Absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article that can suppress urine leakage while suppressing liquid backflow from the absorbent material. [Solution] An absorbent article according to one embodiment includes a surface sheet placed on the skin side of the wearer, a back sheet placed on the non-skin side opposite to the skin side, and an absorbent material placed between the surface sheet and the back sheet, and comprises a main body portion extending longitudinally between the dorsal edge and the ventral edge, the main body portion further includes a resin opening film having a plurality of through holes, placed between the surface sheet and the absorbent material, and when the direction from the dorsal edge to the ventral edge is defined as the ventral side and the direction from the ventral edge to the dorsal edge is defined as the dorsal side, the opening film is positioned dorsally with respect to the center line of the main body portion in the longitudinal direction and ventrally with respect to the dorsal edge of the absorbent material in the longitudinal direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to absorbent articles.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an absorbent article including a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, an absorber disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a diffusion sheet disposed between the topsheet and the absorber, and a cover sheet disposed between the topsheet and the diffusion sheet and having a plurality of through-holes. This cover sheet moves the body fluid that has passed through the topsheet to the diffusion sheet through the plurality of through-holes and prevents the body fluid remaining on the diffusion sheet from flowing back to the topsheet. Patent Document 2 describes an absorbent article in which an absorbent sheet is disposed between a topsheet and a second sheet.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since the cover sheet described in Patent Document 1 extends to the end portion on the back side of the absorbent article, urine that has passed through the topsheet and reached the cover sheet during urination may move along the surface of the cover sheet and leak from the end portion on the back side of the absorbent article.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an absorbent article capable of suppressing liquid return from the absorber and suppressing urine leakage.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An absorbent article according to one embodiment includes a surface sheet placed on the skin side of the wearer, a back sheet placed on the non-skin side opposite to the skin side, and an absorbent material placed between the surface sheet and the back sheet, and comprises a main body portion extending longitudinally between the dorsal edge and the ventral edge, the main body portion further includes a resin opening film having a plurality of through holes, placed between the surface sheet and the absorbent material, and when the direction from the dorsal edge to the ventral edge is defined as the ventral side and the direction from the ventral edge to the dorsal edge is defined as the dorsal side, the opening film is positioned dorsally with respect to the center line of the main body portion in the longitudinal direction and ventrally with respect to the dorsal edge of the absorbent material in the longitudinal direction.

[0007] In the absorbent article according to the above embodiment, the backflow of urine absorbed by the absorbent can be suppressed by the opening film placed between the surface sheet and the absorbent. Furthermore, the opening film is positioned on the dorsal side with respect to the center line of the main body in the longitudinal direction, and on the ventral side with respect to the dorsal edge of the absorbent in the longitudinal direction. Even if urine moves dorsally along the surface of the opening film, the urine can be absorbed by the region including the dorsal edge of the absorbent (the region of the absorbent that does not overlap with the opening film). Therefore, it is possible to suppress urine leakage while suppressing liquid backflow from the absorbent.

[0008] In one embodiment, the main body further includes a pair of leak-proof gathers positioned on the outside of the absorbent in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, each of the pair of leak-proof gathers including an upright portion that can stand upright relative to the main body between a dorsal upright pivot point, which is a dorsal upright pivot point with respect to the centerline of the main body in the longitudinal direction, and a ventral upright pivot point, which is a ventral upright pivot point with respect to the centerline of the main body in the longitudinal direction, and the opening film may be positioned between the dorsal upright pivot point and the ventral upright pivot point in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, even if urine moves ventrally or dorsally along the surface of the opening film, the urine is blocked by the ventral upright pivot point or the dorsal upright pivot point, making it easier for the urine to remain inside the absorbent. This allows the absorbent to effectively absorb the urine.

[0009] In one embodiment, the main body has an ventral region that covers the wearer's abdomen when worn and a dorsal region that covers the wearer's back when worn, and further comprises a pair of fastening tabs that extend outward from the dorsal region perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and engage with the ventral region from the non-skin side, and at least a portion of the opening film may be positioned between the pair of fastening tabs when viewed from the skin side. In this embodiment, when worn, the pair of fastening tabs are pulled in the direction of the wearer's waist, so that lateral tension is applied to the main body near the opening film, and wrinkles that have formed in the main body near the opening film are stretched out. Therefore, deterioration of the feel of the absorbent article against the skin due to wrinkles can be suppressed.

[0010] In one embodiment, the absorbent article further includes a transverse elastic member that provides stretchability in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to a portion of the absorbent article, and when viewed from the skin side, at least a portion of the opening film may be positioned to overlap with the transverse elastic member or on the extension of the transverse elastic member. In this embodiment, since the transverse elastic member is stretched when worn, transverse tension is applied to the absorbent article near the opening film, and wrinkles that have formed in the absorbent article near the opening film are stretched out. Therefore, deterioration of the feel of the absorbent article against the skin due to wrinkles can be suppressed.

[0011] In one embodiment, the absorbent material includes a low-basis-weight region and a high-basis-weight region arranged at positions offset from each other in the vertical direction, wherein the basis weight of the absorbent material in the high-basis-weight region is greater than that of the absorbent material in the low-basis-weight region, and the opening film may be positioned to straddle the boundary between the low-basis-weight region and the high-basis-weight region when viewed from the skin side. In this embodiment, backflow of urine absorbed in each of the low-basis-weight and high-basis-weight regions can be suppressed.

[0012] In one embodiment, the opening width of the non-skin-facing end of each through-hole formed in the opening film may be narrower than the opening width of the skin-facing end of each through-hole. In this embodiment, it is possible to suppress urine from passing through the through-holes from the non-skin-facing side of the opening film. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the backflow of urine absorbed by the absorbent material.

[0013] In one embodiment, the main body further includes a pair of upright leak-proof gathers positioned on the outside of the absorbent in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, each of the pair of leak-proof gathers including a side sheet covering both sides of the surface sheet in the transverse direction, and when the pair of leak-proof gathers are not upright, at least a portion of the opening film may overlap with the side sheet when viewed from the skin side. In this embodiment, even if urine moves along the surface of the opening film in a transverse direction, the urine is blocked by the side sheet, making it easier to remain inside the absorbent. This allows the absorbent to effectively absorb the urine.

[0014] In one embodiment, the absorbent body includes an absorbent core having water-absorbing properties and a core wrap covering at least the non-skin-facing surface of the absorbent core, wherein the absorbent core includes a channel portion with a lower basis weight than the rest of the absorbent core, and the channel portion may be positioned ventrally relative to the opening film. In this embodiment, urine that has traveled ventrally along the surface of the opening film can be diffused by the channel portion.

[0015] In one embodiment, the garment further comprises a pair of leg-lengthening members provided along both side edges of the main body in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and at least a portion of the opening film may be positioned between the pair of leg-lengthening members when viewed from the skin side. In this embodiment, when worn, the pair of leg-lengthening members are stretched, so tension is applied to the main body near the opening film, and wrinkles that have formed on the main body near the opening film are stretched out. Therefore, deterioration of the feel of the absorbent material against the skin due to wrinkles can be suppressed.

[0016] In one embodiment, the absorbent material has an absorbent core that has water-absorbing properties, and when viewed from the skin side, the back edge of the opening film may be positioned to overlap with the portion of the absorbent core that has the largest width in the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, even if urine moves along the surface of the opening film toward the back, the portion of the absorbent core that has the largest width in the transverse direction can suitably absorb the urine. Therefore, urine leakage can be further suppressed.

[0017] In one embodiment, a hot-melt adhesive may be applied linearly between the surface sheet and the opening film, and between the opening film and the absorbent. Applying the hot-melt adhesive linearly can prevent the hot-melt adhesive from blocking the through-holes in the opening film.

[0018] In one embodiment, hot-melt adhesive is linearly applied between the surface sheet and the opening film, and between the opening film and the absorbent material. The basis weight of the hot-melt adhesive applied between the opening film and the absorbent material may be higher than that of the hot-melt adhesive applied between the surface sheet and the opening film. The relatively high basis weight of the hot-melt adhesive applied between the opening film and the absorbent material allows the hot-melt adhesive to effectively suppress the backflow of urine absorbed by the absorbent material. Therefore, the backflow of urine absorbed by the absorbent material can be further suppressed.

[0019] In one embodiment, the main body is formed with guide marks visible from the skin side to indicate the position where a part of the wearer's body should be placed, and at least a portion of the guide marks may be provided so as to overlap the opening film when viewed from the skin side. In this embodiment, when wearing the absorbent article, the opening film can be properly aligned with the wearer's body by placing a part of their body on the guide marks. As a result, the opening film positioned appropriately can effectively suppress the backflow of urine absorbed by the absorbent material.

[0020] In one embodiment, the guide mark may have a shape resembling the buttocks in order to guide the wearer to the correct position for their buttocks. In this embodiment, by making the guide mark resembling the buttocks, the user can be encouraged to position their buttocks in line with the guide mark.

[0021] In one aspect, the main body portion has a ventral region that covers the wearer's abdomen when worn and a dorsal region that covers the wearer's back when worn, extends outward in a lateral direction perpendicular to the vertical direction from the dorsal region, and further includes a pair of fastening tabs that engage with the ventral region from the non-skin side. When viewed from the skin side, a part of the absorber is disposed between the pair of fastening tabs, and the aperture film may be disposed ventral to the dorsal edge of the fastening tab in the vertical direction. In this aspect, when the pair of fastening tabs engage with the ventral region during wearing, the absorber can be brought into close contact with the wearer's body on the dorsal side of the aperture film. Thereby, even when urine moves along the surface of the aperture film and toward the dorsal side, the absorber can effectively absorb the urine.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to various aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an absorbent article that can suppress urine leakage while suppressing liquid return from the absorber.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a plan view of the absorbent article according to one embodiment as viewed from the skin side. [Figure 2] It is a plan view of the absorbent article shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the non-skin side. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of the absorbent article shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of the absorbent article shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a plan view of the absorbent core. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged periphery of the aperture film. [Figure 7] It is a plan view of the absorbent article according to another embodiment as viewed from the skin side. [Figure 8] It is a view showing an enlarged periphery of the guide mark. [Figure 9] It is a plan view of the absorbent article according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 10]This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a plan view showing an absorbent article comprising a pair of folded panel sheets. [Figure 12] This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a diagram showing variations of the directional sign. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same or equivalent elements will be denoted by the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will not be repeated. The dimensional ratios in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to those described.

[0025] Figure 1 is a plan view of an absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment, viewed from the skin side. Figure 2 is a plan view of the absorbent article 1 viewed from the non-skin side. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the absorbent article 1 along line AA shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the absorbent article 1 along line BB shown in Figure 1. Figures 1 and 2 show the absorbent article 1 in an unfolded state, stretched to a state where no wrinkles are formed. In the cross-sectional views shown in Figures 3 and 4, for the sake of explanation, each component is shown spaced apart in the thickness direction, but in the actual product they are in contact in the thickness direction. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the positional relationship in the unfolded state will be described.

[0026] The absorbent item 1 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is a tape-type disposable diaper. Absorbent item 1 may be a child's diaper or an adult's diaper. In the following description, the person wearing absorbent item 1 will be referred to as the "wearer," and the person who puts absorbent item 1 on the wearer will be referred to as the "user." Typically, the wearer is a child or a person receiving care, and the user is a parent or caregiver.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the absorbent article 1 extends in the transverse direction X, which is aligned with the wearer's waist, and in the longitudinal direction Y, which connects the wearer's ventral side to their back. The transverse direction X corresponds to the width direction of the absorbent article 1, and the longitudinal direction Y corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article 1. The transverse direction X and the longitudinal direction Y are perpendicular to each other. The thickness direction Z is perpendicular to the transverse direction X and the longitudinal direction Y, and includes a skin-facing side Z1 that faces the wearer's skin when worn, and a non-skin-facing side Z2 that faces away from the wearer's skin when worn. The absorbent article 1 is worn so as to cover the wearer's abdomen, crotch, and back.

[0028] The absorbent article 1 comprises a main body 2. The main body 2 has a ventral edge 2F located on one side in the longitudinal direction Y, and a dorsal edge 2R located on the other side in the longitudinal direction Y. When worn, the ventral edge 2F is positioned on the ventral side in the direction of the wearer's waist, and the dorsal edge 2R is positioned on the dorsal side in the direction of the wearer's waist. The distance in the longitudinal direction Y between the ventral edge 2F and the dorsal edge 2R is the total length (maximum length) of the main body 2. In the following description, the direction from the dorsal edge 2R towards the ventral edge 2F is sometimes referred to as the ventral side, and the direction from the ventral edge 2F towards the dorsal edge 2R is sometimes referred to as the dorsal side.

[0029] The main body 2 has a dorsal region 51 located on the back, a ventral region 53 located on the front, and a crotch region 52 located between the dorsal region 51 and the ventral region 53 in the longitudinal direction Y. The dorsal region 51 covers the wearer's back when worn, and the ventral region 53 covers the wearer's abdomen when worn. The dorsal region 51, the crotch region 52, and the ventral region 53 are arranged in this order from the back.

[0030] The back region 51 of the main body 2 is provided with a pair of back flaps 15 that protrude outward in the lateral direction X. The pair of back flaps 15 are positioned along the wearer's waist when worn. Each of the pair of back flaps 15 has a side edge 15a in the lateral direction X. The maximum width W1 between the side edges 15a of the pair of back flaps 15 in the lateral direction X is greater than the width W2 of the crotch region 52 in the lateral direction X. The maximum width W1 between the side edges 15a of the pair of back flaps 15 corresponds to the maximum width of the main body 2.

[0031] The side edges 15a of the pair of back flap portions 15 have a widened portion 15c and a straight portion 15s. The widened portion 15c curves outward in the lateral direction X as it approaches the back, and connects the side edge of the crotch area 52 to the straight portion 15s. The widened portion 15c may also widen linearly outward in the lateral direction X as it approaches the back, along a direction inclined in the longitudinal direction Y. The straight portion 15s extends linearly along the longitudinal direction Y between the widened portion 15c and the back edge 2R. The width between the straight portions 15s in the lateral direction X corresponds to the maximum width W1 between the side edges 15a of the pair of back flap portions 15.

[0032] In one embodiment, the absorbent article 1 comprises a pair of panel sheets 16, each bonded to a pair of back flap portions 15. Each of the pair of panel sheets 16 is made of nonwoven fabric and has a substantially rectangular or substantially trapezoidal planar shape. The pair of panel sheets 16 are bonded to the pair of back flap portions 15 by means of hot melt adhesive (HMA), sonic processing, embossing, etc. When viewed from the skin side Z1, the pair of panel sheets 16 extend outward in the lateral direction X from the straight portion 15s of the pair of back flap portions 15. The pair of panel sheets 16 are positioned along the wearer's waist when worn.

[0033] In one embodiment, the absorbent article 1 comprises one or more pairs of fastening tabs. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the absorbent article 1 comprises a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B. The pair of first fastening tabs 90A and the pair of second fastening tabs 90B are provided on a pair of panel sheets 16, respectively. The pair of first fastening tabs 90A are positioned dorsally relative to the pair of second fastening tabs 90B. The pair of first fastening tabs 90A and the pair of second fastening tabs 90B engage with the ventral region 53 from the non-skin side Z2. A portion of the absorbent material 30, which will be described later, is positioned between the pair of second fastening tabs 90B.

[0034] A pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B extend outward in the lateral direction X from the outer edge of a pair of panel sheets 16. Each of the pair of first fastening tabs 90A and the pair of second fastening tabs 90B has a base sheet 91 joined to the panel sheet 16 and a joining portion 92 provided on the base sheet 91. The joining portion 92 is located on the skin-side Z1 surface of the base sheet 91. The joining portion 92 is, for example, a mechanical fastener and is configured to be engageable with the back sheet 20 of the main body 2 from the non-skin-side Z2 side.

[0035] The ventral region 53 of the main body 2 is provided with a pair of ventral flap portions 17 that protrude outward in the lateral direction X. The pair of ventral flap portions 17 are positioned along the wearer's waist when worn. Each of the pair of ventral flap portions 17 has a lateral edge 17a in the lateral direction X. The maximum width W3 between the lateral edges 17a of the pair of ventral flap portions 17 in the lateral direction X is greater than the width W2 of the crotch region 52 in the lateral direction X. As described above, the main body 2 has a constricted shape between a pair of dorsal flap portions 15 and a pair of ventral flap portions 17.

[0036] The side edges 17a of the pair of ventral flap portions 17 have a widened portion 17c and a straight portion 17s. The widened portion 17c widens outward in the transverse direction X as it approaches the ventral side, connecting the side edge of the crotch region 52 with the straight portion 17s. The straight portion 17s extends linearly along the longitudinal direction Y between the widened portion 17c and the ventral edge 2F. The width between the straight portions 17s in the transverse direction X corresponds to the maximum width W3 between the side edges 17a of the pair of ventral flap portions 17. The length of the straight portion 15s of the pair of dorsal flap portions 15 along the longitudinal direction Y may be longer than the length of the straight portion 17s of the pair of ventral flap portions 17 along the longitudinal direction Y.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the main body 2 includes a surface sheet 10, a back sheet 20, and an absorbent material 30. The surface sheet 10 constitutes the surface of the main body 2 that comes into contact with the wearer and is positioned on the skin side Z1. The surface sheet 10 is made of a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric that allows the wearer's urine to pass through to the absorbent material 30. Examples of nonwoven fabrics that make up the surface sheet 10 include air-through nonwoven fabric, spunbond nonwoven fabric, or point-bond nonwoven fabric.

[0038] The backing sheet 20 constitutes the outer surface of the main body 2 when worn and is positioned on the non-skin side Z2. The backing sheet 20 includes a liquid-impermeable backing film 21 and a backing nonwoven fabric 22 located on the non-skin side Z2 than the backing film 21. As shown in Figure 3, the width of the backing film 21 in the lateral direction X is shorter than the width of the backing nonwoven fabric 22 in the lateral direction X, and the backing nonwoven fabric 22 may extend beyond the backing film 21 on both sides in the lateral direction X. The backing nonwoven fabric 22 constitutes the outermost layer of the absorbent article 1.

[0039] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the absorbent body 30 includes an absorbent core 31 containing pulp and a superabsorbent polymer (SAP), and a core wrap 32 covering the surface of the absorbent core 31. As the pulp of the absorbent core 31, for example, chemical pulp, cellulose fibers such as rayon and acetate are used. As the SAP, for example, particulate or fibrous polymers based on starch, acrylic acid, or amino acids are used. The core wrap 32 covers the upper surface of the absorbent core 31 facing the surface sheet 10, and the lower surface of the absorbent core 31 facing the back sheet 20. The absorbent core 31 is provided so as to span the dorsal region 51, the crotch region 52, and the ventral region 53.

[0040] Figure 5 is a plan view of the absorbent core 31 as seen from the skin side Z1. As shown in Figure 5, in one embodiment, the absorbent core 31 includes a dorsal portion 33 located in the dorsal region 51, a crotch portion 34 located in the crotch region 52, and a ventral portion 35 located in the ventral region 53. The dorsal portion 33 is located dorsally to the center line CL1 of the main body 2 in the longitudinal direction Y, and the ventral portion 35 is located ventrally to the center line CL1 of the main body 2 in the longitudinal direction Y. The crotch portion 34 includes a first portion 34a and a second portion 34b. The first portion 34a is located between the dorsal portion 33 and the second portion 34b. The second portion 34b is located between the first portion 34a and the ventral portion 35.

[0041] The width w1 of the dorsal portion 33 in the transverse direction X is greater than the width w3 of the first portion 34a in the transverse direction X. The width w2 of the ventral portion 35 in the transverse direction X is greater than the width w3 of the first portion 34a in the transverse direction X. The width w3 of the first portion 34a in the transverse direction X is greater than the width w4 of the second portion 34b in the transverse direction X. In other words, the absorbent core 31 is locally constricted in the transverse direction X at the crotch area 34. The width of the absorbent core 31 changes in steps in the longitudinal direction Y. That is, the width of the absorbent core 31 narrows as it approaches the first portion 34a in the region between the dorsal portion 33 and the first portion 34a, and narrows as it approaches the second portion 34b in the region between the first portion 34a and the second portion 34b. Also, the width of the absorbent core 31 widens as it approaches the ventral portion 35 in the region between the second portion 34b and the ventral portion 35. The width w1 of the dorsal portion 33 or the width w2 of the ventral portion 35 is the maximum width of the absorbent core 31.

[0042] Furthermore, the width w5 in the lateral direction X of the dorsal edge 31R, which is the dorsal edge of the absorbent core 31, is smaller than the width w1 of the dorsal portion 33. The width w6 in the lateral direction X of the ventral edge 31F, which is the ventral edge of the absorbent core 31, is smaller than the width w2 of the ventral portion 35. The width of the absorbent core 31 narrows as it approaches the dorsal edge 31R in the region between the dorsal portion 33 and the dorsal edge 31R, and narrows as it approaches the ventral edge 31F in the region between the ventral portion 35 and the ventral edge 31F.

[0043] The width of the absorbent core 31 may vary continuously in the vertical direction Y. For example, the absorbent core 31 may have a gourd-shaped planar form that is widest in the dorsal region 51 and the ventral region 53, and narrows in the crotch region 52.

[0044] As shown in Figure 5, the absorbent core 31 may have one or more channel portions 38 formed therein. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the absorbent core 31 has three channel portions 38 formed therein. The three channel portions 38 extend linearly parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction Y. The three channel portions 38 may also be curved with respect to the longitudinal direction Y. The basis weight of the channel portions 38 is set lower than the basis weight of the other parts of the absorbent core 31. Therefore, the density of pulp fibers and SAP present in the channel portions 38 is lower than the density of pulp fibers and superabsorbent polymer present in the other parts of the absorbent core 31. In one embodiment, the channel portions 38 may be slits with a basis weight of zero.

[0045] Of the three channel sections 38, the central channel section 38 extends in the vertical direction Y along the center line CL2 of the main body section 2 in the horizontal direction X. That is, the central channel section 38 is positioned on the center line CL2 of the main body section 2 when viewed from the skin side Z1. Of the three channel sections 38, the two outer channel sections 38 are positioned on both sides of the center line CL2 of the main body section 2 in the horizontal direction X.

[0046] Since the basis weight of the channel portion 38 is lower than that of the other parts of the absorbent core 31, the channel portion 38 has lower rigidity than the other parts of the absorbent core 31. Therefore, when the absorbent core 31 comes into contact with the wearer's feet when the wearer puts on the absorbent article 1, the main body portion 2 easily bends into a V-shape in cross-section starting from the channel portion 38 of the absorbent core 31. Thus, the absorbent article 1 can be easily passed between the wearer's feet.

[0047] In one embodiment, the absorbent 30 may include a low basis weight region 30l and a high basis weight region 30h. As shown in Figure 4, the low basis weight region 30l and the high basis weight region 30h are positioned offset from each other in the longitudinal direction Y. Specifically, the high basis weight region 30h is positioned on the center line CL1 of the absorbent 30 in the longitudinal direction Y, and the low basis weight region 30l is positioned ventrally and dorsally to the high basis weight region 30h.

[0048] The basis weight of the absorbent 30 in the high basis weight region 30h is greater than the basis weight of the absorbent 30 in the low basis weight region 30l. For example, the amount of SAP per unit area in the high basis weight region 30h is greater than the amount of SAP per unit area in the low basis weight region 30l. More specifically, each of the high basis weight region 30h and the low basis weight region 30l has one or more absorbent layers 36 containing SAP, and the number of absorbent layers 36 in the high basis weight region 30h may be greater than the number of absorbent layers 36 in the low basis weight region 30l. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the high basis weight region 30h has two absorbent layers 36, and the low basis weight region 30l has one absorbent layer 36. Therefore, the water retention capacity per unit area of ​​the high basis weight region 30h is greater than the water retention capacity per unit area of ​​the low basis weight region 30l. Note that the basis weight of the high basis weight region 30h in the lateral direction X may be substantially uniform.

[0049] In one embodiment, the absorbent article 1 includes a pair of upright leak-proof gathers 80 positioned on the skin-facing side of the surface sheet 10. The leak-proof gathers 80 stand upright on the outside of the absorbent body 30 in the lateral direction X to prevent urine excreted in the absorbent body 30 from leaking in the lateral direction X. In one embodiment, each of the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 includes a side sheet 12 and an expandable member 13. The pair of side sheets 12 are formed of, for example, a nonwoven fabric having water-repellent or hydrophobic properties. The pair of side sheets 12 are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction X and extend over the entire lengthwise Y area of ​​the main body 2 between the ventral edge 2F and the dorsal edge 2R. As shown in Figure 3, the outer edge of the side sheet 12 in the lateral direction X coincides with the outer edge of the backing nonwoven fabric 22 in the lateral direction X and together with one of the outer edges of the backing nonwoven fabric 22 constitutes the side edge of the main body 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the inner portion of each side sheet 12 in the lateral direction X is folded back to the non-skin side Z2. Between the folded side sheets 12, an expandable member 13 is positioned, which is stretched in the vertical direction Y. The expandable member 13 is, for example, a rubber thread that provides the main body 2 with expandability in the vertical direction Y.

[0050] Each of the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 includes an upright portion 81 that stands upright due to the contraction of the expandable member 13, a lateral fixing portion 82 that serves as the pivot point for the upright portion 81 in the lateral direction X, and a vertical fixing portion 83 that serves as the pivot point for the upright portion 81 in the vertical direction Y. The upright portion 81, the lateral fixing portion 82, and the vertical fixing portion 83 are made of side sheets 12. The upright portion 81 is the portion of the side sheet 12 that is not joined to the surface sheet 10, and the expandable member 13 is positioned in an extended state on the upright portion 81.

[0051] The lateral fixing portion 82 is the part of the side sheet 12 that is fixed to the surface sheet 10 with hot melt adhesive or the like, and serves as the pivot point for the upright portion 81 in the lateral direction X. The lateral fixing portion 82 is formed over the entire area of ​​the main body portion 2 in the vertical direction Y, at a position outside the lateral direction X of the upright portion 81.

[0052] The vertical fixing portion 83 is the portion of the side sheet 12 that is joined to the surface sheet 10 with hot melt adhesive or the like, and serves as the pivot point for the upright portion 81 in the vertical direction Y. In one embodiment, the vertical fixing portion 83 includes a ventral fixing portion 83F and a dorsal fixing portion 83R. The ventral fixing portion 83F is located inward in the lateral direction X from the transverse fixing portion 82 and is formed in a position ventral to the center line CL1 of the main body portion 2 in the vertical direction Y. The ventral fixing portion 83F serves as the ventral pivot point for the upright portion 81. The dorsal fixing portion 83R is located inward in the lateral direction X from the transverse fixing portion 82 and is formed in a position dorsal to the center line CL1 of the main body portion 2 in the vertical direction Y. The dorsal fixing portion 83R serves as the dorsal pivot point for the upright portion 81.

[0053] The upright portion 81 is positioned between the ventral fixing portion 83F and the dorsal fixing portion 83R, and is located inward in the lateral direction X relative to the lateral fixing portion 82. An expandable member 13, which is extended in the vertical direction Y, is connected to the upright portion 81, and when the expandable member 13 contracts in the vertical direction Y, the main body portion 2 deforms in a closing direction. Due to this deformation, the upright portion 81 stands upright between the ventral fixing portion 83F and the dorsal fixing portion 83R, with the lateral fixing portion 82 as the starting point. In this way, the upright portion 81 stands upright in a position that sandwiches the absorbent material 30 from the lateral direction X, thereby preventing urine leakage.

[0054] As shown in Figure 1, the absorbent article 1 may further comprise one or more leg-circumference stretchable members 40 that are expandable in the longitudinal direction Y. The leg-circumference stretchable members 40 are positioned outside the stretchable member 13 in the transverse direction X. The dorsal end of the leg-circumference stretchable member 40 is positioned in the dorsal region 51, and the ventral end of the leg-circumference stretchable member 40 is positioned in the ventral region 53. The leg-circumference stretchable member 40 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or spandex that is contractible in the longitudinal direction Y, and is positioned along the side edge of the main body 2 between the surface sheet 10 and the back sheet 20 of the main body 2. When the absorbent article 1 is worn, the leg-circumference stretchable member 40 contracts in the longitudinal direction Y, causing the side edge of the main body 2 to fit around the wearer's legs. That is, the leg-circumference stretchable member 40 forms leg-circumference gathers that expand and contract along the wearer's legs. The absorbent article 1 may comprise multiple leg-circumference stretchable members 40. As shown in Figure 1, the multiple leg extension members 40 are arranged in the lateral direction X on the outside of the extension member 13 and extend in the longitudinal direction Y parallel to each other.

[0055] In one embodiment, when viewed from the skin side Z1, the leg-lengthening member 40 partially overlaps the absorbent body 30. Specifically, the pair of leg-lengthening members 40 may overlap the dorsal portion 33 of the absorbent body 30 when viewed from the skin side Z1.

[0056] The main body 2 further includes an opening film 55 positioned on the skin side Z1 relative to the absorbent body 30. The opening film 55 functions as a liquid backflow prevention layer to prevent excrement (e.g., urine) absorbed by the absorbent body 30 from returning to the skin side Z1. The opening film 55 is positioned between the surface sheet 10 and the absorbent body 30. The opening film 55 positioned between the surface sheet 10 and the absorbent body 30 effectively suppresses the backflow of excrement absorbed by the absorbent body 30. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the opening film 55. As shown in Figure 6, the opening film 55 is a resin film with a plurality of through holes 55a formed therein in the thickness direction Z. Typically, polyethylene or polypropylene is used as the material for the resin film.

[0057] The opening film 55 has a peripheral portion 55b positioned along the periphery of the through hole 55a on the skin side Z1, a rib portion 55c projecting from the peripheral portion 55b toward the non-skin side Z2, and a flat portion 55d. The through hole 55a is defined by the peripheral portion 55b and the rib portion 55c. The flat portion 55d is a portion of the opening film 55 formed to have a substantially constant thickness and is formed continuously with the peripheral portion 55b. The inner surfaces of the peripheral portion 55b and the rib portion 55c are curved toward the center of the through hole 55a. The through hole 55a is formed such that the opening width continuously narrows toward the non-skin side Z2. Therefore, the opening width w11 at the opening end of the through hole 55a toward the non-skin side Z2 is narrower than the opening width w12 at the opening end of the through hole 55a toward the skin side Z1. The opening width w11 corresponds to the minimum opening width of the through hole 55a, and the opening width w12 corresponds to the maximum opening width of the through hole 55a. In one embodiment, the opening width w11 is the opening width at the tip of the rib portion 55c, and the opening width w12 is the opening width at the base end of the peripheral portion 55b (the boundary between the peripheral portion 55b and the flat portion 55d).

[0058] Because the opening width w11 of the non-skin side Z2 of the through-hole 55a is relatively narrow, it is possible to suppress urine from passing through the through-hole 55a from the non-skin side Z2 of the opening film 55. Therefore, the backflow of urine absorbed by the absorbent material 30 can be further suppressed.

[0059] The opening film 55 is positioned on the dorsal side with respect to the vertical Y-center line CL1, and when viewed from the skin side Z1, its entirety overlaps the absorbent body 30. Because the opening film 55 is positioned on the dorsal side with respect to the center line CL1 of the main body 2, it is possible to effectively suppress the backflow of excrement absorbed by the absorbent body 30 to the dorsal side.

[0060] The opening film 55 has a planar shape, for example, a rectangle or a square, and the ventral end 55f of the opening film 55 is positioned dorsally with respect to the center line CL1 in the longitudinal direction Y, and the dorsal end 55r of the opening film 55 is positioned ventrally with respect to the dorsal edge 31R of the absorbent body 30. The ventral end 55f of the opening film 55 may be provided dorsally with respect to the dorsal ends of the plurality of channel portions 38. Both side edges 55s of the opening film 55 in the transverse direction X are positioned laterally inward with respect to the lateral fixing portions 82 of the pair of leak-proof gathers 80.

[0061] The opening film 55 is positioned ventrally relative to the dorsal edge 31R of the absorbent core 31. In other words, when viewed from the skin side Z1, a portion of the absorbent core 31 exists between the dorsal edge 31R of the absorbent core 31 and the dorsal edge 55r of the opening film 55. With this configuration, even if urine moves dorsally along the surface of the opening film 55, the urine can be absorbed by the region including the dorsal edge 31R of the absorbent core 31 (that portion of the absorbent core 31). Therefore, urine leakage can be suppressed while suppressing liquid backflow from the absorbent body 30. In addition, since the channel portion 38 is positioned ventrally relative to the opening film 55, urine that moves ventrally along the surface of the opening film 55 can be diffused by the channel portion 38.

[0062] Viewed from the skin side Z1, the dorsal edge 55r of the opening film 55 is positioned to overlap with the dorsal portion 33 of the absorbent core 31. The width w1 of the dorsal portion 33 is the maximum width of the absorbent core 31. In other words, the dorsal edge 55r of the opening film 55 is positioned to overlap with the portion of the absorbent core 31 that has the largest width in the lateral direction X. With this configuration, even if urine moves along the surface of the opening film 55 toward the dorsal side, the portion of the absorbent core 31 that has the largest width in the lateral direction X (i.e., the dorsal portion 33) can suitably absorb the urine.

[0063] The opening film 55 is positioned ventrally relative to the dorsal edges of the first fastening tab 90A and the second fastening tab 90B in the longitudinal direction Y. In one embodiment, the opening film 55 is positioned ventrally relative to the first fastening tab 90A and the second fastening tab 90B in the longitudinal direction Y. This allows the first fastening tab 90A and the second fastening tab 90B to engage with the ventral region 53 when worn, enabling the absorbent material 30 to adhere closely to the wearer's body on the dorsal side of the opening film 55. As a result, even if urine travels along the surface of the opening film 55 toward the dorsal side, the absorbent material 30 can effectively absorb the urine.

[0064] When the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 are in a non-upright position, at least a portion of the opening film 55 may overlap with the side sheet 12 when viewed from the skin side Z1. For example, when the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 are in a non-upright position, both sides of the opening film 55 may overlap with the side sheet 12. Both sides of the opening film 55 include at least the side edges 55s of the opening film 55. With this configuration, even if urine travels along the surface of the opening film 55 in the lateral direction X, the urine is blocked by the side sheet 12, making it easier for it to remain inside the absorbent body 30. This allows the absorbent body 30 to effectively absorb the urine.

[0065] The opening film 55 is positioned in the longitudinal direction Y between the dorsal fixing portion 83R and the ventral fixing portion 83F. In other words, the opening film 55 is positioned in the longitudinal direction Y between the dorsal standing pivot point (dorsal standing pivot point) and the ventral standing pivot point (ventral standing pivot point) of the standing portion 81. With this configuration, even if urine moves ventrally or dorsally along the surface of the opening film 55, the urine is blocked by the ventral standing pivot point or dorsal standing pivot point, making it easier for the urine to remain inside the absorbent body 30. This allows the absorbent body 30 to effectively absorb the urine.

[0066] A portion of the opening film 55 is positioned between the pair of leg-around stretch members 40 when viewed from the skin-facing side Z1, while the other portion of the opening film 55 is positioned on the back side relative to the pair of leg-around stretch members 40. With this configuration, when worn, the pair of leg-around stretch members 40 are stretched, so tension is applied to the main body 2 near the opening film 55, and wrinkles that have formed in the main body 2 near the opening film 55 are stretched out. Therefore, deterioration of the feel of the absorbent article 1 against the skin due to wrinkles can be suppressed.

[0067] As shown in Figure 4, when viewed from the skin side Z1, the opening film 55 is positioned to overlap the high basis weight region 30h. This prevents urine absorbed in the high basis weight region 30h from flowing back to the skin side Z1. When viewed from the skin side Z1, the opening film 55 may also be positioned to straddle the boundary Ra between the low basis weight region 30l and the high basis weight region 30h. In the example in Figure 4, the boundary Ra corresponds to the dorsal edge of the high basis weight region 30h. This configuration makes it possible to suppress the backflow of urine absorbed in both the low basis weight region 30l and the high basis weight region 30h.

[0068] As shown in Figure 6, the opening film 55 is bonded to the surface sheet 10 with a hot-melt adhesive H1 applied between the surface sheet 10 and the opening film 55. The opening film 55 is bonded to the absorbent 30 with a hot-melt adhesive H2 applied between the opening film 55 and the absorbent 30. For example, the hot-melt adhesives H1 and H2 are applied linearly in the longitudinal direction Y. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the hot-melt adhesives H1 and H2 from blocking the through-holes 55a of the opening film 55.

[0069] The basis weight of the hot-melt adhesive H2 coated between the opening film 55 and the absorbent body 30 may be higher than the basis weight of the hot-melt adhesive H1 coated between the surface sheet 10 and the opening film 55. With this configuration, the backflow of urine absorbed by the absorbent body 30 can be effectively suppressed by the hot-melt adhesive H2. Therefore, the backflow of urine absorbed by the absorbent body 30 can be further suppressed.

[0070] Next, an absorbent article according to another embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a plan view of absorbent article 1A according to another embodiment, as seen from the skin side Z1. Absorbent article 1A differs from absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in that the guide mark 60 is formed on the opening film 55. In the following description, the differences from absorbent article 1 will be mainly explained, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0071] The main body 2 has guide marks 60 formed so as to be visible from the skin side Z1 to guide the wearer to the position where a part of their body should be placed in the vertical direction Y. In one embodiment, the guide marks 60 guide the wearer to the position where their buttocks should be placed in the vertical direction Y. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the guide marks 60 have a roughly W-shape that mimics the buttocks in order to make the user recognize that it is the position where the wearer's buttocks should be placed. The opening film 55 is provided locally near the guide marks 60.

[0072] The guide mark 60 is positioned on the skin-facing side Z1 relative to the absorbent material 30. The guide mark 60 is positioned so as to overlap with the absorbent material 30 when viewed from the skin-facing side Z1. The guide mark 60 is printed on the opening film 55 so as to be visible from the skin-facing side Z1. For example, the entire guide mark 60 overlaps with the opening film 55 when viewed from the skin-facing side Z1. This allows the wearer to position the opening film 55 appropriately on their body by positioning a part of their body on the guide mark 60 when wearing the absorbent item 1A. As a result, the opening film 55, positioned appropriately, can effectively suppress the backflow of excrement absorbed by the absorbent material 30.

[0073] The guide mark 60 is printed, for example, on the skin-facing side Z1 or the non-skin-facing side Z2 of the opening film 55. The guide mark 60 may have a different color from the opening film 55. For example, if the opening film 55 is colored blue or green, the guide mark 60 may be white. The colors of the surface sheet 10, the opening film 55, and the guide mark 60 may be different from each other. This can improve the visibility of the guide mark 60.

[0074] The entire guide mark 60 is positioned ventrally relative to the center line CL3 of the opening film 55 in the vertical direction Y. This guides a part of the wearer's body ventrally relative to the center line CL3 of the opening film 55 in the vertical direction Y. As a result, the wearer's urine is excreted ventrally toward the opening film 55. Therefore, while suppressing urine that has returned from the absorbent material 30 from adhering to the wearer's buttocks, the movement of excreted urine to the absorbent material 30 is prevented from being blocked by the opening film 55. Alternatively, a part of the guide mark 60 may be positioned ventrally relative to the center line CL3 of the opening film 55 in the vertical direction Y, and the other part of the guide mark 60 may be positioned dorsally relative to the center line CL3 of the opening film 55 in the vertical direction Y. In this case, the area of ​​the part of the guide mark 60 (the part positioned ventrally relative to the center line CL3) as viewed from the skin side Z1 may be larger than the area of ​​the other part of the guide mark 60 (the part positioned dorsally relative to the center line CL3) as viewed from the skin side Z1.

[0075] Figure 8 is a magnified view of the area around the guide mark 60. As shown in Figure 8, the guide mark 60 includes two curved sections 61 that curve smoothly so as to be convex on the ventral side. Each of the two curved sections 61 has one end 62 and the other end 63, and extends in a substantially semi-circular arc between the one end 62 and the other end 63. The one end 62 of the two curved sections 61 are connected to each other by a connecting section 65. The connecting section 65 is located on the center line CL2 of the main body 2 in the lateral direction X. The other end 63 of the two curved sections 61 is located outside the connecting section 65 in the lateral direction X. Also, the other end 63 of the two curved sections 61 is located behind the connecting section 65 in the vertical direction Y. The other end 63 of the two curved sections 61 has a rounded contour. However, the other end 63 of the two curved sections 61 may have an angular contour. Since the guide mark 60 having the shape described above is formed on the main body 2, the user of the absorbent article 1A will associate the shape of the guide mark 60 with the shape of the buttocks and recognize that the wearer's buttocks should be positioned in accordance with the guide mark 60.

[0076] Furthermore, the guide mark 60 has a width W4 in the lateral direction X and a width L1 in the vertical direction Y. The width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X corresponds to the distance in the lateral direction X between the other ends 63 of the two curved sections 61. The width L1 of the guide mark 60 in the vertical direction Y corresponds to the distance in the vertical direction Y between the lowest point 64 and the other end 63 of the two curved sections 61, when the lowest point 64 is defined as the part of the two curved sections 61 that protrudes most ventrally. The width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X is greater than the width L1 of the guide mark 60 in the vertical direction Y. Therefore, the guide mark 60 has a horizontally elongated shape that is longer in the lateral direction X.

[0077] As shown in Figure 7, the three channel portions 38 extend in the longitudinal direction Y between the guide mark 60 and the ventral edge 2F. The width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X is greater than the distance d1 between the two outermost channel portions 38 in the lateral direction X (see Figure 1). Also, the width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X is less than the distance d2 between the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 in the non-upright state. However, the width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X may be greater than the distance d2 between the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 in the non-upright state. In this case, when the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 are in the non-upright state, the other ends 63 of the two curved portions 61 of the guide mark 60 are covered by the pair of leak-proof gathers 80, and when the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 are in the upright state, the entire guide mark 60, including the other ends 63 of the two curved portions 61, is exposed to the skin side Z1.

[0078] The two curved sections 61 have a substantially constant line width t from one end 62 to the other end 63. The line width t of the two curved sections 61 may be 10% or more and 50% or less of the width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X. For example, the line width t of the two curved sections 61 is 2 cm or more. By making the line width t 2 cm or more, the visibility of the guide mark 60 can be improved.

[0079] The guide mark 60 does not necessarily have to be formed on the opening film 55. In this case, at least a portion of the guide mark 60 is provided so as to overlap the opening film 55 when viewed from the skin side Z1. For example, the guide mark 60 may be printed on the surface sheet 10 at a position that overlaps the opening film 55 when viewed from the skin side Z1. The guide mark 60 may be colored in a different color from the surface sheet 10. For example, the guide mark 60 may be printed in blue or green. More specifically, the guide mark 60 may be printed in a color that falls within the range of 5GY to 10RP on the Munsell color circle. Typically, the guide mark 60 is formed so that its entirety overlaps the opening film 55 when viewed from the skin side Z1.

[0080] In one embodiment, the opening film 55 may be colored in a different color from the surface sheet 10. The coloring of the opening film 55 allows it to be easily seen through the surface sheet 10. For example, the opening film 55 may be colored blue or green.

[0081] The guide mark 60 may be a recess or protrusion formed by embossing the absorbent material 30. For example, the recess or protrusion may be formed by embossing on the skin-facing side Z1 of the absorbent core 31. In this case, the user of the absorbent article 1A can determine the location of the guide mark 60 not only by visual inspection, but also by touching the recess or protrusion with their hand.

[0082] Figure 9 is a plan view of an absorbent article 1B according to yet another embodiment, as seen from the skin side Z1. The absorbent article 1B shown in Figure 9 differs from the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in that it does not have a pair of panel sheets 16, and instead a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B are joined to a pair of back flap portions 15.

[0083] Figure 10 is a plan view of an absorbent article 1C according to yet another embodiment, as seen from the skin side Z1. The absorbent article 1C shown in Figure 10 differs from the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in that it does not have a pair of dorsal flap portions 15 and a pair of ventral flap portions 17, and the width of the main body portion 2 in the lateral direction X is constant at each position in the vertical direction Y. As shown in Figure 10, the absorbent article 1C comprises a pair of panel sheets 16 joined to the main body portion 2. The pair of panel sheets 16 extend outward from the main body portion 2 in the lateral direction X when viewed from the skin side Z1. The pair of panel sheets 16 are positioned along the wearer's waist when worn. As shown in Figure 10, the pair of panel sheets 16 are provided with a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B.

[0084] When viewed from the skin-facing side Z1, the opening film 55 may be positioned between a pair of first fastening tabs 90A. Alternatively, when viewed from the skin-facing side Z1, the opening film 55 may be positioned between a pair of second fastening tabs 90B. In this case, when worn, the pair of first fastening tabs 90A and the pair of second fastening tabs 90B are pulled in the direction of the wearer's waist, so a lateral tension X is applied to the main body 2 near the opening film 55, and wrinkles that have formed in the main body 2 near the opening film 55 are stretched out. Therefore, deterioration of the feel of the absorbent article 1C against the skin due to wrinkles can be suppressed.

[0085] Each of the pair of panel sheets 16 may have a dividing line 16d formed on it for dividing each panel sheet 16 in the longitudinal direction Y. The dividing line 16d is, for example, a perforation and is formed in the longitudinal direction Y between a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B. When each panel sheet 16 is cut along the dividing line 16d, each panel sheet 16 is divided into a ventral portion and a dorsal portion.

[0086] In one embodiment, when the folded absorbent article 1C is removed from the packaging, each of the pair of panel sheets 16 may be temporarily fixed in a folded state along a fold line extending in the vertical direction Y. For example, as shown in Figure 11, the pair of panel sheets 16 are folded inward once or more times along one or more fold lines extending in the vertical direction Y, with a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B folded inward along the side edges of the pair of panel sheets 16. The folded pair of panel sheets 16 and the surface sheet 10 are then temporarily fixed together. Temporary fixing means that they are weakly joined so that they do not separate during transport but can be separated by force applied by the user during use. For example, temporary fixing can be done with adhesive, embossing, or sonic processing. By temporarily fixing the folded pair of panel sheets 16 and the surface sheet 10, the pair of panel sheets 16 are fixed in a folded state during transport.

[0087] Figure 12 is a plan view of an absorbent article 1D according to yet another embodiment, as seen from the skin side Z1. The absorbent article 1D shown in Figure 12 differs from the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in that it does not have a pair of dorsal flap portions 15 and a pair of ventral flap portions 17, the width of the main body portion 2 in the lateral direction X is constant at each position in the vertical direction Y, and it has a ventral waist portion 3 and a dorsal waist portion 4.

[0088] The ventral waist portion 3 is joined to the ventral end of the main body portion 2, and the dorsal waist portion 4 is joined to the dorsal end of the main body portion 2. The absorbent article 1D is formed when the main body portion 2 is folded in half so that the ventral waist portion 3 and the dorsal waist portion 4 face each other, and the lateral X side end 3a of the ventral waist portion 3 and the lateral X side end 4a of the dorsal waist portion 4 are welded together so that the ventral waist portion 3 and the dorsal waist portion 4 are connected in a belt-like manner. As a result, the absorbent article 1D is formed into a pant shape.

[0089] The ventral waist portion 3 includes a skin-facing sheet 3b positioned on the skin-facing side Z1, a non-skin-facing sheet (not shown) positioned on the non-skin-facing side Z2, and a plurality of transverse elastic members 3c. The skin-facing sheet 3b and the non-skin-facing sheet are joined to each other by an adhesive such as hot melt. The plurality of transverse elastic members 3c extend between the lateral ends 3a of the ventral waist portion 3 in the transverse direction X. Therefore, the ventral waist portion 3 stretches and contracts in the transverse direction X while fitting to the wearer's waist. The transverse elastic members 3c are made of an elastic material such as rubber or spandex.

[0090] The back waist section 4 includes a skin-facing sheet 4b positioned on the skin-facing side Z1, a non-skin-facing sheet (not shown) positioned on the non-skin-facing side Z2, and a plurality of transverse elastic members 4c. The skin-facing sheet 4b and the non-skin-facing sheet are joined to each other by an adhesive such as hot melt. The plurality of transverse elastic members 4c extend between the lateral ends 4a of the back waist section 4 in the lateral direction X. Therefore, the back waist section 4 stretches and contracts in the lateral direction X while fitting to the wearer's waist. The transverse elastic members 4c are made of an elastic material such as rubber or spandex.

[0091] Viewed from the skin-facing side Z1, at least a portion of the opening film 55 may be positioned to overlap with the transverse elastic member 4c, or on the extension of the transverse elastic member 4c. When worn, the transverse elastic member 4c is stretched, so a lateral tension X is applied to the absorbent article 1D near the opening film 55, and wrinkles that have formed in the absorbent article 1D near the opening film 55 are stretched out. Therefore, deterioration of the feel of the absorbent article 1D against the skin due to wrinkles can be suppressed.

[0092] Although various embodiments of absorbent articles 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modified forms can be constructed without changing the gist of the invention. In other words, it should be noted that the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0093] For example, in absorbent article 1A, the guide mark 60 has a shape that mimics the buttocks to guide the wearer's buttocks to the correct position. However, the guide mark 60 is not limited to a shape that mimics the buttocks, as long as it can guide the wearer's body part to the correct position in the vertical direction. For example, the guide mark 60 may guide the wearer's urinary opening or groin to the correct position. For example, Figure 13 shows an example of a guide mark 60 for guiding the wearer's urinary opening to the correct position. Figure 14 shows an example of a guide mark 60 for guiding the wearer's groin to the correct position.

[0094] Furthermore, the shape of the guide mark 60 that indicates the position where the wearer's buttocks should be placed is not limited to the example shown in Figure 8. For example, the guide mark 60 may have a pattern, design, or geometric shape as shown in Figures 15(a) to (f). It should be noted that the various embodiments described above can be combined in a consistent manner.

[0095] The present invention will be described with reference to the following clauses. The present invention may also include any combination of the following clauses, even without a specific enumeration.

[0096] [1] A main body comprising a surface sheet positioned on the skin side of the wearer, a back sheet positioned on the non-skin side opposite to the skin side, and an absorbent positioned between the surface sheet and the back sheet, the main body extending longitudinally between the dorsal edge and the ventral edge, The main body further includes a resin opening film having a plurality of through holes, which is disposed between the surface sheet and the absorbent. An absorbent article in which, when the direction from the dorsal edge to the ventral edge is defined as the ventral side, and the direction from the ventral edge to the dorsal edge is defined as the dorsal side, the opening film is positioned on the dorsal side with respect to the center line of the main body in the longitudinal direction, and on the ventral side with respect to the dorsal edge of the absorbent in the longitudinal direction.

[0097] [2] The main body further includes a pair of leak-proof gathers arranged on the outside of the absorbent in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, Each of the pair of leak-proof gathers includes a dorsal standing pivot point, which is the dorsal standing pivot point with respect to the center line of the main body in the longitudinal direction, and a ventral standing pivot point, which is the ventral standing pivot point with respect to the center line of the main body in the longitudinal direction, and is able to stand upright relative to the main body. The absorbent article according to [1], wherein the opening film is positioned between the dorsal upright support point and the ventral upright support point in the longitudinal direction.

[0098] [3] The main body has an abdominal region that covers the wearer's abdomen when worn, and a dorsal region that covers the wearer's back when worn, The system further comprises a pair of fastening tabs extending outward from the dorsal region in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and engaging with the ventral region from the non-skin side, The absorbent article according to [1] or [2], wherein, when viewed from the skin side, at least a portion of the opening film is positioned between the pair of fastening tabs.

[0099] [4] A portion of the absorbent article further includes a transverse elastic member that provides stretchability in the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, The absorbent article according to [1] or [2], wherein, when viewed from the skin side, at least a portion of the opening film is positioned to overlap with the transverse elastic member, or on the extension of the transverse elastic member.

[0100] [5] The absorbent includes a low basis weight region and a high basis weight region arranged in positions offset from each other in the vertical direction, The basis weight of the absorber in the high basis weight region is greater than the basis weight of the absorber in the low basis weight region. The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein, when viewed from the skin side, the opening film is arranged to straddle the boundary between the low basis weight region and the high basis weight region.

[0101] [6] The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the opening width of the opening end on the non-skin side of each through hole formed in the opening film is narrower than the opening width of the opening end on the skin side of each through hole.

[0102] [7] The main body further includes a pair of upright leak-proof gathers positioned on the outside of the absorbent in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, Each of the pair of leak-proof gathers includes a side sheet that covers both sides of the surface sheet in the lateral direction. The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein, when the pair of leak-proof gathers are in a non-upright position, at least a portion of the opening film overlaps with the side sheet when viewed from the skin side.

[0103] [8] The absorbent body comprises an absorbent core having water absorption properties and a core wrap covering at least the non-skin-facing surface of the absorbent core, The absorbent core includes a channel portion with a lower basis weight than the rest of the absorbent core. The channel portion is positioned on the ventral side with respect to the opening film, an absorbent article according to any one of [1] to [7].

[0104] [9] Further comprising a pair of leg extension members provided along both side edges of the main body in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein, as viewed from the skin side, at least a portion of the opening film is positioned between the pair of leg-spanning members.

[0105]

[10] The absorbent body has an absorbent core that has water absorption properties, The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein, when viewed from the skin side, the back edge of the opening film is positioned to overlap with the portion of the absorbent core that has the largest width in the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0106]

[11] The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to

[10] , wherein a hot melt adhesive is linearly applied between the surface sheet and the opening film, and between the opening film and the absorbent.

[0107]

[12] The hot melt adhesive is applied in a linear manner between the surface sheet and the opening film, and between the opening film and the absorbent. The absorbent article according to

[11] , wherein the basis weight of the hot melt adhesive coated between the opening film and the absorbent is higher than the basis weight of the hot melt adhesive coated between the surface sheet and the opening film.

[0108]

[13] The main body is provided with guide marks that are visible from the skin side for indicating the position where the wearer's body part should be placed, An absorbent article according to any one of [1] to

[12] , wherein at least a portion of the guide mark is provided so as to overlap the opening film when viewed from the skin side.

[0109]

[14] The absorbent article according to

[13] , wherein the guide mark has a shape that resembles the buttocks in order to guide the wearer's buttocks to the position where the buttocks should be placed.

[0110]

[15] The main body has an abdominal region that covers the wearer's abdomen when worn, and a dorsal region that covers the wearer's back when worn, The system further comprises a pair of fastening tabs extending outward from the dorsal region in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and engaging with the ventral region from the non-skin side, Viewed from the skin side, a portion of the absorbent material is positioned between the pair of fastening tabs. The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to

[14] , wherein the opening film is positioned on the ventral side of the dorsal edge of the fastening tab in the longitudinal direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 1,1A,1B,1C,1D...Absorbent material, 2...Main body, 2F...Ventral edge, 2R,31R...Dorsal edge, 3c,4c...Transverse elastic member, 10...Surface sheet, 12...Side sheet, 20...Back sheet, 30...Absorbent material, 30h...High basis weight area, 30l...Low basis weight area, 31...Absorbent core, 38...Channel section, 40...Leg circumference expandable member, 51...Dorsal area, 53...Ventral area, 55...Opening film, 55a...Through hole, 60...Guide mark, 80...Leak-proof gather, 81...Upright section, 90A...First fastening tab, 90B...Second fastening tab, CL1...Center line, H1,H2...Hot melt adhesive, Ra...Boundary, w11,w12...Opening width, X...Transverse direction, Y...Vertical direction, Z1...Skin side, Z2...Non-skin side.

Claims

1. It comprises a surface sheet positioned on the skin side of the wearer, a back sheet positioned on the non-skin side opposite to the skin side, and an absorbent material positioned between the surface sheet and the back sheet, and has a main body portion that extends vertically between the dorsal edge and the ventral edge, The main body further includes a resin opening film having a plurality of through holes, which is disposed between the surface sheet and the absorbent. An absorbent article in which, when the direction from the dorsal edge to the ventral edge is defined as the ventral side, and the direction from the ventral edge to the dorsal edge is defined as the dorsal side, the opening film is positioned on the dorsal side with respect to the center line of the main body in the longitudinal direction, and on the ventral side with respect to the dorsal edge of the absorbent in the longitudinal direction.

2. The main body further includes a pair of leak-proof gathers arranged on the outside of the absorbent in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, Each of the pair of leak-proof gathers includes a dorsal standing pivot point, which is the dorsal standing pivot point with respect to the center line of the main body in the longitudinal direction, and a ventral standing pivot point, which is the ventral standing pivot point with respect to the center line of the main body in the longitudinal direction, and is able to stand upright relative to the main body. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the opening film is positioned between the dorsal upright support point and the ventral upright support point in the longitudinal direction.

3. The main body portion has an ventral region that covers the wearer's abdomen when worn, and a dorsal region that covers the wearer's back when worn. The system further comprises a pair of fastening tabs extending outward from the dorsal region in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and engaging with the ventral region from the non-skin side, The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed from the skin side, at least a portion of the opening film is positioned between the pair of fastening tabs.

4. The absorbent article further includes a transverse elastic member that provides stretchability in the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed from the skin side, at least a portion of the opening film is positioned to overlap with the transverse elastic member, or is positioned on the extension of the transverse elastic member.

5. The absorbent includes a low basis weight region and a high basis weight region arranged at positions offset from each other in the vertical direction. The basis weight of the absorber in the high basis weight region is greater than the basis weight of the absorber in the low basis weight region. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein, as viewed from the skin side, the opening film is arranged to straddle the boundary between the low basis weight region and the high basis weight region.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the opening width of the opening end on the non-skin side of each through hole formed in the opening film is narrower than the opening width of the opening end on the skin side of each through hole.

7. The main body further includes a pair of upright leak-proof gathers positioned on the outside of the absorbent in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, Each of the pair of leak-proof gathers includes a side sheet that covers both sides of the surface sheet in the lateral direction. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein when the pair of leak-proof gathers are in a non-upright position, at least a portion of the opening film overlaps with the side sheet when viewed from the skin side.

8. The absorbent body comprises an absorbent core having water-absorbing properties and a core wrap covering at least the non-skin-facing surface of the absorbent core. The absorbent core includes a channel portion with a lower basis weight than the rest of the absorbent core. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the channel portion is positioned on the ventral side with respect to the opening film.

9. The system further comprises a pair of leg-spanning extendable members provided along both side edges of the main body in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein, as viewed from the skin side, at least a portion of the opening film is positioned between the pair of leg-around expandable members.

10. The absorbent body has an absorbent core that has water absorption properties. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed from the skin-facing side, the back edge of the opening film is positioned to overlap with the portion of the absorbent core that has the largest width in the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

11. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein a hot melt adhesive is linearly coated between the surface sheet and the opening film, and between the opening film and the absorbent.

12. The hot melt adhesive is applied in a linear fashion between the surface sheet and the opening film, and between the opening film and the absorbent. The absorbent article according to claim 11, wherein the basis weight of the hot melt adhesive coated between the opening film and the absorbent is higher than the basis weight of the hot melt adhesive coated between the surface sheet and the opening film.

13. The main body is provided with guide marks that are visible from the skin side, which indicate the position where the wearer's body part should be placed. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the guide mark is provided so as to overlap the opening film when viewed from the skin side.

14. The absorbent article according to claim 13, wherein the guide mark has a shape that mimics the buttocks in order to guide the wearer's buttocks to the position where they should be placed.

15. The main body portion has an ventral region that covers the wearer's abdomen when worn, and a dorsal region that covers the wearer's back when worn. The system further comprises a pair of fastening tabs extending outward from the dorsal region in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and engaging with the ventral region from the non-skin side, Viewed from the skin side, a portion of the absorbent material is positioned between the pair of fastening tabs. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the opening film is positioned on the ventral side of the dorsal edge of the fastening tab in the longitudinal direction.

Images