Absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article reducing discomfort, etc. possibly generated by contact of a body with side parts.SOLUTION: An absorbent article comprises a body including an upper liquid-permeable top sheet, a lower liquid-impermeable back sheet and an absorber provided between the top sheet and the back sheet. The absorbent article comprises side sheets respectively on both sides of the body and a pair of wings extending outward in the width direction from the body. Each wing is primarily formed by joining a part of the back sheet and a part of the side sheet. When being worn, in a state where the wings are folded back downward, the side sheets wrap fold lines for folding to form flexure parts with a ring-shaped cross section at arbitrary positions in the longitudinal direction including longitudinal both end positions, where outer ends in the width direction of the flexure parts are located outside in the width direction with respect to the fold lines.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an absorbent article. [Background technology]

[0002] Known absorbent articles include sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, panty liners, etc. The basic structure of such absorbent articles generally includes a main body having a top sheet on the upper side (the side facing the skin), a back sheet on the lower side (the side facing the underwear), and an absorbent body disposed between these two sheets. Furthermore, many absorbent articles have a pair of side sheets disposed at a distance from each other on both sides in the front-rear direction of the main body, mainly for the purpose of preventing leakage of bodily fluids to the sides (for example, Patent Document 1). The side sheets are generally formed using nonwoven fabric or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-312694 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when the absorbent article is worn, both sides of the main body may come into contact with the insides of the wearer's legs. Here, the side sheets arranged on both sides are often made of nonwoven fabric or the like as described above, and the softness of the material can somewhat reduce the discomfort on the insides of the legs. However, for example, when the wearer walks or runs and moves his or her legs back and forth, the edge of the main body may come into contact with the insides of the legs and be rubbed. In such cases, wearers with sensitive skin may experience discomfort or pain. Therefore, there is a demand for an absorbent article configuration that reduces the discomfort that may be caused by contact with the sides of the main body, even for wearers with sensitive skin.

[0005] An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article that reduces discomfort and other issues that may occur due to contact with a side portion of the main body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention is an absorbent article comprising a main body having an upper liquid-permeable top sheet, a lower liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorbent body provided between the top sheet and the back sheet, and a side sheet is disposed on each side of the main body, The cushion further includes a pair of wings extending widthwise outward from the main body, the wings being formed by primarily joining a portion of the back sheet and a portion of the side sheet, and when the wings are folded down when worn, the side sheet wraps around the fold line to form a flexible portion having a ring-shaped cross section at any position in the front-to-rear direction including both front-to-rear end positions, and the widthwise outer end of the flexible portion is located widthwise outside the fold line.

[0007] According to the first aspect, when the wing is folded back, the side sheet wraps around the fold line of the wing, forming a flexible portion having a ring-shaped cross section. The widthwise outer end of the flexible portion is located outward of the fold line of the wing. Therefore, while the absorbent article is being worn, the fold line of the wing does not directly contact the inside of the wearer's leg, but the flexible portion formed by the side sheet does. Since the flexible portion is hollow with a ring-shaped cross section, it is elastic and flexible, so that the feeling when it contacts the inside of the leg is better than when the fold line of the wing without flexure directly contacts. Furthermore, even when the leg is moved back and forth, the flexible portion can follow the movement of the leg to some extent, so that discomfort or pain due to chafing is unlikely to occur.

[0008] Furthermore, the above-mentioned flexure is configured to have a ring-shaped cross section at any position in the front-rear direction, including both ends in the front-rear direction. In other words, the flexure maintains a ring-shaped cross section even at both ends in the front-rear direction, and the flexure is not crushed in the front and / or rear of the flexure. Therefore, compared with a configuration in which the inner faces of the rings of the flexure are joined in the front and / or rear of the flexure, elasticity and flexibility are maintained throughout the entire front-rear direction of the flexure, and therefore, even when the legs are moved significantly back and forth, discomfort due to chafing can be reduced.

[0009] In a second aspect of the present invention, the side sheet has an inner joint portion joined to the main body on the inner side in the width direction, an outer joint portion joined to the back sheet on the outer side in the width direction, and a non-joined portion between the inner joint portion and the outer joint portion, and the widthwise length of the non-joined portion is 5 to 10 mm longer than the distance between the widthwise outer end of the inner joint portion and the widthwise inner end of the outer joint portion when the pair of wings are unfolded.

[0010] According to the second aspect, a flexure of an appropriate size can be formed, sufficient elasticity and flexibility can be imparted to the flexure, and the flexure itself can be prevented from becoming excessively large and causing discomfort.

[0011] In a third aspect of the invention, the flexure is formed within the wing.

[0012] According to the third aspect, since the flexible portion is not formed on the main body but is formed more to the side (outer in the width direction), the flexible portion can more reliably protrude to the side when worn. This allows the flexible portion to more reliably fulfill its function of reducing discomfort that may occur due to contact with the inside of the leg.

[0013] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an absorbent article comprising a main body having an upper liquid-permeable top sheet, a lower liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorbent body provided between the top sheet and the back sheet, wherein side sheets are arranged on both sides of the main body, and the side sheets are joined to the main body at the lower and upper sides so as to wrap around the widthwise outer ends of the main body, and a flexible portion having a ring-shaped cross section is formed at any position in the front-to-rear direction including both front-to-rear end positions, and the widthwise outer end of the flexible portion is located widthwise outside the widthwise outer end of the main body.

[0014] According to the fourth aspect, it is possible to provide an absorbent article without wings, which has the same effects as the first aspect.

[0015] In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the inner end portions in the width direction of the side sheets are not folded back at least downward.

[0016] According to the fifth aspect, since the inner end of the side sheet in the width direction is not folded downward, the flexible portion has a stronger tendency to protrude laterally (outward in the width direction) rather than rising upward, so that the elasticity and flexibility of the flexible portion can be fully exerted on the side of the main body. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an absorbent article that reduces discomfort and other issues that may occur due to contact with the side portion of the main body. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion in FIG. 2 where a side sheet is arranged. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the absorbent article shown in FIG. 1 when worn. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Figure 6] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating the formation of a flexure portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a state in which the absorbent article shown in FIG. 7 is worn. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, unless otherwise specified, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0020] First Embodiment (Basic structure of absorbent article) First, the basic structure of an absorbent article according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described using a sanitary napkin as an example. Fig. 1 shows a plan view of an absorbent article 1 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Fig. 1.

[0021] 1 and 2, the absorbent article 1 has a main body (absorbent article main body) 10 including an upper liquid-permeable top sheet 3, a lower liquid-impermeable back sheet 2, and an absorbent body 4 disposed between the back sheet 2 and the top sheet 3. As shown in Fig. 2, the main body 10 has a flat shape overall.

[0022] In this specification, the top sheet 3 side of the absorbent article 1 is referred to as the "upper side" and the back sheet 2 side is referred to as the "lower side". In other words, the "upper side" of the absorbent article 1 is the side that faces the skin when worn (skin side or front side), and the "lower side" is the side that faces underwear when worn (underwear side or back side). The plan view of Fig. 1 is a view of the absorbent article 1 as seen from the top.

[0023] 1, a direction corresponding to the front-rear direction of the wearer's body when the absorbent article 1 is worn is defined as a front-rear direction D1 of the absorbent article 1, and a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction D1 is defined as a width direction D2 of the absorbent article 1. The main body 10 may have an elongated shape that is long in the front-rear direction D1 in a plan view, have a predetermined length in the front-rear direction D1, and have a predetermined width in a width D2 perpendicular to the front-rear direction D1.

[0024] 1, the main body 10 has a shape in plan view that is approximately line-symmetrical with respect to a center line (front-rear center line) CL extending in the front-rear direction D1, but the shape of the main body 10 does not have to be line-symmetrical. Furthermore, the configurations of the absorbent article 1 and the main body 10 other than their shapes (including the thickness and density of the absorbent body 4, the size and position of the compressed grooves, the shape and size of the wings and flaps, etc.) may be approximately symmetrical or asymmetrical with respect to the center line as the axis of symmetry.

[0025] The back sheet 2 may be a sheet having at least water impermeability, for example, a sheet made of an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene. In addition, a laminated nonwoven fabric in which a nonwoven fabric is laminated on a polyethylene sheet or the like, or a laminated sheet of nonwoven fabric in which a waterproof film is interposed to ensure substantial liquid impermeability, may be used. In addition, it is more preferable to use a sheet having moisture permeability from the viewpoint of preventing stuffiness. As such a water impermeable / moisture permeable sheet material, a microporous sheet obtained by melt-kneading an inorganic filler in an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene to form a sheet and then stretching the sheet in a uniaxial or biaxial direction may be used. The back sheet 2 may be a sheet having the same outer shape as the outer shape of the absorbent article 1.

[0026] The top sheet 3 can be a liquid-permeable sheet that quickly transmits bodily fluids such as menstrual blood, vaginal discharge, and urine. As the top sheet 3, a nonwoven fabric with or without holes, a porous plastic sheet, or the like is preferably used. As the material fiber constituting the nonwoven fabric, for example, olefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, synthetic fibers such as polyester and polyamide, regenerated fibers such as rayon and cupra, and blended fibers thereof, and natural fibers such as cotton can be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds. In addition, examples of processing methods for nonwoven fabric include the spunlace method, the spunbond method, the thermal bond method, the meltblown method, and the needle punch method. Among these processing methods, the spunlace method is preferred in that it can produce a nonwoven fabric that is flexible, and the spunbond method is preferred in that it can produce a nonwoven fabric that is rich in drapeability, and the thermal bond method is preferred in that it can produce a bulky and soft nonwoven fabric. In addition, composite fibers such as core-sheath type fibers, side-by-side type fibers, and split type fibers, in which a fiber with a high melting point is used as the core and a fiber with a low melting point is used as the sheath, can also be used.

[0027] The absorbent body 4 is not limited to any material that can absorb and retain body fluids, but preferably contains cotton-like pulp and a water-absorbing polymer. As the water-absorbing polymer, superabsorbent polymer granular powder (superabsorbent polymer (SAP)), superabsorbent fiber (SAF)), and combinations thereof can be used. As the pulp, chemical pulp obtained from wood, cellulose fibers such as dissolving pulp, and artificial cellulose fibers such as rayon and acetate can be used. As the raw material for chemical pulp, hardwoods and softwoods are used, with softwoods being preferred due to their long fiber length.

[0028] Synthetic fibers may also be mixed into the absorbent 4. As synthetic fibers, polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, polyamides such as nylon, and copolymers thereof can be used, and two of these can also be mixed and used. Composite fibers such as core-sheath fibers with a fiber having a high melting point as the core and a fiber having a low melting point as the sheath, side-by-side fibers, and split fibers can also be used. Hydrophobic fibers that have been surface-treated with a hydrophilizing agent to give them affinity for body fluids can also be used. The absorbent 4 is preferably manufactured by stacking or air-laid methods.

[0029] The absorbent body 4 may be wrapped in a wrapping sheet made of colored or uncolored (white) crepe paper, nonwoven fabric, etc., to prevent twisting, cracking, or spillage of polymer particles. The thickness of the absorbent body is preferably 0.5 to 25 mm. The thickness of the absorbent body 4 does not need to be uniform throughout, and the absorbent body 4 may have a bulging structure at the portion facing the bodily fluid discharge port and its surroundings.

[0030] The absorbent body 4 may have a shape and size such that it does not protrude from the back sheet 2 and the top sheet 3 at least in the front-rear direction D1 in a plan view. At both ends in the front-rear direction D1, the edge of the back sheet 2 and the edge of the top sheet 3 may be joined by an adhesive, heat sealing, or the like. The entire absorbent body 4 preferably has a shape and size such that it does not protrude from the back sheet 2 in a plan view. The top sheet 3 does not have to cover the absorbent body 4 in the width direction D2, but is preferably formed and arranged to cover the entire absorbent body 4.

[0031] (Wings and side seats) As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the absorbent article 1 may have a pair of wings W, W each extending from one side of the main body 10. An adhesive portion (not shown) may be arranged on the lower side (back sheet side) of the wings W, W, and the wings W, W are folded downward (towards the back side of the underwear) when worn and fixed to the underwear by the adhesive portion, thereby preventing the entire absorbent article 1 from shifting or twisting. The position in the front-rear direction D1 where the pair of wings W, W are formed may be a bodily fluid discharge outlet facing portion Q that faces the bodily fluid discharge outlet of the wearer when worn, and a region extending in the front-rear direction from the bodily fluid discharge outlet facing portion Q. In other words, the bodily fluid discharge outlet facing portion Q may be included within the range from the front end to the rear end of the wing W at the boundary line 11 between the main body 10 and the wing W in the front-rear direction D1.

[0032] In this embodiment, a pair of side sheets 7, 7 are arranged on both sides of the main body 10, i.e., on the upper side (top sheet 3 side) of both ends in the width direction D2, across the front-rear direction D1. The side sheets are preferably made of nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric used for the side sheets may be treated to be water-repellent or hydrophilic, preferably water-repellent. The water-repellent treatment may be, for example, a coating of a silicone-based water-repellent agent or a paraffin-based water-repellent agent. By using a water-repellent treated nonwoven fabric, it is possible to prevent the penetration of bodily fluids such as menstrual blood, vaginal discharge, and urine. The type of nonwoven fabric is not particularly limited, and may be a nonwoven fabric obtained by the air-through method, spunlace method, spunbond method, meltblown method, or needle punch method, but in order to improve the function of the bending portion (described in detail later), an air-through nonwoven fabric that is soft and does not easily develop creases or wrinkles is preferable. The type of fiber constituting the nonwoven fabric is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include olefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, synthetic fibers such as polyester and polyamide, regenerated fibers such as rayon and cupra, and blends thereof, as well as natural fibers such as cotton. These fibers can be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0033] 1 and 2, a portion of the side sheets 7, 7 extends outward in the width direction D2 and is joined to a portion of the back sheet 2 similarly extending in the width direction D2 to form a pair of wings W, W. The side sheet 7 and the back sheet 2 may be joined by an adhesive, heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or the like. In addition, dot-shaped or other shaped compressed portions (embossments) may be formed on the outer edges of the wings W, W in order to increase the joining strength and rigidity.

[0034] In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, each of the side sheets 7, 7 is composed of a single sheet, but the side sheet 7 may be formed by stacking two or more sheets of nonwoven fabric as described above.

[0035] Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the absorbent article 1 attached to an undergarment (not shown). Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 5, the wings W, W can be folded downward so that the undergarment S is sandwiched between the main body 10 and the wings W. The fold line 15 formed during this folding (the fold line along which the backsheet is folded) does not necessarily have to be along the boundary line 11 between the main body 10 and the wings W, and may be located, for example, inside the boundary line 11 (Fig. 2) in the width direction D2. It may also be located outside the boundary line 11 in the width direction D2.

[0036] (Flexible part) In this embodiment, the side sheet 7 is not joined to the components (such as the back sheet 2) arranged below it over its entire surface, and has a region where it is partially unjoined. That is, the side sheet 7 may have a joining portion joined to the components arranged below it and a non-joining portion where it is not joined. In the example of Figs. 1 and 2, the side sheet 7 may have an inner joining portion 21 joined to the top sheet 3 of the main body 10, an outer joining portion 22 joined to the back sheet 2 at the wing W, and a non-joining portion 23 located between the inner joining portion 21 and the outer joining portion 22 and not joined to the main body 10 and / or the back sheet 2. The non-joining portion 23 of the side sheet 7 is arranged to sag so as to bulge upward, forming a hollow flexible portion 25.

[0037] Fig. 3 shows a partial enlarged view of Fig. 2 (enlarged view of the portion where the side sheet 7 is arranged). The above-mentioned bulge (sagging) of the non-jointed portion 23 of the side sheet 7, i.e., the deflected portion 25, is formed by making the length a of the non-jointed portion 23 of the side sheet 7 in the width direction D2 (the length in the width direction D2 of the unjoined portion of the side sheet 7) longer than the distance b between the outer end of the inner joint portion 21 in the width direction D2 and the inner end of the outer joint portion 22 in the width direction D2.

[0038] The flexible parts 25, 25 formed on both sides of the front-rear center line CL can protrude outward in the width direction D2 when the pair of wings W, W are folded back to the back side of the underwear S during wearing, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. More specifically, the flexible parts 25, 25 are formed beyond the folding lines 15, 15 of the wings W, W outward in the width direction D2. That is, when the wings W, W are folded back, the outer ends 28, 28 of the flexible parts 25, 25 in the width direction D2 are located outside the folding lines 15, 15 of the wings W, W in the width direction D2. The flexible parts 25, 25 are hollow, and as shown in Fig. 5, the cross section cut in the width direction D2 is ring-shaped. In this specification, the term "ring-shaped" refers to the shape of a curved line that can be formed by rounding a straight line with a single bend, and may be a partial circle or a partial ellipse.

[0039] The shape of the loop of the flexible portion 25 includes not only the case where the non-jointed portion 23 of the side sheet 7 forms a loop substantially by itself, but also the case where the non-jointed portion 23 and the top sheet 3 and / or the back sheet 2 form a loop. In either case, it is the non-jointed portion 23 of the side sheet 7 that comes into contact with the leg. The loop shape also includes the case where the loop is a so-called loop shape (hollow inside) and the case where the loop is not substantially formed inside (the loop is crushed) before wearing, but can become hollow when worn. However, as will be described later in detail, the flexible portion 25 in this embodiment is hollow in any cross section, and is not joined to form a hollow at the end or center, for example.

[0040] In this way, when the wings W are folded back, the folding lines 15 of the wings W are wrapped by the side sheets 7, and the flexing parts 25 protrude outward in the width direction D2. Therefore, when worn, the flexing parts 25 come into contact with the inside of the wearer's groin, and the folding lines 15 do not come into direct contact. The flexing parts 25 are hollow and elastic, so the wearer feels a soft sensation when they come into contact, and there is little discomfort. In the conventional form without the flexing parts 25, the folding lines 15 of the wings W directly come into contact with the inside of the groin, but the folding lines 15 and the adjacent parts tend to be highly rigid, which causes discomfort to the delicate skin on the inside of the groin. However, according to this embodiment, it is the soft bending parts 25, 25 that come into direct contact with the legs, and contact between the wearer's legs and the fold lines 15, 15 can be avoided, providing a comfortable fit.

[0041] In addition, even when the wearer is walking or running, i.e., when the wearer moves his / her legs back and forth, the elastic and soft flexible parts 25, 25 can deform in response to the force from the legs and follow to some extent, so that discomfort or pain due to chafing is unlikely to occur.

[0042] Furthermore, the flexures 25, 25 have a ring-shaped cross section at any position in the front-rear direction D1, including both ends in the front-rear direction D1. That is, the flexures 25, 25 have a ring-shaped cross section not only at the center in the front-rear direction D1, but also at both ends in the front-rear direction D1. In other words, the flexures 25, 25 have a ring-shaped cross section that is continuous in the front-rear direction D1, and have a cylindrical shape, so to speak. The ring-shaped shape of the flexures 25, 25 may change in the front-rear direction D1, that is, the degree of curvature of the ring or the size of the ring may change along the way, but the hollowness of the flexures 25, 25 is maintained in the front-rear direction D1. This means that there are no parts in the flexures 25, 25 that are crushed or where the inner surfaces of the rings of the flexures 25, 25 are not joined together. This is also clear from the fact that the non-jointed parts 23, 23 of the side sheets 7, 7 extend continuously in the front-rear direction, as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

[0043] For example, if the flexible portions 25, 25 are crushed at the front and rear and fixed in the crushed state, the fixed state affects the center of the flexible portions 25, 25 in the front-rear direction D1. This makes it difficult for the flexible portions 25, 25 to move flexibly, and the flexibility of the flexible portions 25, 25 may be impaired. In contrast, in this embodiment in which the flexible portions 25, 25 have a ring-shaped cross section at any position in the front-rear direction D1 including both ends in the front-rear direction D1, the elasticity and softness of the flexible portions 25, 25 are maintained throughout the entire front-rear direction D1 of the flexible portions 25, 25. Therefore, even if the wearer moves his / her legs significantly back and forth, the function of the flexible portions 25, 25 is exerted throughout the front-rear direction D1, and discomfort due to chafing is reduced.

[0044] With the wings W, W folded back, the length c1 (FIG. 5) in the width direction D2 from the fold lines (folding positions) 15, 15 of the wings W, W to the outer ends 28, 28 of the bent portions 25, 25 in the width direction D2 may be about 1 to 10 mm. The length c1 is measured when the absorbent article 1 is worn in an underwear S in a natural state.

[0045] The length c1 depends on the thickness, rigidity, etc. of the side sheet 7 used in the flexible portion 25, but the size of the flexible portion 25 can be adjusted by the relationship between the length a in the width direction D2 of the non-jointed portion 23 of the side sheet 7 used and the distance b in the width direction D2 between the inner joint portion 21 and the outer joint portion 22 (FIG. 3). To obtain an appropriate flexible portion 25, for example, when the wing W is spread out, the difference (ab) between the length a in the width direction D2 of the non-jointed portion 23 and the distance b in the width direction D2 between the inner joint portion 21 and the outer joint portion 22 can be preferably set to 5 to 10 mm.

[0046] For this purpose, the side sheets 7, 7 used in this embodiment are longer in the width direction D2 than the side sheets for producing a conventional configuration without the bending parts 25, 25. FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the flat side sheets 7 superimposed on the main body in the production stage of the absorbent article 1. As shown in FIG. 6, the side sheets 7 are used that are longer in the width direction D2 by a length d than the back sheet 2 that constitutes a part of the wing. Then, while bending the non-joined parts 23 of the side sheets 7, the inner joint parts 21 and the outer joint parts 22 are joined to the components of the main body 10 arranged thereunder (FIGS. 2 and 3). The length d is equal to the difference (ab) between the length a of the non-joined parts 23 in the width direction D2 and the distance b between the inner joint parts 21 and the outer joint parts 22.

[0047] The length a of the non-jointed portion 23 in the width direction D2 may be 5 to 20 mm. By setting the length a in this range, an appropriate size of the flexible portion 25 can be ensured, and the flexible portion 25 can follow the movement of the leg to some extent when the leg is moved back and forth, and discomfort caused by the flexible portion 25 being excessively large can be prevented. Furthermore, the distance b in the width direction D2 between the inner joint portion 21 and the outer joint portion 22 may be 3 to 15 mm. By setting the distance b in this range, the flexible portion 25 having a flexible ring-shaped cross section can be formed.

[0048] The position in the width direction D2 where the flexible portion 25 is provided (the position where the non-jointed portion 23 is formed) is not limited as long as the flexible portion 25 can protrude outward in the width direction D2 when worn, but it is preferable that it be outward in the width direction D2 from the absorbent body 4 in a planar view, and it is even more preferable that it be at least 2 mm outward in the width direction D2 from the absorbent body 4.

[0049] Each side sheet 7 may be a single sheet extending in the surface direction, but may have, for example, an end in the width direction D2 folded back. However, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, for example, the inner end 7i of the side sheet 7 in the width direction D2 is not folded back either upward or downward, but faces inward in the width direction D2. In such a simple configuration without folding back as shown in the figures, the configuration of the flexible portion 25 is simplified, and it is possible to prevent the flexibility from being lost due to the stacking of sheets caused by folding back or the like. Also, for example, if the inner end 7i of the side sheet 7 in the width direction D2 is folded back downward, and the surface facing the upper side of the side sheet 7 before folding back is joined to the component below it, when the wings W, W are folded back during installation, the flexible portion 25 is likely to protrude upward and is unlikely to move outward in the width direction D2. However, according to this embodiment, the flexible portion 25 naturally protrudes outward in the width direction D2 and can cover the fold line 15.

[0050] It is preferable that flexible portion 25 does not include elastic members such as rubber threads or elastic sheets. By forming flexible portion 25 from a sheet such as nonwoven fabric, it is possible to prevent discomfort when it comes into contact with the skin.

[0051] <Second embodiment> FIG. 7 shows a plan view of an absorbent article 201 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 7. The second embodiment has the same basic configuration and the same basic effect as the first embodiment. In the absorbent article 201, side sheets 207, 207 are disposed on both sides of the main body 10. The inner joint portion 221 and the outer joint portion 222 of each side sheet 207 are joined to the constituent element below, while a non-joined portion 223 is formed between the inner joint portion 221 and the outer joint portion 222. The non-joined portion 223 is raised from the constituent element below (the back sheet 2), thereby forming a sagging portion 225. However, in the second embodiment, the positions of the sagging portions 225, 225 are different from those of the first embodiment, and in this respect, the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment.

[0052] As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the flexures 225, 225 of the second embodiment are disposed slightly outward in the width direction D2 than the flexures 25, 25 of the first embodiment. More specifically, the flexures 225, 225 shown in Figs. 7 and 8 are formed adjacent to the boundary line 11 between the main body 10 and the wing W. However, the flexures 225 only need to be formed within the area of ​​the wing W, and may be formed at a position beyond the boundary line 11. In other words, in this embodiment, the non-joined portion 223 of the side sheet 207 may be formed within the area of ​​the wing W. Alternatively, the outer end in the width direction D2 of the inner joint portion 221 of the side sheet 207 may not exceed the boundary line 11 between the main body 10 and the wing W, and the inner end in the width direction D2 of the outer joint portion 222 of the side sheet 207 may be located within the area of ​​the wing W.

[0053] Further, Fig. 9 shows a plan view of the absorbent article 201 in a state where a pair of wings W, W are folded back when worn, and Fig. 10 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 9. Note that in this example shown in Figs. 9 and 10, unlike the folding method shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the wings W, W are folded back at the boundary lines 11, 11 between the main body 10 and the wings W, W. That is, according to the folding method of the wings W, W in this embodiment, the fold lines 215, 215 are along the boundary lines 11, 11, respectively. However, the position where the fold line 215 is formed may be on the outer side in the width direction D2 of the boundary line 11, or may be on the inner side in the width direction D2 of the boundary line 11 as in the folding method exemplified in the first embodiment (Figs. 4 and 5).

[0054] 7 to 10, the flexible portions 225, 225 are positioned further outward in the width direction D2 than in the first embodiment, and this reduces the tendency of the flexible portions 225, 225 to bulge upward when the pair of wings W, W are folded back toward the undergarment S, and they can be formed to protrude further outward in the width direction D2. This makes it possible to more reliably fulfill the function of the flexible portions 225, 225, which is to reduce discomfort that may occur due to contact with the inside of the base of the legs, which often comes into contact with the main body 10 of the absorbent article 1 in the width direction D2.

[0055] In the second embodiment, when the wings W, W are folded back, the length c2 (FIG. 10) in the width direction D2 from the folding lines (folding positions) 215, 215 of the wings W, W to the outer ends 228, 228 of the bending portions 225, 225 in the width direction D2 may be approximately 1 to 10 mm.

[0056] <Third embodiment> Fig. 11 shows a plan view of absorbent article 301 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in Fig. 11. The basic configuration of absorbent article 301 according to the third embodiment and the basic effects obtained are similar to those of the first embodiment (Figs. 1 to 5) and the second embodiment (Figs. 7 to 10). In absorbent article 301 as well, side sheets 307, 307 are arranged on both sides of main body 310.

[0057] The third embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that it has no wings. Since there are no wings, the back sheet 302 has a slender shape in plan view that does not have any lateral extensions and is substantially the same as the main body 310. In addition, the side sheets 307, 307 also have a shape in plan view that does not have any lateral extensions.

[0058] The side sheets 307, 307 are joined so as to wrap the end edges (outer ends in the width direction D2) 311, 311 of the main body 310 in the width direction D2. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the joint portion 321a of each side sheet 307 is joined to the upper component of the main body 310 (top sheet 3 in this example), and the joint portion 321b is joined to the lower component of the main body 310 (back sheet 2 in this example). Between the joint portion 321a and the joint portion 321b of the side sheet 307, there is a non-joined portion 323 that is not joined to other components. The non-joined portion 323 of the side sheet 307 is arranged to sag so as to bulge, thereby forming a hollow flexible portion 325.

[0059] 11 and 12, the flexible portion 325 protrudes outward from the edge 311 in the width direction D2 of the main body 310. Therefore, when worn, it is the flexible portion 325, not the edge 311 in the width direction D2 of the main body 310, that comes into direct contact with the skin on the inside of the groin. A length c3 (FIG. 11) in the width direction D2 from the edge 311 in the width direction D2 of the main body 310 to the outer end 328 in the width direction D2 of the flexible portion 325 may be about 1 to 10 mm.

[0060] The flexible portion 325 is ring-shaped when viewed in a cross section along the width direction D2. In the illustrated embodiment, the ring-shaped cross section is formed by the flexible portion 325 and a part of the back sheet 302, but the flexible portion 325 alone may be ring-shaped. The flexible portion 325 has higher elasticity and flexibility than other parts of the absorbent article 1, and when both sides of the absorbent article 1 come into contact with the skin on the inside of the wearer's groin, it is less uncomfortable, and even if it rubs against the skin on the inside of the wearer's leg while walking, it is less likely to cause discomfort or pain. Also, in this embodiment, the ring-shaped cross section of the flexible portion 325 is maintained at any position in the front-rear direction D1, including both ends in the front-rear direction D1. The elasticity and flexibility of the flexible portion 325 are maintained throughout the front-rear direction D1, and the function of the flexible portion 325 can be exhibited even if the absorbent article 1 is attached to an underwear slightly shifted forward or backward. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1, 201, 301 Absorbent articles 2 Back seat 3 Top sheet 4. Absorber 7 Side seat 10 Main body (absorbent article main body) 11, 311 Outer end of the body in the width direction 15, 215 Turnaround line 21, 221 inner joint 22, 222 outer joint 23, 223, 323 Non-joint part 25, 225, 325 flexure 28, 228, 328 Outer end of flexure in width direction CL Anteroposterior center line D1 Anteroposterior direction D2 Width direction Q Area facing body fluid outlet W Wing

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising a main body having an upper liquid-permeable top sheet, a lower liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorbent body provided between the top sheet and the back sheet, A side sheet is disposed on each side of the main body, A pair of wings extending outward in a width direction from the body are further provided, The wing is mainly formed by joining a part of the back sheet and a part of the side sheet, The side sheet has an inner joint portion joined to the main body on the inner side in the width direction, an outer joint portion joined to the back sheet on the outer side in the width direction, and a non-joined portion between the inner joint portion and the outer joint portion, The non-jointed portion is a portion of the side sheet that is not joined to any component disposed under the side sheet, is not folded in the width direction, and is not joined to other side sheets over the entire front-rear direction of the side sheet, When the wing is folded down during installation, the side sheet wraps around the folding line, and a flexible portion having a ring-shaped cross section is formed by the non-jointed portion at any position in the front-rear direction including both ends in the front-rear direction, An absorbent article, wherein the widthwise outer end of the flexible portion is located widthwise outer than the fold line.

2. An absorbent article as described in claim 1, wherein the widthwise length of the non-jointed portion is 5 to 10 mm longer than the distance between the widthwise outer end of the inner joint portion and the widthwise inner end of the outer joint portion when the pair of wings are spread out.

3. The absorbent article of claim 1 or 2, wherein the flexure is formed within the wing.

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