Absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article whose product information can be easily visually recognized from the top sheet side of the absorbent article. [Solution] The absorbent article 1 comprises a top sheet 2, a back sheet, and an absorbent 5 disposed therebetween. The absorbent article has a vertical direction corresponding to the front-to-rear direction of the wearer, and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The absorbent article is divided along the vertical direction into a front region R1, a middle region R2 facing the excretory area of ​​the wearer, and a rear region R3. The absorbent article further comprises first embossed portions 6, 7 located in at least one of the front region and the rear region, formed by squeezing the top sheet and the absorbent, and having a pattern representing product information of the absorbent article. The back sheet has a pattern 9 having at least one of a shape and a color representing the product information, and the pattern on the back sheet is visible from the top sheet side.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins. [Background technology]

[0002] An absorbent article generally comprises an absorbent body that absorbs excreted liquid, a top sheet arranged on the skin side of the absorbent body, and a back sheet arranged on the non-skin side of the absorbent body. An absorbent article using a cotton nonwoven fabric as the top sheet is known (see Patent Document 1). The absorbent article described in Patent Document 1 has an embossed portion on the top sheet with a pattern that displays the word COTTON. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model No. 3219701 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Generally, the top sheet has a white color to provide a clean appearance, and the design of the embossed portion provided on the top sheet may be difficult to see depending on the viewing angle.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article in which product information of the absorbent article can be easily visually recognized from the top sheet side of the absorbent article. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An absorbent article according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a top sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent body disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet. The absorbent article has a longitudinal direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of a wearer and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The absorbent article is divided along the longitudinal direction into a front region, a middle region facing the excretory part of the wearer, and a rear region. The absorbent article further comprises a first embossed portion located in at least one of the front region and the rear region, formed by compressing the top sheet and the absorbent body, and having a pattern representing product information of the absorbent article. The back sheet has a pattern having at least one of a shape and a color that represents the product information, and the pattern on the back sheet is visible from the top sheet side. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the absorbent article of the present invention, the product information of the absorbent article can be easily visually recognized from the top sheet side of the absorbent article. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the top sheet side. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a first embodiment, viewed from the back sheet side. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a second embodiment, viewed from the topsheet side. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a second embodiment, viewed from the back sheet side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] <First embodiment> [Overall structure of napkins (absorbent articles)] 1, an absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a main body M and a pair of wing portions W. The absorbent article 1 is configured as a sanitary napkin, and will be referred to as a napkin 1 hereinafter. Note that the napkin 1 does not necessarily have to include the wing portions W. The napkin 1 has a longitudinal direction X corresponding to the front-to-back direction of a wearer, and a lateral direction Y perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. The lateral direction Y corresponds to the left-to-right direction of a wearer. Furthermore, the napkin 1 has a thickness direction Z perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction X and the lateral direction Y. In this specification, "the inner side in the lateral direction Y" means the side closer to the longitudinal center line CL that divides the napkin 1 in half in the lateral direction Y, and "the outer side in the lateral direction Y" means the side away from the longitudinal center line CL. In this specification, "longitudinal X-direction front" or "front" means the front in the longitudinal direction X, i.e., the direction toward the wearer's abdomen. Similarly, "longitudinal X-direction rear" or "rear" means the rear in the longitudinal direction X, i.e., the direction toward the wearer's back. Moreover, "longitudinal X-direction outward" means the side away from a straight line (not shown) that divides the napkin 1 in half in the longitudinal direction X. In this specification, with regard to the thickness direction Z, the side closer to the wearer's skin when worn may be referred to as the upper or skin side, and the side closer to the clothing may be referred to as the lower or non-skin side. In this specification, the term "planar view" refers to a planar view seen from the thickness direction Z.

[0011] The napkin 1 is divided along the longitudinal direction X into a front region R1, a middle region R2, and a rear region R3. The intermediate region R2 is a region that faces the excretory part of the wearer when worn. In Fig. 1, the intermediate region R2 is a region between the front and rear base ends of the wing portion W of the napkin 1. When the absorbent article is a napkin, the "excretory part" means the vaginal opening. The front region R1 is a region that is disposed in front of the middle region R2 (on the wearer's abdominal side) and is disposed so as to face the front of the wearer's excretory parts when worn. The rear region R3 is a region that is disposed rearward of the intermediate region R2 (toward the back of the wearer) and is disposed so as to face the rear of the excretory part of the wearer when worn. The "worn" state referred to here means a state in which the normal and proper wearing position (the expected wearing position of the napkin 1) is maintained. In addition, when the napkin 1 does not have a wing portion W, the napkin 1 is divided into thirds along the longitudinal direction X, with the central region being designated as the middle region R2, the region located in front of it being designated as the front region R1, and the region located behind it being designated as the rear region R3.

[0012] The main body M extends along the longitudinal direction X and is placed on the inner surface of the wearer's clothing. The main body M has a top sheet 2, an absorbent body 5, and a back sheet 3, which will be described later, laminated in the thickness direction Z, and has the function of absorbing excretory fluids (hereinafter also referred to as "fluids") such as menstrual blood from the wearer. The wing portions W protrude outward in the lateral direction Y from the main body M in the intermediate region R2.

[0013] The napkin 1 comprises an absorbent body 5, a top sheet 2, a back sheet 3, and a pair of side sheets 4. These components are appropriately joined and integrated, for example, by bonding with an adhesive or heat sealing, or by compression processing in the embossed portions 6 to 8 described below. The embossed portions 6 to 8 will be described later. As shown in Fig. 1, the topsheet 2 constitutes the skin side of the napkin 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the backsheet 3 constitutes the non-skin side of the napkin 1.

[0014] [Components of the napkin] (Absorbent) The absorbent body 5 extends along the longitudinal direction X from the front region R1 through the intermediate region R2 to the rear region R3. The absorbent body 5 is configured, for example, so that its dimensions in the transverse direction Y are equal to those in the longitudinal direction X. The absorbent body 5 is disposed between the top sheet 2 and the back sheet 3. The absorbent body 5 absorbs liquid from the top sheet 2 side and retains the liquid by diffusing it internally. The absorbent body 5 has, for example, an absorbent core (not shown) and a core wrap sheet (not shown). The absorbent core may be formed of, for example, a fiber assembly made of hydrophilic fibers such as pulp fibers, or may have a configuration in which a water-absorbent polymer is retained in the fiber assembly. The core wrap sheet is a sheet that covers the absorbent core and has a function of, for example, maintaining the shape of the absorbent core, etc. The core wrap sheet is formed, for example, from a thin, soft paper such as tissue paper or a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric. The absorbent body 5 does not necessarily have to have a core wrap sheet.

[0015] (Surface sheet) The top sheet 2 is placed on the skin side in the thickness direction Z of the absorbent body 5. The top sheet 2 is a white liquid-permeable sheet material. The top sheet 2 may be any sheet known in the art. From the viewpoint of providing a sense of security to the wearer, it is more preferable to use natural materials such as cotton fibers and plant fibers other than cotton fibers (hemp, palm, kraft pulp, straw, etc.) as the fibers constituting the top sheet 2. From the viewpoint of providing a sense of security to the wearer, as well as achieving high water absorption and hygroscopicity and a soft feel, it is preferable that the top sheet 2 be made of cotton fibers. In this embodiment, an example will be given in which the napkin 1 is mainly composed of cotton fibers.

[0016] The topsheet 2 is made of a woven or nonwoven fabric mainly made of cotton fibers, and is particularly preferably made of a nonwoven fabric. From the viewpoint of entangling or bonding the cotton fibers, examples of such nonwoven fabrics include spunlace nonwoven fabrics, resin-bonded nonwoven fabrics, and needle-punched nonwoven fabrics, and from the viewpoint of entangling the cotton fibers while taking advantage of the texture of the cotton fibers, spunlace nonwoven fabrics are particularly preferred. In topsheets that are primarily made of cotton fibers, the fibers are less susceptible to thermal fusion, making it difficult for fusion points to form between the fibers, resulting in a soft feel.

[0017] (Back sheet) The back sheet 3 is disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent body 5 in the thickness direction Z. The back sheet 3 is joined, for example, at its periphery to the top sheet 2 and the side sheets 4 by heat sealing or the like without the absorbent body 5 being interposed therebetween. The back sheet 3 may be joined to the absorbent body 5 by an adhesive or the like. The back sheet 3 is formed of, for example, a sheet material having functions such as poor liquid permeability, water vapor permeability, water repellency, etc. As the sheet material, for example, a thermoplastic resin film or a laminate of the film and a nonwoven fabric can be used. The outer surface of the backsheet 3 may be provided with an adhesive portion (not shown) for fixing the main body M and the wing portions W to clothing. Also, a design 9 is printed on the back sheet 3. Typically, the background color of the back sheet 3 is white, on which the colored design 9 is printed. Details will be described later.

[0018] (Side seat) The pair of side sheets 4 are disposed on the outer sides of the top sheet 2 in the lateral direction Y. The material of the side sheets 4 is preferably a sheet material having a lower hydrophilicity than the top sheet 2, and specific examples thereof include nonwoven fabrics, film materials, and sheets having a laminate structure of nonwoven fabrics and film materials, each of which has a lower hydrophilicity than the top sheet 2. The side sheets 4 are typically white in color.

[0019] The pair of side sheets 4 constitute a part of the main body M and a wing portion W. In plan view, the length of the topsheet 2 in the lateral direction Y is longer than that of the absorbent body 5 and shorter than that of the main body M. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the absorbent body 5 and the side sheets 4 partially overlap in a plan view such that the inner side edge of each side sheet 4 in the lateral direction Y is positioned on the absorbent body 5.

[0020] [Configuration of absorber-free regions] 1, the absorbent body 5 is shorter in length in the longitudinal direction X and the lateral direction Y than the napkin 1. In a plan view, the napkin 1 has an absorbent body-present region 50 where the absorbent body 5 is present, and an absorbent body-absent region 10 where the absorbent body 5 is not present. The absorbent body-absent region 10 is positioned so as to surround the absorbent body-present region 50. The absorbent body-absent region 10 corresponds to an outer peripheral flap formed from a sheet that extends outward beyond the outer edge of the absorbent body 5 in a plan view of the napkin 1.

[0021] The absorbent-free region 10 has a front end region 11, a rear end region 12, a left side region 13, and a right side region 14. The front end region 11 and the rear end region 12 are regions of the napkin 1 where the absorbent body 5 is not located in the longitudinal direction X in a plan view. The front end region 11 and the rear end region 12 correspond to regions sandwiched between a pair of extension lines that virtually extend outward along the longitudinal direction X from both side edges of the absorbent body 5 in the transverse direction Y. The left side region 13 and the right side region 14 are regions of the napkin 1 where the absorbent body 5 is not located in the lateral direction Y in a plan view. The left side region 13 and the right side region 14 correspond to regions located on both the left and right sides of a region sandwiched between a pair of extension lines that virtually extend outward along the longitudinal direction X from both side edges of the absorbent body 5 in the lateral direction Y.

[0022] In the front end region 11 and the rear end region 12, in the regions where the side sheets 4 are not positioned in a plan view, the top sheet 2 and the back sheet 3 are laminated. In the front end region 11 and the rear end region 12, in the region where the side sheet 4 is located in a plan view, the side sheet 4, the top sheet 2, and the back sheet 3 are laminated in this order from top to bottom. In the left region 13 and the right region 14, the region where the top sheet 2 is located in a plan view has a laminated configuration in which the side sheet 4, the top sheet 2, and the back sheet 3 are arranged in this order from top to bottom. In the left region 13 and the right region 14, in the region where the top sheet 2 is not located in a plan view, the side sheet 4 and the back sheet 3 are laminated together. In other words, the wing portion W is configured such that the side sheet 4 and the back sheet 3 are laminated together.

[0023] The napkin may have a structure without side sheets. In this case, the outer shape of the top sheet and the outer shape of the back sheet are substantially the same, and the absorbent core-free region 10 is configured by laminating the top sheet 2 and the back sheet 3.

[0024] [Embossed section configuration] 1, the napkin 1 further includes a first front embossed portion 6, a first rear embossed portion 7, and a second embossed portion 8 formed by squeezing the topsheet 2 and the absorbent body 5. When no particular distinction is made between these embossed portions, they will be referred to as embossed portions 6 to 8. The embossed portions 6-8 are formed, for example, by compression processing in the thickness direction Z from the topsheet 2 toward the absorbent body 5. Examples of compression processing include heat embossing and ultrasonic sealing. The embossed portions 6-8 have a configuration in which the topsheet 2 and the absorbent body 5 are recessed toward the backsheet 3 side and integrated by heat fusion or the like. In the following description, the compressed portions of the topsheet 2 and the absorbent body 5 are also referred to as "embossed".

[0025] With this configuration, the embossed portions 6-8 are more rigid and less likely to deform than other regions. Therefore, the distance between fibers in the embossed portions 6-8 is narrower than in other regions, so that when they come into contact with liquid, they have the function of drawing in the liquid by capillary action and diffusing it within the embossed portions 6-8. As a result, the embossed portions 6-8 also have a leak-proof function that prevents liquid from leaking to the outside.

[0026] In this embodiment, the front first embossed portion 6 and the rear first embossed portion 7 have a predetermined design representing product information. The design of the embossed portion means a design that is visible to a person wearing the napkin 1 and includes at least one of letters, figures, and symbols.

[0027] The patterns of the first front embossed portion 6 and the first rear embossed portion 7 are formed by the planar shapes of the recesses resulting from the compression process of each embossment. From the viewpoint of forming a pattern by compression processing that is easily recognizable to a wearer, it is preferable that the pattern includes a figure. The above-mentioned figures may be selected appropriately from general figures representing flowers, animals, hearts, stars, etc., as well as geometric figures such as polygons, circles, ellipses, etc., and figures representing product logos.

[0028] The design of the first front embossed portion 6 and the design of the first rear embossed portion 7 are designs related to product information, from the viewpoint of visually impressing the product information on the wearer of the napkin 1. The product information is information about the product related to the absorbent article of the present invention, and includes, for example, one or more pieces of information selected from the product concept, product function, product name, product logo, product absorption capacity, product length in the vertical direction X, product type (napkin, panty liner, urine pad, etc.), and other product information.

[0029] In this embodiment, the napkin 1 is configured to include a topsheet 2 containing cotton fiber, which is a natural vegetable fiber, and the napkin 1 has a product concept of "botanical." In relation to this product concept, the designs of the front first embossed portion 6 and the rear first embossed portion 7 are plant-related designs. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the front first embossed portion 6 and the rear first embossed portion 7, they will be referred to as the first embossed portions 6 and 7. The first embossed portions 6 and 7 have designs that represent product information, and in this embodiment, have designs related to cotton fibers.

[0030] In the napkin 1, the front first embossed portion 6 and the rear first embossed portion 7 are disposed independently of the second embossed portion 8. As a result, the first front embossed portion 6 and the first rear embossed portion 7 form locally high rigidity areas in the front region R1 and the rear region R3 of the napkin 1, respectively. As a result, when the napkin 1 is subjected to an external force from the wearer's body, etc., these become the starting points for deformation and can induce deformation of the surrounding areas with low rigidity, so that deformation can be induced to fit well to the wearer's body shape, improving the fit.

[0031] Next, the configuration of each embossed portion will be described. In the following description, a convex deformation on the skin side will be referred to as a "mountain fold" deformation, and a convex deformation on the non-skin side will be referred to as a "valley fold" deformation. Although the front first embossed portion 6 and the rear first embossed portion 7 are each configured to be line-symmetrical with respect to the vertical center line CL, the present invention is not limited to this and may have different shapes without symmetry.

[0032] (Configuration of the second embossed portion) In the example shown in FIG. 1, the second embossed portion 8 is disposed so as to extend from the front region R1 through the middle region R2 to the rear region R3. The second embossed portion 8 has a pair of linear embossed grooves that pass through at least the intermediate region R2 in order to improve the fit in and around the intermediate region R2 and to prevent leakage of liquid. The embossed grooves are linearly extending grooves formed by embossing. The term "linear" in the embossed groove means that the embossment extends in a straight line and / or a curved line. The term "linear" includes not only a configuration in which one embossment extends continuously, but also a configuration in which multiple embossments are arranged closely in the extension direction to form a substantially linear shape.

[0033] 1, the second embossed portion 8 includes a pair of embossed grooves 81 each extending in the longitudinal direction X in the middle region R2 as a linear embossed groove. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the embossed groove 81 extends from the middle region R2 to the front region R1 and the rear region R3. 1 are preferably substantially continuous and connected to each other in the front region R1 and the rear region R3. In this case, the pair of left and right embossed grooves 81 extend toward each other toward the inside in the lateral direction Y at the front end and the rear end. As a result, the pair of embossed grooves 81 have a closed shape, and the second embossed portion 8 has an annular shape. The term "substantially continuous" includes a mode in which the embossed groove 81 is continuous and configured in an annular shape, as well as a mode in which the embossed groove 81 has a slight discontinuity of approximately 4 mm or less.

[0034] When worn, the second embossed portion 8 can induce deformation such that the central portion of the middle region R2 in the lateral direction Y is raised toward the skin, thereby improving the fit of the middle region R2, which faces the excretory area, in particular. In addition, the second embossed portion 8 has the effect of quickly drawing in the liquid that has reached it, and preventing the liquid from leaking outward in the lateral direction Y. As a result, the second embossed portion 8 improves the fit to the excretory portion and also has the effect of preventing leakage of excreted liquid.

[0035] (Configuration of the first front embossed part) 1, the front first embossed portion 6 is located in a front region R1 of the napkin 1. The front first embossed portion 6 is located forward of the annular second embossed portion 8 in the longitudinal direction X and spaced apart from the second embossed portion 8.

[0036] The front first embossed portion 6 is composed of a pair of leaf-pattern embossed portions 6a. The leaf-pattern embossed portion 6a has a pattern in the shape of a single stem with multiple leaves (e.g., eight leaves). In other words, the leaf-pattern embossed portion 6a evokes the image of a "plant" or "leaf" and an image of a "natural material," and is a pattern related to cotton fiber, which is a natural material contained in the top sheet 2 of the napkin 1. The leaf-pattern embossed portion 6a represents the product concept of "botanical." In this way, the pattern of the first front embossed portion 6 visually reminds the wearer of natural materials, providing a sense of security that comes from natural materials.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1, in the front first embossed portion 6, one stem portion of the petiole embossed portion 6a is linear extending from the front in the vertical direction X to the rear in the vertical direction X, and from the inside in the horizontal direction Y to the outside in the horizontal direction Y. As a result, the linear stem portion forms a continuous region of high rigidity, and a deformation starting point of the valley fold is formed along the linear stem portion. In this way, the front first embossed portion 6 can form a deformation starting point in front of the excretory portion. The wearer's body shape in front of the excretory area is curved greatly forward (ventral side) due to the pubic bone. By arranging the front first embossed portion 6 in and / or near this curved portion in front, it is possible to induce deformation of the napkin 1 so that it curves along the curved shape in front. This allows the napkin 1 to fit well to the body shape in front of the excretory area, improving the overall fit of the napkin 1.

[0038] In this way, the first front embossed portion 6 not only indicates product information, but also has a design feature and a function of improving the fit when worn.

[0039] (Structure of rear first embossed section) 1, the rear first embossed portion 7 is located in the rear region R3 of the napkin 1. The rear first embossed portion 7 is located rearward of the annular second embossed portion 8 in the longitudinal direction X and spaced apart from the second embossed portion 8.

[0040] The rear first embossed portion 7 is composed of a pair of leaf pattern embossed portions 7a and three flower pattern embossed portions 7b, each of which has a plant motif. The petiole embossed portion 7a has a design of a single stem with multiple leaves (for example, five leaves). In other words, the petiole embossed portion 7a evokes the image of a "plant" or a "leaf" and the image of a "natural material." The floral embossed portion 7b has a floral shape. In other words, the floral embossed portion 7b evokes an image of a "plant" or a "flower" and an image of a "natural material." Like the first front embossed portion 6, the leaf-pattern embossed portion 7a and the floral-pattern embossed portion 7b evoke the image of "natural materials" and are designs related to cotton fiber, a natural material contained in the topsheet 2 of the napkin 1. The leaf-pattern embossed portion 7a and the floral-pattern embossed portion 7b represent the product concept of "botanical." In this way, the pattern of the first rear embossed portion 7 visually reminds the wearer of natural materials, providing a sense of security that comes from natural materials.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 1, in the first rear embossed portion 7, one stem portion of the leaf-pattern embossed portion 7a is linear, extending from the rear in the vertical direction X to the front in the vertical direction X, and from the inside in the horizontal direction Y to the outside in the horizontal direction Y. The linear stem portion of the leaf-pattern embossed portion 7a forms a continuous area of ​​high rigidity. The central floral embossed portion 7b among the three floral embossed portions 7b is located on the vertical center line CL, and can be the base point for mountain folding to fit along the wearer's gluteal cleft. As a result, the central floral embossed portion 7b becomes the base point for mountain folding, and the starting point for valley folding is formed along the linear stem portion of the petal embossed portion 7a. Furthermore, the two floral embossed portions 7b other than the central floral embossed portion 7b, which are located forward of the central floral embossed portion 7b in the vertical direction X and outboard of the central floral embossed portion 7b in the horizontal direction Y, become the base points for valley folding. As a result, it is possible to induce a deformation of the napkin 1 that satisfactorily fits the roundness of the rear of the excretory portion, based on the curved shape of the front and rear of the buttocks.

[0042] In this way, the first rear embossed portion 7 not only indicates product information, but also has a design feature and a function of improving the fit when worn.

[0043] (Relationship between the design of the first front embossed part and the design of the first rear embossed part) In the napkin 1, the design of the first front embossed portion 6 may be different from the design of the first rear embossed portion 7. In the example shown in Fig. 1, both have in common the motif of plants, but the shapes are different. 1, the design of the first front embossed portion 6 does not include a floral design, whereas the design of the first rear embossed portion 7 includes a floral design. In addition, both the first front embossed portion 6 and the first rear embossed portion 7 include a design with multiple leaves on a single stem, but the number of leaves is different, and the designs are different in shape.

[0044] In addition, "the design of the front first embossed portion 6 is different from the design of the rear first embossed portion 7" means that the design of the front first embossed portion 6 and the design of the rear first embossed portion 7 are not identical. "The designs are the same" means that one design, rotated or not rotated, without changing the size, i.e., without enlarging or reducing, matches the other design.

[0045] [Back sheet design] As shown in Fig. 2, the back sheet 3 has a pattern 9 having at least one of a shape and a color that represents product information, and more specifically, the back sheet 3 has a colored pattern 9. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the pattern 9 includes four types of patterns 90 to 93. When there is no need to particularly distinguish between the patterns 90 to 93, they are referred to as pattern 9. 2, the pattern 9 is located in the center of the napkin 1 in the horizontal direction Y, over the entire length of the napkin 1 in the vertical direction X. In the napkin 1, the pattern 9 is located in a region where the absorbent body 5 is present and in a region sandwiched between a pair of extension lines that virtually extend outward along the vertical direction X from both side edges of the absorbent body 5 in the horizontal direction Y in a plan view.

[0046] All of the designs 90 to 93 have a plant motif. Pattern 90, which has a shape of a single stem with multiple leaves and multiple flowers, evokes the image of a "plant," "leaf," or "flower," and the image of a "natural material." Pattern 91 in the shape of a cotton seed evokes the image of a "plant" or "cotton" and the image of a "natural material." The pattern 92 in the form of a plurality of flowers on one stem and the pattern 93 in the form of a flower evoke the image of a "plant" or a "flower" and the image of a "natural material." These plant-related designs 90-93 are designs relating to cotton fiber, which is a natural material contained in the top sheet 2 of the napkin 1. The designs 90-93 represent the product concept of "botanical." Design 9 visually evokes "plants" and "natural materials" for the wearer, providing a sense of security that the napkin is made of natural materials.

[0047] In the napkin 1, the pattern 9 is colored, and in this embodiment, it is green. Because the colored pattern 9 is printed on the back sheet 3, which has a white background, the presence of the pattern 9 is easily noticeable when the napkin 1 is viewed from the back sheet 3 side. The green color of the pattern 9 evokes the image of "plants" and "natural materials," and is a color associated with cotton fiber, a natural material contained in the top sheet 2 of the napkin 1. The color of the pattern 9 represents the product concept of "botanical."

[0048] In this specification, "colored" does not include colorless and transparent, and does not include CIE-L * a * b * L in color space * This means that colors with a value of 95 or more (white) are also excluded. "White" means that the L * It means a color with a value of 95 or more. CIE-L * a * b * L in color space * Value, a * Value, b * The value can be measured by a color difference system. For example, the value can be obtained by measuring the reflected light of the sheet using a handy type spectral color difference system NF333 (product name) manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd., under the measurement conditions of light source C and a viewing angle of 2°. * It is preferable to measure using a white plate with a value of 95 or more.

[0049] In this way, in the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the pattern 9 printed on the back sheet 3 is related to "plants" in both color and shape. Therefore, the pattern 9 can visually give the wearer a stronger image of "natural materials," and can give the wearer the impression that the napkin is made of natural materials and is gentle on the skin.

[0050] In this embodiment, an example is given in which a single color is used for the pattern 9, but this is not limiting. For example, a plurality of similar colors may be used. Here, similar colors refer to colors of the same family, and refer to colors in the range of three adjacent colors in a color wheel consisting of 24 hues. When the pattern 9 is formed using a plurality of colors, the back sheet 3 can be given an overall unified appearance by using a plurality of similar colors. The pattern 9 may also be white. For example, the pattern caused by the shadow can be made visible from the top sheet 2 side by applying a pattern embossing in a shape representing product information that is recessed toward the top sheet 2 side on the back sheet 3 side in the absorbent body non-existent region 10. However, a colored pattern 9 is preferable because it has excellent visibility.

[0051] [Appearance of the napkin] The top sheet 2 is light transmissive, and as shown in Fig. 1, when the napkin 1 is viewed in plan from the top sheet 2 side, the pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 can be seen through the absorbent body-free region 10. In the napkin 1, in the absorbent body-present region 50, the pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 cannot be seen from the top sheet 2 side due to the presence of the absorbent body 5.

[0052] In this specification, the design 9 printed on the back sheet 3 is "visible" from the top sheet 2 side means that when light from a white light source is applied to the top sheet 2 of the napkin 1 so that the illuminance (brightness of light received by the surface illuminated by the light source) is 100 to 2000 lx, an observer can visually recognize the design 9 printed on the back sheet 3 from the top sheet 2 side of the napkin (absorbent article) 1. Here, the reason why the illuminance is set to the above range is to make it approximately the same as the illuminance conditions in a general room in daily life, illuminated by indoor lighting using fluorescent lamps, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), etc.

[0053] In addition, in this specification, "pattern 9 is visible" means that at least one of the following is satisfied: the color of pattern 9 can be recognized as a color representing product information (in this embodiment, green), or the shape of pattern 9 can be recognized as a shape representing product information (in this embodiment, a shape related to a plant).

[0054] Since the pattern 9 is viewed with the top sheet 2 in between, it may be blurred and difficult to clearly recognize the shape of the pattern 9, so it is more preferable that at least the color of the pattern 9 is a color that represents the product information so that the pattern 9 can be more easily recognized. In particular, since the front end region 11 and the rear end region 12 have small areas, if the pattern 9 is configured to be viewed in these regions, it is more preferable that the color of the pattern 9 is a color that represents the product information so that the pattern 9 can be more easily recognized.

[0055] From the viewpoint of ensuring good visibility of the pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 from the top sheet 2 side, the total light transmittance of the top sheet is preferably 25% or more, and more preferably 35% or more. The light transmittance can be measured, for example, by a method in accordance with JIS-K7361. The measurement device used was a haze meter, model NDH5000, manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd. The light source of this haze meter is a white LED. A sample piece was placed on the sample stage, and the ratio of the amount of light transmitted through the sample piece to the amount of incident light was calculated, and this was taken as the total light transmittance.

[0056] From the viewpoint of making the pattern 9 more easily visible from the topsheet 2 side, it is preferable that the portions of the topsheet 2 corresponding to the front end region 11 and the rear end region 12 have flat regions that are not textured. This makes the light transmittance of the portions of the topsheet 2 corresponding to the front end region 11 and the rear end region 12 almost uniform within the plane, making it possible to make the pattern 9 more easily visible through the topsheet 2. For example, in a top sheet that is embossed with a thermoplastic resin and includes concave portions that are heat-melted and pressed to form a film, and convex portions that are not heat-melted, the light transmittance differs between the concave portions and the convex portions. Therefore, although the color of the pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 that is visible from the top sheet 2 side can be seen, it may be difficult to tell what shape the pattern 9 is. In contrast, by making the portions of the top sheet 2 corresponding to the front end region 11 and the rear end region 12 flat and without any irregularities, the shape of the pattern 9 becomes easier to see compared to a top sheet that has an uneven surface. Here, the top sheet being "flat" means that when the top sheet is placed on a table having a horizontal surface and a transparent plate with a load of 35 Pa is placed on top of the top sheet, the proportion of the area of ​​contact between the top sheet and the transparent plate, when viewed from above, is 70% or more of the area of ​​the top sheet.

[0057] In addition, in the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the top sheet 2 is mainly composed of cotton fibers, so the pattern 9 is more easily visible. That is, since cotton fibers are not easily thermally fused, fusion points between fibers are not easily formed, and therefore, unlike a top sheet that is embossed with a thermoplastic resin, the light transmittance does not differ between the concave and convex parts, making it easier to achieve a substantially uniform light transmittance within the surface.

[0058] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the pattern 9 is printed in the center of the horizontal direction Y of the napkin 1 over the entire length in the vertical direction X. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 1, when the napkin 1 is viewed in plan from the topsheet 2 side, the pattern 9 on the backsheet 3 is visible in the front end region 11 and the rear end region 12 of the absorbent-free region 10. In this manner, the napkin 1 is configured such that the first embossed portions 6 and 7, which are related to cotton fibers, and the pattern 9 can be recognized from the top sheet 2 side, as shown in Fig. 1. On the other hand, the pattern 9 can be recognized from the back sheet 3 side, as shown in Fig. 2.

[0059] [Effects of the appearance of the napkin] In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, a pattern 9 relating to "plants" and "natural materials", which represents product information (in this embodiment, the product concept of "botanical", which indicates the use of cotton fiber, a natural fiber), is printed on the back sheet 3. When viewed in plan from the top sheet 2 side, the napkin 1 has the pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 visible through the absorbent-free area 10, and in addition has first embossed portions 6 and 7 with patterns relating to "plants" and "natural materials", which represent product information.

[0060] With this configuration, the napkin 1 has the design 9 visible from the top sheet side, which indicates the product information, and the first embossed portions 6 and 7, which make the product information of the napkin 1 easy to visually recognize. This allows the wearer to visually recognize product information throughout the entire process of wearing a napkin, from opening the individually wrapped napkin, to wearing the napkin, and then discarding it. In the example shown in Figure 1, the wearer can experience the natural emotional quality of cotton fibers from the beginning to the end of using the napkin 1, giving them a sense of security. The effects of the above-described configuration in the series of steps involved in putting on a napkin will be described in detail below.

[0061] For example, when opening a napkin 1 that is individually folded in thirds, by unfolding one of the two folds, the front first embossed portion 6 located in the front region R1 becomes visible, and the pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 becomes visible through the top sheet 2 in the front end region 11. In this way, in the napkin 1, the front first embossed portion 6 and the pattern 9, which evoke "natural materials," are located on the skin side of the front region R1, which is likely to catch the wearer's eye when the individually wrapped napkin 1 is opened. This gives the wearer a sense of expectation and security that the napkin 1 is made of natural materials and is gentle on the skin.

[0062] Furthermore, when the napkin 1 is unfolded and the individual packaging sheet is peeled off from the napkin 1 to expose the back sheet 3, the pattern 9 printed on the back sheet 3, which evokes "natural materials", gives the wearer a sense of expectation and security that continues from the time the napkin 1 is opened.

[0063] Next, the napkin 1 is put on the underwear so that the top sheet 2 is visible. When putting on the napkin 1, the wearer is likely to focus on the front region R1 and the rear region R3 of the napkin 1 in order to position the napkin 1 on the underwear. In this embodiment, the pattern 9 and the front first embossed portion 6 that are visible in the front end region 11 are located in the front region R1, which is the region that is easily focused on. Similarly, the pattern 9 and the rear first embossed portion 7 that are visible in the rear end region 12 are located in the rear region R3, which is the region that is easily focused on. Therefore, when positioning the napkin 1, the pattern 9, the front first embossed portion 6, and the rear first embossed portion 7 that evoke "natural materials" give the wearer a visual impression of a uniformity throughout the napkin 1, and continue to give the wearer a sense of expectation and security that the napkin 1 is made of natural materials and is gentle on the skin.

[0064] In a napkin 1 that has not absorbed any liquid, the patterns of the first front embossed portion 6 and the first rear embossed portion 7 may be difficult to discern depending on the viewing angle and the lighting of the environment in which the napkin 1 is handled. However, when the napkin 1 is viewed in plan from the topsheet 2 side, the patterns 9 are visible in the front end region 11 and the rear end region 12, so that the wearer can continue to feel a sense of expectation and security.

[0065] Furthermore, when the napkin 1 absorbs liquid such as blood, the patterns of the first front embossed portion 6 and the first rear embossed portion 7 stand out due to the liquid that has been absorbed. Therefore, for example, when changing the napkin 1, the patterns of the first front embossed portion 6 and the first rear embossed portion 7 that stand out due to the absorption of liquid make it easier for the wearer to intuitively recognize the product information of the napkin 1 and continue to feel a sense of expectation and security.

[0066] When the napkin 1 is discarded, it is typically disposed of rolled up with the top sheet 2 on the inside. Therefore, in the rolled up napkin 1, the back sheet 3 is located on the outside, and the product information of the napkin 1 is easily recognized by the pattern 9 that evokes the "natural material" of the back sheet 3.

[0067] In this way, with the napkin 1, the natural emotional quality of cotton can be felt from the very beginning of use, and visual product information can be recognized from the beginning to the end of use of the napkin 1. Throughout the process of wearing the napkin 1, the wearer can be given a continuous sense of expectation and security that the napkin 1 is made of natural materials and is gentle on the skin.

[0068] The pattern 9 arranged on the back sheet 3 may be a colored area in a color related to the product information. For example, a plurality of colored areas of the same or different shapes may be arranged in a portion of the absorbent-absent region 10, or the entire absorbent-absent region 10 may be colored in a plurality of colors. In this case, the colored area may extend to a portion of the absorbent-absent region 50. If the colored area is arranged locally or distributed in the absorbent-absent region 10, the wearer's attention is not drawn too much to the colored area compared to a form in which the entire back sheet is colored or a form in which the entire absorbent-absent region 10 is colored in a single color, and this is preferable because the design of the front first embossed portion 6 or the rear first embossed portion 7 is easily noticed. Hereinafter, the colored area arranged locally or distributed in the absorbent-absent region 10 or the absorbent-absent region 50 is referred to as a local colored area.

[0069] Here, a napkin in an individually packaged state before use is typically configured such that the napkin 1 has an individual packaging sheet provided on the back sheet side thereof and is folded into thirds or fourths at two or three folds. A light-transmitting sheet may be used for the individual packaging sheet used for individual packaging, so that the pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 can be seen through the individual packaging sheet, and therefore the product information of the napkin 1 can be easily visually recognized by the pattern 9 representing the product information even in an unused individually packaged state. In this case, the wearer's attention is more likely to be drawn to the pattern 9 through the top sheet 2 after opening, so the above-mentioned effect can be further enhanced.

[0070] In the present embodiment, an example has been given in which the first embossed portion representing the product information is located in both the front region R1 and the rear region R3 of the napkin 1, but this is not limiting. For example, the first embossed portion representing the product information may be located only in the front region R1, or the first embossed portion representing the product information may be located only in the rear region R3. From the viewpoint of improving the visibility of the first embossed portion, it is more preferable that the first embossed portion showing the product information is located in both the front region R1 and the rear region R3 of the napkin 1, as shown in Fig. 1. In such a configuration, the first embossed portion showing the product information is located in a dispersed manner on the skin side of the napkin 1, so that the presence of the first embossed portion is more easily noticed, and the visibility of the first embossed portion is improved. This can further enhance the wearer's visual recognition of the product information. In this embodiment, the wearer can further experience the natural emotionality of cotton fibers.

[0071] In the napkin 1, the design of the first front embossed portion 6 and the design of the first rear embossed portion 7 may be the same or different, but it is more preferable that they are different as shown in FIG. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the design of the first front embossed portion 6 and the design of the first rear embossed portion 7 are different and asymmetrical with respect to a line that divides the napkin 1 in half in the vertical direction X. The wearer is likely to focus on the first embossed portion due to the discomfort caused by the asymmetrical design. Therefore, the wearer can easily recognize the existence of the first embossed portions 6 and 7, and the visibility of the first embossed portions 6 and 7 is improved, thereby further increasing the wearer's visual recognition of product information.

[0072] The background color of the back sheet 3 is typically white, but may be colored. In this case, it is sufficient that the pattern 9 printed on the back sheet 3 is visible from the top sheet 2. Furthermore, when the pattern is a locally colored region, it is sufficient that the background color of the back sheet 3 and the color or shade of the locally colored region are different. The side sheet 4 is typically white, but may be colored. For example, the side sheet 4 may be a color similar to the color of the design 9 on the back sheet 3 that displays the product information, which allows for an overall unified appearance.

[0073] [Example dimensions of embossed part] It is preferable that the maximum dimension in the lateral direction Y of the front first embossed portion 6 representing the product information is equal to the maximum dimension in the lateral direction Y of the second embossed portion 8 . It is preferable that the maximum dimension in the lateral direction Y of the first rear embossed portion 7 representing the product information is equal to the maximum dimension in the lateral direction Y of the second embossed portion 8 . Here, “equivalent” means that the dimension value in the horizontal direction Y of the front first embossed portion 6 or the rear first embossed portion 7 is within the range of 0.9 to 1.1 times the dimension value in the horizontal direction Y of the second embossed portion 8.

[0074] The maximum dimension in the horizontal direction Y of the front first embossed portion 6 means the dimension in the horizontal direction Y from the outer end of the embossing that is located at the leftmost side of the front first embossed portion 6 in the horizontal direction Y to the outer end of the embossing that is located at the rightmost side of the front first embossed portion 6 in the horizontal direction Y. The maximum dimension of the rear first embossed portion 7 in the horizontal direction Y means the dimension in the horizontal direction Y from the outer end of the embossment located furthest to the left in the horizontal direction Y of the rear first embossed portion 7 to the outer end of the embossment located furthest to the right in the horizontal direction Y of the rear first embossed portion 7. Note that the "outer end" of each embossment means the part of each embossment located furthest outward in the horizontal direction Y. The maximum dimension in the horizontal direction Y of the second embossed portion 8 means the dimension in the horizontal direction Y from the outer end in the horizontal direction Y of the embossment located at the leftmost position in the horizontal direction Y of the second embossed portion 8 to the outer end in the horizontal direction Y of the embossment located at the rightmost position in the horizontal direction Y of the second embossed portion 8. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the maximum dimension of the second embossed portion 8 is the maximum dimension between the outer ends of the left and right embossed grooves 81 in the intermediate region R2.

[0075] The following are specific examples of the maximum dimensions of each of the embossed portions 6 to 8 in the horizontal direction Y. These values ​​are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these. From the viewpoint of the fit of the napkin 1 to the excretory part and leak prevention, the maximum dimension of the second embossed portion 8 in the lateral direction Y is set to about 45 mm to 58 mm, and for example, the maximum dimension of the second embossed portion 8 in the lateral direction Y is 47 mm. The maximum dimension of the front first embossed portion 6 in the lateral direction Y is 36 mm. The maximum dimension of the rear first embossed portion 7 in the lateral direction Y is 44 mm.

[0076] In this way, the dimension in the horizontal direction Y of the first embossed portion showing the product information is equal to the dimension in the horizontal direction Y of the second embossed portion 8, so that the presence of the first embossed portions 6 and 7 on the napkin 1 can be increased, and the visibility of the first embossed portions 6 and 7 can be improved. This can further enhance the wearer's visual recognition of the product information.

[0077] <Second embodiment> In the first embodiment of the napkin 1, the pattern 9 is provided in the central portion of the back sheet 3 in the horizontal direction Y, but the pattern 9 may be arranged over the entire surface of the back sheet 3, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Hereinafter, the same components as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, a napkin having a product concept (product information) of "botanical" is taken as an example. As in the first embodiment, the napkin of this embodiment has first embossed portions 6 and 7 representing product information, and a pattern 9 representing product information printed on the back sheet 3.

[0078] As shown in Fig. 4, a pattern 9 is arranged over the entire surface of the back sheet 3 of the napkin 1 of this embodiment. As a result, when the napkin 1 is viewed in plan from the top sheet 2 side as shown in Fig. 3, the pattern 9 is visible in the absorbent-free region 10 not only in the front end region 11 and rear end region 12 but also in the left region 13 and right region 14. More specifically, in the left region 13 and right region 14, the pattern 9 of the back sheet 3 is visible through the side sheet 4.

[0079] When the wing portion W is constructed by laminating a side sheet 4 and a back sheet 3, from the viewpoint of ensuring good visibility of the pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 from the top sheet 2 side, it is preferable that the light transmittance of the side sheet 4 is 25% or more, and more preferably 35% or more.

[0080] From the viewpoint of making the pattern 9 of the back sheet 3 more easily visible when viewed from the top sheet 2 side, it is preferable that the portions of the side sheet 4 corresponding to the left region 13 and the right region 14 have a flat shape without unevenness processing. This makes the light transmittance of the portions of the side sheet 4 corresponding to the left region 13 and the right region 14 almost uniform within the plane, making the pattern 9 in the wing portion W more easily visible.

[0081] In this way, by disposing the pattern 9 over the entire surface of the back sheet 3, it is possible to increase the proportion of the pattern 9 representing product information in the absorbent-free region 10 compared to the first embodiment. As a result, when the napkin 1 is viewed in plan from the top sheet 2 side, the wearer can feel even more of the natural emotional quality of cotton fibers due to the first embossed portions 6 and 7 and the pattern 9 which now occupies a larger proportion.

[0082] The side sheet 4 is typically white, but may be colored. In this case, when the napkin 1 is viewed from the top sheet 2 side, the design 9 showing the product information printed on the back sheet 3 in the wing portion W should be visible through the side sheet 4. The background color of the back sheet 3 is typically white, but may be colored. In the absorbent-free region 10, the design 9 printed on the back sheet 3 may be visible from the top sheet 2 side.

[0083] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, an example has been given in which the napkin 1 has a product concept of "botanical," and the design of the first embossed portion and the design of the back sheet have designs related to this product concept. Other examples of the design related to the product information will be described below. In each of the napkin configurations, as in the first and second embodiments, the design on the back sheet related to the product information and the first embossed portion related to the product information are configured so that they can be simultaneously viewed from the top sheet side. This improves visual recognition of the product information.

[0084] (Configuration example 1) If the napkin has a product function of being fragranced using a floral fragrance, in relation to this product function, the design of the first embossed portion may be, for example, a floral design, and the design printed on the back sheet may be, for example, a pink floral design. The flower pattern and the pink flower pattern are patterns related to product information. The shape and color of the pattern on the first embossed part, which can be seen from the top sheet side, and the pattern on the back sheet allow the user to intuitively recognize the product functions visually.

[0085] (Configuration example 2) When a cooling agent such as menthol is used in the napkin to give the wearer a refreshing feeling and the napkin has a product function of providing a cool feeling to the touch, in relation to this product function, the pattern of the first embossed portion may be, for example, a mint leaf pattern, and the pattern printed on the back sheet may be, for example, a green mint leaf pattern. The mint leaf pattern and the green mint leaf pattern are patterns related to product information. The shape and color of the pattern on the first embossed portion, which can be recognized from the top sheet side, and the pattern on the back sheet allow the product functions to be intuitively recognized visually.

[0086] (Configuration example 3) Typically, napkins used at night are configured to have a longer length in the longitudinal direction X of the product and a larger absorption capacity than napkins used during the day, taking into consideration changes in body position during sleep and long periods of use. As one example, in a daytime napkin, the length of which in the longitudinal direction X of the product is shorter than that of a nighttime napkin, the design of the first embossed portion may be configured to include a sun design, and the design printed on the back sheet may be a sun design in warm colors. In a nighttime napkin whose product length in the longitudinal direction X is longer than that of a daytime napkin, the design of the first embossed portion may be configured to include a moon design, and the design printed on the back sheet may be a moon design in cool colors. The sun design, the warm color sun design, the moon design, and the cool color moon design are designs related to product information. The shape and color of the design of the first embossed portion and the design of the back sheet, which can be recognized from the top sheet side, allow the user to intuitively recognize the length of the product in the vertical direction X and the absorption capacity of the product.

[0087] (Configuration Example 4) Typically, napkins used at night are constructed to have a larger absorbent capacity than napkins used during the day, taking into consideration changes in body position during sleep and long periods of use. As an example, in a daytime napkin, the design of the first embossed portion may be configured to include a sun design, and the design printed on the back sheet may be a warm-colored design of numbers (shapes) that represent the absorption capacity itself. In a nighttime napkin, the design of the first embossed portion may be configured to include a moon design, and the design printed on the back sheet may be cool-toned and comprise numbers (shapes) that represent the absorption capacity itself. The sun and moon patterns evoke the recommended wearing time and absorption capacity, and are patterns related to product information. In addition, in the patterns printed on the back sheet, the colors evoke the recommended wearing times, such as daytime and nighttime, and the numbers representing the absorption capacity itself evoke the absorption capacity, and the patterns printed on the back sheet are patterns related to product information. The absorption capacity of the product can be visually and intuitively recognized by the shape and color of the pattern of the first embossed portion, which can be recognized from the top sheet side, and the pattern of the back sheet.

[0088] (Configuration Example 5) Typically, napkins used at night are constructed to have a larger absorbent capacity than napkins used during the day, taking into consideration changes in body position during sleep and long periods of use. When the napkin has a "botanical" product concept as in the first and second embodiments described above, the design of the first embossed portion may be such that differences in the length of each stem and the number of leaves on each stem represent differences in absorbent capacity. For example, the design of the first rear embossed portion of a daytime napkin may have five leaves on one stem, whereas the design of the first rear embossed portion of a nighttime napkin may have eight leaves on one stem. The pattern printed on the back sheet may be a pattern of a green plant as in the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, or may be a number representing the absorption capacity itself as in configuration example 4. The color of the number representing the absorption capacity itself may be green as in the first and second embodiments, or may be a warm color for day napkins and a cool color for night napkins as in configuration example 4. Also, the pattern printed on the backsheet may be a pattern related to green plants, and the area ratio of the pattern on the backsheet may be different between day and night napkins. For example, the area ratio of the pattern on the backsheet may be made larger for night napkins than for day napkins, and as a result, the area of ​​the pattern visible through the backsheet when viewed from the topsheet side may be made larger. This allows the wearer to intuitively recognize that the napkin has a large absorption capacity by viewing the napkin from the topsheet side and confirming that there are a large number of leaves in the first rear embossed portion and that the area that appears green is large. The absorbent capacity of the product can be visually and intuitively recognized by the design of the first embossed portion, which can be seen from the top sheet, and the shape and color of the design on the back sheet. In this manner, a plurality of different pieces of product information, such as the product concept and the absorption capacity, may be displayed in the design of the first embossed portion and the design printed on the back sheet.

[0089] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0090] For example, in the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, the pattern 9 printed on the back sheet 3 has a color and a shape reminiscent of "plants" and "natural materials". However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 may not have a plant-related shape, but may have a plant-related color, such as green. As a result, when the napkin 1 is viewed in plan from the top sheet 2 side, the wearer can see the plant-related patterns in the front first embossed portion 6 and the rear first embossed portion 7, as well as the green color of the pattern on the back sheet 3 in the absorbent-free region 10, which gives the wearer a sense of security that the napkin 1 is made of cotton fiber, a natural material. Furthermore, the pattern provided on the back sheet 3 may not have a color reminiscent of a plant, but may have a plant-related shape. As a result, when the napkin 1 is viewed in plan from the top sheet 2 side, the wearer can see the plant-related pattern 9 on the back sheet 3 in the absorbent-free area 10 in addition to the presence of the plant-related pattern in the front first embossed portion 6 and the rear first embossed portion 7, giving the wearer a sense of security that the napkin 1 is made of cotton fiber, a natural material.

[0091] In the above-mentioned first embodiment, an example was given in which the pattern 9 of the back sheet 3 is configured to be visible in the front end region 11 and the rear end region 12 of the absorbent-absorptive region 10. In the above-mentioned second embodiment, an example was given in which the pattern 9 is configured to be visible throughout the entire absorbent-absorptive region 10, but the present invention is not limited thereto. It is sufficient that the pattern 9 of the back sheet 3 is visible from the top sheet 2 side in at least a part of the absorbent-absorptive region 10 (peripheral flap).

[0092] In the above embodiment, the absorbent article is a sanitary napkin, but is not limited thereto. The absorbent article of the present invention may be, for example, a urine pad, a panty liner, a disposable diaper, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1... Napkins (absorbent articles) 2. Surface sheet 3…Back sheet 5…Absorbent 6...Front first embossed part (first embossed part) 7...Rear first embossed section (first embossed section) 8…Second embossed section 9…Back sheet design R1…front area R2…middle area R3…rear area

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising a top sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent body disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet, having a longitudinal direction corresponding to a front-to-rear direction of a wearer and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the absorbent article being divided along the longitudinal direction into a front region, a middle region facing an excretory area of ​​the wearer, and a rear region, a first embossed portion located in at least one of the front region and the rear region, the first embossed portion being formed by squeezing the top sheet and the absorbent body, the first embossed portion having a pattern representing product information of the absorbent article; a second annular embossed portion formed by compressing the top sheet and the absorbent body, the second embossed portion including a pair of embossed grooves extending in the longitudinal direction in the intermediate region; As the first embossed portion, a front first embossed portion located in the front region, the front first embossed portion being located forward of the second embossed portion in a longitudinal direction and spaced apart from the second embossed portion; a rear first embossed portion located in the rear region, the rear first embossed portion being spaced apart from the second embossed portion and rearward of the second embossed portion in a longitudinal direction; Equipped with The back sheet has a pattern having at least one of a shape and a color that represents the product information, and the pattern on the back sheet is visible from the top sheet side. Absorbent articles.

2. The front first embossed portion is composed of a pair of petiole embossed portions spaced apart from each other on the left and right, and the petiole embossed portion has a petiole shape with a plurality of leaves attached to one stem, and the stem portion is linearly extending from the front to the rear in the vertical direction and from the inside to the outside in the horizontal direction. The absorbent article of claim 1.

3. The top sheet comprises cotton fibers, The front first embossed portion and the rear first embossed portion have a pattern related to the cotton fiber, The pattern on the back sheet has at least one of a shape and a color related to the cotton fibers.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

4. an absorbent body-absent region in which the absorbent body is not present in a plan view; The pattern on the back sheet is colored, In the absorbent-free region, the color of the pattern on the back sheet is visible from the top sheet side. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The absorbent-free region has a front end region and a rear end region in the longitudinal direction where the absorbent is not present, In the front end region and the rear end region, the color of the pattern on the back sheet is visible from the top sheet side. The absorbent article of claim 4.

6. The maximum dimension of the front first embossed portion and the rear first embossed portion in the lateral direction is equal to the maximum dimension of the second embossed portion in the lateral direction. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The front first embossed portion and the rear first embossed portion have different patterns. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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