Absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide a technology that restrains feces, evacuated from a user, from being leaked from an absorbent article.SOLUTION: An absorbent article according to the present invention includes: a skin abutting sheet capable of covering a user's anus in the state of being attached to the user; and a stretchable member that is provided so that a part, facing the user's anus, of the skin abutting sheet can be expanded / contracted in the longitudinal direction of connecting the crotch side and back side of the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, incontinence pads, sanitary products, etc. have been developed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-175885 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a user wearing an absorbent article defecates, the feces may move over the top sheet covering the user's anus and leak out of the absorbent article.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for preventing feces excreted by a user from leaking from an absorbent article. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, the portion of the top sheet that faces the user's anus is made stretchable in the longitudinal direction.

[0007] In detail, an absorbent article according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a skin-contacting sheet capable of covering the user's anus when worn by the user, and an elastic member configured to allow a portion of the skin-contacting sheet facing the user's anus to stretch in the longitudinal direction, which is the direction connecting the user's crotch side and back side.

[0008] In the absorbent article relating to the above-mentioned aspect, the elastic member may be a sheet-like member having an elastic film, an elastic nonwoven fabric, or rubber thread, and the elastic member may be provided in the absorbent article in a stretched state in the longitudinal direction.

[0009] In the absorbent article according to the above aspect, the stretchable member may have a hole penetrating therethrough in a thickness direction.

[0010] In the absorbent article relating to the above-mentioned aspect, the skin-contact sheet extends in the width direction of the absorbent article, is arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction so as to straddle the portion facing the user's anus, and has two holes penetrating in the thickness direction, and the elastic member is arranged to cover in the longitudinal direction an area of ​​the skin-contact sheet sandwiched between the two holes in the longitudinal direction.

[0011] In the absorbent article according to the above aspect, of the two holes, the first hole on the back side may have a larger dimension in the width direction of the absorbent article than the second hole on the crotch side.

[0012] In the absorbent article according to the above aspect, of the two holes, the second hole on the crotch side may have a dimension in the longitudinal direction longer than the first hole on the back side.

[0013] The absorbent article according to the above aspect may further include an absorbent body capable of absorbing excrement excreted by the user, and the stretchable member may be provided on a skin-facing side of the absorbent body.

[0014] In the absorbent article according to the above aspect, the absorbent body may have a thin portion in which the thickness of a portion that overlaps with the elastic member in the thickness direction is thinner than the thickness of a portion that does not overlap with the elastic member in the thickness direction.

[0015] In the absorbent article according to the above aspect, the thin portion may be provided in a portion that overlaps with the user's anus in a thickness direction. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent feces excreted by a user from leaking from an absorbent article. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diaper according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic top view of the topsheet. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an example of an enlarged top view of a stretch sheet. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an example of a top view of an absorbent body. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of an assembled diaper. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 illustrates the state of the diaper after the user has had a bowel movement. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 illustrates an outline of a diaper according to a first modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 illustrates a variation pattern of slits provided in the top sheet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, absorbent articles according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the configurations of the following embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments.

[0019] <Embodiment> In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of a tape-type disposable diaper (an example of an "absorbent article" in the present application, hereinafter simply referred to as a "diaper") is the direction connecting the front body arranged opposite the wearer's abdomen and the rear body arranged opposite the wearer's back. Between the front body (one side in the longitudinal direction) and the rear body (the other side in the longitudinal direction) (the center in the longitudinal direction), a crotch portion arranged under the wearer's crotch (opposed to the crotch). In addition, when the paper diaper is worn by a wearer (hereinafter abbreviated as "worn state"), the side facing the wearer's skin (the inner side when worn) is the skin-facing side, and the opposite side of the skin-facing side (the outer side when worn) is the non-skin-facing side. Furthermore, the direction connecting the skin-facing side and the non-skin-facing side is the thickness direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction is the width direction. In addition, the view from the thickness direction is the planar view.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a diaper according to the present embodiment. The diaper 1 has a crotch region 1B, which corresponds to the crotch region that covers the pubic area of ​​the wearer when worn, a front body region 1F, which is located in front of the crotch region 1B and corresponds to the front body of the wearer, and a back body region 1R, which is located behind the crotch region 1B and corresponds to the back body of the wearer. Tapes 2L and 2R are provided on both the left and right edges of the back body region 1R, which can be attached to a front patch 2F provided on the non-wearer side of the front body region 1F.

[0021] The tapes 2L and 2R have minute hooks on the skin side. On the other hand, the front patch 2F has minute loops arranged on its surface for hooking the hooks. In other words, the front patch 2F functions as a hook-and-loop fastener to which the tapes 2L and 2R can be attached. Thus, when the tapes 2L, 2R are attached to the front patch 2F with the front body region 1F positioned on the wearer's abdomen and the rear body region 1R positioned on the wearer's back, the diaper 1 is secured to the wearer's body surrounding the wearer's waist and thighs. Since the diaper 1 is secured to the wearer's body in this manner, the wearer can stand and walk while wearing the diaper 1.

[0022] In the diaper 1, a top sheet 7 (an example of the "skin contact sheet" of the present disclosure), an absorbent, a back sheet, and a cover sheet 9 are laminated in this order from the skin side (only the cover sheet 9 and the top sheet 7 are shown in Fig. 1). The absorbent is capable of absorbing and retaining liquid, and is disposed mainly around the crotch region 1B (details will be described later).

[0023] The top sheet 7 is a sheet-like member arranged to cover the water-absorbing surface of the absorbent body. The top sheet 7 is liquid-permeable in part or in whole. Therefore, when the diaper 1 is worn, liquid excreted from the wearer passes through the top sheet 7, which may come into contact with the wearer's skin, into the absorbent body and is absorbed therein. For example, woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, and porous film can be used as the material for the top sheet 7. The top sheet 7 may be hydrophilic.

[0024] Furthermore, in the diaper 1, a stretch sheet is laminated between the top sheet 7 and the absorbent body. The stretch sheet allows the top sheet 7 and the absorbent body to stretch in the longitudinal direction (as will be described in detail later).

[0025] The cover sheet 9 may be made of a nonwoven fabric made of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin, for example, to prevent leakage of excrement. Examples of liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resins include polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). The cover sheet 9 is not limited to a single-layer structure, and may be a multi-layer structure having an inner cover sheet and an outer cover sheet.

[0026] The back sheet, like the cover sheet 9, is a sheet formed from a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin material to prevent leakage of excrement. The back sheet is preferably made of a material that also has moisture permeability to prevent stuffiness when worn.

[0027] In order to prevent the formation of gaps between the diaper 1 and the wearer's skin that could serve as a path for liquid to escape, three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR are provided around the wearer's thighs, and waist gathers 3R are provided around the wearer's abdominal circumference. The three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR and waist gathers 3R adhere closely to the wearer's skin by the elasticity of the rubber thread. Such three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR and waist gathers 3R prevent liquid excreted from the wearer's genitals from leaking out of the diaper 1.

[0028] Fig. 2 illustrates an outline of a top view of the top sheet 7. The top surface of the top sheet 7 as shown in Fig. 2 comes into contact with the skin of the user when the user wears the diaper 1. When worn by a user, the right side in Fig. 2 is disposed on the user's back, and the left side is disposed between the user's legs.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, a slit 71 is provided in the back region of the top sheet 7, penetrating the top sheet 7 in the thickness direction. The slit 71 extends in the width direction of the top sheet 7. Two slits 71 are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction. Slit 71A located on the back side (an example of a "first hole" in the present disclosure) is longer in the vertical direction in FIG. 2 than slit 71B (an example of a "second hole" in the present disclosure) located on the crotch side. The dimension of slit 71B in the horizontal direction in FIG. 2 is longer than that of slit 71A. It should be noted that the area sandwiched between the two slits 71 in the longitudinal direction faces the user's anus when the user wears the diaper 1.

[0030] Fig. 3 is an example of an enlarged top view of a stretch sheet 4 (an example of an "stretchable member" in the present disclosure) provided in the diaper 1. The stretch sheet 4 as shown in Fig. 3 is, for example, a stretchable film. The stretch force of the stretch sheet 4 is stronger than that of the three-dimensional gathers 3BL or 3BR. The stretch sheet 4 may be made of, for example, a nonwoven fabric made of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin. Examples of liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resins include polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).

[0031] The stretch sheet 4 also has slits 41. The slits 41 extend in the depth direction in Fig. 3 and penetrate the stretch sheet 4 in the thickness direction. The slits 41 are arranged, for example, in pairs, side by side in the left-right direction in Fig. 3. The spacing between the slits 41 is the same as the spacing between the slits 71 provided in the top sheet 7 shown in Fig. 2. The stretch sheet 4 may be, for example, a stretchable nonwoven fabric or a sheet to which rubber thread is attached in a stretched state.

[0032] FIG. 4 is an example of a top view of the absorbent body 5 included in the diaper 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the absorbent body 5 has a groove 51 (an example of a "thin portion" in the present disclosure) recessed in the thickness direction on the upper surface. The groove 51 is disposed to the right of the center in the left-right direction in FIG. 4. The groove 51 extends in the up-down direction in FIG. 4. For example, two grooves 51 are disposed side by side in the left-right direction in FIG. 4. The interval at which the grooves 51 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction is equal to the interval between the slits 71 provided in the top sheet 7 shown in FIG. 2. A slit extending in the left-right direction is provided in the center of the absorbent body 5 in the left-right direction in FIG. 4.

[0033] The absorbent body 5 has a structure in which granular absorbent resin such as SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer), which is a hydrophilic polymer with a cross-linked structure capable of absorbing and retaining water, is held in gaps between short fibers of cellulosic fibers such as pulp fibers, rayon fibers, or cotton fibers, or short fibers obtained by hydrophilizing synthetic fibers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate. Therefore, in the absorbent body 5, the volumetric change of the absorbent resin before and after absorbing liquid basically occurs within the short fibers that hold the absorbent resin in the gaps. Therefore, when the absorbent body 5 is viewed as a whole, it can be said that the expansion rate of the thickness of the absorbent body 5 that has absorbed liquid is not as large as the expansion rate of the absorbent resin itself.

[0034] The SAP particles of this embodiment refer to a resin composition containing SAP in a granular form. The term "SAP-containing resin composition" as used herein includes both a composition consisting of SAP alone and a composition containing SAP as the main component and containing other substances to the extent that they do not adversely affect the water absorption. Examples of "other substances" include additives (such as surface modifiers added to make the particle surface hydrophobic) and unreacted monomers remaining during the synthesis of SAP.

[0035] Fig. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of a diaper 1 assembled from the components shown in Fig. 2 to Fig. 4. Fig. 5(A) is an example of a top view of the diaper 1. Fig. 5(B) is an outline of a cross-sectional view of the diaper 1 cut along a plane perpendicular to the width direction.

[0036] As shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B), in the diaper 1, a top sheet 7, a stretch sheet 4, and an absorbent body 5 are laminated in this order from the skin facing side. The area sandwiched in the longitudinal direction between the two slits 71 of the top sheet 7 becomes the portion that overlaps with the user's anus 6 in the thickness direction when the user wears the diaper 1 (hereinafter referred to as the anus facing portion 72). The stretch sheet 4 overlaps the non-skin facing side of the anus facing portion 72. When the stretch sheet 4 is provided in this manner, the slits 71 in the top sheet 7 and the slits 41 in the stretch sheet 4 overlap. Furthermore, the slits 41 in the stretch sheet 4 and the grooves 51 in the absorbent body 5 overlap in the thickness direction. The stretch sheet 4 is formed in advance separately from the components of the diaper 1, such as the top sheet 7. The stretch sheet 4 is fixed to the absorbent body 5 and the top sheet 7 by heat welding or the like while being stretched in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1.

[0037] Fig. 6 illustrates the state of the diaper 1 after the user has defecates. Fig. 6 is an example of an enlarged cross-sectional view of the diaper 1 cut along a plane perpendicular to the width direction.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 6, feces 8 (an example of "excrement" in the present disclosure) excreted by the user adheres to the anus-facing portion 72 of the top sheet 7 facing the anus 6. Then, a force acts on the anus-facing portion 72 from the skin-facing side to the non-skin-facing side due to the weight of the feces. Therefore, the anus-facing portion 72 becomes recessed from the skin-facing side to the non-skin-facing side compared to Fig. 5(B).

[0039] Furthermore, by the anus facing portion 72 being depressed in this manner, the stretchable sheet 4 laminated with the anus facing portion 72 is further stretched in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the back side edge 78A of the slit 71A and the crotch side edge 78B of the slit 71B are subjected to a force that narrows them in the longitudinal direction due to the restoring force of the stretchable sheet 4. Therefore, stool is prevented from escaping from the anus facing portion 72, and is stably held in the anus facing portion 72.

[0040] [Actions and Effects] According to the diaper 1 as described above, when the user defecates, the anus facing portion 72 with the feces 8 adhering thereto recesses from the skin facing side to the non-skin side (see FIG. 6). In addition, since the slits 71 (71A, 71B) are located at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the anus facing portion 72, the degree to which the anus facing portion 72 recesses from the skin facing side to the non-skin side increases. This prevents the feces from moving out of the anus facing portion 72. This prevents the feces from leaking out of the diaper 1. In addition, the recession of the anus facing portion 72 from the skin facing side to the non-skin side prevents the feces held in the anus facing portion 72 from adhering to the user's skin.

[0041] Furthermore, in the diaper 1 described above, the elasticity of the elastic sheet 4 is stronger than that of the three-dimensional gathers 3BL or 3BR. Therefore, when the user defecates and the stool adheres to the anus facing portion 72, the elastic sheet 4 laminated on the anus facing portion 72 stretches due to the weight of the stool before the stool moves over the top sheet 7 and passes the three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR. Thus, the stool is held in the anus facing portion 72. This prevents the stool from leaking out of the diaper 1.

[0042] Moreover, according to the diaper 1 as described above, the stretch sheet 4 is disposed closer to the top sheet 7 than the absorbent body 5. The stretch sheet 4 is a liquid-impermeable sheet. Therefore, even if urine is absorbed in the absorbent body 5 and urine seeps out from the absorbent body 5 due to the absorbent body 5 being distorted in the thickness direction by the weight of feces 8 as shown in FIG. 6, the seeped urine is prevented from reaching the top sheet 7. This prevents urine from adhering to the user's skin. This prevents problems such as bedsores on the user's skin from occurring.

[0043] Furthermore, the anus facing portion 72 of the top sheet 7 can be contracted in the longitudinal direction by the restoring force of the elastic sheet 4 before the user defecates. In such a case, the anus facing portion 72 has undulations in the longitudinal direction. This reduces the degree to which the anus facing portion 72 comes into contact with the user's skin. This prevents problems such as bedsores on the user's skin from occurring even if urine is attached to the top sheet 7.

[0044] In addition, according to the diaper 1 as described above, the top sheet 7 is provided with slits 71 extending in the width direction, and the slits 41 of the elastic sheet 4 are provided so as to overlap with the slits 71. Therefore, the flow of moisture contained in the excrement in the longitudinal direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the width direction in the top sheet 7, is suppressed. Therefore, even if the user excretes watery stool, for example, the moisture contained in the watery stool is suppressed from leaking from the back side of the diaper 1. In addition, moisture can pass from the top sheet 7 side to the absorbent body 5 side through these slits. Therefore, the moisture contained in the watery stool can be absorbed by the absorbent body 5. Therefore, the adhesion of moisture to the user's skin is suppressed, and the occurrence of problems such as bedsores on the user's skin is suppressed.

[0045] Among the slits 71 provided in the top sheet 7, the dimension in the width direction of the diaper 1 of the slit 71A located on the back side is longer than the same dimension of the slit 71B located on the crotch side. This enhances the effect of suppressing the flow of moisture contained in the waste material discharged from the user from the crotch side to the back side. Furthermore, the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the slit 71B located on the crotch side is longer than the same dimension of the slit 71A on the back side. Therefore, when urine discharged from the user's urethral opening flows on the top sheet 7 from the crotch side to the back side, the urine can be reliably guided toward the absorber 5 via the slit 71B.

[0046] Moreover, according to the diaper 1 as described above, the grooves 51 are provided in the portion of the absorbent body 5 overlapping with the stretch sheet 4. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5(B), even before the user has a bowel movement and a contractile force that causes the stretch sheet 4 to contract in the longitudinal direction acts on the absorbent body 5, the grooves 51 narrow in the longitudinal direction, thereby suppressing deformation of the absorbent body 5. Therefore, even when the user excretes urine from the urethral opening or watery stool from the anus 6, for example, a decrease in the absorption efficiency of the absorbent body 5 is suppressed. Furthermore, by arranging a plurality of such grooves 51 in a line in the longitudinal direction, the effect of suppressing deformation of the absorbent body 5 is enhanced.

[0047] [First Modification] Fig. 7 is an example of a cross-sectional view of a diaper 1A according to a first modified example. The cross-sectional view shown in Fig. 7 is a view of the diaper 1A cut along a plane perpendicular to the width direction.

[0048] The diaper 1A according to the first modification includes an absorbent body 5A similar to the absorbent body 5 shown in Fig. 4. However, instead of the grooves 51, the absorbent body 5A is provided with slits 51A penetrating in the thickness direction.

[0049] The diaper 1A also has a stretch sheet 4A. The stretch sheet 4A is attached to the non-skin facing side of the cover sheet 9. The stretch sheet 4A may be laminated between the absorbent body 5A and the cover sheet 9. The stretch sheet 4A does not have any slits.

[0050] [Actions and Effects] In the diaper 1A described above, when the user defecates and the feces adheres to the anus facing portion 72, the weight of the feces causes the stretchable sheet 4A attached to the non-skin facing side of the cover sheet 9 to stretch in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the back side edge 78A of the slit 71A and the crotch side edge 78B of the slit 71B are subjected to a force that narrows them in the longitudinal direction due to the restoring force of the stretchable sheet 4A. As a result, the feces is prevented from escaping from the anus facing portion 72 and is stably held in the anus facing portion 72. As a result, the feces is prevented from leaking out of the diaper 1A.

[0051] [Modification of slit 71] FIG. 8 illustrates deformation patterns of the slits 71 provided in the top sheet 7. The left side in FIG. 8 corresponds to the crotch side of the user when the diaper 1 is worn by the user, and the right side corresponds to the back side.

[0052] 8(A), the dimension of the slit 76A on the back side in the width direction of the diaper 1 is longer than the dimension of the slit 76B on the crotch side, as in the slit 71 of the embodiment. In the slit 76 of the modified example, the dimension of the slit 76B on the crotch side in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1 is equal to that of the slit 76A on the back side. This type of slit 76 can also achieve the same effect as the slit 71 of the embodiment.

[0053] 8(B), the slit 77B on the crotch side in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1 is longer than the slit 77A on the back side, as in the slit 71 according to the embodiment. In the slit 77 according to the modified example, the slit 77B on the crotch side in the width direction of the diaper 1 is equal to the slit 77A on the back side. With such a slit 77, when urine excreted from the user's urethral opening flows over the top sheet 7 from the crotch side to the back side, the urine can be reliably guided toward the absorber 5 via the slit 77B.

[0054] [Other variations] The top sheet 7 may not have the slits 71. The stretch sheet 4 may be arranged so that the anus-facing portion 72 of the top sheet 7 can stretch in the longitudinal direction. The stretch sheet 4 may be welded to the top sheet 7 and the absorbent body 5 in an unstretched state. The grooves 51 may be recessed from the non-skin-facing side toward the skin-facing side. The grooves 51 may not be provided. A urine pad to be used by placing it on the top sheet 7 of the diaper 1 may have a structure in which the top sheet 7, the stretch sheet 4, and the absorbent body 5 are laminated as described above. As an alternative to the stretch sheet 4, a rubber thread in a stretched state may be adhered to the top sheet 7 or the absorbent body 5.

[0055] The embodiments and modifications disclosed above can be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1, 1A: Diapers 1B: Inseam area 1F: Front body area 1R: Back body area 2F: Front patch 2L, 2R: Tape 3BL, 3BR: 3D gathers 3R: Waist Gather 4, 4A: Stretch sheet 5: Absorbent 6 :Anus 7: Top sheet 8: flight 9: Cover sheet 41: Slit 51: Groove 51A: Slit 71, 71A, 71B: Slit 72: Anus facing area 76, 76A, 76B: Slit 77, 77A, 77B: Slit 78A, 78B: Edge

Claims

1. a skin contact sheet capable of covering the anus of a user when worn by the user; a stretchable member that is provided so that a portion of the skin contact sheet facing the anus of the user can be stretched in a longitudinal direction that is a direction connecting the crotch side and the back side of the user, the skin contact sheet extends in a width direction of the absorbent article, is arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction so as to straddle a portion facing the anus of the user, and has two holes penetrating in a thickness direction; the stretchable member is provided so as to cover, in the longitudinal direction, a region of the skin contact sheet sandwiched between the two holes in the longitudinal direction; Absorbent articles.

2. the elastic member is an elastic film, an elastic nonwoven fabric, or a sheet-like member having rubber thread, The stretchable member is provided to the absorbent article in a state stretched in the longitudinal direction. The absorbent article of claim 1.

3. The elastic member has a hole penetrating in a thickness direction. The absorbent article of claim 2.

4. Of the two holes, the first hole on the back side has a dimension in the width direction of the absorbent article that is longer than the second hole on the crotch side. An absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. Of the two holes, the second hole on the crotch side has a dimension in the longitudinal direction longer than the first hole on the back side.

5. An absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The absorbent body may further include an absorbent capable of absorbing excrement discharged from the user. The stretchable member is provided on the skin side of the absorbent body. An absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The absorbent body has a thin portion in which a thickness of a portion overlapping with the elastic member in a thickness direction is thinner than a thickness of a portion not overlapping with the elastic member in the thickness direction. The absorbent article of claim 6.

8. The thin portion is provided in a portion overlapping with the anus of the user in a thickness direction. The absorbent article of claim 7.

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