Absorbent articles

Abstract

To make absorbent articles equipped with a closing mechanism less likely to cause discomfort when worn. [Solution] An absorbent article (1) having an absorbent core (10), having a joining means (30) that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article (1) when it is disposed of, the joining means (30) having a one-side joining means (30) provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means (30') provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, having an overlapping portion of the one-side joining means (30) and the other-side joining means (30') in the width direction, and in the longitudinal direction, the distance (A) from the center position (CL) of the absorbent article (1) to the center position (C30) of the one-side joining means (30) and the distance (B) from the center position (CL) of the absorbent article (1) to the center position (C30') of the other-side joining means (30') are different.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to absorbent articles.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an absorbent article that is easy to remove after use and can be kept in a small, bundled state after removal. Specifically, when the used absorbent article is rolled up from one end in the longitudinal direction for disposal, it is said that it can be held in a rolled-up state by a belt-like region near the outer peripheral edge of the absorbent article.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] On the other hand, when the absorbent article absorbs a large amount of excrement, the swelling in the thickness direction increases, so it may be difficult to roll it up from the end. In such a case, an absorbent article provided with a closing mechanism that closes in a state of being folded with the skin side facing inward is desired. The closing mechanism is provided, for example, such that when the absorbent article is folded in half with the skin side facing inward, joining means such as an adhesive or a self-adhesive faces each other at both ends of the absorbent article. In such an absorbent article provided with a closing mechanism, after use, by closing the skin side surface to which excreted liquid has adhered, it can be hygienically discarded while confining the excreted liquid and its odor. [[ID=X]]

[0005] In such absorbent articles, if a pair of closing mechanisms (connecting means) are symmetrically arranged on one side (e.g., the ventral side) and the other side (e.g., the dorsal side) in the longitudinal direction, it may cause discomfort to the wearer. In other words, if the positions of the symmetrically arranged pair of closing mechanisms cannot be changed, it may cause discomfort when worn. For example, if the connecting means are located in a place where localized pressure is applied due to changes in the wearer's posture when wearing an absorbent article, the connecting means may be pressed against the wearer's body, potentially causing discomfort.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to make it less likely to cause discomfort when worn in an absorbent article equipped with a closing mechanism. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The main invention for achieving the above objective is an absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing core and having a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that are mutually orthogonal when unfolded, and having a joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article when discarded, wherein the joining means comprises a one-side joining means provided on one side of the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means provided on the other side of the longitudinal direction, and in the width direction, there is a portion in which the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means overlap, and in the longitudinal direction, the distance from the center position of the absorbent article to the center position of the one-side joining means is different from the distance from the center position of the absorbent article to the center position of the other-side joining means.

[0008] Other features of the present invention will be made clearer by description in this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of discomfort when wearing an absorbent article equipped with a closing mechanism. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic plan view of pad 1 in its unfolded and extended state, as seen from the skin side. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of pad 1. [Figure 3] Figures 3A and 3B show the state when pad 1 is folded in half along its longitudinal direction. [Figure 4] This is a magnified section illustrating the details of the configuration of pad 1. [Figure 5] Figures 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30'. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating the joining means 30 and 30'. [Figure 7] Figures 7A and 7B illustrate the positional relationship between the wearer's body and the connecting means 30 when the pad 1 is being worn. [Figure 8] This is a plan view showing a first modified example of the joining means 30, 30'. [Figure 9] This is a plan view showing a second modified example of the joining means 30, 30'. [Figure 10] Figures 10A and 10B illustrate the overlapping area between one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' when pad 1 is folded in half at the central position CL in the longitudinal direction. [Figure 11] Figures 11A and 11B illustrate the case where one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are provided on opposite surfaces in the thickness direction. [Figure 12] Figure 12A is a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating the positional relationship between the fixing member 20 (locking means) and the joining means 30. Figure 12B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state in which the pad 1 is attached to the inside of the pant-type diaper. [Figure 13] Figures 13A and 13B illustrate the cover portion 50 provided on the skin side of the joining means 30 (30'). [Figure 14]Figs. 14A and 14B are diagrams for explaining the operation and effects of the pad 1 to which the joining means 30, 30' are applied. [Figure 15] Figs. 15A to 15C are explanatory diagrams showing a modified example of the joining means of the pad 1.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] At least the following matters become clear from the description of this specification and the attached drawings. (Aspect 1) An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that are orthogonal to each other in the unfolded state, and having a liquid-absorbent absorbent core, the absorbent article having joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article at the time of disposal, the joining means including one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and the other-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, in the width direction, the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means having an overlapping portion, and in the longitudinal direction, the distance from the central position of the absorbent article to the central position of the one-side joining means and the distance from the central position of the absorbent article to the central position of the other-side joining means being different. An absorbent article characterized by this.

[0012] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 1, by making the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means asymmetric in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, it becomes easier to arrange the joining means while avoiding positions where a large body pressure is likely to be applied during wearing. As a result, it becomes difficult for the joining means to press against the wearer's skin or the like when the absorbent article is worn, and it is possible to make it difficult for the wearer to feel discomfort.

[0013] (Aspect 2) The absorbent article according to Aspect 1, wherein, when viewed in the thickness direction in the unfolded and stretched state, the lengths of the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means are different in the longitudinal direction or the width direction.

[0014] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 2, by making the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means asymmetric by varying their shapes and sizes while varying their positions in the longitudinal direction, it becomes easier to arrange the joining means while avoiding positions where a large body pressure is likely to be applied during wearing, and it becomes easier to further reduce the discomfort during wearing.

[0015] (Aspect 3) The absorbent article according to Aspect 1 or 2, wherein when viewed in the thickness direction in the unfolded and stretched state, the total area of the one-side joining means and the total area of the other-side joining means are different.

[0016] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 3, by making the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means asymmetric by varying their positions in the longitudinal direction and their areas, it is possible to reduce the area of contact between at least one of the joining means and the wearer's skin. That is, in the joining means with the smaller total area, it becomes easier to reduce the discomfort when contacting the wearer's skin.

[0017] (Aspect 4) The absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the one-side joining means is provided on the skin side surface in the thickness direction, and the other-side joining means is provided on the non-skin side surface in the thickness direction.

[0018] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 4, during wearing, contact between the other-side joining means provided on the non-skin side and the wearer's skin is suppressed. Therefore, the discomfort during wearing of the absorbent article can be reduced.

[0019] (Aspect 5) The absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4, having a portion where the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means overlap when the absorbent article is folded in half at the central position in the longitudinal direction and viewed in the thickness direction.

[0020] According to the absorbent article of embodiment 5, when folded in half, the joining means on one side and the joining means on the other side can be joined to each other, allowing for hygienic disposal with the skin side to which excrement has adhered securely closed.

[0021] (Aspect 6) An absorbent article according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein when the absorbent article is folded in half at the central position in the longitudinal direction, the length in the width direction of the portion where the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means overlap is longer than the length in the longitudinal direction.

[0022] According to the absorbent article of embodiment 6, when folded in half along its longitudinal direction, the skin-facing surfaces are joined together over a wide area in the width direction along the longitudinal edge, making it easier for the absorbent article to maintain a closed state. Furthermore, when a peeling force is applied in the width direction to one joining means and the other joining means that are joined together, it is easier for the article to maintain a closed state against the peeling force.

[0023] (Aspect 7) An absorbent article according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein when the absorbent article is folded in half at the central position in the longitudinal direction, the length in the longitudinal direction of the portion where the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means overlap is longer than the length in the width direction.

[0024] According to the absorbent article of embodiment 7, when a peeling force is applied in the longitudinal direction to one joining means and the other joining means that are joined together, it is easier to maintain a closed state against the peeling force.

[0025] (Pattern 8) An absorbent article according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, having a locking means on the non-skin side that can be locked to the skin side of a disposable diaper, wherein the locking means comprises a one-side locking means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and a other-side locking means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, and the distance between the central position of the one-side joining means and the central position of the one-side locking means and the distance between the central position of the other-side joining means and the central position of the other-side locking means are different in the longitudinal direction.

[0026] In the absorbent article of embodiment 8, the portion where the locking means is provided is a portion that is easily fixed in position when worn attached to a disposable diaper or the like, and is prone to localized pressure. Therefore, by positioning the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means at offset positions from the locking means, it is possible to suppress at least one of the joining means from being strongly pressed against the wearer's skin. This reduces discomfort during wear.

[0027] (Aspect 9) An absorbent article according to any one of embodiments 1 to 8, wherein a cover portion is provided that covers the joining means in the thickness direction, the joining means has a covered portion that is covered by the cover portion, and the cover portion is movable relative to the covered portion so as to expose at least a part of the covered portion.

[0028] According to the absorbent article of embodiment 9, the cover portion is positioned between the wearer's body and the fastening means, so that the covered portion of the fastening means is less likely to come into direct contact with the wearer's skin or clothing. Therefore, discomfort and unpleasantness during wear can be reduced.

[0029] (Aspect 10) An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing core and having a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that are mutually orthogonal in an unfolded state, wherein it has a joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article when discarded, the joining means comprising a one-side joining means provided on one side of the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means provided on the other side of the longitudinal direction, and when viewed in the thickness direction in an unfolded and extended state, the lengths of the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means are different in the longitudinal direction or the width direction.

[0030] According to the absorbent article of embodiment 10, by making the shape and size of the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means different and asymmetrical, it becomes easier to position the joining means to avoid areas where there is a high possibility of large body pressure being applied when worn, and thus it becomes easier to reduce discomfort when worn.

[0031] (Aspect 11) An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing core and having longitudinal, width, and thickness directions that are mutually orthogonal in an unfolded state, wherein it has joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article when discarded, and the joining means comprises a one-side joining means provided on one side of the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means provided on the other side of the longitudinal direction, wherein when viewed in the thickness direction in an unfolded and extended state, the sum of the areas of the one-side joining means and the sum of the areas of the other-side joining means are different.

[0032] According to the absorbent article of embodiment 11, by making the area of ​​the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means different and asymmetrical, the area in contact with the wearer's skin by at least one of the joining means can be reduced. In other words, the joining means with the smaller total area is more likely to reduce discomfort when it comes into contact with the wearer's skin.

[0033] (Aspect 12) An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing absorbent core having longitudinal, width, and thickness directions that are mutually orthogonal in an unfolded state, and having a bonding means that can be bonded to a part of the absorbent article when discarded, wherein the bonding means comprises a one-side bonding means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and a other-side bonding means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, wherein the one-side bonding means is provided on the skin side in the thickness direction and the other-side bonding means is provided on the non-skin side in the thickness direction.

[0034] According to the absorbent article of embodiment 12, when worn, the other-side connecting means provided on the non-skin side is prevented from coming into contact with the wearer's skin. Therefore, discomfort when wearing the absorbent article can be reduced.

[0035] ===Implementation Method=== In this embodiment, an absorbent article will be described using a urine pad (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "pad") as an example. However, the absorbent article in this embodiment is not limited to a urine pad, and can also be applied to, for example, sanitary napkins, disposable panty-type diapers, shorts-type sanitary napkins, disposable tape-type diapers, pet diapers, absorbent sheets for nursing care or pets, etc.

[0036] <Basic configuration of urine absorption pad 1> First, let's explain the basic structure of the urine absorption pad 1. Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of the pad 1 in its unfolded and extended state, as seen from the skin side. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pad 1. The urine absorption pad 1 can be used by placing it inside a pant-type or tape-type disposable diaper, or it can be used as a standalone pad by placing it directly inside the wearer's underwear (pants or shorts).

[0037] In its unfolded state, pad 1 has a substantially rectangular planar shape and has mutually perpendicular longitudinal, width, and thickness directions. The longitudinal direction follows the front-to-back direction from the wearer's abdominal side to the back side when pad 1 is worn. In the thickness direction, the side that contacts the wearer's skin is designated as the skin side, and the opposite side as the non-skin side. In this embodiment, pad 1 is symmetrical in the longitudinal direction except for the joining means 30 which will be described later, so either side of pad 1 in the longitudinal direction may correspond to the wearer's abdominal side. Also, unlike tape-type or pant-type diapers, pad 1 is worn without one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction being connected along the wearer's waist.

[0038] The unfolded state of pad 1 refers to the state in which the entire pad 1 is unfolded flat. The extended state of pad 1 refers to the state in which pad 1 is extended to the point in which wrinkles that were present on pad 1 are virtually invisible, and pad 1 is extended until the dimensions of each component constituting pad 1 (for example, the side sheet 4 described later) match or are close to the dimensions of the individual component.

[0039] The pad 1 comprises a liquid-absorbing core 10, a liquid-permeable surface sheet 2 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "top sheet 2") (e.g., nonwoven fabric) located on the skin side of the absorbent core 10, a liquid-impermeable back sheet 3 (e.g., a resin film such as polyethylene or polypropylene) located on the non-skin side of the absorbent core 10, and a pair of side sheets 4 provided on both sides of the pad 1 in the width direction. As shown in Figure 2, the pair of side sheets 4 are folded inward in the width direction from the width direction side of the non-skin side of the back sheet 3 toward the skin side of the top sheet 2, so as to wrap around the absorbent core 10.

[0040] An example of the absorbent core 10 is a liquid-absorbing fiber, such as pulp fiber containing SAP (superabsorbent polymer), molded into a predetermined shape. The absorbent core 10 is covered with a liquid-permeable core wrap sheet 11 (e.g., tissue). However, the absorbent core 10 is not limited to the above, and may be an SAP sheet in which an SAP layer is attached to a hydrophilic sheet, or an airlaid sheet in which liquid-absorbing fibers are molded into a sheet by the airlaid method, or it may be a configuration of two or more layers. Furthermore, the absorbent core 10 does not have to be covered with the core wrap sheet 11.

[0041] Furthermore, a fixing member 20 is provided on the non-skin side of the pad 1 to attach the pad 1 to the inner surface of a pant-type diaper or underwear (outer garment). Fixing members 20 are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the pad 1. The fixing member 20 is, for example, a rectangular member, and its long side is provided so as to be aligned with the width direction of the pad 1. The fixing member 20 is preferably a member that can be peeled off from the inner surface of the outer garment without damaging the outer garment and can be reattached. In this embodiment, the fixing member 20 is a tape with a hook material (for example, the male part of a hook-and-loop fastener). Other examples of fixing members 20 include tape coated with adhesive. Note that the fixing member 20 may not be provided.

[0042] Furthermore, the pad 1 has a pair of leg-circumference elastic members 5 provided along the longitudinal direction on both sides in the width direction. In Figure 2, the leg-circumference elastic members 5 are fixed in an extended state in the longitudinal direction between the back sheet 3 and the side sheet 4. This makes it easier for both sides of the pad 1 in the width direction to conform closely to the wearer's legs.

[0043] Furthermore, the pad 1 has a pair of leak-proof wall portions 6 on both sides in the width direction that can be raised toward the skin. The leak-proof wall portion 6 comprises a side sheet 4 and a leak-proof wall elastic member 7. Both ends in the longitudinal direction are fixed to the surface sheet 2 by adhesive areas 8. The leak-proof wall elastic member 7 is fixed to the inner end of the side sheet 4 in the width direction in an extended state along the longitudinal direction of the pad 1. When the pad 1 is worn, the tip of the leak-proof wall portion 6 rises toward the skin based on the elasticity of the leak-proof wall elastic member 7, and the lateral leakage of excretory fluids, etc. is suppressed by the raised leak-proof wall portion 6.

[0044] Furthermore, the pad 1 has joining means 30, 30' and cover portions 50, 50' provided on the skin side of the joining means 30, 30' at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The details of their configuration will be described below.

[0045] <Joining means 30, 30'> As shown in Figure 1, one end in the longitudinal direction is provided with a one-side joining means 30 as a closing mechanism. Similarly, the other end in the longitudinal direction is provided with a other-side joining means 30'. The other-side joining means 30' is part of the pad 1. When discarded, the one-side joining means 30, as a joining means, can be joined to the other-side joining means 30', which is part of the pad 1. In this embodiment, the joining means 30 and 30' are regions in which an adhesive (such as a self-adhesive adhesive described later) is provided in at least a portion.

[0046] In the pad 1 of this embodiment, the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are arranged asymmetrically in the longitudinal direction. For example, in Figure 1, the longitudinal center position of the one-sided joining means 30 is C30, and the longitudinal center position of the other-sided joining means 30' is C30'. In this case, the distance A from the center position CL of the pad 1 to the center position C30 of the one-sided joining means 30 is different from the distance B from the center position CL of the pad 1 to the center position C30' of the other-sided joining means 30' in the longitudinal direction. That is, the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are arranged asymmetrically in the longitudinal direction. The reason for this will be explained later.

[0047] Furthermore, although the shape and size (area) of the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are shown to be almost the same in Figure 1, the shape and size of the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' may differ (see Figures 8 and 9, etc., described later). Also, in Figure 1, both the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are provided on the skin side (surface sheet 2) of the pad 1, but it is also possible to have a configuration where either the one-sided joining means 30 or the other-sided joining means 30' is provided on the non-skin side (see Figure 11, described later).

[0048] Figure 3 shows the state when pad 1 is folded in half along its longitudinal direction. Specifically, the folded state is the state in which pad 1 is folded along the center line (center position) CL in the longitudinal direction, that is, the pad 1 is divided into two equal parts along its longitudinal direction and folded along the center line CL (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the fold line FL) along the width direction. This state is, for example, the state of pad 1 before use or the state when it is disposed of after use. Figure 3A is a plan view of pad 1 in the state when folded in half along its longitudinal direction, and Figure 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view of pad 1 when folded in half with the ends of pad 1 closed and viewed from the width direction. As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, when pad 1 is folded in half along its longitudinal direction, one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are arranged to overlap and face each other in the thickness direction, so that they can be joined.

[0049] As described above, in this embodiment, the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are arranged asymmetrically in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the pad 1 is folded in half along the longitudinal center line CL, the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' may face each other in a state that is slightly misaligned in the longitudinal direction, as shown in Figure 3B.

[0050] Figure 4 is a partially enlarged view illustrating the details of the configuration of pad 1. Although Figure 4 shows the one-sided joining means 30, the configuration of the other-sided joining means 30' is almost the same as that of the one-sided joining means 30. The one-sided joining means 30 is provided at the end of pad 1 in the longitudinal direction, and at a predetermined distance d from the end of pad 1 in the longitudinal direction. The area extending in the width direction at a predetermined distance d from the end of pad 1 in the longitudinal direction to the one-sided joining means 30 is also called the dry edge D. The dry edge D is the non-adhesive area from the end of pad 1 to the one-sided joining means 30 where no adhesive is provided.

[0051] The one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' each have a self-adhesive adhesive 31 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as self-adhesive or self-adhesive bonding agent) as a joining portion. Note that the bonding agent in this embodiment is not limited to a self-adhesive bonding agent, but may also be an adhesive.

[0052] Figures 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30'. The adhesive 31, which serves as a joining portion provided on the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30', has low tackiness (adhesion) of its own, but exhibits adhesive force (hereinafter referred to as joining force) when the adhesive 31s are brought into contact with each other under relatively weak pressure. As shown in Figure 5A, when the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are pressed together, the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' stick together (joint force is exhibited) due to their respective adhesives 31. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5B, when the adhesive 31 comes into contact with a nonwoven fabric provided on the pad 1 or with a material other than the adhesive 31, such as skin, the one-sided joining means 30 does not easily stick to the material it comes into contact with.

[0053] The bonding force between the adhesive 31 and other members is preferably 1 / 4 or less of the bonding force between the adhesive 31s themselves. More preferably, the bonding force between the adhesive 31 and other members is 1 / 10 or less of the bonding force between the adhesive 31s themselves. Furthermore, when the adhesive 31s are brought into contact with each other, they can be separated without damaging the adhesive 31s, and can be re-bonded by bringing them into contact again after separation.

[0054] The adhesive 31 is not particularly limited as long as it is safe to come into contact with the wearer's skin, and examples include emulsion-type self-adhesives (emulsion inks) and hot-melt self-adhesives (HMAs). As the main component of the emulsion-type self-adhesive, it can be used by mixing natural rubber, synthetic rubber, etc. with emulsifiers, etc., and those disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2589307 and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-095381 may be used. As the main component of the hot-melt self-adhesive, it can be used by heating and melting thermoplastic resins such as polyolefins and polyamides, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 7476348 and Japanese Patent No. 7543716. In this embodiment, an emulsion-type self-adhesive is used.

[0055] Next, the specific configurations of the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' will be explained in detail using Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the joining means 30 and 30'. As shown in Figure 6, the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are quadrilateral regions that circumscribe the portion to which the self-adhesive adhesive 31 is applied as the joining area. In Figure 6, the region to which the self-adhesive adhesive 31 is applied is shown as a lightly filled area.

[0056] As mentioned above, in this embodiment, an emulsion-based self-adhesive agent is used as the bonding agent 31. Furthermore, one application is defined as applying the bonding agent 31 uniformly in a roughly rectangular shape that is long in the width direction (so-called solid coating), and in the example shown in Figure 6, it is applied repeatedly three times. By applying the bonding agent 31 in multiple layers in the thickness direction, the bonding strength when bonding agents 31 are joined together can be increased compared to the case of a single application. Note that although three applications are used in this embodiment, it is not limited to this.

[0057] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the application positions of the adhesive 31 are offset in the longitudinal and width directions. Therefore, as shown in the thickness direction diagrams (lower side view and right side view) of Figure 6, the amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area (basis weight or basis weight) in the first adjacent regions L1 and W1 adjacent to one of the central regions Lc and Wc, and in the second adjacent regions L2 and W2 adjacent to the other, is less than the amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area in the central regions Lc and Wc. In other words, since the amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area is less than in the central regions Lc and Wc, the bonding strength is also lower than in the central regions Lc and Wc.

[0058] Furthermore, the surface of the one-sided joining means 30 has protrusions 32 and recesses 33 formed due to differences in the amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area. The protrusions 32 are the first portion 34, where the amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area is greater than the surrounding area, and this portion has been applied three times out of three applications. On the other hand, the recesses 33 are the second portion 35, where the amount applied is less than the surrounding area. Thus, the first portion 34 is thicker in the thickness direction because the amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area is greater, while the second portion 35 is thinner because the amount is less than that of the first portion 34. Note that there may be other methods for forming the protrusions 32 and recesses 33 on the surface of the one-sided joining means 30. For example, the surface of the surface sheet 2 may be made uneven so as to form irregularities on the surface of the adhesive 31 applied to the surface sheet 2, or the irregularities may be formed by compressing a portion of the applied adhesive 31.

[0059] <Regarding the arrangement of the joining means 30> Next, the arrangement of the joining means 30 (one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30') will be described.

[0060] When disposing of the used pad 1, as shown in Figure 3B, the pad 1 is folded in half along its longitudinal direction, and the one-sided joining means 30 is pressed and joined to the opposing surface (the other-sided joining means 30' in Figure 3B), thereby preventing it from opening while keeping the skin-facing side where excrement has adhered closed, allowing for hygienic disposal. Therefore, when a one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are provided as a closing mechanism, it has been common practice to arrange the two joining means 30 and 30' symmetrically along their longitudinal direction.

[0061] However, if the two connecting means 30, 30' are arranged symmetrically, it may cause discomfort to the wearer when wearing the pad 1. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the wearer's body and the connecting means 30 when wearing the pad 1. Figure 7A shows, as a comparative example, the state when wearing the pad 1 when the two connecting means 30, 30' are arranged symmetrically in the longitudinal direction. In Figure 7A, on the wearer's back side (rear side in the front-to-back direction), the other connecting means 30' is positioned opposite the protruding part of the wearer's buttocks. If the wearer moves their body in this state, the other connecting means 30' may be pressed against the buttocks, potentially causing discomfort to the wearer. For example, when the wearer is lying on their back or sitting, the protruding part of the buttocks is a part of the body where localized pressure (body pressure) is likely to act. Therefore, if the other side joining means 30' is in contact with the area in question, the adhesive 31 and other components constituting the other side joining means 30' are pressed against the wearer's skin, which can easily cause discomfort such as stickiness or snagging.

[0062] On the other hand, Figure 7B shows the state when the urine absorption pad 1 of this embodiment is worn, in which the two connecting means 30, 30' are arranged asymmetrically in the longitudinal direction. In Figure 7B, on the back side of the wearer (the back side in the front-to-back direction), the other connecting means 30' is positioned offset from the protruding part of the wearer's buttocks. That is, the other connecting means 30' is positioned to avoid areas where localized large pressure is likely to be applied. Therefore, compared to the case of Figure 7A, the strong pressing of the other connecting means 30' against the wearer's skin is suppressed, making it less likely for the wearer to experience discomfort such as stickiness or snagging.

[0063] As described above, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, the distance from the central position CL to the one-sided joining means 30 (A) and the distance from the central position CL to the other-sided joining means 30' (B) are different in the longitudinal direction. That is, by making the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' asymmetrical, it becomes easier to position the joining means while avoiding positions where there is a high possibility of significant body pressure being applied when wearing the pad. As a result, when wearing the pad 1, the joining means 30 (adhesive 31, etc.) is less likely to be pressed against the wearer's skin, making it less likely to cause discomfort to the wearer. In addition, the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' have overlapping portions in the width direction (see Figure 1). Therefore, when the pad 1 is folded in half longitudinally and closed for disposal, it is easy to press the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' together in opposition in at least a portion of the width direction as shown in Figure 3B. As a result, the pad 1 can be disposed of hygienically in a closed state.

[0064] Figure 8 is a plan view showing a first modified example of the joining means 30, 30'. As shown in Figure 8, when the pad 1 in its unfolded and extended state is viewed in the thickness direction, the shape and size of the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' may differ. In other words, the lengths of the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' may differ in the longitudinal or width direction. In the example in Figure 8, in the longitudinal direction, the length L30 of the one-sided joining means 30 is longer than the length L30' of the other-sided joining means 30' (L30>L30'). Also, in the width direction, the length (width) W30' of the other-sided joining means 30' is longer than the length (width) W30 of the one-sided joining means 30 (W30>L30'). <W30’)。

[0065] By making the shape and size of the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' different and asymmetrical, it becomes easier to position the joining means 30 and 30' to avoid positions where there is a high possibility of significant body pressure being applied during wear, thereby further reducing discomfort during wear. For example, as explained in Figure 7, if the other-sided joining means 30' is likely to be pressed against the wearer's buttocks, the position of the other-sided joining means 30' can be shifted by making the length L30' of the other-sided joining means 30' as small as possible in the longitudinal direction. Also, if the length L30 of the one-sided joining means 30 is increased, the probability of the overlapping area between the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' in the longitudinal direction widens when the pad 1 is folded in half longitudinally for disposal (see Figure 3B), allowing the two to be firmly pressed together.

[0066] Figure 9 is a plan view showing a second modified example of the joining means 30, 30'. In the pad 1 shown in Figure 9, when viewed in the thickness direction in an unfolded and extended state, the shape and size of the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' differ. Specifically, in the example in Figure 9, the one-sided joining means 30 has a shape in which a part of it (the multi-sided end in the longitudinal direction and the central part in the width direction) is cut out. The other-sided joining means 30' has two joining means: a first other-sided joining means 30a' and a second other-sided joining means 30b'. In such a case, the total area S30 of the one-sided joining means 30 and the total area (S30a' + S30b') of the other-sided joining means 30' can be made different. For example, in areas where contact with the wearer's skin is to be avoided, the area of ​​the joining means can be reduced to decrease the contact area with the skin. Furthermore, by cutting out parts of the joining means that are likely to be pressed strongly against the wearer's skin, it becomes easier to adjust the area in contact with the wearer's skin. By changing and adjusting the area and arrangement of the joining means 30, 30' in this way, discomfort during wear can be further reduced.

[0067] The shape, size, and arrangement of the joining means 30, 30' are not limited to the examples in Figures 8 and 9, and can be appropriately changed according to the size and intended use of the pad 1. However, even if the shape of the joining means 30, 30' is changed, when the pad 1 is folded in half at the central position CL in the longitudinal direction and viewed in the thickness direction, the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side will have overlapping portions. That is, the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side are arranged to face each other in at least a portion of the area. With such a configuration, as explained in Figure 3B, the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side can be joined to face each other, allowing the pad 1 to be disposed of hygienically with the skin side to which excrement has adhered securely closed.

[0068] Figures 10A and 10B illustrate the overlapping area between one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' when pad 1 is folded in half at the central position CL in the longitudinal direction. In Figure 10A, the overlapping area between one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' is shown as a shaded area. Hereinafter, the overlapping area between one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' in a plan view will also be referred to as the joining means overlapping area OP. In Figure 10A, the length WOP in the width direction of the joining means overlapping area OP is longer than the length LOP in the longitudinal direction (WOP > LOP). With this configuration, when pad 1 is folded in half in the longitudinal direction, the skin-facing surfaces of pad 1 are more easily joined together over a wide area in the width direction along the longitudinal edge (one-sided edge in Figure 10A), making it easier to maintain a closed state of pad 1. Furthermore, when a force is applied in the width direction to the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' which are joined together, they are more likely to maintain a closed state against the force. This reduces discomfort when wearing the pad 1, and after use, it is easier to dispose of it hygienically with the skin-facing sides closed.

[0069] Similarly, in FIG. 10B as well, a joint means overlapping portion OP where one-side joint means 30 and the other-side joint means 30' overlap is shown as a shaded area. In FIG. 10B, the other-side joint means 30' is formed by two joint means, namely the first other-side joint means 30a' and the second other-side joint means 30b'. In the case of FIG. 10B, the length LOP in the longitudinal direction of the joint means overlapping portion OP is longer than the length WOP in the width direction (WOP < LOP). In FIG. 10B, the length WOP in the width direction is the total length of the length WOP1 in the width direction of the overlapping portion OP1 between the first other-side joint means 30a' and the one-side joint means 30 and the length WOP2 in the width direction of the overlapping portion OP2 between the second other-side joint means 30b' and the one-side joint means 30 (WOP = WOP1 + WOP2). In this case, when a force to peel off in the longitudinal direction acts on the one-side joint means 30 and the other-side joint means 30' in the joined state, it is easy to maintain the closed state against the peeling force. Therefore, while suppressing the discomfort when wearing the pad 1, after use, it can be hygienically discarded easily with the skin side closed.

[0070] Also, the joint means 30, 30' can be deformed as follows. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the case where the one-side joint means 30 and the other-side joint means 30' are provided on the surfaces on the opposite sides in the thickness direction, respectively. FIG. 11A is a plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the case where, in the pad 1 in the unfolded and extended state, the one-side joint means 30 is provided on the skin side in the thickness direction and the other-side joint means 30' is provided on the non-skin side in the thickness direction. In the case of FIG. 11A, since the other-side joint means �0' is provided on the non-skin side, at least the other-side joint means 30' is suppressed from contacting the wearer's skin when wearing the pad 1. Therefore, even with such a configuration, the discomfort when wearing the pad 1 can be reduced.

[0071] Figure 11B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the method for closing the skin-facing side when discarding the pad 1 shown in Figure 11A. When the pad 1 shown in Figure 11A is folded in half lengthwise, the other-side joining means 30' is located on the non-skin side, so it cannot be pressed against the one-side joining means 30 located on the skin-facing side as shown in Figure 3B. Therefore, when discarding the pad 1 shown in Figure 11A, the pad 1 is folded into thirds lengthwise as shown in Figure 11B to close the skin-facing side. First, at a predetermined position FL2 in the lengthwise direction, the other end of the pad 1 in the lengthwise direction is folded back to the skin-facing side in the thickness direction on one side of the lengthwise direction. Then, the other-side joining means 30' is positioned on the skin-facing surface of the folded portion (the non-skin-facing side in Figure 11A). Next, at a predetermined position FL1 in the lengthwise direction, the one end of the pad 1 in the lengthwise direction is folded back to the skin-facing side in the thickness direction on the other side of the lengthwise direction. As a result, the one-sided joining means 30 is positioned on the non-skin side of the folded portion (the skin side in Figure 11A). Then, by pressing the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30', which are opposite each other in the thickness direction, the pad 1 can be closed with the skin side facing inward, as shown in Figure 11B, and disposed of hygienically.

[0072] Figure 12A is a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating the positional relationship between the fixing member 20 (locking means) and the joining means 30. Figure 12B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state in which the pad 1 is attached to the inside of a pull-up diaper. As described above, the pad 1 can be used by attaching it to the inside of a pull-up diaper or the like. The non-skin side of the pad 1 is provided with a fixing member 20 for joining it to the inside of a pull-up diaper or the like. This fixing member 20 is a locking means, for example, made of hook-and-loop fasteners that can be locked onto the nonwoven fabric that makes up the skin side of the pull-up diaper, and is provided on one side and the other side in the longitudinal direction. In Figure 12A, the fixing member 20 provided on one side in the longitudinal direction is referred to as the one-side fixing member 20 (one-side locking means), and the fixing member 20 provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction is referred to as the other-side fixing member 20' (other-side locking means). The pull-up diaper to which the pad 1 is attached is referred to as diaper 100. When attaching the pad 1 to the inside of the diaper 100, the fixing members 20 and 20' of the pad 1 are locked to the fixed portions 120 and 120', which are predetermined areas on the skin-facing side of the diaper 100, as shown in Figure 12B.

[0073] In the longitudinal direction of the pad 1 of this embodiment, the distance (C) between the central position C30 of the one-side joining means 30 and the central position C20 of the one-side fixing member 20 (one-side locking means) is different from the distance (D) between the central position C30' of the other-side joining means 30' and the central position C20' of the other-side fixing member 20' (other-side locking means) (see Figure 12A). Therefore, when the pad 1 is attached to the inside of the diaper 100, there is a high probability that at least one of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' will be positioned offset in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction when the diaper 100 is worn) from the fixed parts 120, 120' of the diaper 100 (see Figure 12B).

[0074] When the pad 1 is attached to the inside of the diaper 100, the fixing members 20 and 20' are locked to the fixed parts 120 and 120', respectively. Therefore, when the diaper 100 with the pad 1 attached is worn, as the diaper 100 fits the wearer's body, the relative positions of the fixing members 20 and 20' to the wearer's body also become less likely to shift. As a result, the wearer's body pressure may continue to act on the positions of the fixing members 20 and 20' throughout the period the diaper 100 is worn. In this case, if the positions of the fixing members 20 and 20' and the connecting means 30 and 30' overlap, body pressure may continue to act on the connecting means 30 and 30' throughout the period the diaper 100 is worn, potentially causing discomfort or unease to the wearer.

[0075] In contrast, if the distance (C) between the one-side joining means 30 and the one-side fixing member 20 (one-side locking means) is different from the distance (D) between the other-side joining means 30' and the other-side fixing member 20' (other-side locking means), then it is highly likely that body pressure will not act on at least one of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30', and the joining means 30 (30') will not be pressed against the wearer's skin. Therefore, discomfort during wear can be minimized.

[0076] Furthermore, as a method to reduce discomfort caused by the connecting means 30, 30' when wearing the pad 1, a cover member may be provided to cover the connecting means 30, 30' from the skin side so that the connecting means 30, 30' do not come into direct contact with the wearer's skin. Figures 13A and 13B illustrate the cover portion 50 provided on the skin side of the connecting means 30 (30').

[0077] The cover portion 50 is a member provided to cover at least a part of the one-side joining means 30 from the skin side in the thickness direction, and can be made of, for example, a hydrophobic nonwoven fabric (such as SMS nonwoven fabric) or a release film. In this embodiment, there is a one-side cover portion 50 that covers the one-side joining means 30 from the skin side, and a other-side cover portion 50' that covers the other-side joining means 30' from the skin side. Since the one-side cover portion 50 and the other-side cover portion 50' have substantially the same configuration, the one-side cover portion 50 will be described below, and the other-side cover portion 50' will not be described. The one-side cover portion 50 will also be simply referred to as "cover portion 50".

[0078] In Figure 13A, a rectangular cover portion 50, which has a larger area than the one-side joining means 30, is positioned to cover the entire one-side joining means 30. Hereafter, the portion of the one-side joining means 30 covered by the cover portion 50 will also be referred to as the covered portion CP. However, in pad 1, the cover portion 50 does not necessarily have to cover the entire one-side joining means 30. In other words, the area of ​​the covered portion CP may be smaller than that of the one-side joining means 30. Furthermore, the shape of the cover portion 50 is not limited to the rectangular shape shown in Figure 13A, and the size (area) of the cover portion 50 is not limited to the example in Figure 13A.

[0079] A cover joint 51 made of an adhesive such as hot melt adhesive is provided on a part of the peripheral edge of the cover portion 50, and the cover portion 50 is joined to the skin-facing surface of the pad 1 (part of the top sheet 2 and side sheet 4 in Figure 4) via the cover joint 51. In Figure 13A, the cover joint 51 is provided along one side in the longitudinal direction and both edges in the width direction of the peripheral edge of the cover portion 50. On the other hand, the cover joint 51 is not provided on the other edge in the longitudinal direction of the peripheral edge of the cover portion 50. That is, the other edge in the longitudinal direction of the cover portion 50 is an unjointed portion that is not joined to the skin-facing surface of the pad 1.

[0080] When pad 1 is in use, that is, when pad 1 is attached to the wearer's body, the one-sided connecting means 30 is covered by the cover portion 50, as shown in Figure 13A. If the cover portion 50 were not provided and the one-sided connecting means 30 were exposed to the skin, the exposed surface would come into direct contact with the wearer's skin or clothing, potentially causing discomfort or unease. In contrast, if the cover portion 50 is positioned between the wearer's body and the one-sided connecting means 30, the covered portion CP of the one-sided connecting means 30, which is covered by the cover portion 50, is less likely to come into direct contact with the wearer's skin or clothing. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of causing discomfort or unease to the wearer.

[0081] Furthermore, when disposing of the used pad 1, the cover portion 50 is moved in the one-side joining means 30 so as to expose at least a portion of the covered portion CP that was covered by the cover portion 50, as shown in Figure 13B. Similarly, the cover portion 50' is moved in the other-side joining means 30' so as to expose at least a portion of the covered portion CP that was covered by the cover portion 50'. Then, the covered portion CP of the one-side joining means 30 and the covered portion CP of the other-side joining means 30' are brought into opposition and joined (crimped) together as shown in Figure 3B.

[0082] In Figure 13B, the cover portion 50 is lifted up by pinching the part of the periphery of the cover portion 50 where the cover joint portion 51 is not provided (the other end edge in the longitudinal direction) with the fingers, thereby exposing a part of the covered portion CP. In this way, the exposed covered portion CP of the one-side joining means 30 can be firmly joined to the opposing surface of the pad 1 (the other-side joining means 30', etc.). In Figure 13B, the cover portion 50 is lifted up without peeling off the cover joint portion 51, but it is also possible to peel off a part of the cover joint portion 51 and lift up the cover portion 50. For example, the cover joint portions 51 at both ends in the width direction of the periphery of the cover portion 50 may be peeled off and the cover portion 50 may be lifted up more. Alternatively, the entire cover joint portion 51 may be peeled off and the cover portion 50 itself may be detached (moved) from the pad 1. Furthermore, in the operation of peeling back the cover portion 50, a portion of the cover portion 50 may be torn or cut to expose a larger portion of the covered portion CP.

[0083] <Regarding the joining force of joining means 30 and 30'> Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the operation and effect of the pad 1 to which the joining means 30, 30' are applied. Figure 14A is a view from the thickness direction of the pad 1 when it is folded in half along the fold line FL so that the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' face each other, and the two halves are bonded together. Figure 14B is a diagram showing the process of separating the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' when unfolding the pad 1.

[0084] In this embodiment, when the pad 1 is folded in half along the center line CL (fold line FL), as shown in Figure 14A, at least a portion of the central region Lc of one side joining means 30 and the central region Lc' of the other side joining means 30' overlap in the thickness direction. Although not shown, in the width direction, similar to the longitudinal direction, at least a portion of the central region Wc of one side joining means 30 and the central region Wc' of the other side joining means 30' also overlap.

[0085] The one-sided joining means 30 is divided into three equal parts in the longitudinal direction and the width direction. In the longitudinal direction, these are the first longitudinal adjacent region L1, the longitudinal central region Lc, and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, starting from one side. In the width direction, these are the first width adjacent region W1, the width central region Wc, and the second width adjacent region W2. (See Figure 6) There are differences in joining strength among these regions. In this embodiment, the joining strength of the first adjacent regions L1 and W1, which are adjacent to one side of the central regions Lc and Wc, is weaker than the joining strength of the central regions Lc and Wc in the longitudinal and width directions. Furthermore, the joining strength of the second adjacent regions L2 and W2, which are adjacent to the other side of the central regions Lc and Wc, is weaker than the joining strength of the central regions Lc and Wc.

[0086] The magnitude of the bonding force in each region, such as the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the longitudinal central region Lc, can be evaluated by the amount (basis weight) of the bonding agent 31 per unit area provided in each region. In each region, the greater the amount (basis weight) of the bonding agent 31 per unit area, the greater the bonding force.

[0087] Alternatively, the magnitude of the bonding force in each region may be evaluated using a measuring instrument.

[0088] When measuring the magnitude of the bonding force in the first longitudinal adjacent region L1, the longitudinal central region Lc, and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, two sample pieces are prepared. The first sample piece is a cut-out of the region to be measured from the first longitudinal adjacent region L1, the longitudinal central region Lc, etc. The second sample piece is a nonwoven fabric to which a uniform amount of bonding agent 31 has been applied.

[0089] By attaching masking tape to the end of the sample piece, a holding portion (grasping portion) is formed at the end of the sample piece. Next, the two sample pieces are placed on top of each other, and the two sample pieces are joined together by rolling a 2kg roller at 5mm / second from the opposite side of the holding portion.

[0090] Next, the sample piece is held in the chuck of a tensile testing machine (for example, an Instron universal material testing machine), and the two sample pieces are separated by pulling the two holding parts apart in the longitudinal direction. The tensile load at the time of separation is then measured. The average value of the tensile load represents the magnitude of the bonding force in the area being measured.

[0091] The joint strength can be measured in the same manner for the first adjacent width region W1, the central width region Wc, and the second adjacent width region W2.

[0092] Before use (during packaging), the pad 1 is closed, and for example, as shown in Figure 14A, the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' are in contact. When using the pad 1, as shown in B, the user grasps the areas of the dry edges D provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the pad 1 and pulls it apart toward the center in the longitudinal direction.

[0093] In this case, if the bonding force at the point where the peeling begins is strong, it may be difficult to open when unfolding, and this may be particularly difficult for elderly users with reduced dexterity in their fingers. However, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, the bonding force of the first longitudinal adjacent regions L1 and L1' in the one-side bonding means 30 is weaker than the bonding force of the longitudinal central regions Lc and Lc'. Therefore, it can be peeled and unfolded with relatively less force compared to when the bonding force of the first longitudinal adjacent regions L1 and L1' in the one-side bonding means 30 is stronger than, or the same as, the bonding force of the longitudinal central regions Lc and Lc'. Furthermore, because a dry edge D is provided, it is easier for the user to grasp and even easier to peel off.

[0094] In this embodiment, since the second adjacent region L2 with weak bonding force is located on the longitudinal centerline CL side, the pad 1 can also be peeled away from the leg-around elastic member 5 toward the end. In this case as well, the same effects as described above are achieved. Furthermore, since a dry edge D is provided over a predetermined distance d from the end in the width direction of the pad 1, the ease of peeling can be improved even when performing such peeling.

[0095] Furthermore, the central region (first portion 34) of both the one-sided joining means 30 and the other-sided joining means 30' has a stronger joining force than the adjacent region. As a result, when the pad 1 is folded in half along the fold line FL after use or disposal, it is easier to maintain the state in which the pad 1 covers the excrement on the side of the skin by bringing one end of the pad 1 into contact with the other end.

[0096] Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to the above. The coating amount in either the first adjacent region L1, W1 or the second adjacent region L2, W2 may be less than that in the central region Lc, Wc. Alternatively, the difference in coating amount may be in only one of the directions, either the longitudinal or the width. For example, the coating amount in the second adjacent region L2 (second longitudinal adjacent region) in the longitudinal direction may be less than that in the central region Lc. In this case, when the user peels off the pad 1, they can easily unfold it by peeling it off from the second adjacent region L2, which has weaker bonding force.

[0097] Furthermore, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, when the pad 1 is folded in half along the center line CL (fold line FL), the central regions Lc and Wc of the one-sided joining means 30 and the central regions Lc' and Wc' of the other-sided joining means 30' overlap in the thickness direction. Because the central regions overlap, when disposing of the pad 1, it is easier to maintain the state in which the pad 1 is folded in half and covers the excrement on the side of the skin with the pad 1.

[0098] Furthermore, the same effect and benefits can be achieved even when the pad 1 is folded in half at the center position in the width direction (a fold line along the center line in the width direction). In this case, two joining means should be provided on one side and the other side in the width direction, with the center line in the width direction as the reference.

[0099] Alternatively, the joining means 30 on one side may have varying degrees of joining force, while the joining means 30' on the other side may have a uniform joining force.

[0100] Furthermore, regarding the magnitude of the joining force in the longitudinal and width directions of the one-sided joining means 30, the value obtained by dividing the difference between the joining force of the longitudinal central region Lc and the joining force of the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 by the longitudinal length of the longitudinal central region Lc is greater than the value obtained by dividing the difference between the joining force of the width central region Wc and the joining force of the first width adjacent region W1 by the width direction length of the width central region Wc. In other words, the difference in joining force per unit length is greater in the longitudinal direction than in the width direction.

[0101] In the longitudinal direction, the difference in bonding force per unit length between the central region Lc(Lc') and the adjacent region L1(L1') is large. Therefore, even when the pad 1 is folded along the fold line FL in the width direction before use, and the one-sided bonding means 30 and the other-sided bonding means 30' of the pad 1 are joined, it is possible to easily separate the one-sided bonding means 30 and the other-sided bonding means 30' and unfold the pad in the longitudinal direction. On the other hand, as shown in the configuration of Figure 6, in the width direction, the difference in bonding force per unit length between the central region Wc(Wc') and the adjacent region W1(W1') is small. Therefore, when discarding the pad 1, it is possible to easily maintain the state in which the excrement on the skin side is covered by the pad 1 by joining the one-sided bonding means 30 and the other-sided bonding means 30' provided on the skin side.

[0102] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pad 1 is made possible by providing a first portion 34 and a second portion 35 that is thinner than the first portion 34 on the joining means 30 and 30', thereby forming convex and concave portions. As a result, when the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side of the pad 1 are joined before use, the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side can be easily separated and unfolded in the longitudinal direction. In other words, by forming irregularities with the adhesive 31, the concave portion 33, which is thinner in the thickness direction, can be made easier to separate.

[0103] Furthermore, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, the joining means is not limited to the adhesive 31. For example, the joining means 30 may be configured to provide a hook-and-loop fastener on at least one of the skin-facing sides of the pad 1. Here, a hook-and-loop fastener can be exemplified as one composed of a male member with a plurality of hook-shaped protrusions and a female member with a plurality of loops into which the protrusions of the male member hook, or a male member alone. For example, in Figure 1, a hook-and-loop fastener (male member) is provided as one-sided joining means 30, and a sheet member (female member, for example, a separate target sheet different from the top sheet 2) having a plurality of loops is provided as the other-sided joining means 30'.

[0104] When using hook-and-loop fasteners as a means of joining, the same effect as described in Figure 14 can be achieved by forming convex and concave portions on the joining surface of the hook-and-loop fasteners. Specifically, when hook-and-loop fasteners are provided so as to face each other at both ends of the skin-facing side of the pad 1, providing a high portion (convex portion) and a low portion (concealed portion) on the hooks of the hook-and-loop fasteners makes it easier to peel one hook-and-loop fastener away from the other. Similarly, when hook-and-loop fasteners are placed at only one end and the other end is made of nonwoven fabric (surface sheet 2), forming convex and concave portions on the hook-and-loop fasteners makes it easier to peel the hook-and-loop fastener away from the surface sheet 2, which is part of the pad 1.

[0105] Furthermore, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, since the joining means 30 and 30' are provided at the ends of the pad 1, it is easier to peel off and more difficult to open when disposing of the pad than when the joining means 30 and 30' are provided in the center.

[0106] <Modified examples of joining means 30, 30'> Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the joining means of pad 1. Figures 15A and 15B show self-adhesive quadrilateral joining means 30 and 30', respectively. The area to which the adhesive 31 is applied corresponds to the region where the joining portion is provided in the modified example of this embodiment.

[0107] In the modified example shown in Figure 15A, the longitudinal central region Lc is an area on the skin-side surface sheet 2 where the adhesive 31 is applied uniformly in a roughly rectangular shape that is long in the width direction (so-called solid coating). In addition, the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2 are coated with the adhesive 31 in a wave-like pattern, as shown in Figure 15A.

[0108] In this case, the bonding force of the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, which have margins due to the application of the bonding agent 31 in a wave-like pattern, is weaker than that of the longitudinal central region Lc, which is coated solidly. As a result, while ensuring ease of peeling when unfolding the pad 1, the bonding force of the longitudinal central region Lc is stronger than that of the adjacent regions, so that when the pad 1 is folded for disposal, the excrement on the side of the skin can be kept covered by the pad 1.

[0109] Next, in the modified example shown in Figure 15B, the longitudinal central region Lc is a uniformly coated area, similar to the modified example in Figure 15A. Then, as shown in Figure 15B, the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2 have the adhesive 31 partially applied in the width direction, leaving a blank area.

[0110] In this case, the bonding force of the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, which have a margin due to the bonding agent 31 being applied only to a portion of the width direction, is weaker than that of the longitudinal central region Lc, which is fully coated. As a result, while ensuring ease of peeling when unfolding the pad 1, the bonding force of the longitudinal central region Lc is stronger than that of the adjacent regions, so that when the pad 1 is folded for disposal, the excrement on the side of the skin can be kept covered by the pad 1.

[0111] The joining means 30 in Figure 15C has a hook-and-loop fastener 36. In the modified example in Figure 15C, the longitudinal central region Lc is a region where the hook-and-loop fastener 36 is uniformly arranged, and the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2 are configured such that, as shown in Figure 15C, some of the hook portions of the hook-and-loop fastener 36 are flattened by embossing 37 or the like, rendering them unusable as hooks.

[0112] In this case, the bonding force of the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, where some of the hook portions of the hook fastener 36 are crushed by embossing 37 or the like to eliminate the hook function, is weaker than that of the longitudinal central region Lc, where the hook portions are not crushed. As a result, while ensuring ease of peeling when deploying the pad 1, the bonding force of the longitudinal central region Lc is stronger than that of the adjacent regions, so that when folding the pad 1 for disposal, the excrement on the side of the skin can be kept covered by the pad 1.

[0113] In these modified examples, the amount of coating per unit area and the arrangement pattern of the bonding means 30 using margins in the central regions Lc and Wc differ from the arrangement pattern of the bonding means 30 in the first adjacent regions L1 and W1 or the second adjacent regions L2 and W2.

[0114] ===Other=== The embodiments described above are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit its interpretation. The present invention may be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and it goes without saying that equivalents thereof are included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0115] 1. Urine pads (pads, absorbent items), 2. Surface sheet (top sheet), 3. Back sheet, 4 side seats, 5 leg-around elastic members, 6 Leakage prevention wall part, 7 Leakage prevention wall elastic member, 8 Adhesion area, 10 absorbent cores, 11 core wrap sheets, 20 One-sided fixing member (one-sided locking means), 20' Other side fixing member (other side locking means), 30 One-sided joining means, 30' other side joining means, 30a' first other side joining means, 30b' second other side joining means, 31 Bonding agent, 50 Cover section, 51 Cover joint, 100 pull-up diapers, 120 Fixed part, 120' Fixed part, OP joint means overlapping part, CP covered part, Lc Long central region, Wc Width central region, L1 is the first longitudinal adjacent region, W1 is the first width adjacent region, L2 is the second longitudinal adjacent region, and W2 is the second width adjacent region.

Claims

1. In its unfolded state, it has longitudinal, widthwise, and thicknesswise directions that are mutually orthogonal to each other. An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing core, It has a bonding means that can be attached to a part of the absorbent article when it is disposed of, The joining means includes a one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction. It has, In the width direction, the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means have an overlapping portion, An absorbent article characterized in that, in the longitudinal direction, the distance from the central position of the absorbent article to the central position of the one-sided joining means is different from the distance from the central position of the absorbent article to the central position of the other-sided joining means.

2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, When viewed in the thickness direction in an unfolded and extended state, An absorbent article characterized in that the lengths of the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means are different in the longitudinal direction or the width direction.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, When viewed in the thickness direction in an unfolded and extended state, An absorbent article characterized in that the total area of ​​the one-sided joining means is different from the total area of ​​the other-sided joining means.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 1, The aforementioned one-sided joining means is provided on the skin surface in the thickness direction, The absorbent article is characterized in that the other-side joining means is provided on the non-skin side in the thickness direction.

5. An absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, When the absorbent article is folded in half at the central position in the longitudinal direction and viewed in the thickness direction, An absorbent article characterized by having an overlapping portion between the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 5, An absorbent article characterized in that, when the absorbent article is folded in half at the central position in the longitudinal direction, the length in the width direction of the portion where the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means overlap is longer than the length in the longitudinal direction.

7. The absorbent article according to claim 5, An absorbent article characterized in that, when the absorbent article is folded in half at the central position in the longitudinal direction, the length in the longitudinal direction of the portion where the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means overlap is longer than the length in the width direction.

8. An absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The disposable diaper has a locking mechanism on the non-skin side that can be attached to the skin side, The locking means comprises a one-side locking means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and a other-side locking means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction. In the longitudinal direction, The distance between the central position of the one-sided joining means and the central position of the one-sided locking means, The distance between the central position of the other side joining means and the central position of the other side locking means, An absorbent article characterized by having different properties.

9. An absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A cover portion is provided that covers the joining means in the thickness direction, The joining means has a covered portion that is covered by the cover portion, The absorbent article is characterized in that the cover portion is movable relative to the covered portion such that at least a part of the covered portion is exposed.

10. In its unfolded state, it has longitudinal, widthwise, and thicknesswise directions that are mutually orthogonal to each other. An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing core, It has a bonding means that can be attached to a part of the absorbent article when it is disposed of, The joining means includes a one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction. It has, When viewed in the thickness direction in an unfolded and extended state, An absorbent article characterized in that the lengths of the one-sided joining means and the other-sided joining means are different in the longitudinal direction or the width direction.

11. In its unfolded state, it has longitudinal, widthwise, and thicknesswise directions that are mutually orthogonal to each other. An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing core, It has a bonding means that can be attached to a part of the absorbent article when it is disposed of, The joining means includes a one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction. It has, When viewed in the thickness direction in an unfolded and extended state, An absorbent article characterized in that the total area of ​​the one-sided joining means is different from the total area of ​​the other-sided joining means.

12. In its unfolded state, it has longitudinal, widthwise, and thicknesswise directions that are mutually orthogonal to each other. An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing core, It has a bonding means that can be attached to a part of the absorbent article when it is disposed of, The joining means includes a one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction. It has, The aforementioned one-sided joining means is provided on the skin surface in the thickness direction, The absorbent article is characterized in that the other-side joining means is provided on the non-skin side in the thickness direction.

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