greater than the length A of the easily deformable region extending from the outermost end in the lateral direction D2 of the displacement prevention portion 9b to the outer end in the lateral direction D2 of the non-fixed region 25, that is, d1 max ≧A is preferable. In the present embodiment, d1 max The relationship of ≧A is obtained by the fact that the absorbent article 1 has the non-fixed region 25 and there is a region without the displacement prevention portion 9b on the side portion of the non-fixed region 25 (outside in the lateral direction D2). In other words, d1 max ≧A means that relative sliding in the lateral direction D2 between members inside occurs sufficiently in the region where the absorbent article 1 is not adhered to the underwear from the outermost end in the lateral direction D2 of the displacement prevention portion 9b to the edge in the lateral direction D2 of the main body bd. d1 maxIn absorbent article 1 where ≥A, sufficient relative sliding between the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 can be obtained by both the ease of movement of the part of the anti-slip portion 9b that is laterally outside from the outermost end in the lateral direction D2, and the movement of the components within the absorbent article 1, thereby further improving the skin conformity of the absorbent article 1.

[0081] The length A of the easily deformable region in the lateral direction D2 may be 10% to 90%, preferably 30% to 65%, and more preferably 40% to 55%, of the length from the front-to-back center line CL along the front-to-back direction D1 of the absorbent article 1 to the outer end of the lateral direction D2 of the non-fixed region 25. When length A is within the above range, the area in which the absorbent article 1 itself is free from the underwear when worn becomes larger, the conformity of the skin-side surface of the absorbent article 1 to the wearer's skin can be greatly improved, and the anti-slip portion 9b can be positioned to fully perform its function.

[0082] The length A in the lateral direction D2 of the easily deformable region described above is preferably 10 mm or more, more preferably 15 mm or more. Furthermore, the length A is preferably 10 mm or more in the central region C, more preferably over the entire central region C. In addition, the length A is 10 mm or more over the entire front-to-back direction D1 of the non-fixed region 25.

[0083] <Variation> The following describes some variations of the absorbent articles described herein.

[0084] Figure 6 shows an absorbent article 1 according to a modified example. The example shown in Figure 6 has the same configuration as the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1, except that the arrangement of the anti-slip portion 9b is different. In the example shown in Figure 6, there is also an unfixed area 25 where the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 are not fixed, so the absorbent article conforms well to the skin and an absorbent article 1 with excellent wearing comfort is provided.

[0085] In the example shown in Figure 6, the anti-slip portion 9b includes one central anti-slip portion 9bm extending along the front-to-back direction D1 so as to overlap with the front-to-back centerline CL, and lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs located on both sides of the front-to-back centerline CL, separated laterally in the lateral direction D2 from the central anti-slip portion 9bm, but the lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs are intermittent in the middle of the front-to-back direction D1. More specifically, the lateral anti-slip portions 9bs are intermittent over the area roughly corresponding to the central region C and the front of the rear region. As a result, in the example shown in Figure 6, the length A in the lateral direction D2 of the easily deformable region in the central region C is longer than in the example shown in Figure 1. This increases the area in the non-fixed region 25 that is free from the underwear and to which the absorbent article 1 is not attached, making it easier for the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 to move relatively when the absorbent article 1 is actually attached to the underwear. Therefore, the skin-side structural part 15 can conform better to the skin, resulting in a superior fit.

[0086] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs do not extend much into the central region C, but extend into both the front region F and the rear region R, respectively. This allows the absorbent article 1 to be securely fixed to the underwear in the front region F and the rear region R, and also improves the skin-facing structure portion 15's conformity to the skin in the central region C, which is facing the skin in the crotch area where chafing is easily felt.

[0087] Figure 7 shows an absorbent article 1 relating to another modification. The example shown in Figure 7 has the same configuration as the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1, except that the arrangement of the anti-slip portions 9b is different. In the example shown in Figure 7, multiple anti-slip portions 9b are formed in a strip shape along the lateral direction D2, spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction D1. Thus, the configuration of the anti-slip portions 9b can be determined according to the specific use of the absorbent article 1. In the example shown in Figure 7, the length A of the easily deformable region in the lateral direction D2 is smaller than in the example shown in Figure 1, and the portion of the absorbent article 1 that is free from the underwear is smaller. However, this example is preferable from the viewpoint of securely fixing the absorbent article 1 to the underwear. Also, in this example, an unfixed region 25 is formed, more specifically, the unfixed region 25 is formed over the entire lateral direction D2 of the absorbent portion 4 and from the rear of the front region to the front of the rear region R, so that the conformability of the skin-side structure portion 15 to the skin can be ensured.

[0088] Figure 8 shows another modified example of the absorbent article 1. The example shown in Figure 8 differs from the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in the arrangement of the anti-slip portion 9b, but the other configurations are the same. The example shown in Figure 8 also has the same feature of having an unfixed area 25 where the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 are not fixed.

[0089] In Figure 8, the compression grooves (also called fit embossing) formed on the skin-side structural portion 15 of the absorbent article 1, which are recessed from the skin side to the non-skin side, are also shown in black. The compression grooves may be formed in a groove shape, or, as shown in Figure 8, they may be made up of dot-shaped compression areas arranged in a groove shape. The formation of compression grooves allows the absorbent article 1 to deform into a desired shape, and also allows bodily fluids such as menstrual blood and urine to be transferred in a desired direction on the surface and inside the skin-side structural portion 15. Furthermore, by forming compression grooves, the top sheet 3 and the absorbent portion 4 can be joined in the thickness direction without the use of adhesive.

[0090] The compression grooves may include a front compression groove Ef formed in the front region F, a central compression groove Ec mainly formed in the central region C, and a rear compression groove Er formed in the rear region. The rear compression groove Er may have a shape that includes a V-shaped portion with its apex facing forward, and the apex may be positioned on the anterior-posterior center line CL. When the absorbent article 1 deforms along the shape of the rear compression groove Er, it can fit well along the region of the buttocks where the crease near the anus is deep and the crease further posterior gradually becomes shallower.

[0091] The anti-slip portion 9b shown in Figure 8 is similar to the example shown in Figure 6 in that it includes a central anti-slip portion 9bm and lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs on both sides thereof. However, in the example shown in Figure 8, neither of the lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs is formed across the central region C and the rear region R. That is, the only anti-slip portion in the central region C and the rear region R is the central anti-slip portion 9bm. Therefore, as shown in Figure 8, the length A of the easily deformable region in the lateral direction D2 is similarly large in the central region C and the rear region R, and the easily deformable region can be widened from the central region C to the rear region R. For this reason, compared to the examples shown in Figures 1 and 6, when actually worn, the absorbent article 1 moves more easily in the lateral direction D2 even in the rear region R, and can respond well to the lateral movement D2 of the buttocks.

[0092] Furthermore, the central anti-slip portion 9bm overlaps with the apex of the V-shape of the rear compression groove Er, and the portion of the rear compression groove Er that extends diagonally rearward from the apex of the V-shape does not overlap with the anti-slip portion. Therefore, the deformation of the rear region R along the rear compression groove Er that conforms to the shape of the buttocks is not suppressed by the presence of the anti-slip portion, and the fit of the rear region R to the buttocks can be improved.

[0093] Figures 9 and 10 show absorbent article 1 according to yet another modified example. However, Figure 9 is a plan view in which the top sheet 3 and side sheets 7 have been removed to expose the absorbent part 4. The example shown in Figure 9 has the same configuration as the example shown in Figure 1, except for the absorbent part 4. The absorbent part 4 shown in Figure 9 has absorbent part compression sections (also called core embossing) eb formed thereon. In the example shown in Figure 9, the absorbent part compression sections eb are formed in a dotted shape, but they may also be formed in a continuous groove shape. The presence of absorbent part compression sections eb can increase the rigidity and shape retention of the absorbent part 4.

[0094] As shown in Figure 9, the compressed portion eb of the absorbent part may be formed on the side of the absorbent part 4 (on both sides of the center line CL in the front-rear direction) so as to overlap with the non-fixed region 25, preferably overlapping with the easily deformable region. The easily deformable region is the non-fixed region 25 that is not fixed to the back sheet 2 and is a side region without a slip-preventing portion in a plan view. Therefore, if the length A is long, when the absorbent part 4 is attached, unintended and undesirable deformations such as twisting or unwanted bumps may occur. In contrast, by forming the compressed portion eb of the absorbent part in the easily deformable region, such undesirable deformations can be prevented.

[0095] Here, Figure 10 shows a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the state of use of the absorbent article 1 according to the example shown in Figure 9. Figure 10 shows the state in which the central region C of the main body bd of the absorbent article 1 is facing the wearer's body H (the wings are not shown). In the absorbent article 1, which has an absorbent portion 4 in which the absorbent portion compression portion eb is formed so as to overlap the easily deformable region, the absorbent portion 4 has a certain degree of rigidity, so the absorbent portion 4 can maintain a smooth surface without unnecessary bumps and irregularities, and can fit well to the wearer's body.

[0096] Figure 11 shows a cross-sectional view of the central region C state in which the absorbent article 1 according to another modification is attached to the underwear PN. The example shown in Figure 11 has the same configuration as the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1, but the anti-slip portion 9b is not multiple, but rather one formed in the center in the lateral direction D2. Figure 11 also shows the anti-slip portions 9w, 9w for the wings, similar to the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 11, by folding the wings wg, wg back on the non-skin side of the underwear PN and attaching them to the underwear PN with the anti-slip portions 9w, 9w for the wings, the wings wg, wg, and by extension the main body bd connected to the wings wg, wg, can be more securely fixed to the underwear. However, the anti-slip portion 9w for the wings may also overlap in a plan view with the easily deformable region (a region having a length A in the width direction D2). The easily deformable region is, as described above, a region without the anti-slip portion 9b for the main body and is a region that is easily moved away from the underwear PN. Therefore, from the viewpoint of not hindering the movement of the easily deformable region, it is preferable that the overlap between the easily deformable region and the wing anti-slip portion 9w be small. For example, it is preferable that the ratio (B / A) of the length B in the lateral direction D2 of the portion where the wing anti-slip portion 9w overlaps with the easily deformable region to the length A in the lateral direction D2 of the easily deformable region is 0.25 or less.

[0097] Figure 12 illustrates a part of the process in the manufacturing method of an absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment. In Figure 12, an adhesive is applied to a long backsheet strip 2Z while it is being transported with its length direction being the transport direction Dt. For example, a hot melt adhesive is used as the adhesive. On the backsheet strip 2Z, the planned cutting contour (dotted line) of the absorbent article 1 is set. Then, a strip-shaped central adhesive 8bZ, corresponding to the main adhesive 8b of the final absorbent article 1, is applied intermittently to the center of the backsheet strip 2Z in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction Dt (the center of the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent article 1), so that an unfixed region 25 is later formed. However, in this case, the application is carried out continuously over a range that spans the rear region R of one absorbent article and the front region F of another absorbent article adjacent to that absorbent article 1. Furthermore, on the outer side of the backsheet strip 2Z in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction Dt (outside the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent article 1), a strip-shaped side adhesive 8aZ corresponding to the side adhesive 8a of the final absorbent article 1 is continuously applied.

[0098] In Figure 12, the central strip adhesive 8bZ and the side strip adhesive 8aZ both indicate areas where the adhesive is applied. The adhesive may be applied as a solid coating within these areas, or it may be applied in dots or lines. For example, it may be linear, curved, spiral, etc., extending along the conveying direction Dt. A hot melt coater, more specifically a gravure coater, spray coater, spiral gun, bead gun, etc., can be used to apply the adhesive 8.

[0099] After applying the adhesive, the absorbent section 4, the long top sheet strip which will become the top sheet 3, and the long side sheet strip which will become the side sheet 7 can be overlapped with the adhesive as needed, and after heat sealing or the like may be applied, they can be cut to obtain the absorbent article 1 (Figure 1, etc.). In Figure 12, the planned application position of the anti-slip section 9b is shown by a dashed line. The anti-slip section 9b can be provided, for example, by pre-applying it to the release sheet and placing the release sheet with the anti-slip section applied at a predetermined position on the non-skin side of the back sheet strip 2Z. After that, the skin-side components (in this example, the absorbent section 4, the top sheet strip, and the side sheet strips) can be laminated with the adhesive.

[0100] The absorbent article 1 described above was a product with wings, but the same effect can be obtained with a product without wings using the above configuration. However, the product with wings allows the backsheet 2 to be more securely fixed to the underwear, making it easier for the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 to slide relative to each other, thus improving the wearing comfort.

[0101] Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein is applicable to sanitary napkins, panty liners, incontinence pads, and diapers, but is particularly suitable for use with sanitary napkins. Since sanitary napkins are often used with the skin side in close contact with the genital area, friction between the absorbent material and the skin is more likely to occur due to the wearer's movements compared to other absorbent items. Therefore, by using the embodiment of the disclosed invention in sanitary napkins, a better wearing experience is more easily felt compared to conventional products. [Examples]

[0102] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to examples.

[0103] <Preparation of absorbent materials> (Example 1) As Example 1, a commercially available conventional product P (manufactured by Daio Paper Corporation, 23 cm with wings) that does not have a non-fixed area was used. Conventional product P has the same arrangement of fixed areas and anti-slip parts as described with reference to Figures 4 and 5, with adhesive 8 placed over the entire surface of the backsheet, fixing the backsheet and the structure on top of it (skin-side structure), so that the backsheet and the skin-side structure cannot slide relative to each other with the normal force of the user.

[0104] (Example 2) The basic structure of the conventional product P in Example 1 is the same, and the arrangement of the anti-slip portion is also the same, but a sanitary napkin with a non-fixed area was prepared. The sanitary napkin in Example 2 had the same arrangement of fixed areas as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In addition, the lateral length A (Figure 1) of the easily deformable area, which is the area extending from the outermost end of the lateral direction D2 of the anti-slip portion 9 to the outer end of the lateral direction D2 of the non-fixed area 25, was 17 mm.

[0105] <Measurement of travel distance d1> A substrate made of acrylic with a metal cloth attached to its entire surface, sized so that the main body of the sanitary napkin would not protrude, was prepared. Each example of a sanitary napkin was then attached to this substrate as if it were being worn with underwear. Additionally, one end of a 150mm long, 70mm wide hook tape was attached to the skin-facing side of the central area of ​​the sanitary napkin, so that the horizontal center aligned with the edge of the tape. The area of ​​the sanitary napkin where the hook tape was attached was 18.8cm². 2 The hook tape used had the following adhesive strength: A general 15gsm spunbond nonwoven fabric was attached to the above hook tape by passing a 2kg roller back and forth once. A tensile test was performed under the conditions of a 50mm gap between the chucks, a tensile speed of 1,000mm / min, and stopping when the fabric was pulled 75mm in the longitudinal direction. The maximum load was between 0.5N and 2.0N.

[0106] A tensile testing machine (ORIENTEC RTC-1210A) was used for the measurement. The other end of the hook tape was gripped with one chuck, and the portion of the substrate that protruded laterally from the sanitary napkin in a plan view was gripped with the other chuck. The test was conducted under conditions of a chuck spacing of 100 mm and a tensile speed of 1,000 mm / min. The test load limit was 0.533 N / cm. 2 The test was carried out until it reached (10N). The above load limit was the average of the seated pressure (pressure applied in the thickness direction, measured by placing a pressure measuring device between the chair and the buttocks while sitting in a chair), obtained from 33 subjects, assuming the pressure normally applied to a sanitary napkin when using it in the usual way.

[0107] Figure 13 shows the relationship between travel distance (increase in distance between chucks) and load (N) for each example. As shown in Figure 13(a), in Example 1 (conventional product P), the maximum load was reached and the measurement ended before the travel distance d1 was less than 10 mm. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 13(b), in Example 2 (this embodiment), the travel distance d1 was 10 mm or more, and even 40 mm or more. In Example 2, the maximum value of travel distance d1 max The length was approximately 46 mm, and the lateral length of the easily deformable region was 17 mm or more. Therefore, it can be said that Example 2 has higher conformability to the skin on the skin-facing side of the absorbent article compared to Example 1 (conventional product) when forces that can be applied in the normal use of the absorbent article are applied.

[0108] Although the present disclosure has been described above based on embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. The above embodiments can be modified, altered, replaced, added, deleted, and combined in various ways within the scope of the claims, and these also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the above-mentioned components can be combined in any way. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0109] 1. Absorbent articles 2 back seats 3 Top Sheet 4 Absorbent part 4a Absorbent body 4b Packaging sheet 7 Side Seats 8. Adhesive 8a Side adhesive 8b Main body adhesive 9b Anti-slip part for the main body (anti-slip part) 9bm Central anti-slip section 9bs lateral shear prevention section 9w Wing anti-slip section 15 Skin side structure 21 Fixed area 25 Non-fixed area bd Absorbent Article Body C central area CL Anteroposterior center line D1 Front-to-back direction (longitudinal direction) D2 Horizontal direction (short side direction) Dt Conveying direction Ef, Ec, Er Compression groove (fit emboss) eb absorbent core compression section (core embossing) F Anterior area Q Opposite body fluid outlet WG Wing

Claims

1. An absorbent article having an impermeable backsheet and a skin-side structure disposed on the skin side of the backsheet, The skin-side structure includes an absorbent portion directly positioned on the skin side of the back sheet and a permeable top sheet positioned on the skin side of the absorbent portion. The back sheet and the skin-side structural part have an unfixed area where they are not fixed. An absorbent article in which the back sheet and the skin-side structure are relatively slidable within the non-fixed region.

2. The absorbent article has a front-to-back direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of the body when worn, and a lateral direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction, and further has a central region including a portion facing the body fluid drainage port that faces the body fluid drainage port of the wearer when worn, a front region in front of the central region, and a rear region behind the central region. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the non-fixed region is formed in at least the central region and extends over the entire lateral portion of the absorbent part.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 2, wherein when the back sheet and the skin-side structure are pulled in opposite directions in the lateral direction, the relative lateral movement distance d1 between the back sheet and the skin-side structure in the lateral direction is 10 mm or more.

4. The non-skin side of the back sheet is provided with a slip-prevention portion for securing the absorbent article to the underwear when worn. Let A be the length in the lateral direction of the easily deformable region extending from the outermost lateral end of the anti-slip portion to the outer lateral end of the non-fixed region. The displacement distance d1 is measured by attaching the anti-slip portion to the substrate, gripping the substrate and the skin-side structure portion respectively, and pulling them in opposite directions along the lateral direction until a predetermined maximum load is applied, and the maximum value of the displacement distance d1 is d1 ｍａｘ as, d1 ｍａｘ The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein ≥ A.

5. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the length A is 10 mm or more in at least the central region.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the area of ​​the non-fixed region in the overlapping region between the back sheet and the absorbent portion is 50% or more of the area of ​​the overlapping region.

7. The absorbent article according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the lateral outer end of the non-fixed region is separated from the lateral outer end of the absorbent portion.

8. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the length A is 10% or more and 90% or less of the length from the center line along the front-rear direction to the outer end of the non-fixed area in the lateral direction.

9. The absorbent portion has a compressed absorbent portion that is compressed in the thickness direction, The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the compressed portion of the absorbent portion is formed to overlap with the easily deformable region.

10. The aforementioned anti-slip portion is formed in multiple strip-like shapes along the front-rear direction, The plurality of anti-slip portions include a central anti-slip portion located in the center in the lateral direction and lateral anti-slip portions located outside the central anti-slip portion in the lateral direction. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the lateral anti-slip portion is intermittently located in the front-to-back direction.

11. The absorbent article according to claim 10, wherein the lateral anti-slip portion is not formed in the central region and the rear region.

12. It has wings that extend outward from the central region in the lateral direction and are folded back to the non-skin side of the underwear when worn, and the wings are provided with a wing slip-prevention portion on the non-skin side when not folded back. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein, when the wing is folded back, the ratio of the lateral length B of the portion of the wing anti-slip portion that overlaps with the easily deformable region to the lateral length A of the easily deformable region (B / A) is 0.25 or less, or the wing anti-slip portion does not overlap with the easily deformable region.

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