Method for evaluating the performance of absorbent articles

Abstract

Provided is a performance evaluation method for an absorbent article that can achieve an improvement in evaluation accuracy and provide objective evaluation results. This performance evaluation method for an absorbent article evaluates the performance of an absorbent article in a deformed state resulting from a wearer's movements. The performance evaluation method comprises a deformation step for deforming an absorbent article to be evaluated into the deformed state and a monitoring step for monitoring the state of a skin side of the deformed absorbent article to evaluate the performance of the absorbent article. The monitoring step includes obtaining at least one item of basic information including the position of a raised portion in a crotch region in the front-back direction, the position of the raised portion in the crotch region in the width direction, and the number of raised portions in the crotch region, and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article on the basis of the item of basic information.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article. [Background technology]

[0002] There are various types of absorbent articles that have improved performance by improving the wearing comfort and suppressing leakage. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a disposable diaper that is configured to improve the fit to the crotch area when worn. In addition, absorbent articles, such as absorbent pads, are sometimes used in a state where they are attached to a wearing article such as a disposable diaper. Patent Document 2 discloses an absorbent pad that is attached to a wearing article and used and is configured to easily deform to follow the shape of the wearing article. That is, various types of absorbent articles that have improved fit to the body and follow the wearing article have been provided in the past. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-000180 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2017-202118 A Summary of the Invention

[0004] The performance of absorbent articles configured in this way is mainly evaluated by sensory evaluation based on interviews with evaluators such as users. However, in conventional performance evaluation methods, the evaluation is based on the evaluator's senses, so there is variation in the evaluation and it is difficult to obtain an objective evaluation. In addition, since absorbent articles deform when worn, the conventional performance evaluation methods may result in a large error between the evaluation by the wearer when actually wearing the article and the result of the sensory evaluation, and there is a demand for improved evaluation accuracy.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a performance evaluation method for absorbent articles that can improve evaluation accuracy and provide objective evaluation results.

[0006] The performance evaluation method for absorbent articles evaluates the performance of the absorbent article in a deformed state caused by the wearer's movements. The performance evaluation method includes a deformation step of deforming the absorbent article to be evaluated into the deformed state, and a monitoring step of monitoring the state of the skin-facing side of the deformed absorbent article and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article. In the monitoring step, basic information on at least any of the front-to-rear positions of the raised portions in the crotch region, the widthwise positions of the raised portions in the crotch region, and the number of raised portions in the crotch region is obtained, and the performance of the absorbent article is evaluated based on the basic information. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of an absorbent article as an example of an evaluation target. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an absorbent article in an unfolded state as an example of an evaluation subject. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the deformation step. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows an example of main basic information and sub-information, evaluation criteria for the information, and points for satisfying each evaluation criterion. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an example of an image showing the deformation state of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article in the monitoring process. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows an example of an evaluation of a first absorbent article and a second absorbent article. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an example of an image of a region including the crotch region from the non-skin facing side of an absorbent article. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a method for calculating the height of the raised portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement and lifting manner of the imaging means. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an example of an image of a region including the crotch region from the skin-facing side of an absorbent article in the evaluation of the state of deformation caused by the wearer sitting down. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a process of acquiring an image of a region including the crotch region from the non-skin-facing side of an absorbent article in the evaluation of a state of deformation caused by a wearer sitting down. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an example of an image of a region including the crotch region from the non-skin facing side of an absorbent article in the evaluation of the state of deformation caused by the wearer sitting down. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an example of an image of a region including the crotch region from the skin-facing side of an absorbent article in the evaluation of the state of deformation caused by walking. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an example of an image of a region including the crotch region from the non-skin facing side of an absorbent article in the evaluation of the state of deformation due to walking. [Figure 15] FIG. 15(a) is a block diagram of a system for evaluating the performance of absorbent articles, and FIG. 15(b) is a flowchart of evaluation by the system for evaluating the performance of absorbent articles. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] (1) Overview of the embodiment At least the following points will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings. The performance evaluation method of an absorbent article according to the first aspect evaluates the performance of the absorbent article in a deformed state caused by the wearer's movement. The performance evaluation method includes a deformation step of deforming the absorbent article to be evaluated into the deformed state, and a monitoring step of monitoring the state of the skin-facing side of the deformed absorbent article to evaluate the performance of the absorbent article. In the monitoring step, at least any basic information of the front-rear positions of the raised portions in the crotch region, the widthwise positions of the raised portions in the crotch region, and the number of raised portions in the crotch region is obtained, and the performance of the absorbent article is evaluated based on the basic information. As a result of intensive research by the applicant, it was found that the deformation of the absorbent article when worn is relatively large in the crotch region, and the deformation in the crotch region greatly affects the performance. Specifically, the crotch region is the part that corresponds to the excretory opening, and if the crotch region does not fit the body, it is likely to cause discomfort due to leakage of bodily fluids. In addition, the crotch region is a portion disposed between both legs, and if the crotch region does not have an appropriate shape, the absorbent article will continue to hit the legs, which will easily lead to discomfort. The evaluation method of this embodiment focuses on the raised portions in the crotch region and evaluates the performance based on the raised portions. By evaluating the performance of the absorbent article by deforming it into a deformed state due to the wearer's movements, the error between the evaluation by the actual wearer and the evaluation based on the method can be reduced, and the evaluation accuracy can be improved. In addition, the performance of the absorbent article is evaluated based on at least one of information on the front-rear position of the raised portions in the crotch region, the widthwise position of the raised portions in the crotch region, and the number of raised portions in the crotch region. Since the evaluation is based on the actual position information of the raised portions, etc., an objective evaluation result can be obtained without relying on the evaluator's sense. In addition, since the evaluation is based on quantitative information obtained from the specific deformed state of the absorbent article without relying on the evaluator's sense, the evaluation accuracy can be improved.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 2 may have the following features in the invention according to embodiment 1. The deformation state caused by the wearer's movement in the deformation step is any one of a deformation state caused by the movement of pulling up the absorbent article with both legs passing through a pair of leg openings, a deformation state caused by the movement of the wearer wearing the absorbent article sitting down, and a deformation state caused by the movement of the wearer wearing the absorbent article walking. According to this embodiment, by reproducing and evaluating the movements normally performed by a wearer wearing an absorbent article, it is possible to reduce the error between the evaluation of the actual wearer and the evaluation based on the method, and improve the evaluation accuracy.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 3 may have the following features in the invention according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2. The deformation state caused by the operation of pulling up the absorbent article is a state in which the pull-up length is 50 or more and before the completion of the pull-up, assuming that the pull-up length from the start of the pull-up operation when both legs are passed through the pair of leg openings to the completion of the pull-up operation when the absorbent article is pulled up to the waist of the wearer is 100. As a result of intensive research by the applicant, it was found that the deformation state of the crotch region is greatly affected by the start of the pull-up operation, and the deformation state of the crotch region when the pull-up length is 50 or more and before the completion of the pull-up does not change significantly from the deformation state of the crotch region at the completion of the pull-up. By monitoring the state in which the pull-up length is 50 or more and before the completion of the pull-up, monitoring can be performed more easily than when the pull-up operation is completed (worn state), and the operation for monitoring (for example, turning up the front waist region of the absorbent article) is not required, and monitoring can be performed with high accuracy.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 4 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3. The monitoring step acquires an image of a region including the crotch region from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article. According to this embodiment, acquiring an image improves the accuracy of confirmation of the positions of the protrusions, etc., compared to visual confirmation, and more objective and accurate evaluation results can be obtained.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 5 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4. The monitoring step acquires an image of a region including the crotch region from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article, and an image of a region including the crotch region from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article. According to this embodiment, by including the state of the absorbent article from the non-skin-facing side, it is possible to improve the accuracy of confirmation of the positions of the protruding parts, etc., and obtain a more objective and accurate evaluation result.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 6 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5. The monitoring step includes irradiating light from a non-skin side of the absorbent article toward a skin side, acquiring an image from the skin side of the absorbent article, and extracting a shaded area that is low in brightness relative to its surroundings as the protruding portion. According to this embodiment, the extraction accuracy of the protruding portion can be further improved.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 7 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 6. In the monitoring step, the state of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article in the deformed state is monitored, and discomfort felt by a wearer of the absorbent article during an action different from the action for forming the deformed state is evaluated. According to this embodiment, not only performance evaluation by the action for forming the deformed state, but also performance evaluation during an action different from the action for forming the deformed state can be performed.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 8 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7. In the monitoring step, in addition to the basic information, sub-information on at least any of the height of the raised portion, the center of the raised portion in the width direction, and the apex of the raised portion is obtained, and the performance of the absorbent article is evaluated based on the basic information and the sub-information. By evaluating the performance of the absorbent article using the sub-information in addition to the basic information, the evaluation accuracy can be further improved.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 9 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 8. The absorbent article is at least one of a pants-type disposable diaper, an absorbent pad attached to a worn article, a waist-opening disposable diaper that can open and close the legs by separating the waist area, and a shorts-type napkin. These absorbent articles are pulled up with the leg openings passed over both legs. Therefore, compared with tape-type absorbent articles, deformation caused by the wearing operation is likely to be large. According to this embodiment, the performance of the absorbent article is evaluated based on the deformation state caused by the pulling up operation, so that the wearing comfort and absorption performance after the pulling up operation can be suitably evaluated.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 10 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9. The absorbent article is both a disposable diaper for adults and an absorbent pad. In the deformation step, the disposable diaper and the absorbent pad are deformed into the deformed state while the absorbent pad is attached to the disposable diaper. In the monitoring step, the state of the absorbent pad is monitored by acquiring an image from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article, and the state of the disposable diaper is monitored by acquiring an image from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article. By confirming the state of the absorbent pad by acquiring an image from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article, the raised portion of the absorbent pad located on the skin-facing side of the disposable diaper can be confirmed. In addition, by confirming the state of the disposable diaper by acquiring an image from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article, the raised portion of the disposable diaper can be confirmed. Based on each raised portion, it is also possible to determine the compatibility of the disposable diaper and the absorbent pad, such as whether it is better to use them together or whether different combinations are better.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 11 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 10. The monitoring step evaluates the performance of the absorbent article based on relationship information of the matching points and differences between the raised portions of the disposable diaper and the raised portions of the absorbent pad in addition to the basic information. Even if each absorbent article obtains a favorable evaluation result, if the positions of the raised portions of each absorbent article are misaligned, this affects the wearing comfort such as discomfort. By adding an evaluation index based on the matching points and differences between the raised portions of each absorbent article, it is possible to perform an evaluation based on the relationship between the raised portions.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 12 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11. In the monitoring step, in addition to the basic information, height information that is the height of the protuberance is obtained, and the performance of the absorbent article is evaluated based on the basic information and the height information. By using the height information, the fit in the crotch region can be appropriately evaluated.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 13 may have the following features in the invention according to embodiment 12. The monitoring step includes acquiring the height of the raised portion and the width of the absorbent core, and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article based on the ratio of the height of the raised portion to the width of the absorbent core, the basic information, the sub-information, and the ratio. By further using the ratio, the fit in the crotch region can be appropriately evaluated.

[0021] According to a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 14 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of embodiments 1 to 13. The deformation step deforms the absorbent article to be evaluated into a deformed state in a state in which the crotch area of ​​the absorbent article is separated from the crotch area of ​​the wearer. According to this embodiment, it is possible to evaluate the deformation of the absorbent core due to contact between the absorbent article and the leg (thigh).

[0022] (2) Method for evaluating the performance of absorbent articles A preferred embodiment of an evaluation method for absorbent articles (hereinafter, referred to as the evaluation method) will be described below with reference to the drawings. The evaluation method evaluates the performance of the absorbent article 1 in a state where a wearer wearing the absorbent article 1, such as a disposable diaper, performs a predetermined motion. When the wearer performs a predetermined motion, the absorbent article 1 is deformed compared to a state where no external force is applied to the absorbent article 1, such as a state before the absorbent article 1 is worn. The method is configured to obtain a result close to an evaluation when the wearer actually wears the absorbent article 1 by evaluating the performance of the absorbent article 1 in a deformed state due to the motion.

[0023] The wearer's movement is not particularly limited as long as it is a movement that a wearer wearing the absorbent article 1 can perform. The wearing state when performing the movement in the evaluation may be not only a state in which the absorbent article 1 is completely worn, but also a state in the middle of wearing (for example, in the middle of pulling up). For example, the wearer's movement can be exemplified as a pulling up movement when wearing the absorbent article 1, a sitting movement of a wearer wearing the absorbent article 1, and a walking movement of a wearer wearing the absorbent article 1. In this way, by reproducing and evaluating the movement that is usually performed by a wearer wearing the absorbent article 1, it is possible to reduce the error between the evaluation of the actual wearer and the evaluation based on the method, and to improve the evaluation accuracy. The evaluation method of the present embodiment is an evaluation method using the deformation state due to the pulling up movement when wearing, and the evaluation method using the deformation state due to the sitting movement of the wearer and the evaluation method using the deformation state due to the walking movement will be described as another preferable embodiment.

[0024] In addition, the "performance of the absorbent article" evaluated in this specification includes the wearing comfort of the absorbent article 1 and the absorption performance of the absorbent article 1. The wearing comfort of the absorbent article 1 may be the discomfort, fit, and feel when moving (walking, etc.) while wearing the absorbent article 1, or the discomfort, fit, and feel when stationary (lying down) while wearing the absorbent article 1. The absorption performance of the absorbent article 1 may include the absorption speed, absorption area, leakage of body fluids, and rewetting (return of body fluids once absorbed) of the absorbent article 1. Note that "acquisition of information" in this specification may be acquisition based on captured two-dimensional image data or three-dimensional image data, or information may be acquired by visual measurement with a ruler or the like. In this specification, "measurement" is not limited to simple acquisition of data values, but also includes acquisition of data and calculation of a predetermined parameter using the acquired values.

[0025] The absorbent article 1 to be evaluated broadly includes articles used to absorb liquid discharged from the human body. Figures 1 and 2 show the absorbent article 1 as an example of the object to be evaluated. Figure 1 is a front view of the absorbent article 1, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in an unfolded state, with the side joint 45 joining the front waist region and the rear waist region separated. The absorbent article 1 has at least a liquid-permeable top sheet 10, a liquid-impermeable or water-repellent leak-proof sheet 20, and a liquid-retentive absorbent core 31 arranged between the two sheets. The absorbent article 1 has a crotch region S3 arranged under the crotch of a wearer, a front side region S1 located in front of the crotch region S3, and a rear side region S2 located behind the crotch region S3. The crotch region S3 in the absorbent article 1 may be a region in which leg openings 41 are formed. In a pants-type absorbent article 1, the crotch region S3 may be a region located inside in the front-rear direction L of the side joint portion 45. Examples of the absorbent article 1 include, but are not limited to, disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, panty liners, and the like.

[0026] In the evaluation method of the first embodiment, the performance of the absorbent article 1 is evaluated based on the deformation state caused by the action of pulling up the pants-type absorbent article 1. More specifically, the performance of the absorbent article 1 is evaluated based on the deformation state caused by the action of pulling up the absorbent article 1 with both legs passing through a pair of leg openings 41. When pulling up the absorbent article 1, the crotch region S3 arranged on the inside of both legs continues to contact the legs, and deformation of the crotch region S3 is likely to occur. Therefore, the deformation state of the absorbent article after the pulling up action is likely to affect the subsequent wearing comfort and absorption performance. For example, in a tape-type absorbent article, the crotch region is generally passed between both legs with the rear waist region placed under the back. The action of passing the crotch region between both legs is usually only once, and since it is only passed between both legs, the effect of deformation of the crotch region S3 due to contact with the legs when worn is small. On the other hand, in the pants-type absorbent article 1, the legs are passed through each of the leg openings 41, and the absorbent article 1 is pulled up from the ankle side to the waist. During this pulling up operation, the absorbent article continues to touch the legs. Therefore, the pants-type absorbent article 1 is more likely to be deformed due to the wearing operation than the tape-type absorbent article. In addition, the tape-type absorbent article is often worn by a wearing assistant such as a caregiver, and the wearing assistant may notice the deformation of the absorbent article and correct it. On the other hand, the pants-type absorbent article is often worn by the wearer without relying on a wearing assistant. In addition, it is difficult for the wearer to visually confirm the deformation state, especially in the crotch region S3, and to correct the deformation of the absorbent article. According to this embodiment, the performance of the pants-type absorbent article is evaluated based on the deformation state due to the pulling up operation, so that the wearing comfort and absorption performance after the pulling up operation can be suitably evaluated. In addition, the evaluation target of the first evaluation method may be an absorbent pad attached to a pants-type wearing article such as net pants, and a wearing article using a woven or knitted fabric such as cloth, or may be a shorts-type napkin, or may be a disposable diaper with an open waist area that can open and close the legs by separating the waist area. The absorbent pad is also attached to a pants-type wearing article and pulled up with both legs passing through a pair of leg openings of the wearing article, and a shorts-type napkin and an open-waist type disposable diaper are also pulled up with both legs passing through a pair of leg openings.Therefore, deformation is likely to occur due to the pulling action, and it is preferable to evaluate the performance of absorbent articles using this evaluation method.

[0027] The evaluation method includes at least a deformation step of deforming the absorbent article 1 to be evaluated into a deformed state, and a monitoring step of monitoring the state of the skin-facing side of the deformed absorbent article 1 and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the deformation step. In the deformation step, the absorbent article 1 is pulled up with both legs passing through a pair of leg-openings 41. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3(a), both feet are passed through the pair of leg-openings 41, and the absorbent article 1 is stood up so that the distance (X) between the left and right inner ends (B1 shown in FIG. 3(a)) of the metatarsals (the most protruding part on the big toe side) is 100 mm. In the upright state, the absorbent article 1 is pulled up until the waist-opening 43 of the absorbent article 1 is at the position of the lower end of the patella (B2 shown in FIG. 3(a)). In this pulling up operation, the regions including the left and right side joints 45 are gripped and pulled up by the hands, respectively.

[0028] Next, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the body is bent so that the angle between the upper and lower body is 100 to 160 degrees. The bent state of the body is intended to simulate an elderly wearer, and reproduces the state in which the wearer's waist is bent. The angle is the angle between the line L1 of the back and the line L2 extending from the buttocks to the back of the thigh, and can be measured, for example, by a goniometer. With the body bent at this angle, the absorbent article 1 is pulled up until the waist opening 43 of the absorbent article is at the wearer's iliac crest (B3 shown in FIG. 3(b)) by grasping the area including the side joint 45 of the waist opening 43 of the absorbent article. The pulling speed is 4 cm / sec. During this pulling operation, the angle between the upper and lower body is maintained at the same state (100 to 160 degrees) as before the pulling operation. Through the above steps, the pulling operation is completed, and the absorbent article 1 is in a deformed state due to the wearer's movement.

[0029] In the monitoring step, at least any one of basic information such as the positions of the raised portions 50 in the crotch region S3 in the front-rear direction L, the positions of the raised portions 50 in the crotch region S3 in the width direction, and the number of raised portions 50 in the crotch region S3 is acquired, and the performance of the absorbent article 1 is evaluated based on the basic information. As a result of intensive research by the applicant, it has been found that the deformation of the absorbent article 1 during wearing is relatively large in the crotch region S3, and the deformation in the crotch region S3 greatly affects the performance. Specifically, the crotch region S3 is a portion that contacts the excretory opening, and if the crotch region does not fit the body, it is likely to cause discomfort due to the leakage of bodily fluids. In addition, the crotch region S3 is a portion that is disposed between both legs, and if the crotch region does not have an appropriate shape, the absorbent article 1 continues to contact the legs, and the discomfort is likely to lead to discomfort. This evaluation method focuses on the raised portions 50 in the crotch region S3, and evaluates the performance based on the raised portions 50. By evaluating the performance of the absorbent article by deforming it to a deformed state due to the wearer's movements, the error between the evaluation by the actual wearer and the evaluation based on the method can be reduced, and the evaluation accuracy can be improved. The raised portion 50 in the basic information may be a raised portion 50 that bulges toward the skin side in the crotch region S3, and preferably may be a raised portion 50 in the area where the absorbent core 31 is arranged. This is because the raised portion 50 of the absorbent core 31 greatly affects the wearing comfort such as stiffness when wearing the absorbent article 1, and the absorption performance such as leakage of body fluids. In addition, since the evaluation is based on the position information of the actual raised portion 50, etc., an objective evaluation result can be obtained without relying on the evaluator's sense. Furthermore, since the evaluation is based on quantitative information obtained from the specific deformed state of the absorbent article without relying on the evaluator's sense, the evaluation accuracy can be improved. At least one of the three basic information may be used, but preferably, multiple basic information may be used, and more preferably, all three basic information may be used. Furthermore, when multiple pieces of basic information are used, weighting may be performed according to the impact of the information on performance evaluation. Specifically, an additional coefficient based on the importance or priority may be set, and the evaluation based on important information may be multiplied by the coefficient. Figure 4 shows an example of main basic information and sub-information, the evaluation criteria for the information, and points for satisfying each evaluation criterion.As shown in the example of FIG. 4, the points for satisfying each evaluation criterion may be the same, or, as another example, the points may differ based on importance or priority.

[0030] The step of acquiring the basic information may be performed by acquiring the state of the raised portion 50 in the crotch region S3 from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1. For example, the state of the raised portion 50 may be confirmed visually, or the state of the raised portion 50 may be confirmed by acquiring an image. The image may be a still image or a moving image. In the present embodiment, a still image is acquired by an imaging means, and the basic information is acquired by analyzing the still image. By acquiring an image of the region including the crotch region S3 from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1, the accuracy of confirmation of the position of the raised portion 50, etc. can be improved compared to visual confirmation, and a more objective and accurate evaluation result can be obtained. FIG. 5 is an example of an image acquired by an imaging means. FIG. 5(a) is an image captured from the skin-facing side of the first absorbent article 1X as the evaluation target, and FIG. 5(b) is an image captured from the skin-facing side of the second absorbent article 1Y as the evaluation target. The step of acquiring the basic information may include a step of extracting a specific portion (for example, the raised portion 50, the absorbent core 31) and a step of calculating the basic information from the information of the extracted specific portion. When extracting a specific part and calculating basic information, if the position and range of the target part and information change, the average value may be used. When an image is acquired by the imaging means, if there is a gap between the absorbent article and the wearer, for example, in the middle of pulling up as described below, the image may be acquired by the imaging means through the gap. On the other hand, if there is no gap between the absorbent article and the wearer, for example, in the state where the pulling up action, the sitting action, or the walking action is completed as described below, the image may be acquired by inserting the imaging means between the absorbent article and the wearer, or the image may be acquired with the absorbent article partially turned up to expose the crotch region, or the image may be acquired after the absorbent article is pulled down from the wearer to form a gap between the wearer and the absorbent article.

[0031] In the monitoring step, the performance is evaluated using at least basic information. FIG. 6 shows an example of the evaluation of the first absorbent article 1X and the second absorbent article 1Y. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the basic information may be information on the position of the raised portion 50 in the crotch region S3 in the front-rear direction L. More specifically, the information on the position of the raised portion 50 in the front-rear direction L may include information on the ratio of the raised portion 50 to the length of the crotch region R31 of the absorbent core 31 in the front-rear direction L. As shown in FIG. 2, the crotch region R31 of the absorbent core 31 is a region located in the center in the front-rear direction among the regions obtained by dividing the absorbent core into three equal parts in the front-rear direction. If the ratio of the raised portion 50 is too low (for example, lower than 50%), there are few parts in the crotch region S3 that come into close contact with the body, and it is not possible to obtain sufficient fit, and it can be determined that the fit and leakage of bodily fluids are not suitable. Therefore, the ratio of the raised portion 50 to the length of the crotch region R31 of the absorbent core 31 in the front-rear direction L may be 50% or more. The position information of the protuberance 50 in the front-rear direction L may include position information of the front end of the protuberance 50. If the position of the front end of the protuberance 50 is behind the center of the crotch region S3 in the front-rear direction, the fit of the front side of the crotch region S3 in the front-rear direction cannot be sufficiently obtained. Therefore, it is preferable that the position of the front end of the protuberance 50 is ahead of the center of the crotch region S3 in the front-rear direction L. The position information of the protuberance 50 in the front-rear direction L may include position information of the rear end of the protuberance 50. If the position of the rear end of the protuberance 50 is ahead of the center of the crotch region S3 in the front-rear direction L, the fit of the rear side of the crotch region S3 in the front-rear direction L cannot be sufficiently obtained. Therefore, it is preferable that the position of the front end of the protuberance 50 is ahead of the center of the crotch region S3 in the front-rear direction L. The position information of the protuberance 50 in the front-rear direction L may include position information of the center of the crotch region S3 in the front-rear direction L. The center of the protrusion 50 in the front-to-rear direction L corresponds to the deviation of the protrusion 50 in the front-to-rear direction L, and is preferably close to the center of the crotch region S3 in the front-to-rear direction L. The center of the protrusion 50 in the front-to-rear direction L is preferably within a range of 50 mm in the front-to-rear direction from the center of the crotch region S3 in the front-to-rear direction L.

[0032] The monitoring step may use position information of the raised portion 50 in the width direction W of the crotch region S3 as basic information. More specifically, the position information of the raised portion 50 in the width direction W may include information on the ratio of the raised portion 50 to the length of the absorbent core 31 in the width direction W in the crotch region S3. When the ratio of the raised portion 50 is high, the entire absorbent core 31 is raised against the body, improving the fit. Furthermore, the entire absorbent core 31 is raised, so that contact with the skin can be suppressed compared to a configuration in which the absorbent core 31 is raised locally. The ratio of the raised portion 50 to the length of the absorbent core 31 in the width direction W in the crotch region S3 may be 50% or more. Furthermore, the position information of the raised portion 50 in the width direction W may include information on the deviation of the raised portion 50 in the width direction W. The information on the deviation of the width direction W of the raised portion 50 may be information on whether the entire raised portion 50 is deviated from the width direction center of the absorbent core 31, and may be, for example, an angle of 10 degrees or less between an imaginary line P1 along which the width direction center of the absorbent core extends and an imaginary line P2 along which the width direction center of the raised portion in the crotch region extends. For example, even if the width direction center of the raised portion 50 locally coincides with the width direction W center of the absorbent core 31, if the raised portion 50 is deviated over the entire front-to-rear direction L, the fit to the crotch area will be reduced.

[0033] The basic information may include information on the number of raised portions 50 arranged in the width direction W. In the entire area of ​​the width direction W of the crotch region S3, the number of raised portions 50 is preferably small, and more preferably, it is one. If multiple raised portions 50 are arranged in the width direction in the crotch region S3, the raised portions 50 may interfere with each other compared to a single integrated raised portion 50, causing the raised portions 50 to hit the legs more strongly, or the boundaries between the raised portions 50 may become deformation base points, causing the crotch region S3 to bend.

[0034] The monitoring step may extract basic information, compare the extracted results with the evaluation criteria, and evaluate the performance. Specifically, if the extracted results are within the evaluation criteria that are the basis for determining that the results are suitable, the basic information is judged as "○", and if the extracted results are outside the evaluation criteria, the basic information is judged as "×". In this embodiment, "○" is indicated by an evaluation of "1", and "×" is indicated by an evaluation of "0". The performance evaluation may be performed by tallying up the evaluation results of each item, and if the results are equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the performance may be judged to be good, or a plurality of absorbent articles (e.g., a first absorbent article and a second absorbent article) may be compared to evaluate which absorbent article has better performance, or the evaluation results of absorbent articles having predetermined performance may be calculated in advance, and the performance of the absorbent article to be evaluated may be evaluated by comparing the results with the calculated evaluation results.

[0035] The present invention has been described above based on its preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the monitoring step may acquire not only an image of the region including the crotch region S3 from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1, but also an image of the region including the crotch region S3 from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1. FIG. 7 is an example of an image of the region including the crotch region S3 from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article. FIG. 7 is an example of an image of the region including the crotch region S3 from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 in a state where the pulling-up operation is completed. The image from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 may be an image captured from the front side, the rear side, or the side, as long as it shows at least a part of the crotch region S3. By acquiring the image from the non-skin-facing side, the accuracy of confirmation of the position of the raised portion 50, etc. can be improved compared to visual confirmation, and a more objective and accurate evaluation result can be obtained. For example, the accuracy of extracting basic information including the widthwise position of the raised portion 50 and the number of raised portions can be improved.

[0036] The deformed state of the absorbent article 1 due to the operation of pulling up the absorbent article 1 does not have to be the deformed state at the time of completion of pulling up, but may be the deformed state during pulling up. More specifically, the deformed state of the absorbent article 1 due to the operation of pulling up the absorbent article 1 may be a state in which, assuming that the pulling length from the start of pulling up to the completion of pulling is 100, the pulling length is 50 or more and before the completion of pulling up. Here, the pulling start position is a position where the pair of leg openings 41 are passed through both legs and the non-skin-facing surface of the crotch region of the absorbent article contacts the ground. The pulling completion position is a state where the crotch region of the absorbent article contacts the crotch of the wearer. The pulling length from the start of pulling up to the completion of pulling up is the perpendicular length between the non-skin-facing surface of the crotch region of the absorbent article and the ground when the absorbent article is in the pulling completion position and the wearer is standing upright with the heels on the ground. As a result of intensive research by the applicant, it was found that the deformation state of the crotch region S3 is greatly affected by the start of the pulling up operation, and the deformation state of the crotch region S3 when the pulling up length is 50 or more and before the pulling up is completed does not change significantly from the deformation state of the crotch region S3 at the time of the pulling up completion. By monitoring the state when the pulling up length is 50 or more and before the pulling up is completed, the monitoring can be performed easily compared to the pulling up completion (wearing) state, and the action for monitoring (for example, turning up the front waist region of the absorbent article) is not required, and the monitoring can be performed with high accuracy.

[0037] The monitoring step may involve irradiating the absorbent article with light from the non-skin-facing side towards the skin-facing side, acquiring an image of the absorbent article from the skin-facing side, and judging the shaded areas that are less bright than the surroundings as the raised portions 50. Since the raised portions 50 are three-dimensional, it may be difficult to extract their boundaries when a still image is used. By irradiating the absorbent article with light from the non-skin-facing side towards the skin-facing side, the three-dimensional raised portions 50 are displayed dark, and flat areas (other than the raised portions 50) are displayed bright. Using the brightness of the image, the raised portions 50 can be extracted as being less bright than the surroundings. This extraction method can further improve the extraction accuracy of the raised portions 50.

[0038] The monitoring step may monitor the state of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article using a moving image, and obtain an image from which the performance of the absorbent article is evaluated. A specific evaluation method during the pulling-up operation will be described with reference to FIG. 6. In the process of pulling up the absorbent article, the absorbent article passes through three points: A: the pulling-up completion position, B: an intermediate position between A (the pulling-up completion position) and C (the knee-lower position), and C: the knee-lower position. The pulling-up completion position is a state in which the crotch region of the absorbent article contacts the crotch of the wearer. The knee-lower position is a position in which the waist opening 43 of the absorbent article is the lower end of the kneecap. By obtaining and analyzing the state of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article at least at three positions, it is possible to grasp the change in the state of the absorbent core. Specifically, it is possible to grasp any one of the state of the protuberances in the absorbent core, the timing at which the folding origin is formed, and the number of folding origins. When the folding origin is formed in the absorbent core at an early stage after the start of pulling, it can be judged to be suitable because it is easily deformed by a light force. A preferred form is a state in which one fold origin is formed at point C, one fold origin is formed at point B, and one fold origin is formed at point A. The fold origin may be extracted based on the vertex, and for example, when there is one vertex, there is one fold origin. In addition to the basic information, evaluation may be performed using information on the number of fold origins as sub-information. For example, when there is one fold origin at point C, it may be evaluated as suitable, when there is one fold origin at point B, it may be evaluated as suitable, and when there is one fold origin at point A, it may be evaluated as suitable. Note that, although the moving image may be continuously acquired and analyzed as to the state of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article, it is preferable to continuously acquire and analyze not only the state of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article but also the state of the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article. In addition, evaluation using the moving image may be performed using the basic information, or may be performed using the basic information and the sub-information. Furthermore, the analysis using moving images may be performed not only at the three positions mentioned above, but also at more positions, or may be performed continuously and the changes may be shown in a graph or the like.

[0039] In the monitoring step, the state of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 in the deformed state may be monitored, and the discomfort of the wearer of the absorbent article 1 during an action different from the action for forming the deformed state may be evaluated. Specifically, the state of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 in the deformed state due to the pulling-up action may be monitored, and the discomfort of the wearer of the absorbent article 1 during an action different from the action for forming the deformed state (for example, when walking, sitting, standing up) may be evaluated. The shape, position, etc. of the protuberance 50 in the crotch region S3 due to the pulling-up action may be grasped, and the discomfort of the wearer when continuing to wear the absorbent article 1 with the protuberance 50 formed thereon, such as the feel of the skin, the discomfort of the absorbent core 31 touching the skin, the discomfort due to the unevenness of the surface, etc., may be estimated. Specifically, the estimated evaluation may be based on the stability of the deformation. This is because when the stability of the deformation is high, the absorbent article is less likely to deform even when an external force is applied due to walking, sitting, etc., and is less likely to cause discomfort. The elements that make up deformation stability are, for example, 1: the result of image analysis (the higher the score, the better the fit around the crotch), and 2: the lifting position (the higher the lifting position, the narrower the width between the legs, so the protruding part is less likely to deform even when an external force is applied). By combining these two elements, it is possible to evaluate performance not only based on the action for forming the deformed state, but also when performing actions other than those for forming the deformed state.

[0040] In the monitoring step, in addition to the basic information, sub-information of at least any of the height of the raised portion 50, the widthwise center of the raised portion 50, and the apex of the raised portion 50 may be obtained, and the performance of the absorbent article may be evaluated based on the basic information and the sub-information. Height information, which is the height of the raised portion 50, may be used as the sub-information. Using the height information, the fit to the crotch region S3 can be evaluated. If the height of the raised portion 50 is too low relative to the length in the width direction W of the absorbent core 31, the fit to the crotch region S3 will be insufficient, and it is preferable that the height be 20% or more relative to the widthwise length of the absorbent core. The height may be calculated by acquiring a three-dimensional image, or may be measured by placing a ruler or the like on the absorbent article 1, or the height of the raised portion 50 may be measured in a two-dimensional image. 2 =S 2 -(T / 2) 2Here, T is the widthwise length of the crotch region S3 after wearing, and S is the widthwise length of the absorbent core of the crotch region S3 / 2.

[0041] Based on FIG. 8, a method for calculating the height of the raised portion 50 in the example shown in FIG. 7 will be specifically described. First, as shown in FIG. 8(a), a virtual line EL is drawn along the non-skin-facing surface of the crotch region of the absorbent article in a front view image of the absorbent article. The length T of the width direction W of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article on the virtual line EL is obtained. In general, in a worn state, the outer edge of the absorbent core is sandwiched between both legs and touches both legs. Therefore, the length T of the width direction W of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article on the virtual line EL can be regarded as the length T of the width direction W of the absorbent core 31 in the crotch region S3 in a worn state (deformed state). Before wearing (before deformation), the width direction length 2S of the absorbent core in the crotch region is calculated, and S (width direction length of the absorbent core in the crotch region / 2) is obtained from this value. Next, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the height of the raised portion is calculated using S and T. When the position of the protuberance can be identified in an image, such as the image shown in FIG. 7, the height of the protuberance 50 may be calculated directly in the image.

[0042] As the sub-information, information on the center in the width direction W of the raised portion 50 may be used. The center in the width direction W of the raised portion 50 corresponds to the deviation in the width direction W of the raised portion 50, and is preferably close to the center in the width direction W of the absorbent core 31. The center in the width direction of the raised portion 50 is preferably located in the region that is located in the center in the width direction among the regions obtained by dividing the absorbent core into three equal parts in the width direction. In a form in which the absorbent core has a constricted portion, the length in the width direction of the absorbent core is measured at a position where no constricted portion is formed, and the region divided into three equal parts by the measured value is regarded as the region divided into three equal parts of the entire absorbent core. In addition, the center in the width direction of the raised portion 50 is preferably within a range of 20 mm in the width direction from the center in the width direction W of the crotch region S3.

[0043] Information on the apex of the raised portion 50 may be used as the sub-information. The apex of the raised portion 50 corresponds to the deviation in the width direction of the raised portion 50, and is preferably close to the center in the width direction of the absorbent core. It is preferable that the center in the width direction of the apex of the raised portion 50 is located in the region that is located in the center in the width direction among the regions obtained by dividing the absorbent core into three equal parts in the width direction. In addition, in a form in which the absorbent core has a constricted portion, the length in the width direction of the absorbent core is measured at a position where the constricted portion is not formed, and the region divided into three equal parts by the measured value is set as the region divided into three equal parts of the entire absorbent core. In addition, it is preferable that the center in the width direction of the apex of the raised portion 50 is within a range of 20 mm in the width direction from the center in the width direction W of the crotch region S3. In this way, the evaluation accuracy can be further improved by using the sub-information in addition to the basic information.

[0044] The performance evaluation method may be an evaluation method using the deformation state caused by the wearer's sitting action. The sitting action of the wearer may be a sitting-on-the-edge position on a platform without a backrest and armrests, but preferably a sitting-on-the-edge position on a platform with a backrest and no armrests. As an example of a deformation process of the wearer's sitting action, the trunk is in a vertical position, and both upper limbs are lowered to the sides of the body in a natural posture. The height of the platform is adjusted in 5 mm intervals so that when the wearer maintains a sitting posture, the thighs are parallel to the floor and the entire soles of the feet are in contact with the ground. The foot position is opened so that the distance between the left and right lateral sides of the metatarsals is 100 mm, and the dorsiflexion angle of the ankle joint is 0 degrees, completing the sitting action. In this way, the absorbent article is realized in a sitting-on deformation state, and the deformation mode is obtained by an image or the like. In addition, when evaluating the deformation state during sitting, it is preferable to spread the legs so that the distance between the knees is 100 mm in order to prevent deformation of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 due to the crotch region S3 being pinched between the legs.

[0045] Next, image acquisition in the evaluation of the deformation state caused by the wearer's sitting action will be described in detail. The step of acquiring an image of the region including the crotch region S3 from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 may involve disposing an imager 70 between the body and the absorbent article 1, and acquiring an image of the region including the crotch region S3 from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 using the imager 70. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement and pulling-up mode of the imager 70. When acquiring an image of the region including the crotch region S3, as shown in FIG. 9(a), for example, an undergarment 80 such as tights that fits closely to the body is worn, and the imager 70 is fixed to the undergarment 80. The imager 70 and the undergarment 80 may be fixed, for example, by joining a hook member to the imager 70 and engaging the hook member with the undergarment 80. The imager 70 is preferably of a size that can be accommodated inside the absorbent article 1, and a small super-wide-angle camera (for example, NM33-M manufactured by Opto Co., Ltd.) may be used.

[0046] If the imaging means 70 comes into contact with the absorbent article 1, the absorbent article 1 may be deformed due to the presence of the imaging means 70, or the state of the raised portion 50 may not be grasped from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 to the entire crotch region S3. Therefore, in the step of acquiring basic information for evaluating the deformation state caused by the wearer's sitting action, the basic information for evaluating the deformation state caused by the sitting action may be acquired by assuming that the pulling length is 90, where the pulling length from the start of pulling when the pair of leg openings 41 are passed over both legs to the end of pulling up the absorbent article 1 to the wearer's waist is 100. FIG. 9(b) shows the pulling start position when the pair of leg openings 41 are passed over both legs (the position where the non-skin-facing surface of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 is in contact with the ground after the pair of leg openings 41 are passed over both legs), and indicates the pulling length of 0. FIG. 9(c) shows the pulling completion position (the position where the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 hits the crotch of the wearer), and indicates the pulling length of 100. 9(d) shows the pulled-up length 90, and a gap G is provided between the skin-facing surface of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 and the wearer. It is preferable to position the imaging means 70 so that it fits into the gap G.

[0047] Fig. 10(a) shows a standing state (before sitting) at a pulled-up length of 90, Fig. 10(b) is an image of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 in Fig. 10(a) seen from the skin side, Fig. 10(c) shows a sitting state at a pulled-up length of 90, and Fig. 10(d) is an image of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 in Fig. 10(c) seen from the skin side. In evaluating the deformation state due to the wearer's sitting action, the image shown in Fig. 10(d) is used as the image of the region including the crotch region S3 seen from the skin side of the absorbent article in the evaluation of the deformation state due to the wearer's sitting action. The purpose of providing a distance between the absorbent article and the imaging means is to prevent the crotch region of the absorbent article from being deformed due to contact between the absorbent article and the imaging means. In addition, when it is not possible to grasp the state of the raised portion 50 from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 over the entire crotch region S3, the crotch region S3 may be divided into a plurality of regions, imaging means may be provided to cover each of the regions, and the state of the raised portion 50 for each region may be obtained by each imaging means. In the drawings, F indicates the front side, and R indicates the rear side.

[0048] In the evaluation of the deformation state caused by the wearer sitting down, the step of acquiring an image of the region including the crotch region S3 from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article may involve placing an imaging means in front of the wearer in a sitting position, and acquiring the state of the raised portion 50 of the crotch region S3 from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 using the imaging means. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the step of acquiring an image of the region including the crotch region S3 from the skin-facing side in the evaluation of the deformation state caused by the wearer sitting down. In FIGS. 11(a) to 11(c), the height of the imaging means 70 is made different. In FIG. 11(a), the height of the non-skin-facing surface of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 is approximately the same as that of the imaging means 70, and the angle formed by the horizontal line EL1 passing through the center in the front-rear direction of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 and the imaginary line EL2 connecting the center in the front-rear direction of the crotch region of the absorbent article and the center of the lens of the imaging means is 0 degrees. Fig. 11(b) shows a state in which the imaging means 70 is higher than the state shown in Fig. 11(a) relative to the non-skin facing surface of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article, and the angle formed by the horizontal line EL1 passing through the center of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 in the front-to-back direction and the imaginary line EL2 connecting the center of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article in the front-to-back direction and the center of the lens of the imaging means is 20 degrees. Fig. 11(c) shows a state in which the imaging means 70 is higher than the state shown in Fig. 11(b) relative to the non-skin facing surface of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1, and the angle formed by the horizontal line EL1 passing through the center of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article 1 in the front-to-back direction and the imaginary line EL2 connecting the center of the crotch region of the absorbent article in the front-to-back direction and the center of the lens of the imaging means is 45 degrees.

[0049] 12(a) and (b) are images of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article in the state shown in FIG. 11(a) viewed from the non-skin-facing side T2, FIG. 12(c) and (d) are images of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article in the state shown in FIG. 11(b) viewed from the non-skin-facing side T2, and FIG. 12(e) and (f) are images of the crotch region S3 of the absorbent article in the state shown in FIG. 11(c) viewed from the non-skin-facing side. The image of the region including the crotch region from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article may be an image of any of the states shown in FIG. 11(a) to (c), i.e., any of the images shown in FIG. 12(a) to (f), or may be a plurality of images, and images necessary for obtaining basic information such as the front-rear positions of the raised portions in the crotch region, the widthwise positions of the raised portions in the crotch region, and the number of raised portions in the crotch region are obtained. In addition, when obtaining the images, the distance between the imaging means and the absorbent article is preferably within 2 m in order to accurately obtain the shapes of the raised portions, etc. 11(a) to 11(c), if an image of the buttocks side area of ​​the crotch region cannot be acquired, the imaging means may be lowered relative to the non-skin-facing surface of the crotch region of the absorbent article to image the crotch region of the absorbent article from below. Furthermore, if an image of the buttocks side area of ​​the crotch region cannot be acquired, the seat surface on which the wearer sits may be made transparent to image the crotch region of the absorbent article from below.

[0050] The performance evaluation method may be an evaluation method using a deformation state caused by walking. As an example of the deformation process of walking, with a pair of leg openings passed through both legs, the wearer stands up so that the waist opening 43 of the absorbent article 1 is at the position of the iliac crest or the pulled-up length is 90, and the distance between the left and right inner ends of the metatarsals is 100 mm. The wearer walks 10 m at a stride length preferred by the wearer. The walking speed is 2.0 to 4.0 km / h, and the walking surface is a flat surface. After walking, the wearer stands up so that the distance between the left and right inner ends of the metatarsals is 100 mm, and the walking motion is completed. Thus, the deformation state of the absorbent article is obtained by an image or the like.

[0051] Next, image acquisition in the evaluation of the deformation state due to walking will be described in detail. The process of acquiring images of the region including the crotch region from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article can be performed by the same method as that for acquiring images during sitting. Figure 13 shows the state and images during walking with the imaging means 70 attached as shown in Figure 9(a) and the absorbent article pulled up to a length of 90 as shown in Figure 9(d). Fig. 13(a) shows a state at the start of walking, Fig. 13(b) is an image of the region including the crotch region from the skin side in the state shown in Fig. 13(a), Fig. 13(c) shows a state in which the right foot is forward while walking, Fig. 13(d) is an image of the region including the crotch region from the skin side in the state shown in Fig. 13(c), Fig. 13(e) shows a state in which the left foot is forward while walking, Fig. 13(f) is an image of the region including the crotch region from the skin side in the state shown in Fig. 13(e), Fig. 13(g) shows a state after walking, and Fig. 13(h) is an image of the region including the crotch region from the skin side in the state shown in Fig. 13(g). In addition, in the evaluation of the state of deformation due to walking, the step of acquiring images of the region including the crotch region from the non-skin side of the absorbent article includes arranging an imaging means between both legs and acquiring images of the crotch region of the absorbent article from below at the start of walking, during walking, and during walking. Fig. 14(a) is an image of the area including the crotch region from the skin side when the right foot is forward while walking, Fig. 14(b) is an image of the area including the crotch region from the skin side when the left foot is forward while walking, and Fig. 14(c) is an image of the area including the crotch region from the non-face side after walking.

[0052] The absorbent article to be evaluated may be both a disposable diaper for adults and an absorbent pad. In the deformation step, the disposable diaper and the absorbent pad may be deformed into a deformed state while the absorbent pad is attached to the disposable diaper. In the monitoring step, the state of the absorbent pad may be monitored by acquiring an image from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article, and the state of the disposable diaper may be monitored by acquiring an image from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article. By confirming the state of the absorbent pad by acquiring an image from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article, the raised portion 50 of the absorbent pad located on the skin-facing side of the disposable diaper can be confirmed. In addition, by confirming the state of the disposable diaper by acquiring an image from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article, the raised portion 50 of the disposable diaper can be confirmed. Based on each raised portion 50, it is also possible to judge the compatibility of the disposable diaper and the absorbent pad, such as whether it is better to use them together or whether different combinations are better.

[0053] In the monitoring process, the performance of the absorbent article may be evaluated based on the relationship information of the matching points and differences between the raised portion 50 of the disposable diaper and the raised portion 50 of the absorbent pad in addition to the basic information. The matching points and differences of the raised portion 50 may be based on the above-mentioned basic information and sub-information. For example, in addition to the evaluation of whether the center position in the width direction W of the raised portion 50 of the absorbent article 1 is suitable and the evaluation of whether the center position in the width direction of the absorbent pad is suitable, an evaluation of the relationship (e.g., distance) between the center position in the width direction of the raised portion of the absorbent article and the center position in the width direction of the absorbent pad may be added. Even if each absorbent article has a suitable evaluation result, if the position of the raised portion 50 of each absorbent article is misaligned, it will affect the wearing comfort such as discomfort. However, by adding an evaluation index based on the matching points and differences of the raised portions 50 of each absorbent article, an evaluation based on the relationship between the raised portions 50 of each absorbent article can be performed. By using evaluation indices based on the similarities and differences, it is possible to evaluate the compatibility (compatibility) of absorbent articles and absorbent pads, and also to provide users with selection criteria when selecting absorbent articles and absorbent pads.

[0054] The absorbent article to be evaluated may be a disposable diaper with an open waistline. In the case of an open-type diaper, when the deformation state caused by the operation of pulling up the absorbent article with both legs passed through a pair of leg openings is evaluated, the deformation state caused by the operation of pulling up is evaluated in a state in which the waistline of the open-type diaper is fastened, that is, in a state in which the waistline region is continuous in the waistline direction so as to surround the entire waistline of the wearer. In addition, the absorbent article to be evaluated may be only an absorbent pad, not both a disposable diaper and an absorbent pad. The attachment position of the absorbent pad in the evaluation of the combined use of the absorbent pad and the absorbent article is such that the center of the absorbent pad in the front-rear direction is aligned with the center of the crotch region of the absorbent article in the front-rear direction, and the center of the absorbent pad in the width direction is aligned with the center of the crotch region in the width direction. The attachment method is such that no unexpected space is generated between the absorbent article and the absorbent pad. The pulling up operation is the same as the pulling up operation in the evaluation of the disposable diaper alone. In addition, when evaluating only the absorbent pad, the absorbent pad is attached to the skin-facing side of the absorbent article or underwear from which the absorbent body including the absorbent core (the inner member including the absorbent core and top sheet, which is located closer to the skin than the waistband member) has been removed. The attachment position and lifting operation of the absorbent pad are the same as when the absorbent pad is used in combination with the absorbent article.

[0055] The performance evaluation method according to the present invention may be a method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article in a state where the crotch of the wearer is separated from the crotch region of the absorbent article. That is, the deformation step deforms the absorbent article to be evaluated into a deformed state in a state where the crotch of the wearer is separated from the crotch region of the absorbent article. As a result of intensive research by the present applicant, it was found that in a general absorbent article, the absorbent core is deformed by contact with the thighs when the foot width is in an upright state when worn. In addition, in a general absorbent article, the waistband member fits the wearer by the elastic member, but the crotch region of the absorbent main body including the absorbent core is worn in a drooping state. That is, in a general wearing state, the crotch of the wearer is separated from the crotch region of the absorbent article, and the opportunity for the crotch of the wearer to come into contact with the crotch region of the absorbent article is extremely limited. On the other hand, the leg openings of the absorbent article fit the legs of the wearer, and the absorbent core is deformed by being pinched by the legs or by moving the legs, even when the crotch of the wearer is separated from the crotch region of the absorbent article. Therefore, the present invention focuses particularly on the deformation of the absorbent core due to contact between the absorbent article and the legs (thighs), and the absorbent article may be deformed by an action related to the movement of the legs, and the state of the absorbent article due to the deformation may be monitored. Therefore, the performance of the absorbent article may be evaluated when the crotch of the wearer is separated from the crotch region of the absorbent article.

[0056] The present invention may be a performance evaluation system for evaluating the performance of the absorbent article described above. As shown in FIG. 15, the evaluation system may have at least an image acquisition unit 110, an extraction unit 120, and a comparison evaluation unit 130. The image acquisition unit 110 photographs the state of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 worn by a person, and imports the image data obtained via a network or using a predetermined medium into the information processing terminal 100. The extraction unit 120 extracts a specific portion from the obtained image data, and calculates basic information based on the extracted specific portion. The extraction unit 120 extracts the raised portion 50 in the crotch region S3, and extracts at least any of basic information such as the front-rear position of the raised portion 50, the widthwise position of the raised portion 50 in the crotch region S3, and the number of the raised portions 50 in the crotch region S3. The extraction unit 120 may extract at least one of sub-information and related information in addition to the basic information. The extraction unit 120 may measure the position of the raised portion 50 by image analysis. The comparative evaluation unit 130 compares the extracted information with the evaluation criteria and outputs the comparison results. The results are preferably output in a format that allows easy visual understanding of the evaluation results, and may be displayed as scores, or as graded results (e.g., very good wearing comfort, good wearing comfort, etc.), or the evaluations for a plurality of evaluation criteria may be shown in a graph or table. The evaluation system 200 includes an information processing terminal 100 capable of executing various processes, and the information processing terminal 100 includes an extraction unit 120 and a comparative evaluation unit 130. The information processing terminal 100 includes input devices such as a keyboard and a pointing device, an arithmetic processing unit, a memory unit, etc.

[0057] The image data is image data captured by an imaging device, and the imaging device may be a general RGB camera, a monochrome camera, or a spectral camera, and the performance and specifications of the imaging device are not limited. The imaging device includes a video camera, a camera built into a smartphone, a camera built into a tablet terminal, and a WEB camera that can be attached to a personal computer by a connection means such as a cable. The person who captures the gait using the imaging device may be the developer of the absorbent article, or the parents or grandparents of the person walking, and it is also preferable to capture the image using a camera built into a smartphone. It is also preferable that the captured video image data is transmitted (delivered) to the system 200 via a network or using a predetermined medium. The comparison result by the comparison evaluation unit 130 may be output to a display unit, a printer, or the like of the system 200, or may be transmitted to the subject's smartphone.

[0058] A preferred example of the flow of evaluation by the evaluation system 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 15(b). In step S10, the absorbent article 1 to be evaluated is deformed. In step S20, image data of a region including the crotch region S3 from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article 1 is acquired. The image data is acquired directly from an imaging device included in the evaluation system 200, or from an imaging device independent of the evaluation system 200, via a network, or by using a predetermined medium. In step S30, specific parts (e.g., the raised portion 50, the absorbent core 31) are extracted from the acquired image data. In step S40, basic information is calculated from the information of the extracted specific parts. In step S50, performance is evaluated using the basic information and the evaluation criteria. In step S60, the evaluation result is output directly to a display unit included in the evaluation system 200, or output to another device of a smartphone independent of the evaluation system 200, via a network, or by using a predetermined medium.

[0059] The evaluation program may include, for example, software that causes a computer to function as an evaluation system. As the computer, a known general-purpose computer, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like may be used. The general-purpose computer includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an SDD, or an HDD, and the like. The above-mentioned processing of steps S10 to S60 is realized by the CPU expanding the program stored in the ROM or a disk into the RAM and executing it. The processing may be realized by a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a combination of an ASIC and an FPGA.

[0060] Although the present invention has been described in detail using the above-mentioned embodiment, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described in this specification. The present invention can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention defined by the description of the claims. Therefore, the description in this specification is intended to be illustrative and does not have any limiting meaning on the present invention.

[0061] The entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-096090, filed on June 14, 2022, are incorporated by reference into this specification. [Industrial Applicability]

[0062] According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a method for evaluating the performance of absorbent articles, which can improve the evaluation accuracy and provide objective evaluation results. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1: Absorbent articles 41:Leg opening 50: Protuberance L: Anteroposterior direction S3: subthigh domain W: width direction

Claims

1. A method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article in a state where the absorbent article is deformed due to a wearer's movement, comprising: a deformation step of deforming an absorbent article to be evaluated into the deformed state; A monitoring step of monitoring a state of the skin-facing side of the deformed absorbent article and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article, In the monitoring step, obtaining basic information on at least one of the front-to-rear positions of the raised portions in the crotch region of the absorbent article, the widthwise positions of the raised portions in the crotch region, and the number of the raised portions in the crotch region, and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article based on the basic information; In the monitoring process, light is irradiated from the non-skin side of the absorbent article toward the skin side, an image from the skin side of the absorbent article is obtained, and a shaded area that is low in brightness compared to its surroundings is extracted as the protruding area, which is a method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article.

2. A method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article, which evaluates the performance of the absorbent article in a deformed state due to a wearer's movement, comprising: a deformation step of deforming an absorbent article to be evaluated into the deformed state; A monitoring step of monitoring a state of the skin-facing side of the deformed absorbent article and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article, In the monitoring step, obtaining basic information on at least one of the front-to-rear positions of the raised portions in the crotch region of the absorbent article, the widthwise positions of the raised portions in the crotch region, and the number of the raised portions in the crotch region, and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article based on the basic information; A method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article, wherein the deformation state caused by the wearer's action in the deformation process is a state from the start of the action of pulling up the absorbent article with both legs passed through a pair of leg openings to just before the completion of the action of pulling up the absorbent article.

3. The performance evaluation method for an absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the deformation state caused by the wearer's action in the deformation process is any one of a deformation state caused by the action of pulling up the absorbent article with both legs passed through a pair of leg openings, a deformation state caused by the action of a wearer wearing the absorbent article sitting down, and a deformation state caused by the action of a wearer wearing the absorbent article walking.

4. The performance evaluation method for absorbent articles described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the deformation state caused by the action of pulling up the absorbent article is a state in which the pull-up length is 50 or more from the start of pulling up when a pair of leg openings are passed through both legs to the completion of pulling up the absorbent article to around the wearer's waist, assuming that the pull-up length is 100, and the state is before the completion of pulling up.

5. The method for evaluating performance of an absorbent article according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring step comprises acquiring an image of a region including the crotch region from a skin-facing side of the absorbent article.

6. The performance evaluation method for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the monitoring process obtains an image of an area including the crotch region from the skin-facing side of the absorbent article, and an image of an area including the crotch region from the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article.

7. A method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the monitoring process monitors the condition of the skin side of the absorbent article in the deformed state and evaluates the discomfort felt by a wearer of the absorbent article when performing an action other than the action for forming the deformed state.

8. The method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the monitoring process obtains, in addition to the basic information, sub-information of at least any of the height of the raised portion, the center of the raised portion in the width direction, and the apex of the raised portion, and evaluates the performance of the absorbent article based on the basic information and the sub-information.

9. 4. The method for evaluating the performance of absorbent articles according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent article is at least one of a pants-type disposable diaper, an absorbent pad attached to a worn article, a waist-opening disposable diaper in which the waist area can be separated to open and close the legs, and a shorts-type napkin.

10. The method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the monitoring process acquires, in addition to the basic information, height information which is the height of the raised portion, and evaluates the performance of the absorbent article based on the basic information and the height information.

11. The method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article according to claim 10, wherein the monitoring process includes obtaining the height of the raised portion and the widthwise length of the absorbent core, and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article based on the ratio of the height of the raised portion to the widthwise length of the absorbent core, the basic information, and the ratio.

12. The performance evaluation method for an absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the deformation process deforms the absorbent article to be evaluated into a deformed state in a state in which the crotch area of ​​the wearer is separated from the crotch area of ​​the absorbent article.

13. A method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article, the method comprising: a deformation step of deforming an absorbent article to be evaluated into the deformed state; A monitoring step of monitoring a state of the skin-facing side of the deformed absorbent article and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article, In the monitoring step, obtaining basic information on at least one of the front-to-rear positions of the raised portions in the crotch region of the absorbent article, the widthwise positions of the raised portions in the crotch region, and the number of the raised portions in the crotch region, and evaluating the performance of the absorbent article based on the basic information; The absorbent article is both a disposable diaper and an absorbent pad for adults; The deformation step includes deforming the disposable diaper and the absorbent pad into the deformed state in a state where the absorbent pad is attached to the disposable diaper, the monitoring step includes monitoring a state of the absorbent pad by acquiring an image of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article, and monitoring a state of the disposable diaper by acquiring an image of the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent article; The monitoring process is a method for evaluating the performance of an absorbent article, in which the performance of the absorbent article is evaluated based on relationship information on the similarities and differences between the raised portions of the disposable diaper and the raised portions of the absorbent pad in addition to the basic information.

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