Absorbent articles

Abstract

This technology improves the wearing comfort by ensuring that the skin-facing surface of the absorbent material conforms well to the wearer's skin, and also prevents the absorbent material from shifting out of the underwear. [Solution] The backsheet and the skin-side structure have a non-fixed region in which they are not fixed, and in the non-fixed region, the backsheet and the skin-side structure are relatively slidable, and a slip-prevention portion is formed on the non-skin side of the backsheet for fixing the absorbent article to the underwear when worn, and a base fabric is attached to the slip-prevention portion in the central region, in the lateral region on the first side of the center line along the front-to-back direction, from the outermost lateral end of the slip-prevention portion to a length wa (5mm ≤ wa ≤ 10mm), and the first side of the base fabric and the second side of the skin-side structure opposite to the first side are grasped and pulled in opposite directions along the lateral direction, and the relative movement distance between the backsheet and the skin-side structure when the slip-prevention portion peels off from the base fabric is d2, and d2 ≥ wa.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to absorbent articles.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, incontinence pads, etc., those having a liquid-impermeable back sheet, an absorbent body portion, and a liquid-permeable top sheet in this order are known. Since absorbent articles are worn in close contact with delicate parts of the skin, many wearers are concerned about rubbing between the absorbent article and the skin.

[0003] As a means for preventing rubbing and improving the wearing feeling, for example, it is known to use a top sheet with irregularities (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 side of the top sheet (for example, Patent Document 2).

[0004] In addition, in absorbent articles, in order to prevent the displacement of the absorbent article from the underwear, it is also known to provide a displacement prevention portion on the non-skin side (underwear side) of the back sheet (for example, Patent Document 3).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] 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.

[0007] Furthermore, it is important to ensure that the anti-slip portion of the absorbent material does not peel off the underwear, thereby preventing it from shifting.

[0008] In view of the above, one aspect of this disclosure aims to improve the wearing comfort by enabling the skin-facing surface of the absorbent article to conform well to the wearer's skin, and to provide a technology that prevents the absorbent article from shifting away from the underwear. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] 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 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 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, the skin-side structure includes an absorbent portion directly disposed on the skin side of the backsheet and a permeable top sheet disposed on the skin side of the absorbent portion, and has an unfixed region in which the backsheet and the skin-side structure are not fixed, in the unfixed region, the backsheet and the skin-side structure The parts are relatively slidable, and a slip-prevention portion is formed on the non-skin side of the backsheet for fixing the absorbent article to the underwear when worn. A base fabric is attached to the slip-prevention portion of the slip-prevention portion in the central region, on the side of the first side of the center line along the front-rear direction, from the outermost lateral end of the slip-prevention portion to a length wa (5 mm ≤ wa ≤ 10 mm). The first side of the base fabric and the second side of the skin-side structure opposite to the first side are grasped and pulled in opposite directions along the lateral direction, and the relative distance moved between the backsheet and the skin-side structure when the slip-prevention portion is peeled off the base fabric is denoted as d2, and d2 ≥ wa.

[0010] Absorbent articles are used by attaching them to underwear on the backsheet side. When the wearer's body moves, the underwear moves in accordance with that movement, and furthermore, the absorbent article moves in accordance with the movement of the underwear (including deformation and / or movement). In this case, even if the absorbent article moves in accordance with the movement of the underwear, the skin in the crotch area to which the skin-side surface of the absorbent article is in contact does not move much, so friction is likely to occur between the skin-side surface (topsheet side) of the absorbent article and the skin in contact with that surface. For this reason, especially when the absorbent article is worn for a long time or when there is vigorous movement, the feeling of wearing it may be impaired due to friction. In contrast, the absorbent article according to the first embodiment described above has a non-fixed area in which the backsheet and the skin-side structure are not fixed, and is configured so that the backsheet and the skin-side structure can slide relative to each other. For this reason, one of the opposing backsheet and skin-side structure 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 material is in close contact with the wearer's skin, the movement of the back sheet is not directly transmitted to the skin-facing structure, thus preventing the absorbent material from rubbing against the skin. In other words, because the components inside the absorbent material are relatively slidable, even if the back sheet moves in accordance with the underwear, the skin-facing surface of the absorbent material can follow the wearer's skin and maintain close contact with it, making friction between the absorbent material and the skin less likely to occur, thus improving the wearing comfort.

[0011] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the absorbent article is provided with an anti-slip portion, which securely fixes the absorbent article to the underwear and prevents slippage, thereby preventing leakage of bodily fluids. However, in the conventional configuration, if a force is applied that pulls the skin-side structure strongly to one side in the lateral direction, the opposite side of the anti-slip portion is prone to peeling off. This is because, in the conventional configuration which does not have a non-fixed area, the skin-side structure cannot move much even when pulled to one side in the lateral direction, and the distance the skin-side structure moves does not easily exceed the lateral length at which the anti-slip portion detaches from the underwear. In contrast, in this embodiment, a base fabric is attached to the area from the outermost end of the anti-slip portion in the side region on one side of the front-to-back centerline to a predetermined length wa (anti-slip portion), and the base fabric is grasped on one side and the skin-side structure on the other side, and they are pulled to opposite sides along the lateral direction, and when the anti-slip portion peels off the base fabric, the relative movement distance d2 between the back sheet and the skin-side structure is equal to or greater than the lateral length wa of the anti-slip portion (d2≧wa). This is because when the skin-side structure is pulled to one side in the lateral direction, sufficient sliding occurs between the back sheet and the skin-side structure inside the absorbent article having an unfixed area before the predetermined anti-slip portion attached to the base fabric on the opposite side in the lateral direction comes off, so the movement distance of the skin-side structure pulled to one side in the lateral direction becomes longer, and becomes greater than or equal to the width wa of the predetermined anti-slip portion. Thus, by having d2≧wa, a configuration is obtained in which the anti-slip portion on the opposite side does not easily peel off the underwear even when the skin-side structural portion is pulled significantly, providing an absorbent article that is less likely to shift and is stably fixed to the underwear.

[0012] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, the anti-slip portion includes a plurality of strip-shaped anti-slip portions formed along the front-rear direction and spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction, wherein the length wa is the lateral length W of the outermost anti-slip portion, which is located on the outermost side in the lateral direction among the plurality of anti-slip portions.

[0013] According to the second embodiment described above, the anti-slip portion includes a plurality of strip-shaped anti-slip portions extending along the front-to-back direction, so that the absorbent article can be continuously and securely fixed along the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, since the strip-shaped anti-slip portions are spaced apart from each other, if the anti-slip portion is made of adhesive, it is possible to prevent excessively large adhesive force from being generated in the lateral direction. In addition, in this embodiment, the predetermined length wa described above becomes the lateral length W of the outermost anti-slip portion. Therefore, the distance of the skin-side structure that can be pulled laterally before the outermost anti-slip portion peels off is large, meaning that even if the skin-side structure is pulled strongly, the outermost anti-slip portion does not peel off easily, thus providing an absorbent article that is less likely to shift and can be stably fixed to underwear.

[0014] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, the absorbent article 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 portion of the absorbent part.

[0015] According to the third embodiment described above, since the non-fixed area is formed at least in the central area where the wearer is more likely to feel friction between the absorbent article and their skin, the wearer will be able to feel the wearing sensation more clearly.

[0016] In a fourth aspect of this disclosure, the lateral length of the easily movable area extending from the outermost lateral end of the anti-slip portion to the outer lateral end of the non-fixed area is denoted as A, and the length A is 10 mm or more in at least the central area.

[0017] According to the fourth embodiment described above, since the length A of the easily deformable region is greater than or equal to a predetermined value in the central region, the lateral outer portion that is free from the underwear extends over a certain range in the central region, so that the skin-facing surface of the absorbent article conforms more easily to the skin.

[0018] In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the area of the non-fixed region in the overlapping region between the backsheet and the absorber portion is 50% or more of the area of the overlapping region.

[0019] According to the above fifth aspect, since the area of the non-fixed region with respect to the area of the overlapping region between the backsheet and the absorber portion is a predetermined value or more, the backsheet and the skin-side structure portion can slide relatively largely, and the followability of the skin-side surface of the absorbent article to the skin can be improved.

[0020] In a sixth 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 absorber portion.

[0021] According to the above sixth aspect, in a plan view, there is a separation between the absorber portion and the region where the backsheet and the sheet overlapped on the skin side of the backsheet are fixed, and it can be said that play is formed on the outer side in the lateral direction of the absorber portion. Therefore, the absorber portion can move more easily in the lateral direction inside the absorbent article, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure portion can slide more easily relatively.

[0022] In a seventh 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-rear direction to the outer end in the lateral direction of the non-fixed region.

[0023] According to the above seventh aspect, since the lateral length A of the above-mentioned easily deformable region is a predetermined value or more, the portion where the absorbent article itself is free from the underwear becomes larger when the absorbent article is worn, and the followability of the skin-side surface of the absorbent article to the skin of the wearer can be enhanced. Also, since the length A is a predetermined value or less, the displacement prevention portion is arranged somewhat outside the lateral center, so the absorbent article can be more securely fixed to the underwear.

[0024] An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is that the absorber portion has an absorber portion compression portion compressed in the thickness direction, and the absorber portion compression portion is formed so as to overlap the easily deformable region.

[0025] In the eighth aspect described above, since the absorber portion pressing portion is formed so as to overlap with the easily deformable region, the rigidity of the absorber portion in the easily deformable region is increased and the shape is difficult to collapse. Therefore, even when the easily deformable region moves away from the underwear during wearing of the absorbent article, it becomes easier to bring the entire easily deformable region into close contact with the skin.

Advantages of the Invention

[0026] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technique for improving the wearing feeling by allowing the skin side surface of the absorbent article to follow well with the skin of the wearer and making the absorbent article difficult to shift from the underwear.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] It is a plan view of the absorbent article according to one embodiment of the present disclosure as viewed from the skin side. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a plan view of the absorbent article according to the prior art as viewed from the skin side. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line I'-I' of FIG. 4. <0000I17> [Figure 6] It is a plan view of the absorbent article according to the modified example. [Figure 7] It is a plan view of the absorbent article according to the modified example with the absorber portion exposed. [Figure 8] It is a diagram for explaining the state at the time of wearing the absorbent article described with reference to FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a diagram for explaining a part of the manufacturing process of the absorbent article according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a diagram for explaining the tensile test performed in the examples. [Figure 11] It is a graph showing the results of the examples.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] <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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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).

[0035] Furthermore, the absorbent article body bd may have a lateral central region M with the front-to-back center line CL as the center of the lateral direction D2, and side regions S, S on each side of the lateral central region M. The lateral central region M may, for example, have a length of one-third of the length of the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent part 4. The lateral central region M may also be a region with a length of 15 mm or more and 40 mm or less in the lateral direction D2. The side regions S may be a region in the range of approximately 10 mm or more and 40 mm or less from the edge of the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent article body bd (the boundary position between the absorbent article body bd and the wing wg).

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the absorbent body 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] <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 in the absorbent article body bd where the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structural part 15 directly disposed on the skin side of the back sheet 2 are not fixed. First, the fixing of the back sheet and the skin-side structural part in the conventional absorbent article 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.

[0050] 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 body (over the entire front-to-back direction D1 and the entire 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 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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.

[0063] <Regarding the anti-slip section> The non-skin side of the backsheet 2 of the absorbent article body bd is provided with an anti-slip portion 9b (also called 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.

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] In the configurations shown in Figures 1 to 3, the anti-slip portions 9b are arranged in a strip-like shape extending along the front-to-back direction D1 and spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction D2. This allows for continuous and 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.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, each of the multiple anti-slip portions 9b is formed continuously at least across the entire central region C, preferably continuously from near the center of the front-to-back direction D1 of the front region F to near the center of the front-to-back direction D1 of the rear region R. This allows the absorbent article 1 to be more securely fixed to the underwear along the front-to-back direction D1.

[0069] In the example shown in Figure 1, the anti-slip portion 9b includes three anti-slip portions along the front-to-back direction D1, namely a central anti-slip portion 9bm located in the center of the lateral direction D2, and lateral anti-slip portions 9bs located on both sides of the central anti-slip portion 9bm. Note that the number of anti-slip portions 9b is not limited to three; there may be two or four or more. In that case, for example, it is preferable to provide one central anti-slip portion 9bm that coincides with the front-to-back center line CL, and multiple lateral anti-slip portions 9bs on both sides of the front-to-back center line CL. This configuration of the anti-slip portion, consisting of a central anti-slip portion 9bm that coincides with the front-to-back center line CL and lateral anti-slip portions 9bs on both sides thereof, is preferable because the anti-slip portions are arranged symmetrically (symmetrically with respect to the front-to-back center line CL as the axis of symmetry), allowing the absorbent article body bd to be stably fixed to the underwear, and the pattern is not complex.

[0070] The length of the lateral D2 of the strip-shaped anti-slip portion 9b shown in Figure 1 (width of the anti-slip portion) may be 3 mm or more and 40 mm or less. However, in the example shown in Figure 1, it is preferable that the width of the central anti-slip portion 9bm, which is positioned in the center of the lateral D2 and overlaps with the front-to-back center line CL, is greater than the width of the lateral anti-slip portion 9bs. The width of the central anti-slip portion 9bm may be 5 mm or more and 40 mm or less, and the width of the lateral anti-slip portion 9bs may be 3 mm or more and 40 mm or less.

[0071] In the absorbent article body bd, particularly in the central region C, force is more easily applied to the lateral region S than to the lateral central region M. Therefore, the portion of the anti-slip portion 9b located in the lateral region S is more likely to peel off the underwear than the portion located in the lateral central region M. In the conventional configuration without a non-fixed region 25, as explained with reference to Figures 4 and 5, when the skin-side structure 15 is pulled to one side in the lateral direction D2 relative to the underwear, the anti-slip portion 9b in the lateral region S on the opposite side of the direction in which the side structure 15 is being pulled tends to peel off as the skin-side structure 15 is pulled. In other words, the skin-side structure 15 can move relative to the underwear in the lateral direction D2 by the amount that the anti-slip portion 9b located on the opposite side of the side being pulled peels off the underwear, but further relative movement is difficult.

[0072] In contrast, in this embodiment, when a test is performed in which a base fabric is attached to a predetermined portion (anti-slip portion) 19 in one side region S within the central region C of the anti-slip portion 9b, and the base fabric and the skin-side structure portion 15 are grasped and pulled toward opposite sides along the lateral direction D2, with the base fabric toward one side region S and the skin-side structure portion 15 toward the other side region S, the relative movement distance d2 between the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 when the anti-slip portion portion 19 peels off from the base fabric is equal to or greater than the lateral length wa of the anti-slip portion portion 19, i.e., d2 ≥ wa. Note that the anti-slip portion portion 19, which is the predetermined portion to which the base fabric is attached, is a portion located in the side region S on the opposite side from the direction in which the skin-side structure portion 15 is pulled, and has a length wa (5 mm ≤ wa ≤ 10 mm) in the lateral direction D2 across the central region C. Furthermore, the anti-slip portion within the anti-slip portion 19 may be continuous or discontinuous.

[0073] The relationship d2≧wa described above is achieved because, when the skin-side structure 15 is pulled to one side in the lateral direction D2, the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 slide sufficiently in the non-fixed region 25 inside the absorbent article 1 before the anti-slip portion 19 on the opposite side in the lateral direction D2 detaches from the base fabric. In other words, in this embodiment having a non-fixed region 25, the distance that the skin-side structure 15 can be pulled to one side in the lateral direction D2 is greater than in the embodiment without a non-fixed region, by the amount by which the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 slide relative to each other. Therefore, even if the skin-side structure 15 is pulled strongly, the anti-slip portion 9b in the opposite side region S does not easily detach. Consequently, the fixation of the absorbent article 1 to the underwear via the anti-slip portion 9b becomes stable, and the absorbent article 1 can be prevented from slipping away from the underwear. More specifically, the displacement distance d2 can be measured using a tensile testing machine under the conditions described in the embodiment below.

[0074] In the example shown in Figure 1, the portion of the anti-slip portion 9b that is prone to peeling off when the skin-side structure 15 is pulled is the lateral anti-slip portion 9bs located in the side region S opposite to the side on which the skin-side structure 15 is pulled. Furthermore, if multiple lateral anti-slip portions 9bs are formed on one side of the front-to-back center line CL, the outermost lateral anti-slip portion (also called the outermost anti-slip portion) 9bs1 in the lateral direction D2 is the most prone to peeling off. In the example shown in Figure 1, there is only one lateral anti-slip portion 9bs on each side, so both lateral anti-slip portions 9bs constitute the outermost anti-slip portion 9bs1. Therefore, if multiple strip-shaped anti-slip portions are formed along the front-to-back direction D1 as shown in Figure 1, in the above-described test in which the base fabric is attached and the skin-side structure 15 and the base fabric are pulled in opposite directions, the length wa of the anti-slip portion portion 19 to which the base fabric is attached among the anti-slip portions 9b can be equal to the width W of the outermost anti-slip portion 9bs1. In other words, wa = W may be true. In the example shown in Figure 1, the outermost anti-slip portion 9bs1 becomes the lateral anti-slip portion 9bs, so the width W of the outermost anti-slip portion 9bs1 may be the width of the lateral anti-slip portion 9bs (3 mm or more and 40 mm or less).

[0075] <Other configurations> 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.

[0076] 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 a normal manner, and specifically, 0.5 to 2.0 N / cm. 2 This refers to a certain degree of load, and does not include loads that would cause the structure of the absorbent material to break.

[0077] Thus, the non-fixed area 25 is an area within the absorbent article 1 where the components can slide against each other, and is prone to deformation during attachment, affecting the conformability of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent article 1 to the skin. Furthermore, within the non-fixed area 25, the area extending from the outermost end of the lateral direction D2 of the anti-slip portion 9b to the outer end of the lateral direction D2 of the non-fixed area 25 (hereinafter also referred to as the easily deformable area) is the part where the absorbent article 1 is free from the underwear when the absorbent article 1 is actually attached to the underwear, and therefore particularly affects the conformability of the absorbent article 1 to the skin. This is because if the skin-facing structure 15 is pulled in one direction of the lateral direction D2 relative to the backsheet 2, the opposite end of the absorbent article in the lateral direction D2 can easily separate from the underwear, and this also makes the skin-facing structure 15 more easily pulled in the aforementioned direction of the lateral direction D2. In other words, the easily deformable area is an area where internal deformation is likely to occur and where positional shifts are also likely to occur.

[0078] 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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] <Variation> The following describes some variations of the absorbent articles described herein.

[0081] 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 portions 9b is different. In the example shown in Figure 6, 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. The example shown in Figure 6 is preferable from the viewpoint of securely fixing the absorbent article 1 with underwear. Furthermore, in this example as well, a non-fixed area 25 is formed, more specifically, the non-fixed area 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.

[0082] Figure 6 also shows the anti-slip portion 19, which is the predetermined portion to which the base fabric is attached when the above-described test (a test in which the base fabric is attached to a part of the anti-slip portion 9b in the lateral region S, and the base fabric and the skin-side structure portion 15 are pulled from each other in the lateral direction D2) is performed. The anti-slip portion 19 can be an area in the central region C, within a length wa (5 mm ≤ wa ≤ 10 mm) from the outermost edge of the anti-slip portion 9b in the lateral direction D2. In the example shown in Figure 6, when the anti-slip portion 19 is peeled off from the base fabric, the relative displacement distance d2 between the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 is greater than or equal to the above length wa.

[0083] Figures 7 and 8 show absorbent article 1 according to another modified example. However, Figure 7 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 7 has the same configuration as the example shown in Figure 1, except for the absorbent part 4. The absorbent part 4 shown in Figure 7 has absorbent part compression sections (also called core embossing) eb formed thereon. In the example shown in Figure 8, 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.

[0084] As shown in Figure 7, 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 the 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.

[0085] Here, Figure 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the state of use of the absorbent article 1 according to the example shown in Figure 7. Figure 8 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.

[0086] Figure 9 illustrates a part of the process in the manufacturing method of an absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment. Figure 12 shows that 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. The planned cutting contour (dotted line) of the absorbent article 1 is set on the backsheet strip 2Z. 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.

[0087] In Figure 9, 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.

[0088] 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 if necessary, cut to obtain the absorbent article 1 (Figure 1, etc.). In Figure 12, the planned application positions of the anti-slip section 9b (including the central anti-slip section 9bm and the lateral anti-slip section 9bs mentioned above) are shown by dashed lines. For example, the anti-slip section can be provided by pre-applying it to a release sheet and then placing the release sheet with the anti-slip section applied to it 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.

[0089] 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.

[0090] 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]

[0091] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to examples.

[0092] <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 had the same arrangement of fixed areas and anti-slip parts as described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. That is, adhesive 8 was 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 could not slide relative to each other with the normal force of the user. The width (length in the horizontal direction D2) W of the outermost anti-slip part 9s1 located at the outermost edge in the horizontal direction D2 was 8 mm.

[0093] (Example 2) The basic structure of the conventional product P in Example 1 is the same, and the arrangement and width of the anti-slip section are 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.

[0094] <Measurement of travel distance d2> A metal cloth CN (150 mm long, 70 mm wide) was attached to the outermost anti-slip portion (outermost anti-slip portion 9bs1) on the non-skin side of the sanitary napkin, with the width of the cloth aligned with the front-to-back direction of the napkin. As shown in Figure 10, the outer end of the outermost anti-slip portion 9bs1 in the lateral direction D2 was positioned 10 mm inward from the edge of the metal cloth CN. In this experiment, the length wa in the lateral direction D2 of the anti-slip portion to which the metal cloth CN was attached was equal to the width W of the outermost anti-slip portion 9bs1. After placing the metal cloth CN on the anti-slip portion 9bs1, 5 g / cm² was applied. 2 A load equivalent to the pressure normally applied in the thickness direction of a sanitary napkin when worn was applied for 10 seconds. Additionally, one end of a 150mm long, 70mm wide hook tape TP was attached to the skin-facing side of the central area of ​​the sanitary napkin, with the horizontal center aligning with the edge of one end. The area on the sanitary napkin where the hook tape TP was attached was 18.8cm². 2The hook tape TP used had the following adhesive strength: A general 15gsm spunbond nonwoven fabric was attached to the hook tape by rolling a 2kg roller back and forth once. A tensile test was performed with a 50mm gap between the chucks and a tensile speed of 1,000mm / min, stopping when the fabric was pulled 75mm in the longitudinal direction. The maximum load was between 0.5N and 2.0N.

[0095] A tensile testing machine (ORIENTEC RTC-1210A) was used for the measurement. The other end of the hook tape TP was held with one chuck, and the end of the metal cloth CN that was not attached to the anti-slip portion 9bs1 was held with the other chuck, ensuring that the wing was not caught. Then, as shown in Figure 10, the test was performed with the chucks on opposite sides in the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent material, with a chuck spacing of 100 mm and a tensile speed of 1,000 mm / min. The test was terminated when the metal cloth CN detached from the anti-slip portion 9bs1.

[0096] Figure 11 shows the relationship between the distance traveled (increase in distance between chucks) and the load (N) for each example. As shown in Figure 11, in Example 1 (conventional product P), the distance traveled d2 at the end of the test (when the metal cloth came off) was approximately 7.4 mm, which was smaller than the 8 mm, which is the lateral length wa of the anti-slip portion to which the metal cloth was attached and the width W of the outermost anti-slip portion. This is thought to be because, since the sanitary napkin in Example 1 has no non-fixed area, little deformation occurred inside the sanitary napkin before the metal cloth came off the anti-slip portion. Thus, it was found that in Example 1 (conventional product P), the anti-slip portion of the sanitary napkin is prone to coming off the underwear when the skin-side structure and the underwear are pulled in large opposite directions.

[0097] On the other hand, in Example 2, the distance d2 traveled by the metal cloth until it detached from the anti-slip portion was approximately 45.7 mm. This distance d2 was equal to the lateral length wa of the anti-slip portion to which the metal cloth was attached, and exceeded the width W8 mm of the outermost anti-slip portion. This is thought to be due to the relative sliding of the backsheet and the skin-side structure in the non-fixed area, resulting in a greater degree of deformation within the sanitary napkin. Thus, in Example 2 (sanitary napkin according to this disclosure), it was found that even when the skin-side structure of the sanitary napkin and the underwear were pulled strongly in opposite directions, the anti-slip portion of the sanitary napkin was less likely to detach from the underwear.

[0098] 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]

[0099] 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 eb absorbent core compression section (core embossing) F Anterior area M Lateral central area S lateral region 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 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 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 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. In the non-fixed region, the back sheet and the skin-side structure are slidable relative to each other. The non-skin side of the back sheet has a slip-prevention portion formed therein to secure the absorbent article to the underwear when worn. An absorbent article wherein, in the anti-slip portion of the central region, a base fabric is attached to the anti-slip portion portion on the first side of the center line along the front-rear direction, within a range from the outermost lateral end of the anti-slip portion portion to a length wa (5 mm ≤ wa ≤ 10 mm), the first side of the base fabric and the second side of the skin-side structure portion opposite to the first side are grasped and pulled in opposite directions along the lateral direction, and the relative distance moved between the back sheet and the skin-side structure portion when the anti-slip portion portion is peeled off the base fabric is d2, and d2 ≥ wa.

2. The aforementioned anti-slip portion includes a plurality of strip-shaped anti-slip portions formed along the front-rear direction and spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction, The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the length wa is the lateral length W of the outermost anti-slip portion, which is located on the outermost side of the plurality of anti-slip portions in the lateral direction.

3. The absorbent article has a central region including a portion facing 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 or 2, wherein the non-fixed region is formed in at least the central region and extends over the entire lateral portion of the absorbent part.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the length in the lateral direction of the easily movable area extending from the outermost lateral end of the anti-slip portion to the outer lateral end of the non-fixed area is A, and the length A is 10 mm or more in at least the central area.

5. 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.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lateral outer end of the non-fixed region is separated from the lateral outer end of the absorbent portion.

7. The absorbent article according to claim 3, 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 in the lateral direction of the non-fixed area.

8. The absorbent portion has a compressed absorbent portion that is compressed in the thickness direction, The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the absorbent compression portion is formed to overlap with the easily movable range.

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