Single-piece absorbent article

Abstract

To provide an individually packaged absorbent article having a configuration capable of reliably fixing a packaging sheet enclosing a used absorbent article when the packaging sheet is used for disposal of the used absorbent article.SOLUTION: An individually packaged absorbent article includes a packaging sheet, and an absorbent article packaged by the packaging sheet. The packaging sheet has a first direction corresponding to a front and rear direction of the absorbent article and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A folding-back part is formed by folding a part of the packaging sheet at least at one end in the first direction. An adhesive is arranged between the folding-back part and a portion of the packaging sheet facing the folding-back part. The folding-back part can be expanded, and the adhesive is exposed by the expansion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to individually packaged absorbent articles.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, pantiliners, and incontinence pads are provided in a state of being individually packaged by a packaging sheet for reasons such as being hygienically storable and convenient to carry. As such a packaged absorbent article (also referred to as an individually packaged absorbent article or an individual package of an absorbent article), a form in which an absorbent article is placed inside a packaging sheet, the packaging sheet is folded inward together with the absorbent article, and then both edge portions are sealed is well known.

[0003] The packaging sheet originally has a function of packaging the absorbent article before use as described above, but is also used when disposing of the used absorbent article. At that time, the user generally wraps the used absorbent article with the packaging sheet and fastens the end portion of the packaging sheet with an adhesive tape attached to many individually packaged absorbent articles so that the packaging sheet does not open. Therefore, an adhesive tape and a configuration of the packaging sheet that are easy to use when disposing of the used absorbent article have been studied.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an absorbent article provided with an adhesive tape composed of a base portion fixed to an opening portion of a packaging sheet and a fastening portion having an adhesive layer, in which the adhesive layer of the fastening portion is detachably adhered and attached to the upper surface of the base portion, and the packaging sheet wrapping the product after use can be fastened by the fastening portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, the fastening tape is a member separate from the packaging sheet. Therefore, depending on the form of attachment of the fastening tape to the packaging sheet, the material of the packaging sheet, etc., when opening an individually packaged absorbent article, the fastening tape may come off from the packaging sheet, and the fastening tape may fall on the floor or get lost. Also, depending on the size of the fastening tape, there may be cases where the end of the packaging sheet cannot be sufficiently fastened when disposing of the used absorbent article. Then, the packaging sheet wrapping the used absorbent article becomes likely to open, and the used absorbent article may be exposed from the packaging sheet and cannot be discarded hygienically. Therefore, a configuration that can surely fasten the packaging sheet wrapping the used absorbent article is required.

[0007] In view of the above, an aspect of the present invention is to provide an individually packaged absorbent article having a configuration capable of surely fastening a packaging sheet wrapping a used absorbent article when using the packaging sheet at the time of discarding the used absorbent article.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] A first aspect of the present invention is an individually packaged absorbent article including a packaging sheet and an absorbent article packaged by the packaging sheet, wherein the packaging sheet has a first direction corresponding to the front-rear direction of the absorbent article and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and at at least one end of the first direction, a part of the packaging sheet is folded back to form a folded-back portion, an adhesive is disposed between the folded-back portion and a portion of the packaging sheet facing the folded-back portion, the folded-back portion is deployable, and the adhesive is exposed by the deployment.

[0009] In the above first aspect, the adhesive disposed between the folded-back portion of the packaging sheet and the portion (opposing portion) opposing the folded-back portion can be used for fastening the packaging sheet after wrapping the used absorbent article with the packaging sheet. For example, when the user replaces the absorbent article, after removing the new absorbent article, the user wraps the used absorbent article using the packaging sheet left behind so that the folded-back portion formed at the end of the packaging sheet covers it last. At that time, the folded-back portion is opened to expose the adhesive, and the end of the packaging sheet is fastened to another area of the packaging sheet by the adhesive. In this way, since the adhesive directly provided on the packaging sheet is used for fastening the packaging sheet, the means for fastening is not lost, and the packaging sheet can be fastened more reliably. Further, since the adhesive is disposed and protected between the folded-back portion and its opposing portion until it is used, a decrease in adhesive strength can also be prevented.

[0010] Also, according to this aspect, it is not necessary to use a fastening tape for disposing of the used absorbent article as in the conventional configuration. Therefore, the role of the fastening tape can be mainly or exclusively for fastening the packaging sheet in the individual packaged absorbent article before use, and the fastening tape can be designed without considering reusing the fastening tape that has been peeled off once at the time of disposing of the used absorbent article. Alternatively, the fastening tape can be omitted from the individual packaged absorbent article.

[0011] In the second aspect of the present invention, the packaging sheet has an inner surface on which the absorbent article is placed and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface, the folded-back portion is folded back on the inner surface, the inner surface of the folded-back portion has not been subjected to a peeling treatment, and the inner surface of the portion opposing the folded-back portion has been subjected to a peeling treatment.

[0012] According to the second aspect described above, the folded-back portion is folded back onto the inner surface of the packaging sheet, and the adhesive is disposed on the inner surface of the packaging sheet. Therefore, when wrapping the used absorbent article by winding it with the packaging sheet, the adhesive can face the outer surface of the packaging sheet. Here, the surface state of the outer surface of the packaging sheet (such as the material of the surface and the presence or absence of surface treatment) can be freely determined compared to the inner surface on which the absorbent article is placed, and it is easy to make the outer surface of the packaging sheet in a state where the adhesive can easily adhere or be fixed. Therefore, the packaging sheet can be more reliably fastened.

[0013] In addition, since the inner surface of the opposed portion that has been subjected to the peeling treatment and the adhesive are easily peeled off, when the folded-back portion is unfolded, the adhesive can be in a state of being fixed to the inner surface of the folded-back portion. As a result, the position of the adhesive becomes closer to the end of the packaging sheet, and the packaging sheet can be used more widely to wrap the used absorbent article.

[0014] A third aspect of the present invention is that the packaging sheet has a first region including a first end in the first direction and a second region including a second end opposite to the first end, and the first region and the second region are folded so that the first region overlaps the outer surface of the second region, both edge portions in the second direction are sealed along the first direction, and the folded-back portion is a region including the first end of the first region.

[0015] According to the third aspect described above, in the state before use of the individually packaged absorbent article, the first region including the folded-back portion is disposed on the outside, and when opening the individually packaged absorbent article, the user can peel off the first region by holding near the folded-back portion. Since the folded-back portion is folded and the end portion is doubled, the first region becomes easy to grip, and smooth opening can be performed.

[0016] A fourth aspect of the present invention is that the inner surfaces of both edge portions in the second direction of the packaging sheet have a peeled portion that has been subjected to a peeling treatment and a non-peeled portion that has not been subjected to a peeling treatment, and the peeled portion is provided in a range including the folded-back portion in a plan view in the folded state.

[0017] Generally, when a seal portion is formed at a portion of the packaging sheet where a peeling process has been performed, the bonding strength of the seal portion tends to be weak. On the other hand, according to the fourth aspect, the bonding strength can be improved by providing non-peeling treatment portions at both edge portions of the packaging sheet. Further, by making the portion that overlaps the folded-back portion in plan view a peeling treatment portion when folded, the bonding strength of the portion where force is applied at the start of opening can be weakened, and the opening can be facilitated. Therefore, the opening operation can be made easier, and the sealing before opening can be ensured to enhance the airtightness.

[0018] In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the adhesive is arranged over 10% or more of the length of the packaging sheet in the second direction along the second direction in plan view.

[0019] According to the fifth aspect described above, the adhesive is widely arranged along the second direction of the packaging sheet. Therefore, when the packaging sheet is wound around the used absorbent article in the first direction at the time of discarding the used absorbent article, the adhesive extends widely in a direction orthogonal to the winding direction, and the end portion of the packaging sheet can be fixed in a wide range. Therefore, the end portion of the packaging sheet once wound is less likely to peel off, and the used absorbent article can be wrapped more reliably.

[0020] In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the folded-back portion has a convex portion protruding in the first direction, and the convex portion can be gripped when the folded-back portion is unfolded.

[0021] According to the sixth aspect described above, when unfolding the folded-back portion, the convex portion can be gripped, so that the folded-back portion can be unfolded more easily.

[0022] In a seventh aspect of the present invention, the absorbent article is arranged such that the front-rear direction of the absorbent article is along the first direction and the width direction is along the second direction, and an adhesive for absorbent article that serves as a displacement prevention portion when the absorbent article is worn is arranged between the packaging sheet and the absorbent article, and the adhesive for absorbent article has an elongated shape along the second direction.

[0023] According to the above seventh aspect, since the adhesive disposed between the folded-back portion and the opposing portion and the adhesive for the absorbent article can be formed along the same direction (second direction), both can be formed using the same apparatus at the same timing during the production of the individually packaged absorbent article. Therefore, the operating efficiency of the production of the individually packaged absorbent article can be improved.

Effects of the Invention

[0024] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an individually packaged absorbent article having a configuration capable of surely fastening a packaging sheet wrapped around a used absorbent article when the packaging sheet is used at the time of discarding the used absorbent article.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025]

Figure 1

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Figure 16

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, unless otherwise specified, the same or corresponding components may be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof may be omitted. Also, the drawings are schematic for helping the understanding of the invention.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an individually packaged absorbent article 100. Further, FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a cross-section taken along line I-I of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the individually packaged absorbent article 100 according to this embodiment includes a packaging sheet 10 and an absorbent article 1 individually packaged by the packaging sheet 10. The individually packaged absorbent article 100 is one in which one absorbent article 1 is packaged by one packaging sheet 10, but it may be one in which a plurality of absorbent articles are packaged.

[0028] In this embodiment, the absorbent article 1 wrapped by the packaging sheet 10 may be a flat and elongated article that is worn so as to face the discharge port of body fluids (such as menstrual blood, vaginal discharge, urine, etc.). The packaging sheet 10 may also be elongated in a state where it is unfolded, and may have a shape such as a rectangle or an oval, similar to the shape of the absorbent article 1. When packaging the absorbent article 1 with the packaging sheet 10, the absorbent article 1 is placed on the inner surface of the packaging sheet 10, and both are folded together into at least a three-fold, so that the absorbent article 1 is hidden inside the packaging sheet 10. Further, both edge portions in a direction orthogonal to the folding direction are sealed to form seal portions 18, 18. The form of individual packaging in which both edge portions in a direction orthogonal to the folding direction are sealed after folding in one direction is preferable because the absorbent article can be hygienically accommodated by a simple procedure. The packaging form in this embodiment will be described in more detail later.

[0029] In addition, in this specification, the longitudinal direction of the elongated packaging sheet 10 is defined as the first direction D1, and the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is defined as the second direction D2. In the individually packaged state, the first direction D1 is the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article 1, that is, the front-rear direction corresponding to the front-rear direction of the wearer's body when worn, and the second direction D2 is also the width direction of the absorbent article 1.

[0030] Specific examples of the absorbent article 1 packaged in this embodiment may be sanitary napkins, pantiliners (vaginal discharge sheets), light incontinence pads, etc. Among them, this embodiment is particularly preferably used for sanitary napkins that many users wrap in the packaging sheet and discard at the time of disposal. The absorbent article 1 may have a liquid-permeable surface sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorber disposed between these surface sheet and back sheet.

[0031] As the back sheet, at least a sheet material having water shielding properties such as an olefin resin sheet such as polyethylene or polypropylene can be used. A laminated nonwoven fabric in which a nonwoven fabric is laminated on a polyethylene sheet or the like, or a laminated sheet of nonwoven fabric in which a waterproof film is interposed to ensure substantially liquid impermeability can be used. Further, those having moisture permeability may be used.

[0032] As the surface sheet, a perforated or non-perforated non-woven fabric, a porous plastic sheet, or the like is preferably used. As the material fibers constituting the non-woven fabric, for example, olefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, synthetic fibers such as polyester and polyamide, regenerated fibers such as rayon and cupra, and blended fibers thereof, and natural fibers such as cotton can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0033] The absorber is not limited as long as it is a material that can absorb and hold body fluids, but preferably contains cotton-like pulp and a water-absorbing polymer. As the water-absorbing polymer, superabsorbent polymer granules (superabsorbent polymer (SAP)), superabsorbent polymer fibers (superabsorbent fiber (SAF)), and combinations thereof can be used. Examples of the pulp include those made of cellulose fibers such as chemical pulp and dissolving pulp obtained from wood, and artificial cellulose fibers such as rayon and acetate.

[0034] The thickness of the absorber may be 0.5 to 25 mm. The absorber can also have a bulged structure in a region corresponding to the body fluid discharge port (body fluid discharge port corresponding region) and a region facing the groove of the buttocks behind the body fluid discharge port corresponding region. The absorber has dimensions and a shape that do not protrude from the surface sheet and the back sheet, and at the front and rear edge portions of the absorber, the outer edges of the back sheet and the surface sheet are joined by an adhesive such as hot melt, heat seal, ultrasonic seal, or the like.

[0035] In addition, side non-woven fabrics may be provided along the longitudinal direction at both ends in the width direction on the outer side of the side of the absorber. As the side non-woven fabric, a water-repellent treated non-woven fabric or a hydrophilic treated non-woven fabric can be used. The absorbent article 1 may have wings extending laterally, and such wings may be formed by joining a side sheet and a back sheet.

[0036] Further, the non-skin side of the absorbent article 1 (the side facing the undergarment when worn) may be provided with a displacement prevention portion for preventing the absorbent article 1 from shifting from the undergarment when attached to the undergarment (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0037] The overall length of the absorbent article 1 can be 140 to 430 mm, and the width of the absorbent article 1 (the width of the main body excluding the wings when having wings) can be 50 to 130 mm.

[0038] The dimensions of the packaging sheet 10 depend on the size and shape of the absorbent article 1 to be packaged. For example, in a state where the packaging sheet 10 is fully unfolded (not folded back), the length in the first direction (longitudinal direction) D1 (which may simply be referred to as the length) can be 100 to 460 mm, and the length in the second direction (lateral direction) D2 (which may simply be referred to as the width) can be 70 to 250 mm.

[0039] The material constituting the packaging sheet 10 is not particularly limited and may be a resin film, non-woven fabric, paper, etc. Among these, since it is easy to process the surface and is also difficult to be damaged when unfolding the folded portion (to be described in detail later), it is preferable to use a resin film. Also, when using a resin film, even when the packaging sheet is printed, the outlines of the printed characters and patterns become clear, and the color development of the coloring agent is also good, so the designability of the packaging sheet can be improved.

[0040] When a resin film is used for the packaging sheet 10, examples of the resin used include polyolefins such as polypropylene and polyethylene, polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, etc. The resin film is preferably a stretched one. Also, the resin film may be an airtight film or a breathable film.

[0041] When a non-woven fabric is used for the packaging sheet 10, it is preferable in that the texture, flexibility, etc. can be improved. As the non-woven fabric to be used, a melt-blown non-woven fabric, a spunbond non-woven fabric, etc. are preferable, and those obtained by combining and laminating a plurality of layers of these non-woven fabrics can also be used. Further, the fibers constituting the non-woven fabric may be polyolefins such as polypropylene and polyethylene, polyesters, polyamides such as nylon, etc.

[0042] In addition, when paper is used for the packaging sheet 10, it is preferable in that the environmental burden at the time of disposal is small, and a unique texture, for example, an appearance and touch giving an impression of a natural material can be imparted. In this specification, paper can refer to a material obtained by adhering plant fibers or other fibers with an adhesive to form a flat plate. In particular, those mainly made of plant fibers (pulp), for example, those in which plant fibers account for 50% or more, preferably 80% or more, of the contained fibers can be referred to. The types of pulp contained in the paper may include wood pulp, non-wood pulp, and waste paper pulp, and these may be either mechanical pulp or chemical pulp. Additives may be added to the paper. Further, specific examples of the paper used for the packaging sheet 10 can include various types of paper such as Western paper, Japanese paper, processed paper, synthetic paper, etc. Also, paper that has been used for other conventional applications, for example, newsprint, printing paper (including high-quality paper), writing paper, drawing paper, packaging paper, tissue paper, mixed paper, etc., can be used without processing or after processing. When tissue paper is used, it may be thin imitation paper, Indian paper, rice paper, glassine paper, tissue paper, toilet paper, filter paper, etc.

[0043] Note that the packaging sheet 10 may be a single-layer sheet made of the above-mentioned materials, or a laminated sheet in which a single packaging sheet 10 is formed by laminating a plurality of layers made of different materials.

[0044] Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 together with FIGS. 1 and 2, the individual packaging form of the absorbent article 1 will be described. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the packaging sheet 10 in a fully unfolded state (a state without folding or refolding) before the absorbent article 1 is placed thereon, as viewed from the inner surface IF, that is, from the side on which the absorbent article 1 is placed. FIG. 3 shows an initial stage before the packaging sheet 10 is folded in the manufacture of the individually packaged absorbent article, and may also show a state in which a folding portion (described later) is once folded and then opened again.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3, the packaging sheet 10 has a first region R1 including one end 11 in the first direction D1 and a second region R2 including the other end 12 on the side opposite to the one end, and further has a third region R3 between the first region R1 and the second region R2. When the packaging sheet 10 is folded for packaging the absorbent article, the first region R1 is folded along the fold line L1 along the second direction D2, and the second region R2 is folded along the fold line L2 along the second direction D2.

[0046] In this embodiment, the end portion of the packaging sheet 10 is folded back in the first direction D1 on the side of the one end 11. This folded-back portion is the folding portion Re. As shown in FIG. 1, the folding portion Re is a portion included in the first region R1 and is a portion folded back to the inner surface IF side along the folding portion fold line Le along the second direction D2. The state after the folding portion Re is folded back is shown in FIG. 4. By folding the folding portion Re, the inner surface IF of both sides of the folding portion Re is hidden, and only the outer surface OF is visible.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, in the state before folding, the adhesive 8 is provided on the inner surface IF of the folding portion Re. Therefore, when the folding portion Re is folded, the adhesive 8 is sandwiched between the folding portion Re and the portion (opposing portion) Rf of the packaging sheet 10 that opposes the folding portion Re. That is, in the state where the folding portion Re is folded, the adhesive 8 is not exposed.

[0048] The adhesive 8 is used to fasten the end of the packaging sheet 10 when wrapping the used absorbent article with the packaging sheet 10 removed from the absorbent article after opening the individually packaged absorbent article (to be described later with reference to FIG. 6). The type of the adhesive 8 is not particularly limited, but a hot-melt type adhesive is preferably used because it is easy to handle. As the main components of the adhesive 8, styrene polymers, tackifiers, plasticizers, and combinations thereof can be used. Examples of the styrene polymer include styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, styrene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, styrene-isobutylene-styrene copolymer, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer, etc., and one or more of these can be used. Among them, the styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer is preferred in terms of good thermal stability. Also, as the tackifier and plasticizer, those that are solid at normal temperature can be used. Examples of the tackifier include C5 petroleum resin, C9 petroleum resin, dicyclopentadiene petroleum resin, rosin petroleum resin, polyterpene resin, terpene phenol resin, etc. Examples of the plasticizer include monomer plasticizers such as triphenyl phosphate, dibutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, etc., and polymer plasticizers such as vinyl polymers and polyesters.

[0049] The method of providing the adhesive 8 on the packaging sheet 10 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include melt coating using a hot melt coater. For example, coating devices such as a gravure coater, a spray coater, a spiral gun, and a bead gun can be used.

[0050] In the example shown in FIG. 3, while the inner surface IF of the folding portion Re is not subjected to a peeling treatment, the opposing portion Rf is subjected to a peeling treatment (release treatment). Further, in the illustrated example, the peeling treatment is performed on regions other than the folding portion Re. In the drawing, the portion subjected to the peeling treatment is shown as the peeling treatment portion 21, and the portion not subjected to the peeling treatment is shown as the non-peeling treatment portion 22. The peeling treatment is a surface treatment for weakening the bonding force with the adhesive. Therefore, when the adhesive 8 comes into contact with the peeling treatment portion 21, the adhesive 8 can be easily peeled off from the peeling treatment portion 21, while when the adhesive 8 comes into contact with the non-peeling treatment portion 22, the adhesive 8 is difficult to be peeled off from the non-peeling treatment portion 22. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the folding portion Re is the non-peeling treatment portion 22, and the opposing portion Rf is the peeling treatment portion 21. Therefore, after folding the folding portion Re where the adhesive 8 is disposed and overlapping it with the opposing portion Rf as shown in FIG. 4, and then unfolding the folding portion Re again, that is, when returning to the state shown in FIG. 3, the adhesive 8 stays on the folding portion Re which is the non-peeling treatment portion 22 and does not adhere to the opposing portion Rf which is the peeling treatment portion 21.

[0051] Thus, in this embodiment, the end portion of the packaging sheet 10 in the first direction D1 is folded to form the folding portion Re, and the adhesive 8 is disposed between the folding portion Re and the opposing portion Rf. The state in which the adhesive 8 is disposed between the folding portion Re and the opposing portion Rf is maintained in the individually packaged absorbent article 100 before opening (FIGS. 1 and 2). Then, the adhesive 8 can be exposed by unfolding the folding portion Re when the packaging sheet 10 is used at the time of discarding the used absorbent article. The exposed adhesive 8 can be used to fasten the packaging sheet 10 after winding it around the used absorbent article.

[0052] In addition, if the adhesive 8 is disposed between the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf in a state where the folded-back portion Re is folded, and the adhesive 8 can be exposed when the folded-back portion Re is unfolded, the location where the adhesive 8 is applied during the manufacture of the packaging sheet 10 may be the opposing portion Rf instead of the folded-back portion Re as shown in FIG. 3. Even if the adhesive 8 is applied to the opposing portion Rf, if the opposing portion Rf is the peeling treatment portion 21 and the folded-back portion Re is the non-peeling treatment portion 22, the adhesive 8 peels off from the opposing portion Rf and migrates to the folded-back portion Re.

[0053] Furthermore, in the examples shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inner surface IF of the folded-back portion Re is the non-peeling treatment portion 22 and the inner surface IF of the opposing portion Rf is the peeling treatment portion 21. However, the folded-back portion Re may be subjected to peeling treatment and a peeling treatment portion 21 may be formed on the folded-back portion Re, and the opposing portion Rf may not be subjected to peeling treatment and may be a non-peeling treatment portion 22. Then, by disposing the adhesive 8 on at least one of the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf and folding the folded-back portion Re and overlapping it with the opposing portion Rf, the adhesive 8 can be disposed between the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf. In that case, when the folded-back portion Re is unfolded again, the adhesive 8 is fixed to the opposing portion Rf where the non-peeling treatment portion 22 is formed, and no adhesive 8 remains on the folded-back portion Re.

[0054] As described above, in this embodiment, the peeling treatment portion 21 may be formed on one of the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf and the other may be the non-peeling treatment portion 22, but it is preferable that the peeling treatment portion 21 is formed on the opposing portion Rf. Thereby, when the folded-back portion Re is unfolded, the adhesive 8 is fixed to the folded-back portion Re located more at the end in the first direction D1, and when the used absorbent article is discarded, the area of the portion of the packaging sheet 10 wound around the used absorbent article becomes wider, which is preferable. Note that the peeling treatment portion 21 may be formed on both the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf. In that case, it is preferable that the bonding force of one of the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf with the adhesive 8 is greater than that of the other. In that case, when the folded-back portion Re that has been folded is unfolded, the adhesive 8 remains on the side with the greater bonding force.

[0055] Furthermore, the folding portion Re may be configured to be folded back to the outer surface OF side instead of being folded back to the inner surface IF side as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. Then, the adhesive 8 is disposed between the outer surface of the folding portion Re and the outer surface of the opposing portion Rf facing the folding portion Re. In that case, by forming the peeling treatment portion 21 on either the outer surface of the folding portion Re or the outer surface of the opposing portion Rf, when the folding portion Re is unfolded again at the time of discarding the used absorbent article, the adhesive 8 remains fixed to the portion where the peeling treatment portion 21 is not formed (the portion that becomes the non-peeling treatment portion 22).

[0056] The peeling treatment applied to the packaging sheet 10 may be, for example, a treatment of applying a liquid release agent (release agent) containing a silicone-based resin, a paraffin-based resin, a fluororesin, or the like. The peeling treatment can be performed by a known coating process such as spraying or roll coating. Also, a sheet containing the components of the release agent may be adhered to a predetermined region of the packaging sheet 10.

[0057] In the production of the individually packaged absorbent article, as shown in FIG. 4, the absorbent article 1 is placed on the packaging sheet 10 in a state where the folding portion Re is folded back to the inner surface IF. FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the state where the absorbent article 1 is placed on the inner surface IF of the packaging sheet 10. In FIG. 5, the absorber 4 included in the absorbent article 1 is also shown. As shown in FIG. 5, the absorbent article 1 may be disposed over the first region R1, the third region R3, and the second region R2. At this time, the absorbent article 1 may or may not be overlapped with the folded folding portion Re.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 5, starting from the state where the absorbent article 1 is placed on the packaging sheet 10, the packaging sheet 10 together with the absorbent article 1 is folded along the fold line L2 along the second direction D2, for example, to fold the second region R2, and then the first region R1 is folded along the fold line L1 along the second direction D2. At this time, the first region R1 is made to overlap the outer surface of the second region R2. By folding inward toward the inner surface IF side in the first direction D1, a compact individually packaged absorbent article 100 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 can be obtained. After folding, both edge portions in the second direction are sealed by heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or mechanical means (such as an embossing roller) to form seal portions 18, 18. The seal portions 18, 18 preferably do not overlap the above-mentioned adhesive 8. The seal portions 18, 18 are preferably formed within a range of 3 to 10 mm from the edge in the second direction D2.

[0059] Note that the individually packaged absorbent article 100 may be three-folded (rolled three-folded) as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but in order to individually package a more absorbent article that is longer in the first direction D1, it can also be in a folding form of four folds or more. When it is four folds or more, for example, before folding the second region R2, within the second region R2, that is, between the second fold line L2 and the other end 12 of the first direction D1, the end portion can be pre-folded to the inner surface IF or the outer surface OF along the third fold line along the second direction D2.

[0060] Also, when the absorbent article 1 has wings, the wings are pre-folded to the skin side (top sheet side) of the absorbent article 1, and then the first region R1 and the second region R2 are folded.

[0061] When opening the individually packaged absorbent article 100, the user can insert a finger between the first region R1 and the second region R2, grip the end of the first region R1 arranged on the outside, that is, near the fold line Le of the folded-back portion, and peel the first region R1 from the second region R2. Also at this time, since the adhesive 8 is arranged and protected between the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf, there is no concern that the adhesive 8 will stick to the user's hand during opening.

[0062] After the absorbent article 1 is removed by opening the individual package absorbent article 100, the packaging sheet 10 left behind can be used to wrap and discard the used absorbent article as described above. An example of the use of the packaging sheet 10 is shown in FIG. 6.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 6, the used absorbent article 1a is usually rolled up in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction), and the rolled-up used absorbent article 1a is wrapped with the packaging sheet 10 of the newly opened individual package absorbent article for replacement of the absorbent article. At this time, it is preferable to place the used absorbent article 1a at the end of the inner surface IF of the packaging sheet 10 on the side opposite to the side where the folding portion Re is formed (the end on the other end 12 side in the first direction D1) and wrap the packaging sheet 10 around it. As shown in FIG. 6, after the packaging sheet 10 is wound around the used absorbent article 1a to a certain extent in the first direction D1, the folded-back folding portion Re is unfolded to expose the adhesive 8. Then, the packaging sheet 10 is further wound around so that the adhesive 8 contacts the portion of the packaging sheet 10 other than the folding portion Re, and the end of the packaging sheet 10 is fixed. Note that the timing of unfolding the folding portion Re may be before, after, or during the winding of the packaging sheet 10 around the used absorbent article 1a.

[0064] In the conventional configuration, when discarding the used absorbent article, the user usually uses a fastening tape. However, since the fastening tape is separate from the packaging sheet, there is a possibility that it may come off and fall on the floor or disappear during the opening operation of the absorbent article or while wrapping the used absorbent article. In contrast, in this embodiment, since the adhesive 8 is applied and fixed to the packaging sheet 10, there is no risk of the adhesive 8 being lost. Also, as described above, the adhesive 8 in this embodiment is disposed between the folding portion Re and the opposing portion Rf and is not exposed to the outside until the folding portion Re is opened, and is protected from the outside. That is, since it is used for the first time when discarding the used absorbent article, the adhesive force is maintained until it is needed at the time of discarding.

[0065] Furthermore, since the fastening tape with the conventional configuration is adhered to the packaging sheet of the individually packaged absorbent article before opening, when disposing of the used absorbent article, the adhesive surface of the fastening tape will be reused. Therefore, the adhesive strength may decrease. In contrast, in this embodiment, for disposing of the used absorbent article 1a, instead of using the adhesive surface of the fastening tape, the adhesive 8 directly provided on the packaging sheet 10 is used, so that a decrease in adhesive strength that may occur when using the fastening tape is also prevented. Thus, in this embodiment, a configuration without a fastening tape can also be adopted. As a result, the number of types of used materials is reduced, the complexity of the manufacturing process is suppressed, and the operation efficiency can be increased. Alternatively, even if a configuration with a fastening tape is adopted, it is not necessary to excessively increase the adhesive strength or the width of the fastening tape in consideration of reuse at the time of disposal, and the fastening tape can be designed so as to preferentially exhibit the functions before and at the time of opening.

[0066] Note that when a configuration without a fastening tape is adopted, a user who recognizes the fastening tape as a mark at the opening position may be confused about where to hold and open. Therefore, in this embodiment, the vicinity of the fold line Le of the folded portion in the first region R1 of the individually packaged absorbent article 100 may be colored or printed with characters to make the opening position conspicuous.

[0067] On the other hand, when a configuration with a fastening tape is adopted, the fastening tape may be adhered, for example, in a conventional manner from the outer surface of the first region R1 to the outer surface of the second region R2 in the individually packaged absorbent article 100 shown in FIG. 1. Thereby, unintentional opening of the individually packaged absorbent article 100 due to, for example, accidentally inserting a finger or an object between the first region R1 and the second region R2 before the start of use can be prevented. Also, at the time of opening, the fastening tape can be held to lift the first region R1 from the second region R2. Such a fastening tape can be designed without considering its use at the time of disposal.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 6 and also as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the adhesive 8 is preferably formed along the second method D2. For example, it is preferably in the shape of a rectangular elongated shape as shown in the drawing. Since the adhesive 8 has a shape along the second direction D2, the adhesive 8 extends in a direction orthogonal to the winding direction D1 when the packaging sheet 10 is wound around and fixed to the used absorbent article 1a. Therefore, the end portion of the packaging sheet 10 can be fixed over a wide range along the axial direction of the substantially cylindrical used absorbent article 1a. Therefore, the possibility that the once-fixed packaging sheet 10 peels off can be reduced.

[0069] The adhesive 8 may be arranged over preferably 10% or more, more preferably 30% or more, and still more preferably 50% or more of the length of the packaging sheet 10 in the second direction D2. It is preferable that the length of the adhesive 8 in the second direction D2 is long because the range in which the packaging sheet 10 can be fixed becomes wider. Also, it is preferable that the adhesive 8 is larger than the width of the absorbent article 1 to be packaged or the length in the second direction (the width of the main body excluding the wings when the absorbent article has wings). However, it is preferable that the formation range of the adhesive 8 does not include the portions that become the seal portions 18, 18 (FIG. 1) in the unitary absorbent article 100. Thus, unlike the fastening tape having a limited width (length in the second direction D2), the adhesive 8 can be formed over a wide range along the second direction D2.

[0070] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the adhesive 8 is preferably formed at a position spaced apart from both end edges in the first direction D1 of the folded-back portion Re. The distance d1 (FIG. 3) from the free end edge among the end edges in the first direction D1 of the folded-back portion Re to the adhesive 8, that is, the distance from the end edge in the first direction D1 of the folded-back portion Re away from the fold line Le of the folded-back portion (one end 11 of the packaging sheet 10) to the adhesive 8 is preferably 3 to 7 mm. Also, the distance d2 (FIG. 3) from the end edge at the boundary position with the adjacent opposing portion Rf among the end edges in the first direction D1 of the folded-back portion Re to the adhesive 8, that is, the distance from the fold line Le of the folded-back portion Re to the adhesive 8 is preferably 3 to 7 mm. Further, the width of the adhesive 8, that is, the length in the first direction D1 is preferably 2 to 5 mm. Note that the width da (FIG. 3) of the adhesive 8 may be constant or may vary along the second direction D2. Also, the contour of the portion where the adhesive 8 is provided may be linear or may be wavy.

[0071] Regarding the packaging form of the absorbent article 1 in the unit-packaged absorbent article 100 of this embodiment, it has been described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. However, when packaging the absorbent article 1, a displacement-preventing portion of the absorbent article 1 can also be formed. The displacement-preventing portion is a member for preventing displacement from the undergarment when attached to the undergarment during wearing, and is preferably formed by an adhesive. And as the adhesive (adhesive for absorbent article) for forming the displacement-preventing portion of the absorbent article, it can be formed from the same material as the above-described adhesive 8 formed at the end of the packaging sheet 10.

[0072] When packaging, the absorbent article adhesive can be applied not to the absorbent article 1 but to the packaging sheet 10 when packaging the absorbent article 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, before placing the absorbent article 1, in the peeling treatment portion 21 of the inner surface IF of the packaging sheet 10, absorbent article adhesives 9, 9,... can be formed within the planned placement area of the absorbent article 1. Then, by placing the absorbent article 1, the non-skin side (the non-skin side of the back sheet) of the absorbent article 1 comes into contact with the absorbent article adhesives 9, 9,... (FIG. 5), and while this contact state is maintained, both the packaging sheet 10 and the absorbent article 1 are folded (FIGS. 1 and 2). Thereafter, when the absorbent article 1 is peeled from the packaging sheet 10 at the start of use of the absorbent article 1, the absorbent article adhesives 9, 9,... migrate to and are fixed to the non-skin side of the absorbent article 1, which has a stronger binding force with the adhesive.

[0073] Here, it is preferable that the absorbent article adhesives 9, 9,... extend in the same direction as the adhesive 8, that is, along the second direction D2. Thereby, when manufacturing the individually packaged absorbent article 100, the adhesive 8 used at the time of discarding the absorbent article and the absorbent article adhesives 9, 9,... can be simultaneously applied using a slot coater or the like.

[0074] In a state where the adhesive (adhesive for discarding) 8 and the absorbent article adhesives 9, 9,... are applied (FIG. 3), it is preferable that the adhesive 8 and the absorbent article adhesives 9, 9,... do not contact each other. Further, it is preferable that the absorbent article adhesives 9, 9,... are separated from the opposing portion Rf or from the free end in the first direction D1 of the folded-back portion Re (one end 11 in the illustrated example) when the folded-back portion Re is folded back, and more preferably, they are separated by 8 mm or more.

[0075] In the examples shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the adhesives 9, 9,... for absorbent articles are applied to the peeling treatment portion 21 of the packaging sheet 10. However, instead of performing a peeling treatment on the inner surface of the packaging sheet 10, a separate peeling sheet can also be used. In that case, the peeling sheet may be a sheet whose inner surface has been peeled and whose outer surface has not been peeled. Then, the outer surface of the peeling sheet is adhesively bonded to the inner surface IF of the packaging sheet 10 so as not to be peeled off, and it is arranged so that the absorbent article 1 on which the inner surface of the peeling sheet is placed faces. The peeling sheet may have a size and shape that cover the application planned positions of the adhesives 9, 9,... for absorbent articles.

[0076] FIGS. 7 and 8 show modified examples of the adhesive 8. The adhesive 8 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 was continuously formed in the second direction D2, but the adhesive 8 may be discontinuously formed as shown in FIG. 7. In that case, the longest continuous portion is formed at the center in the second direction D2, and one or more portions shorter than the central continuous portion may be formed on each side in the second direction D2. In the example shown in FIG. 7, since at least the center in the second direction D2 can be fixed when the end of the packaging sheet is fixed, the fixing of the packaging sheet can be ensured, and the amount of the adhesive can be reduced by the amount of the discontinuity.

[0077] Also, a plurality of adhesives 8 may be formed along the second direction D2. By forming a plurality of adhesives, when the used absorbent article is wrapped with the packaging sheet 10, the packaging sheet 10 can be fixed at a plurality of spaced positions in the first direction D1, and the fixing function can be improved. The adhesive 8 may include an outer adhesive 8a and an inner adhesive 8b spaced apart from each other as shown in FIG. 8. In this case, the outer adhesive 8a may be formed longer and the inner adhesive 8b may be formed shorter, and the adhesive 8 may be formed double at the center in the second direction D2 and single at the region near the end. Thereby, the fixing action at the center in the second direction D2 can be enhanced, and by forming a single portion, the amount of the adhesive used can be reduced and the cost can be suppressed.

[0078] FIG. 9 shows a modified example of the folded-back portion Re. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the free end of the folded-back portion Re in the first direction D1 is not linear, but has a protruding portion (convex portion) p that protrudes outward in the first direction D1 at the center in the second direction D2. The example shown in FIG. 9 is different from the packaging sheet 10 shown in FIG. 3 in that there is such a protruding portion p, and other structures may be the same. The protruding portion p may have a size and shape that can be picked up by the user by hand. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the shape of the protruding portion p has a trapezoid with the inner side in the first direction D1 as the long side, but it may be, for example, a square, a triangle with the inner side in the first direction D1 as the base, or a cut circular or elliptical shape with the inner side in the first direction D1 as the cutting line.

[0079] When attempting to obtain the individually packaged absorbent article 100 using the packaging sheet 10 including the folded-back portion Re having the protruding portion p as shown in FIG. 9, starting from the state where the packaging sheet 10 shown in FIG. 9 is fully unfolded, first, the protruding portion p is folded back to the outer surface along the fold line La. Then, similar to the examples shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the folded-back portion Re is folded back toward the inner surface IF side in the first direction D1 and opposed to the inner surface IF of the opposing portion Rf. As a result, the adhesive 8 applied to the folded-back portion Re will be disposed between the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf. Thereafter, the absorbent article can be individually packaged in the same packaging form as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

[0080] FIG. 10 shows an individually packaged absorbent article 100 including the packaging sheet 10 including the folded-back portion Re provided with the protruding portion p shown in FIG. 9 and the absorbent article 1 individually packaged by the packaging sheet. As shown in FIG. 10, since the protruding portion p of the folded-back portion Re is exposed from the position of the fold line Le, the user can grip and pull this protruding portion p when opening the individually packaged absorbent article 100. As a result, the operation of lifting the first region R1 from the second region R2 and releasing the joining of the packaging sheets at the seal portions 18, 18 becomes easy. Also, in a configuration where no fastening tape is provided, a user accustomed to products with a fastening tape may not immediately find a place to grip for opening. However, since the protruding portion p serves as a mark for the gripping position for opening, the user can perform the opening operation smoothly.

[0081] Furthermore, since the protruding portion p is provided, it is possible to grip the protruding portion p when disposing of the used absorbent article and also when winding the packaging sheet 10 around the used absorbent article. That is, it is possible to grip the end portion of the packaging sheet 10 at a position away from the adhesive 8, and the possibility of the adhesive 8 sticking to the hand can be reduced. Also, since the protruding portion p is provided at the center in the second direction D2, the packaging sheet 10 can be tightly wound at the center in the second direction D2, and the operation of winding the packaging sheet 10 around the used absorbent article can be performed more reliably.

[0082] Note that the protruding portion p can be made to have higher rigidity than other portions of the packaging sheet 10 so that it is easier for the user to grip. For example, embossing can be performed on the protruding portion p, a small piece for increasing rigidity can be adhered thereto, or a composition such as a polymer that can increase rigidity can be applied thereto.

[0083] FIG. 11 shows another modification of the folded-back portion Re. The example shown in FIG. 11 is different from the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 in that after the folded-back portion Re is once folded back to the inner surface, the portion of the packaging sheet 10 that is folded back and doubled is further folded back. For example, from the state shown in FIG. 11(a), the folded-back portion Re is folded back in the first direction D1 along the fold line Le to the inner surface IF side. In the illustrated example, the adhesive 8 is applied to the opposing portion Rf that opposes the folded-back portion Re when the folded-back portion Re is folded back, and after the folded-back portion Re is folded back, the adhesive 8 is disposed between the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf (FIG. 11(b)).

[0084] Furthermore, from the state shown in FIG. 11(b), the overlapped folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf are further folded back in the first direction D1 along the fold line Le' in the second direction D2, on the inner surface side, that is, in the same direction as the folding at the folded-back portion fold line Le. The position of the fold line Le' is preferably at a position about half the length of the folded-back portion Re in the first direction D1. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11(c), at the end in the first direction D1, a portion where four packaging sheets 10 are laminated is formed. Therefore, the rigidity of the end portion outside the first direction D1 of the first region R1 is increased, making it easier for the user to grip.

[0085] In the example shown in FIG. 11, it is preferable to apply the adhesive 8 so as not to overlap either the folded-back portion fold line Le or the fold line Le'.

[0086] In the example described above, the folded-back portion Re is folded back to the inner surface IF side of the packaging sheet 10. However, the folded-back portion Re may be folded back to the outer surface OF side. In that case, the opposing portion Rf facing the folded-back portion Re is also formed on the outer surface OF, and the adhesive 8 disposed between the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf is also applied to the outer surface OF. And, similarly to the above, one of the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf can be configured to be peeled off and the other not to be peeled off. When disposing of the used absorbent article, the folded-back portion Re is unfolded to expose the adhesive 8, and after the packaging sheet 10 is wound around the used absorbent article, the end portion of the packaging sheet 10 can be fixed to another region of the packaging sheet 10 using the adhesive 8. At that time, the region where the adhesive 8 is expected to come into contact may be set as the non-peeling treatment portion.

[0087] Further, the folding portion Re does not necessarily have to be formed only at one end of the first direction D1, that is, on the side of the first region R1. The folding portion Re may be formed not on the first region R1 side but on the second region R2 side of the first direction D1, that is, at the end portion including the other end 12. Further, it may be formed at both ends of the first direction D1, respectively. When the folding portion Re is formed in the first region R1 and the second region R2, when disposing of the used absorbent article, both folding portions Re are unfolded to expose the adhesive 8, the used absorbent article is placed at a position where one adhesive 8 is provided to fix the used absorbent article, after wrapping the packaging sheet 10 around the used absorbent article, the portion where the other adhesive 8 is provided is covered with another portion of the packaging sheet 10, and the packaging sheet 10 can be fastened.

[0088] Preferably, the individually packaged absorbent article 100 according to this embodiment does not include a fastening tape. However, usually, in the case of a user who opens the individually packaged absorbent article by pulling with a fastening tape, there is a possibility that the opening cannot be smoothly performed due to a different opening form. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is preferable to have a configuration that makes it easier to open the individually packaged absorbent article 100.

[0089] For example, the modified example shown in FIG. 12 has the same configuration as the example described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, but is different from the example described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 in that a part of the seal portions 18, 18 is discontinuous and seal discontinuity portions 19, 19 are formed. The seal discontinuity portions 19, 19 are formed so as to straddle the folding portion fold line Le, and the length thereof in the first direction D1 is preferably 5 to 7 mm. When opening the individually packaged absorbent article 100, when first lifting the first region R1 and in the initial operation of peeling the first region R1 from the second region R2, a particularly large force is required. On the other hand, in this example, since the seal discontinuity portions 19, 19 are formed so as to straddle the folding portion fold line Le and the first region R1 is not joined to the second region R2 in that range, the initial operation of peeling the first region R1 from the second region R2 becomes easy, so that the operation of peeling the first region R1 can be smoothly performed. The example shown in FIG. 12 is preferable as a form in which a loss-preventing pad is packaged.

[0090] Further, the modified examples shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 are configured to make the opening operation easier while ensuring the sealing before opening. FIG. 13 is a plan view of the packaging sheet 10 in a fully unfolded state before the absorbent article is placed thereon, which is a view of the packaging sheet 10 seen from the inner surface and corresponds to FIG. 3. FIG. 14 is a plan view of the individually packaged absorbent article 100 obtained after packaging the absorbent article 1 using the packaging sheet 10 shown in FIG. 13, and corresponds to FIG. 1.

[0091] Generally, when the seal portions 18, 18 are formed at the portions of the packaging sheet 10 where the peeling process is performed, the bonding strength of the seal portions tends to be weak. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, when all the regions other than the folding portion Re are made into the peeling process portions 21, the bonding strength of the seal portions 18, 18 is likely to become weak. Therefore, from the viewpoint of obtaining more reliable sealing, the both edge portions of the packaging sheet 10 may be configured as non-peeling process portions 22 without performing the peeling process on the both edge portions. However, when all the both edge portions are made into the non-peeling process portions 22, since the bonding strength becomes large, a larger force is required in the opening operation, particularly in the opening start operation, and it may be difficult for a user with weak strength to open the individually packaged absorbent article 100. On the other hand, in the examples shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, at both edge portions in the second direction D2 of the packaging sheet 10, the peeling process portions 21 are discontinuous and are partially non-peeling process portions 22. The peeling process portions 21 at both edge portions are formed in a range including the folding portion Re and the opposing portion Rf in a plan view when the absorbent article 1 is individually packaged by triple folding (FIG. 14) in the first direction D1.

[0092] In the portion where the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf are overlapped, since the third region R3, the second region R2, and the first region R1 are overlapped, a total of four packaging sheets are overlapped. When the number of overlapping packaging sheets is large like this, a greater pressure is applied in the sealing process at both edge portions, and the bonding strength of the seal portions 18, 18 tends to become even stronger. Therefore, if the packaging sheet in the portion where the number of overlapping packaging sheets is large is subjected to a peeling treatment, the bonding strength can be appropriately weakened, and weak bonding portions 18w, 18w can be formed at the seal portions 18, 18 (FIG. 14). As a result, the opening operation, particularly the operation at the start of opening, can be performed smoothly, while ensuring the bonding strength of the seal portions 18, 18 and enhancing the sealing performance of the individually packaged absorbent article 100.

[0093] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, in the individually packaged absorbent article 100, the configuration can also be such that the areas of both edge portions of the portion where the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf are overlapped are reduced. FIG. 15 is a plan view of the completely unfolded packaging sheet 10 before the absorbent article is placed, and is a view of the packaging sheet 10 seen from the inner surface, corresponding to FIG. 3. FIG. 16 is a plan view of the individually packaged absorbent article 100 obtained after packaging the absorbent article 1 using the packaging sheet 10 shown in FIG. 15, corresponding to FIG. 1.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 15, notches r, r are formed in the packaging sheet 10 near the folded-back portion fold line Le. In other words, the contour of the packaging sheet 10 is concave toward the center in the second direction D2 at the folded-back portion fold line Le. And since the contour of the folded-back portion Re and the contour of the opposing portion Rf are line-symmetrical with the folded-back portion fold line Le as the axis of symmetry, in the individually packaged absorbent article 100, the contours of the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf coincide (FIG. 16). As shown in FIG. 16, notches r, r are formed at both edge portions in the portion where the folded-back portion Re and the opposing portion Rf are overlapped, whereby the area to be sealed at both edge portions is reduced. Therefore, the force required for the opening start operation can be reduced, and the opening operation can be performed more smoothly.

[0095] As described above, the present invention has been explained based on the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Also, within the scope described in the claims, various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, combinations, etc. are possible, and these also belong to the technical scope of the present invention. The above-described components can be arbitrarily combined. For example, an adhesive may be double-coated on the packaging sheet 10 having a folded-back portion Re provided with a protruding portion p as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, as shown in FIG. 8.

Explanation of Signs

[0096] 1 Absorbent article 1a Used absorbent article 8, 8a, 8b Adhesive (adhesive for disposal) 9 Adhesive (adhesive for absorbent article) 10 Packaging sheet 11 First end in the longitudinal direction 12 Second end in the longitudinal direction 18 Seal portion 18w Weak joint portion 19 Seal discontinuity portion 100-piece pack of absorbent articles D1 First direction of the packaging sheet D2 Second direction of the packaging sheet L1 First fold line L2 Second fold line La Fold line Le Folded-back portion fold line p Protruding portion of the folded-back portion r Notch R1 First region R2 Second region R3 Third region Re Folded-back portion Rf Opposing portion (opposing portion of the folded-back portion)

Claims

1. An individually packaged absorbent article comprising a packaging sheet and an absorbent article packaged by the packaging sheet, wherein the packaging sheet has a first direction corresponding to the front-back direction of the absorbent article and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and has a first region including a first end in the first direction and a second region including a second end opposite to the first end, and the first region and the second region are folded so that the first region overlaps the outer surface of the second region, and both edge portions in the second direction are sealed along the first direction, at at least one end in the first direction, a part of the packaging sheet is folded back to form a folded-back portion, and the folded-back portion is a region including the first end of the first region, an adhesive is disposed between the folded-back portion and a portion of the packaging sheet facing the folded-back portion, the folded-back portion is deployable, and the adhesive is exposed by the deployment, the inner surfaces of both edge portions in the second direction of the packaging sheet have a peeled portion that has been peeled and a non-peeled portion that has not been peeled, the peeled portion is provided in a range including the folded-back portion in a plan view in the folded state, an individually packaged absorbent article.

2. the packaging sheet has an inner surface on which the absorbent article is placed and an outer surface opposite to the inner surface, the folded-back portion is folded back onto the inner surface, the inner surface of the folded-back portion has not been peeled, and the inner surface of the portion facing the folded-back portion has been peeled, the individually packaged absorbent article according to claim 1.

3. the adhesive is disposed along the second direction in a plan view over 10% or more of the length of the packaging sheet in the second direction, the individually packaged absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the folded-back portion has a convex portion protruding in the first direction, and the convex portion can be gripped when the folded-back portion is deployed, the individually packaged absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the absorbent article is disposed such that the front-back direction of the absorbent article is along the first direction and the width direction is along the second direction, an adhesive for the absorbent article that serves as a displacement prevention portion when the absorbent article is worn is disposed between the packaging sheet and the absorbent article, and the adhesive for the absorbent article has an elongated shape along the second direction, the individually packaged absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images