Absorbent article container

Abstract

To provide a paper-made absorbent article storage body with high moisture-proofness.SOLUTION: An absorbent article storage body (1) includes an absorbent article 100 and a storage member 10, the storage member 10 having a first surface (S1) and a second surface (S2) which are at least partially made of paper, the second surface (S2) being folded to form a prescribed angle to the first surface (S1) with a folding guide wire (FL1) as a basis and has a cutting guide wire (12) for forming an opening mouth (30), ranging from the first surface (S1) to the second surface (S2). The cutting guide wire (12) is constituted of a plurality of cuts (12S) formed at an interval (g12S) and each of the plurality of cuts (12S) is provided at a position not overlapped with a folding guide wire (FL1).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a container for absorbent articles in which a plurality of absorbent articles such as diapers and sanitary napkins are contained inside a container member. In recent years, paper package products using paper have been attracting attention as such containers for absorbent articles from the viewpoint of environmental consideration such as the elimination of plastic. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology relating to a package product in which a plurality of articles are contained inside a parallelepiped-shaped flexible gusset package formed by a laminate in which a paper layer and a film layer are laminated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP2019-59552 Public Relations Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Since such paper packages are harder than conventional packages made of plastic films, etc., it is common to provide folding guide lines to make the paper easier to fold, thereby stabilizing the shape of the container (e.g., a parallelepiped shape). In addition, in order to make it easier to form an opening for removing the contained product, cutting guide lines such as so-called perforations may be provided on the surface of the paper package.

[0005] However, if a tear guide such as a perforation is provided so as to overlap with a fold guide line, the perforation may widen before opening, causing a part of the opening to open, and moisture in the air may enter the inside, causing a loss of moisture resistance. In particular, a container for an absorbent article that contains absorbent articles such as napkins and diapers needs to have high moisture resistance in order to prevent deterioration of water absorption performance.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a paper container for absorbent articles that has high moisture resistance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The main invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is an absorbent article container comprising an absorbent article and a container member for containing the absorbent article, the container member having a first surface and a second surface at least partially made of paper, the second surface being folded at a predetermined angle relative to the first surface based on a fold guide line, and having a cut guide line for forming an opening extending from the first surface to the second surface, the cut guide line being composed of a plurality of cuts spaced apart, and each of the plurality of cuts being located at a position that does not overlap with the fold guide line. Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention and the accompanying drawings. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a paper-made absorbent article container having high moisture resistance. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a sanitary napkin container 1 as viewed obliquely from the front. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the sanitary napkin container 1 as seen obliquely from behind. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a plurality of absorbent articles 100 are contained inside the sanitary napkin container 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional structure of a base sheet 11 constituting a storage member 10. FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 is a schematic perspective view of an absorbent article 100 housed in a housing member 10. FIG. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are a schematic plan view and a schematic cross-sectional view of an absorbent article 100 in an unfolded state. [Figure 7] 13 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of cutting guide lines 12 and folding guide lines FL1. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a diagram showing the cross-sectional shape of a storage member 10 when viewed from the left-right direction. FIG. [Figure 9] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating modified examples of the arrangement of the cutting guide line 12 and the folding guide line FL1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] At least the following points will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings. An absorbent article container comprising an absorbent article and a storage member for storing the absorbent article, the storage member having a first surface and a second surface at least partially made of paper, the second surface being folded at a predetermined angle relative to the first surface based on a fold guide line, and having a cut guide line for forming an opening extending from the first surface to the second surface, the cut guide line being composed of a plurality of cuts spaced apart, and each of the plurality of cuts being disposed at a position that does not overlap with the fold guide line.

[0011] With such an absorbent article container, the force generated when folding the first and second surfaces with respect to the folding guide line does not directly act on the tear guide line. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the incision from widening and part of the opening opening from opening before the container is opened. This makes it possible to realize an absorbent article container made of a paper package that has high moisture resistance, is easy to maintain its shape, and allows the absorbent article to be easily removed.

[0012] It is desirable for such an absorbent article container to have a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and a front-rear direction that intersect with each other, the fold guide line having a discontinuous portion in the horizontal direction where a portion is discontinuous, and the multiple notches being provided in positions that overlap with the discontinuous portions.

[0013] In such an absorbent article container, the first surface and the second surface are folded loosely at the discontinuous portion, so that the force of the folding is less likely to act on the cut that constitutes the cutting guide line. This makes it easier to prevent the cut from widening and part of the opening opening from opening. This further improves the moisture resistance of the container.

[0014] It is desirable for such an absorbent article container to have a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and a front-rear direction that intersect with each other, the fold guide line being provided continuously from one end side to the other end side in the horizontal direction, and the fold guide line being provided between two adjacent notches in the vertical direction.

[0015] With such an absorbent article container, the force of bending is unlikely to directly act on the cuts that form the tear guide lines, and it is possible to prevent the cuts from widening and part of the opening opening from opening before the container is opened. In addition, because the fold guide lines are continuous, it is easy to form a fold at the boundary between the first and second surfaces, making it easier to stabilize the shape of the container member.

[0016] In such an absorbent article container, it is desirable that the width of the fold guide line is smaller than the distance between two adjacent ones of the cuts.

[0017] In this type of absorbent article container, the distance between two adjacent cuts is set wider than the width of the fold guide line, which prevents the cuts that make up the cut guide line from joining together and makes it easier to prevent the opening of the opening before opening. This can further improve the moisture resistance of the container.

[0018] In such an absorbent article container, it is desirable that the width of the fold guide line is equal to or greater than the distance between two adjacent notches.

[0019] In this type of absorbent article container, the intervals between the cuts that form the tear guide line can be made as narrow as possible, making it easier to tear the container along the tear guide line, which makes it easier to form an opening in the container that has become hardened by containing paper.

[0020] In such a container for absorbent articles, it is desirable that the smaller of the angles formed by the first surface and the second surface is greater than 90 degrees.

[0021] In such an absorbent article container, the bending angle of the second surface relative to the first surface is small, so the force acting on the tear guide line during folding can be weakened. This makes it easier to prevent the opening of the opening before opening, and further improves the moisture resistance of the container.

[0022] It is desirable for such an absorbent article container to have a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and a front-rear direction that intersect with each other, the cutting guide lines being arranged in a pair at a distance in the horizontal direction at a position straddling the boundary between the first surface and the second surface, and the fold guide line being provided in the area between the pair of cutting guide lines in the horizontal direction.

[0023] With this type of absorbent article container, the portion of the container member that is cut along the cut guide line when forming the opening is more likely to maintain its bent state based on the fold guide line, and can be used as a cover for the opening even after it has been cut. This makes it possible to prevent water droplets and the like from entering through the opening.

[0024] It is desirable for such a container for absorbent articles to have a top-bottom direction, a left-right direction, and a front-to-back direction that intersect with each other, the container member having a third surface and a fourth surface located opposite the first surface and the second surface in the front-to-back direction, and having the cutting guide line for forming the opening opening on the rear side of the container member extending from the third surface to the fourth surface.

[0025] According to such an absorbent article container, openings are provided on the third and fourth surfaces (rear side) of the container member in addition to the first and second surfaces (front side), making it easier to remove the absorbent articles contained inside the container member.

[0026] In such a container for absorbent articles, it is desirable that a pattern representing information regarding at least one of the position and shape of the opening is provided on the third surface.

[0027] With this type of absorbent article container, a user can visually check the pattern and at a glance grasp the location where the opening will be formed on the rear side of the container member and the shape of the opening, making it easier to open the container.

[0028] In such a container for an absorbent article, it is desirable that the container member is composed of a base sheet in which a paper layer and a resin layer are laminated, and that the weight of the paper layer accounts for 50% or more of the total weight of the container member.

[0029] In this type of absorbent article container, the weight ratio of paper is 50% or more, which makes it easier for users to recognize that the container is an environmentally friendly product. In addition, because the base sheet of the container member has a resin layer, even though it is a paper product, moisture does not easily penetrate the absorbent article contained therein, and sufficient moisture resistance can be ensured.

[0030] It is desirable that the container for such an absorbent article has, in the thickness direction of the base sheet, the paper layer provided on the front side of the resin layer, and a coating layer made of water-soluble ink that covers the base sheet is provided on the front side of the paper layer.

[0031] According to such a container for absorbent articles, even if the layer on the surface side in the thickness direction (outer layer) is made of paper, the water resistance of the paper layer can be increased by coating it with a covering layer. This makes it possible to prevent moisture from reaching the absorbent article contained inside the container member. In addition, the provision of the covering layer increases the strength of the outer layer, making it possible to make the container member less likely to lose its shape.

[0032] In such a container for absorbent articles, it is desirable that the paper constituting the container member is 100% recycled paper.

[0033] In such a container for absorbent articles, the use of recycled paper makes it easier to create the texture and feel of paper in the container member, and makes it easier for users to recognize that it is an environmentally friendly product. In addition, since recycled paper tends to be more rigid than regular paper, the shape of the base sheet when folded along the fold guide line is more stable, making it difficult for the container member to lose its shape.

[0034] In such a container for absorbent articles, it is preferable that the absorbent articles are contained in the container member in an individually wrapped state, in which the absorbent articles are individually wrapped in a film wrapping material.

[0035] According to such a container for absorbent articles, the absorbent articles are individually wrapped in a packaging material, so that the absorbent body, etc., is less likely to be exposed to the atmosphere, and it is possible to prevent the absorbent body, etc. from absorbing moisture from the atmosphere and losing its absorption performance, etc. Therefore, even after the container is opened, it is possible to easily maintain the absorption performance of the multiple absorbent articles contained therein in a good state.

[0036] In such an absorbent article container, it is desirable that a plurality of the absorbent articles are contained in the container member in a state where they are stacked in the thickness direction of the individually packaged absorbent articles so that the thickness direction of the absorbent articles intersects with the normal direction of the first surface.

[0037] According to this type of absorbent article container, a space is formed between the absorbent articles stacked in the thickness direction, and the existence of such a space prevents the action of pushing the area surrounded by the cutting guide lines from the outside to the inside from being interfered with by the absorbent articles inside, making it easier to cut the cutting guide lines. This makes it easier to form an opening. === Implementation form ===

[0038] <Basic configuration of absorbent article container 1> As an example of a container for absorbent articles according to the present invention, an embodiment will be described taking a sanitary napkin container 1 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "container 1") that contains a sanitary napkin as an example. However, the absorbent article contained in the container 1 is not limited to a sanitary napkin, and may be any absorbent article that can be contained in a container member, such as a disposable diaper, panty liner, or light incontinence pad.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the sanitary napkin container 1 (container 1) as viewed obliquely from the front. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the sanitary napkin container 1 (container 1) as viewed obliquely from the rear. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a state in which a plurality of absorbent articles 100 are contained inside the container 1. The container 1 has a container member 10 which is a bag-shaped member, and one or more (plural) absorbent articles 100 (hereinafter also referred to as "napkins 100") contained inside the container member 10. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the container 1 (container member 10) has an up-down direction, a left-right direction, and a front-rear direction which intersect with each other.

[0040] (Housing member 10) 1, the storage member 10 is a roughly heptahedral container with a triangular roof-shaped upper portion, and is formed by folding and joining predetermined portions of a base sheet 11, which is a sheet member that constitutes the storage member 10. The method of folding the base sheet 11 to form the roughly heptahedral storage member 10 as shown in FIG. 1 may be, for example, the same as a known method for manufacturing a milk carton, or another method.

[0041] In this embodiment, the front surface of the housing member 10 is referred to as a front side surface S1, and the oblique surface provided on the upper side of the front side surface is referred to as a front upper surface S2. Similarly, the rear surface of the housing member 10 is referred to as a rear side surface S3, and the oblique surface provided on the upper side of the rear side surface is referred to as a rear upper surface S4. In addition, the right side surface of the housing member 10 is referred to as a right side surface S5, the left side surface is referred to as a left side surface S6, and the bottom surface is referred to as a bottom surface S7 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0042] These surfaces S1 to S7 are formed by folding using the boundary line between adjacent surfaces as a reference. For example, the front upper surface S2 (second surface) is formed by folding at a predetermined angle with respect to the front side surface S1 (first surface) adjacent to the lower side, using the boundary line (FL1 in FIG. 1) with the front side surface S1 as a reference. In this embodiment, a folding guide line FL (described in detail later) is provided at the position of the boundary line serving as the folding reference, making it easier to fold the adjacent surfaces together.

[0043] A cut guide line 12 is provided on the front side of the container 10. The cut guide line 12 is arranged from the front side surface S1 (first surface) to the front upper surface S2 (second surface) as shown in FIG. 1, and an opening 30 for taking out the napkin 100 is formed by cutting a part of the base sheet 11 constituting the container 10 along the cut guide line 12 (see FIG. 3). In addition, a cut guide line 13 for forming the opening 30 similarly to the cut guide line 12 is provided on the rear side of the container 10 (see FIG. 2). The cut guide line 13 is arranged from the rear side surface S3 (third surface) to the rear upper surface S4 (fourth surface) as shown in FIG. 2. The specific configuration of the cut guide line 12 (13) will be described later.

[0044] A pattern 15 is provided on the surface of the storage member 10. The pattern 15 is provided to allow the user to visually recognize various information related to the storage body 1 (napkin 100). For example, the front side surface S1 of the storage member 10 is provided with the pattern 15, which may include the name (e.g., brand name and sub-brand name) and characteristics (e.g., absorption capacity) of the napkin 100 stored therein, a graphic (e.g., a picture of a napkin) that evokes the absorbent article 100, and various information related to the size of the wearer. In addition, the pattern 15 may include a display of various certification marks (not shown). The pattern 15 is mainly formed by printing.

[0045] 4 is a diagram illustrating the cross-sectional structure of the base sheet 11 constituting the storage member 10. The base sheet 11 is a laminated sheet member formed by laminating a plurality of sheet members in the thickness direction. The base sheet 11 of this embodiment has a two-layer structure with an outer layer 11a disposed on the outside in the thickness direction (the front surface side of the storage member 10) and an inner layer 11b disposed on the inside in the thickness direction (the back surface side of the storage member 10). However, the base sheet 11 may have three or more layers.

[0046] At least a part of the outer layer 11a is made of paper. Here, "paper" refers to a material manufactured by bonding plant fibers and the like, and in a broad sense includes synthetic paper manufactured using synthetic polymeric substances as materials, as well as paper containing fibrous inorganic materials. Since the outer layer 11a is made of a paper material, it is easy for users to recognize that the container 1 is a so-called "plastic-free" product that reduces petroleum-derived materials, and it is possible to give the user an environmentally friendly image. In this embodiment, the outer layer 11a is preferably made of "paper" made of plant fibers such as pulp fibers, and it is more preferable that the entire outer layer 11a is made of recycled paper.

[0047] At least a portion of the inner layer 11b is made of resin. Here, "resin" refers to a synthetic resin made of a polymer compound, and examples of thermoplastic resins that can be used include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polycarbonate, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). By providing a resin layer on the inside of the paper outer layer 11a, moisture in the air (including water droplets in the shower room) is prevented from penetrating from the outside to the inside of the container 1, making it easier to maintain the moisture resistance of the napkin 100 contained inside.

[0048] Since the inner layer 11b, which is the inner surface of the base sheet 11, is made of a thermoplastic resin, the inner surfaces can be heat-sealed together when forming the storage member 10. For example, in the storage member 10 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the upper end S2e of the front upper surface S2 and the upper end S4e of the rear upper surface S4 are joined by a welding part 50 formed along the left-right direction with the inner surfaces (inner layers 11b) facing each other. In this way, the inner layer 11b and the surface facing (contacting) the inner layer 11b in the thickness direction can be firmly joined, and high moisture resistance can be achieved. In addition, in the storage member 10 of this embodiment, the surfaces facing the base sheet 11 are also joined by heat welding at places other than the welding part 50, thereby improving the overall strength and moisture resistance.

[0049] The above-mentioned pattern 15 is provided on a portion of the surface of the base sheet 11 (i.e., the outer surface in the thickness direction of the outer layer 11a). A covering layer 16 that covers the surface (outer surface) of the base sheet 11 is provided on the outermost side in the thickness direction of the base sheet 11. In this specification, the covering layer 16 is also described as being part of the base sheet 11.

[0050] The coating layer 16 is a layer formed by applying a predetermined liquid over the entire surface of the base sheet 11. For example, the applied liquid may be a water-soluble ink obtained by adding an additive to a water-soluble acrylate. The coating layer 16 is preferably non-uniform in thickness and has fine irregularities on its surface. By forming such a coating layer 16, the glossiness of the surface of the base sheet 11 can be adjusted to give it a so-called matte finish. That is, the coating layer 16 can be a matte coating layer. In FIG. 4, an example is shown in which the coating layer 16 is formed on the surface side of the pattern 15 in the thickness direction, but the pattern 15 and the coating layer 16 may be formed at the same time. The pattern 15 may be formed after the coating layer 16 is formed.

[0051] (Absorbent article 100) Next, the absorbent article 100 (napkin 100) to be accommodated in the accommodation member 10 will be described. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the absorbent article 100 accommodated in the accommodation member 10. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view and a schematic cross-sectional view of the absorbent article 100 in an unfolded state. In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the napkin 100 has a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and a thickness direction that intersect with each other. The vertical direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the napkin 100 in an unfolded state, and the side that contacts the lower abdomen of the wearer when in use is the front side, and the side that contacts the buttocks is the rear side. The horizontal direction corresponds to the short side direction of the absorbent article 100 in an unfolded state. In addition, in the thickness direction, the side that contacts the wearer's skin is the skin side, and the opposite side is the non-skin side.

[0052] The napkin 100 comprises a napkin body 110 and a packaging material 150. The napkin body 110 is a typical sanitary napkin, and in the developed state of FIG. 6, a skin-side sheet 112, an absorbent 111, and a non-skin-side sheet 113 are laminated in this order from the skin side in the thickness direction. The absorbent 111 is a member that absorbs and retains excreted liquid such as menstrual blood, and is made of liquid-absorbent fibers such as pulp fibers, or liquid-absorbent fibers containing a superabsorbent polymer (so-called SAP). The skin-side sheet 112 is a liquid-permeable sheet member, and an example of such a sheet member is an air-through nonwoven fabric. The non-skin-side sheet 113 is a liquid-impermeable sheet member, and an example of such a sheet member is a polyethylene (PE) resin film. In addition, a central adhesive portion (indicated by a dashed line in the BB cross-sectional view of FIG. 6) is provided on the non-skin side surface in the thickness direction of the non-skin-side sheet 113 for fixing the napkin body 110 to the underwear of the wearer when in use. The shape of the napkin 100 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 6, and may be, for example, one with wings on both sides or one with different shapes at the front and back.

[0053] The wrapping material 150 is a sheet member for individually wrapping the napkin body 110, and is formed from various films such as a film laminated with nonwoven fabric, a plastic film, a nylon film, etc. The wrapping material 150 is superimposed on the non-skin side of the napkin body 110 in the thickness direction and joined via a protective sheet 160.

[0054] Protective sheet 160 is a sheet member provided on the non-skin side of napkin body 110. The skin side of protective sheet 160 is treated with a release coating using silicone resin or the like, and is removably attached to the central adhesive part of napkin body 110. On the other hand, the non-skin side of protective sheet 160 is joined to packaging material 150.

[0055] The napkin 100 is stored in the storage member 10 in an individually packaged state as shown in Fig. 5. When the napkin 100 is individually packaged, the napkin body 110 and the packaging material 150 are folded in sequence from the unfolded state shown in Fig. 6 at the second folding portion F2 and the first folding portion F1 along the width direction so that the skin side is on the inside. Then, in the folded state, both ends sw in the width direction of the packaging material 150 are joined by heat fusion or the like, and the longitudinal ends of the packaging material 150 are fastened using fastening tape 170 or the like, resulting in the individually packaged state as shown in Fig. 5.

[0056] A plurality of individually packaged napkins 100 are stored inside the storage member 10. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, a plurality of napkins 100 are stored in a state where they are stacked in the thickness direction along the left-right direction of the storage member 10, and distributed to the market as a sanitary napkin storage body 1. When using the napkins 100, the individually packaged napkins 100 are individually removed from the opening 30 formed at the top of the storage member 10, and after unfolding as shown in Fig. 6, the packaging material 150 and protective sheet 160 are removed from the napkin body 110 and used.

[0057] <About Cut Guide Line 12> The cutting guide line 12 provided on the storage member 10 will be described in detail. Note that the cutting guide line 13 has a configuration similar to that of the cutting guide line 12, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the cutting guide line 12 and the fold guide line FL1. The cutting guide line 12 is a perforated line formed by arranging a plurality of cuts 12S at a predetermined interval (g12S), and is arranged in a substantially U-shape as shown in FIG. 7 from the front side surface S1 (first surface) to the front upper surface S2 (second surface) of the storage member 10. In other words, the cutting guide line 12 is arranged so as to straddle the boundary line between the front side surface S1 (first surface) and the front upper surface S2 (second surface).

[0058] Each of the cuts 12S is a slit that penetrates the base sheet 11 (and the covering layer 16) shown in FIG. 4 from the skin side to the non-skin side in the thickness direction, and is formed by pressing a cut-forming blade (such as a sewing machine blade) against the base sheet 11 in the thickness direction during the manufacturing process of the storage member 10. By arranging such cuts 12S intermittently, it is possible to easily cut the base sheet 11 along the cut guide line 12, and it is possible to easily form the opening 30 with the cut guide line 12 as the outer edge. Note that the cuts 12S do not necessarily need to penetrate the base sheet 11 in the thickness direction, and may not penetrate in the thickness direction. For example, the cuts 12S may be configured to penetrate only the outer layer 11a of the base sheet 11 and not penetrate the inner layer 11b. With such a configuration, it is easier to prevent moisture in the air from penetrating the cuts 12S and penetrating the inside of the storage member 10, and the moisture-proofing of the absorbent article 100 can be further improved.

[0059] Incidentally, as described above, at least a portion (the outer layer 11a of the base sheet 11) of the storage member 10 of this embodiment is made of a paper material. Such a paper package is harder and less likely to deform than a conventional film package made of polyethylene resin or the like. Therefore, in this embodiment, folding guide lines FL are provided on the boundary lines of each of the faces S1 to S7 of the storage member 10 to make it easier to fold the base sheet 11, thereby making it easier to form the storage member 10 into a substantially heptahedral shape as shown in FIG. 1. By stabilizing the shape of the storage member 10, it is possible to easily take out the absorbent article 100 (napkin 100) from inside the storage member 10 through the opening 30.

[0060] The fold guide line FL is formed by squeezing the base sheet 11 in the thickness direction during the manufacturing process of the storage member 10. For example, before folding the base sheet 11 in a flat state to form the surfaces S1 to S7, the base sheet 11 is pre-squeezed into a strip-like shape having a predetermined width (tFL) along the boundary line to be folded, so that the base sheet 11 can be easily folded along the strip-like compressed portion. In Fig. 7, a fold guide line FL1 having a width tFL1 is formed along the boundary line between the front side surface S1 (first surface) and the front upper surface S2 (second surface).

[0061] When actually manufacturing the container 10, the folding guide line FL is formed on the flat base sheet 11, and then each surface is folded along the folding guide line FL. However, in this embodiment, the cutting guide line 12 is arranged so as to straddle the boundary line between the front side surface S1 (first surface) and the front upper surface S2 (second surface), so that the force of bending acts on the cutting guide line 12 itself, and the cutting guide line 12 may be torn. In addition, while a user who purchased the container 1 is storing it at home or the like, the slit 12S may widen due to the influence of the folding guide line FL, and a part of the opening 30 may open before the container 1 is opened. In such a case, the moisture resistance of the container 1 may be impaired, and the quality of the absorbent article 100 contained inside the container 10 may be deteriorated.

[0062] Therefore, in the container 10 of this embodiment, the multiple cuts 12S constituting the cutting guide line 12 and the fold guide line FL1 are arranged so as not to overlap with each other. This makes it difficult for the force of bending to directly act on each of the cuts 12S, and it is possible to prevent the cuts 12S from widening and opening a part of the opening opening 30 before the container 1 is opened. Therefore, it is possible to achieve high moisture resistance in the paper container 1, which is easy to maintain the shape of the opening opening 30 and the like and from which the absorbent article 100 can be easily removed.

[0063] A specific method for preventing the incision 12S from overlapping with the fold guide line FL1 is to provide a discontinuous portion dc in the fold guide line FL1 in the left-right direction so that the discontinuous portion dc does not overlap with the incision 12S of the cut guide line 12. In FIG. 7, the fold guide line FL1 provided along the left-right direction has two discontinuous portions dc in which a portion (a portion of the interval gdc) in the left-right direction is discontinuous. The cut guide line 12 (incision 12S) is disposed at a position overlapping with the discontinuous portion dc. At the discontinuous portion dc, the folding between the front side surface S1 (first surface) and the front upper surface S2 (second surface) becomes loose, so that a force is less likely to act on the cut guide line 12 (incision 12S), and it is easy to prevent the incision 12S from expanding and part of the opening opening 30 from opening. In addition, since the discontinuous portion dc is formed to have a predetermined interval gdc in the left-right direction, even if the formation position of the cutting guide line 12 is slightly shifted in the left-right direction during the manufacturing process of the housing member 10, the incision 12S and the fold guide line FL1 are unlikely to overlap, and it is easy to prevent the opening opening 30 from opening before the housing body 1 is opened. This can further improve the moisture resistance of the housing body 1.

[0064] At this time, it is preferable that the interval g12S (the interval in the vertical direction in FIG. 7) between two adjacent notches 12S is larger than the width tFL1 (the width in the vertical direction in FIG. 7) of the fold guide line FL1 (g12S>tFL1). By making the interval between the adjacent notches 12S as wide as possible compared with the width of the fold guide line, it becomes easier to prevent the notches 12S from joining together, and it becomes easier to prevent the opening opening 30 from opening before opening. In addition, even if the fold guide line FL1 does not have a discontinuous portion dc and the fold guide line FL1 is continuously provided in the left-right direction, if the interval g12S between the notches 12S is wider than the width tFL1 of the fold guide line FL1 (see FIG. 9), the probability that the notch 12S and the fold guide line FL1 overlap can be reduced.

[0065] However, the distance g12S (distance in the vertical direction) between two adjacent notches 12S, 12S may be less than or equal to the width tFL1 (width in the vertical direction) of the fold guide line FL1 (g12S≦tFL1). When recycled paper is used as the base sheet 11 constituting the storage member 10, the base sheet 11 itself tends to become hard, which may make it difficult to tear the base sheet 11 along the tear guide line 12 to form the opening opening 30. In such cases, the distance g12S between the notches 12S, 12S can be made as narrow as possible to make it easier to form the opening opening 30. As described above, in this embodiment, The discontinuous portion dc provided in the fold guide line FL1 has a predetermined interval gdc in the left-right direction, and even if the arrangement of the cut guide line 12 is slightly shifted, there is a low probability that it will overlap with the fold guide line FL1. Therefore, even if the interval g12S between the cuts 12S, 12S is made small, it is possible to prevent the opening opening 30 from opening before opening.

[0066] In addition, in the storage member 10, the angle between the front side surface S1 (first surface) and the front upper surface S2 (second surface) folded with respect to the folding guide line FL1 is 90 degrees or more (obtuse angle). FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the cross-sectional shape of the storage member 10 when viewed from the left and right direction. As shown in FIG. 8, the angle α between the front side surface S1 (first surface) and the front upper surface S2 (second surface) (the smaller angle between the front side surface S1 and the front upper surface S2) is greater than 90 degrees. If the angle α is to be less than 90 degrees, it becomes necessary to fold the base sheet 11 in a flat state by 90 degrees or more with respect to the folding guide line FL1, and a large bending force is also applied to the cutting guide line 12 provided from the front side surface S1 to the front upper surface S2, which may cause the incision 12S to be easily opened.

[0067] In contrast, in this embodiment, the angle α is 90 degrees or more, and the angle at which the base sheet 11 is folded (the folding angle of the front upper surface S2 relative to the front side surface S1) can be made small. Therefore, the bending angle based on the fold guide line FL1 becomes gentler, and the force acting on the tear guide line 12 can be weakened accordingly. This makes it easier to prevent the opening opening 30 from opening before opening.

[0068] In addition, a folding guide line FL1 is also provided in the region between a pair of left and right cutting guide lines 12, 12 arranged across the boundary between the front side surface S1 (first surface) and the front upper surface S2 (second surface). In FIG. 7, a bending guide line FL1c is provided in a portion sandwiched in the left and right direction by the pair of cutting guide lines 12, 12. This portion is a portion of the containing member 10 that is cut along the cutting guide line 12 when forming the opening opening 30, but even after being cut, the state of being bent with respect to the folding guide line FL1c as a reference as shown in FIG. 3 is maintained, so that it can function as a cover (lid) that covers the opening opening 30 as it is. For example, if the container 1 after opening is placed in a shower room or the like, water droplets and the like are likely to enter the inside of the containing member 10 through the opening opening 30, which may deteriorate the liquid absorbency of the absorbent article 100. In response to this, the portion cut along the cutting guide line 12 serves as a cover (lid) to block the opening opening 30, making it easier to suppress the intrusion of water and the like. Therefore, the moisture resistance of the housing 1 can be easily maintained.

[0069] In addition, the storage member 10 of this embodiment can also have an opening 30 formed on the rear side in the front-rear direction. That is, the storage member 10 has a cutting guide line 13 extending from the rear side surface S3 (third surface) to the rear upper surface S4 (fourth surface) (see FIG. 2), and an opening 30 similar to that on the front side surface is formed by cutting a part of the storage member 10 along the cutting guide line 13. By providing the opening 30 on the front and rear of the storage member 10, it is possible to make it easier to take out the absorbent article 100 contained therein. Note that, since the outer layer 11a of the base sheet 11 constituting the storage member 10 is made of paper and has high strength, even if the opening 30 is provided on the front and rear, the shape (heptahedral shape) of the storage member 10 is not easily broken, and the operation of taking out the absorbent article 100 can be performed stably.

[0070] In addition, it is preferable that the rear side surface S3 of the storage member 10 is provided with a marking for indicating at least one of information regarding the position and shape of the opening opening 30 formed on the rear side surface S3 (and the rear upper surface S4). In FIG. 2, a pattern (hatched portion) that borders the cutting guide line 13 and the word "OPEN" are provided in the area surrounded by the cutting guide line 13 as a pattern 15p indicating the position and shape of the opening opening 30. By visually checking the pattern 15p, the user can at a glance grasp the position where the opening opening 30 is formed on the rear side of the storage member 10 and the shape of the opening opening 30, which makes it easier to open the storage body 1. In addition, since such a pattern 15p is provided on the rear side surface S3, it is not necessary to provide an equivalent pattern on the front side surface S1, and it is therefore possible to increase the space on the front side surface S1 for displaying the brand name and sub-brand name of the absorbent article 100. This makes it easier for the user to recognize the storage body 1 as a product.

[0071] In addition, in the storage member 10, the weight ratio of the paper portion to the total weight is preferably 50% or more. In the case of FIG. 4, the base sheet 11 has a laminated structure of a paper outer layer 11a and a resin inner layer 11b, and the weight of the paper outer layer 11a is 50% or more of the total weight of the storage member 10. In some countries, products with a paper weight ratio of 50% or more can be labeled as paper products or can be disposed of as paper waste, so that a paper weight ratio of 50% or more is likely to be an indicator of a paper package product. Therefore, by making the paper weight ratio 50% or more, it is possible to make the user easily recognize that the storage body 1 of this embodiment is an environmentally friendly product. In addition, since the inner layer 11b of the storage member 10 is made of a liquid-impermeable resin such as polyethylene, the absorbent article 100 stored inside is less likely to get wet despite being a paper product, and sufficient moisture resistance can be ensured.

[0072] In addition, a coating layer 16 (matte coating) made of water-soluble ink or the like is provided on the outer side (front side) of the paper outer layer 11a in the thickness direction. By providing such a coating layer 16, even if the outer layer 11a is made of paper, it is possible to increase the water resistance of the outer layer 11a, and even if water droplets or the like adhere from the outside of the storage member 10, it is possible to suppress moisture from reaching the absorbent article 100 stored inside. In other words, it is possible to improve the moisture resistance of the storage body 1. In addition, since the strength of the outer layer 11a itself is increased by the coating layer 16, the shape of the storage member 10 is less likely to collapse. And, by providing unevenness on the surface of the coating layer 16, it is possible to make the surface of the storage member 10 so-called matte, and by suppressing light reflection, it is possible to increase the visibility of the pattern 15 provided on the storage member 10.

[0073] Furthermore, it is more preferable that the paper constituting the outer layer 11a of the base sheet 11 is 100% recycled paper. By using recycled paper, it becomes easier to create the texture and feel of paper in the storage member 10, and it becomes easier for users to recognize that it is an environmentally friendly product. In addition, recycled paper is easier to increase the rigidity compared to normal paper, so it is easier to stabilize the shape when the base sheet 11 is folded along the fold guide line FL, and the shape of the storage member 10 can be made less likely to collapse.

[0074] In the container 1, the absorbent articles 100 are contained in the container member 10 in an individually wrapped state, individually wrapped in a packaging material 150 such as a film. Since the absorbent articles 100 (napkins 100) are individually wrapped in the packaging material 150, the absorbent body 111 of the absorbent articles 100 is less likely to be exposed to the atmosphere, and deterioration of the absorption performance due to absorption of moisture in the atmosphere can be suppressed. Therefore, even after the container member 10 is opened (after the opening 30 is formed), it is possible to easily maintain the absorption performance of the multiple absorbent articles 100 contained therein in a good state.

[0075] When individually packaged absorbent articles 100 are stored in the storage member 10, the individually packaged absorbent articles 100 are stacked in the thickness direction and stored so that the thickness direction is aligned with the left-right direction of the storage member, as shown in Fig. 3. In other words, the individually packaged absorbent articles 100 are stored in the storage member 10 in a state where they are stacked in the thickness direction so that the thickness direction of the individually packaged absorbent articles 100 intersects with the normal direction of the front side surface S1 of the storage member 10.

[0076] When forming the opening 30 in the container 1, an operation is performed to cut off the cutting guide line 12 by pushing the area surrounded by the cutting guide line 12 of the container member 10 from the outside to the inside. If the absorbent article 100 is stored so that the thickness direction of the absorbent article 100 is parallel to the normal direction of the front side surface S1 of the container member 10, the absorbent article 100 stored inside may interfere with the operation of pushing the area surrounded by the cutting guide line 12 from the outside to the inside, and the cutting guide line 12 may not be easily broken. In contrast, if the absorbent article 100 is stored so that the thickness direction of the absorbent article 100 intersects with the normal direction of the front side surface S1 of the container member 10, a space is formed between the absorbent articles 100, 100 stacked in the thickness direction. And, due to the presence of this space, the operation of pushing the area surrounded by the cutting guide line 12 from the outside to the inside is not easily interfered with, and the cutting guide line 12 can be easily cut off. This makes it easier to form the opening 30.

[0077] <Modification> In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the fold guide line FL1 provided in the storage member 10 has a discontinuous portion dc, and the discontinuous portion dc and the cutting guide line 12 are arranged to overlap each other, but the arrangement of the fold guide line FL1 and the cutting guide line 12 can be modified as follows. Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining a modified example of the arrangement of the cutting guide line 12 and the fold guide line FL1. In this modified example, the configuration other than the cutting guide line 12 and the fold guide line FL1 is almost the same as that of the storage body 1 shown in Fig. 1.

[0078] In this modification, the fold guide line FL1 is continuously provided from one end side to the other end side in the left-right direction. That is, the fold guide line FL1 of the modification does not have a discontinuous portion dc. In addition, in the cutting guide line 12 of this modification, the interval g12S between two adjacent notches 12S, 12S is larger than the width tFL1 of the fold guide line FL1 (g12S>tFL1), and the fold guide line FL1 is arranged between the adjacent notches 12S, 12S. In other words, the notches 12S are arranged above and below the fold guide line FL1 in the vertical direction so as not to overlap with the fold guide line FL1. That is, even in the storage member 10 of the modification, the multiple notches 12S constituting the cutting guide line 12 do not overlap with the fold guide line FL1.

[0079] This makes it difficult for a bending force to directly act on the cut guide line 12, and prevents the cut 12S from widening and part of the opening opening 30 from opening before the container 1 is opened. In addition, because the fold guide line FL1 is continuous, it is easy to form a crease at the boundary between the front side surface S1 (first surface) and the front upper surface S2 (second surface), making it easier to stabilize the three-dimensional shape of the container member 10. ===Other embodiments===

[0080] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the storage member 10 is formed by folding a single base sheet 11, but the configuration of the storage member 10 is not limited to this. For example, a storage member 10 having a shape similar to that shown in Fig. 1 may be formed by joining a plurality of base sheets 11. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1 Sanitary napkin container (container), 10. Housing member; 11 Base sheet, 11a outer layer, 11b inner layer, 12 Cutting guide wire, 12S cut, 13 Cutting guide wire, 15 designs, 15p designs, 16 coating layer, 30 opening, 50 welds, 100 Absorbent articles (napkins), 110 Napkin body, 111 absorbent body, 112 skin side sheet, 113 non-skin side sheet, 150 Packaging materials; 160 protective sheet, 170 Fastening tape, S1 front side (first surface), S2 front upper surface (second surface), S3 posterior surface (third surface), S4 posterior upper surface (fourth surface), S5 right side, S6 left side, S7 bottom side, FL folding guide line, FL1 folding guide line, dc discontinuity

Claims

1. The present invention provides a storage device that includes an absorbent article and a storage member that stores the absorbent article, The storage member has a first surface and a second surface at least a portion of which is made of paper, The second surface is folded so as to form a predetermined angle with respect to the first surface based on a folding guide line, A container for an absorbent article, the container having a cutting guide line for forming an opening extending from the first surface to the second surface, The cutting guide line is formed of a plurality of cuts provided at intervals, A container for absorbent articles, characterized in that each of the plurality of cuts is provided at a position that does not overlap with the fold guide line.

2. The container for the absorbent article according to claim 1, The vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction intersect with each other, The folding guide line has a discontinuous portion in which a part is discontinuous in the left-right direction, A container for an absorbent article, characterized in that the plurality of cuts are provided at positions overlapping with the discontinuous portions.

3. The container for the absorbent article according to claim 1, The vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction intersect with each other, The folding guide line is provided continuously from one end side to the other end side in the left-right direction, A container for absorbent articles, characterized in that the fold guide line is provided between two adjacent cuts in the vertical direction.

4. A container for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A container for absorbent articles, wherein the width of the fold guide line is smaller than the distance between two adjacent cuts.

5. A container for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A container for absorbent articles, wherein the width of the fold guide line is equal to or greater than the distance between two adjacent cuts.

6. A container for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A container for absorbent articles, wherein the smaller of the angles formed by the first surface and the second surface is greater than 90 degrees.

7. A container for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction intersect with each other, The cutting guide lines are arranged in a pair at a position straddling a boundary between the first surface and the second surface, with a gap therebetween in the left-right direction, A container for absorbent articles, characterized in that the folding guide line is provided in an area between a pair of the cutting guide lines in the left-right direction.

8. A container for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction intersect with each other, the housing member has a third surface and a fourth surface located on opposite sides of the first surface and the second surface in the front-rear direction, A container for absorbent articles, comprising a cutting guide line for forming the opening on the rear side of the container member, the cutting guide line extending from the third surface to the fourth surface.

9. The container for the absorbent article according to claim 8, A container for absorbent articles, characterized in that a pattern representing information regarding at least one of the position and shape of the opening is provided on the third surface.

10. A container for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The storage member is formed of a base sheet in which a paper layer and a resin layer are laminated, A container for absorbent articles, characterized in that the weight of said paper layer accounts for 50% or more of the total weight of said container member.

11. The absorbent article container according to claim 10, A container for absorbent articles, characterized in that in the thickness direction of the base sheet, the paper layer is provided on the front side of the resin layer, and a coating layer made of water-soluble ink is provided on the front side of the paper layer to cover the base sheet.

12. A container for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 11, A container for absorbent articles, characterized in that the paper constituting the container member is 100% recycled paper.

13. A container for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 12, The absorbent article container is characterized in that the absorbent articles are contained in the container member in an individually wrapped state, individually wrapped in a film packaging material.

14. The absorbent article container according to claim 13, A container for absorbent articles, characterized in that a plurality of the absorbent articles are stored in the storage member in a stacked state in the thickness direction of the individually packaged absorbent articles, such that the thickness direction of the absorbent articles intersects with the normal direction of the first surface.

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