absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article which facilitates an absorbent pad to a holder, suppresses contamination on the holder when using an absorbent article, and allows the absorbent pad to be efficiently used.SOLUTION: An absorbent article comprises: a holder 10 which is annularly fitted to a waist of a wearer; and an absorbent pad 20 detachably fitted to the holder 10. The holder 10 comprises: a front bodice F provided on an abdominal side of a wearer; and a rear bodice R provided on a back side of the wearer. The absorbent pad 20 comprises a pad side fitting structure 25 on an end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 in the longitudinal direction X, and any one or both of the front and rear bodices F, R comprise(s): a slit 15 extending in a circumferential direction CD. The end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 inserted into the slit 15 from a skin facing face side of the holder 10 to the non skin facing face side, is fitted to a non skin facing surface of the holder 10 through the pad side fitting structure 25.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A separate type of absorbent article such as a disposable diaper is known, which includes an absorbent pad that absorbs and retains body fluids such as urine, and a holder that is worn in a ring shape around the waist of the wearer and holds the absorbent pad placed in the crotch area of ​​the wearer, with the absorbent pad configured to be detachable from the holder (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] The absorbent article described in Patent Document 1 is designed so that the absorbent pad can be attached to the holder by attaching a loop portion provided on the outer surface (non-skin-facing surface) of the longitudinal end region of the absorbent pad to a hook portion provided on the inner surface (skin-facing surface) of the holder. The absorbent article described in Patent Document 2 is designed so that the absorbent pad can be attached to the holder by attaching an engaging portion provided on the skin-facing surface of the absorbent pad in the longitudinal end region to an engaging portion provided on the non-skin-facing surface of the holder. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-641 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-51240 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The absorbent article of Patent Document 1 requires that the end region of the absorbent pad be inserted into the skin-facing side of the holder and then fastened to the holder, making it difficult to attach the absorbent pad to the holder. Furthermore, the end region of the absorbent pad located on the skin-facing side of the holder must be peeled off from the holder, making it difficult to remove the absorbent pad and replace it with a new one. Attaching and replacing the absorbent pad to the holder is more difficult when the holder is already held around the wearer's waist.

[0006] The absorbent article of Patent Document 2 can be attached by overlapping the edge region of the absorbent pad on the non-skin-facing surface of the holder, so attachment and replacement of the absorbent pad to the holder is easier than the absorbent article of Patent Document 1. However, during use of an absorbent article with an absorbent pad attached to a holder, the holder located on the skin-facing side of the absorbent pad may narrow the absorbent area of ​​the absorbent pad, preventing effective use of the absorbent pad's absorption performance, or excrement may adhere to the holder located on the skin-facing side of the absorbent pad, soiling the holder. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article that can overcome the drawbacks of the prior art described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to an absorbent article having a holder that is worn in a circular shape around the waist of a wearer, and an absorbent pad that is detachably attached to the holder. It is preferable that the holder has a circumferential direction along the wearer's waist and a height direction along the wearer's height, and has a front body portion that is placed on the wearer's abdominal side and a back body portion that is placed on the wearer's back side. The absorbent pad preferably has a pad-side fastening structure at an end region in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent pad. It is preferable that either or both of the front and back body sections have a slit extending in the circumferential direction, and the end region of the absorbent pad inserted into the slit from the skin-facing side of the holder toward the non-skin-facing side can be attached to the non-skin-facing side of the holder via the pad side attachment structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, an absorbent article can be provided in which the absorbent pad can be easily attached to the holder, the holder is less likely to become soiled during use of the absorbent article, and the absorption performance of the absorbent pad can be effectively utilized. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view of one embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line Ib-Ib in FIG. 1(a). [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a holder included in the absorbent article shown in FIG. [Figure 3] Figure 3(a) is a plan view schematically showing the non-skin-facing surface (outer surface) of the front body part when the holder of the absorbent article shown in Figure 1 is in the maximum extended state, and Figure 3(b) is a plan view schematically showing the non-skin-facing surface (outer surface) of the back body part when the holder is in the maximum extended state. [Figure 4] Figure 4(a) is a plan view schematically showing the skin-facing surface of the absorbent pad of the absorbent article shown in Figure 1 in the maximum stretched state, and Figure 4(b) is a plan view schematically showing the non-skin-facing surface of the absorbent pad in the maximum stretched state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are designated by the same or similar reference numerals. The drawings are basically schematic, and the ratios of the dimensions may differ from those of the actual ones.

[0011] 1(a) and 1(b) show a disposable diaper (hereinafter also simply referred to as "diaper") 1, which is one embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the diaper 1 has a holder 10 that is worn in a circular shape around the waist of a wearer, and an absorbent pad 20 that is detachably attached to the holder 10. As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the diaper 1 is configured such that the holder 10 and the absorbent pad 20 are joined together by inserting a longitudinal end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 into a slit 15 of the holder 10 and detachably fastening a pad-side fastening structure 25 of the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 to the non-skin-facing surface of the holder 10. The diaper 1 has a waist opening WH provided in the holder 10 and a pair of leg openings LH, LH defined by the lower end of the holder 10 in the height direction HD and both side edges along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction X described below) of the absorbent pad 20.

[0012] The diaper 1, which is a separate-type absorbent article, has a reduced environmental impact compared to conventional non-separate-type absorbent articles because the holder 10 and the absorbent pad 20 can be freely connected and separated via the non-skin-facing surface of the holder 10 and the pad-side fastening structure 25. That is, when conventional non-separate-type absorbent articles in which the portion corresponding to the wearer's waist (the holder portion) and the portion corresponding to the wearer's crotch area (the absorbent pad portion) are inseparably integrated, the holder portion, even if it is not soiled, must be discarded together with the absorbent pad portion, which is soiled with excrement. However, with the diaper 1, the holder 10 remains intact and only the absorbent pad 20 needs to be replaced with a new one, which reduces waste disposal and carbon dioxide emissions compared to non-separate-type absorbent articles, thereby contributing to a reduced environmental impact. From the viewpoint of making this effect more pronounced and facilitating the attachment of the absorbent pad 20 to the holder 10, it is preferable that the mass of the absorbent pad 20 be lighter than that of a conventional non-separate type absorbent article. Specifically, when the diaper 1 is for an adult, the mass of the absorbent pad 20 is preferably 40 g or less, more preferably 35 g or less, and even more preferably 30 g or less. Furthermore, since the absorbent pad 20 is removably fixed to the holder 10 while the diaper 1 is being worn, the absorbent pad 20 can be easily replaced with a new one, and the burden of replacing the diaper 1 is significantly reduced compared to conventional non-separate type absorbent articles.

[0013] The holder 10 is attached in a ring shape around the waist of the wearer and holds the absorbent pad 20 in a state where it is attached to the wearer, i.e., worn, and has a height direction HD along the wearer's height and a circumferential direction CD along the waist direction. The holder 10 is provided with a slit 15 through which the longitudinal end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 can be inserted.

[0014] Here, the absorbent pad 20 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 1(b) and FIGS. 4(a) and (b). The absorbent pad 20 includes a liquid-permeable top sheet 21 positioned relatively close to the wearer's skin, a liquid-impermeable, poorly liquid-permeable, or water-repellent back sheet 22 positioned relatively far from the wearer's skin, and an absorbent body 23 interposed between the two sheets 21 and 22. These components constituting the absorbent pad 20 are joined together by a known joining means such as an adhesive. The absorbent pad 20 has a shape that is elongated in one direction in a plan view, and when the absorbent pad 20 is in use, its longitudinal direction is aligned with the height direction HD of the holder 10 when the diaper 10 is already attached to the wearer. The longitudinal direction of the absorbent pad 20 corresponds to the longitudinal direction X, which corresponds to the front-to-back direction of the wearer of the diaper 10, and the lateral direction Y of the absorbent pad 20, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X, corresponds to the circumferential direction CD of the holder 10. The absorbent pad 20 has a pad-side fastening structure 25 in an end region 20e in the longitudinal direction X. In this embodiment, a portion of the absorbent pad 20 located outward from the end edge of the absorber 23 in the longitudinal direction X constitutes the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20. The pad-side fastening structure 25 is detachably attachable to the non-skin-facing surface of the holder 10. In this embodiment, the pad-side fastening structure 25 is provided on the skin-facing surface side of the absorbent pad 20. The pad-side fastening structure 25 is provided in each of both end regions 20e, 20e of the absorbent pad 20 in the longitudinal direction X.

[0015] In this specification, the term "skin-facing surface" refers to the surface of a worn article such as an absorbent article, holder, or absorbent pad, or a component thereof (for example, the holder-side fastening structure of a holder), which faces the wearer's skin when the worn article is being worn, and the term "non-skin-facing surface" refers to the surface of the worn article or a component thereof, which faces the opposite side from the skin when the worn article is being worn.

[0016] The holder 10 will be described in detail below. The holder 10 has a circumferential direction CD along the waist circumference direction of the wearer and a height direction HD along the height direction of the wearer. The holder 10 also has a front body F placed on the wearer's abdominal side (front side) and a back body R placed on the wearer's dorsal side (rear side), and is equipped with a holder main body 11 that forms the main body of the holder 10. The holder main body 11 forms the outer shape (outline) of the holder 10 in a plan view, and the upper end 10a and lower end 10b of the holder 10 in the height direction HD are the upper and lower ends of the holder main body 11. A slit 15 is formed in the holder main body 11.

[0017] In this embodiment, the holder 10 (holder main body 11) is annular as shown in Figures 1(a) and 2, and has a waist opening WH into which the wearer's torso is inserted when worn. Specifically, in the holder 10 of this embodiment, the holder main bodies 11 of the front body F and the back body R are joined to each other at both longitudinal ends thereof by known joining means such as adhesive or fusion bonding to form a pair of joining sections S, S, and the front body F and the back body R are connected via this pair of joining sections S, S to form an annular shape. The joining sections S correspond to the side seal sections in a typical non-separate pants-type disposable diaper.

[0018] In this embodiment, the holder main body 11 has different shapes in plan view in the maximum extended state between the front piece F and the back piece R (see FIGS. 3(a) and (b)). 3(a), the holder body 11 of the front body F has an upper end 11a and a lower end 11b that are parallel to a direction perpendicular to the height direction HD, side edges 11e, 11e extending downward in the height direction HD from both ends of the upper end 11a, and oblique sides 11d, 11d connecting the lower ends of the side edges 11e, 11e in the height direction HD to both ends of the lower end 11b. The oblique side 11d is curved convexly upward in the height direction HD. As shown in Fig. 3(b), the holder body 11 of the back piece R has an upper end 11a parallel to a direction perpendicular to the height direction HD, side edges 11e, 11e extending downward in the height direction HD from both ends of the upper end 11a, and a lower end 11b connecting the lower ends of the side edges 11e, 11e in the height direction HD. The lower end 11b is curved downward in the height direction HD.

[0019] In this specification, the term "maximum stretched state" refers to a state in which the elastic members of each part of a wearing article, such as an absorbent article, holder, or absorbent pad, are stretched to their maximum extent and expanded to the same dimensions as the design dimensions, i.e., the dimensions when the article is spread out flat without any influence of the elastic members.

[0020] In this embodiment, the holder main body parts 11 of the front body pieces F and the back body pieces R each include an outer layer sheet 13 that forms the non-skin-facing surface (outer surface) of the holder 10, and an inner layer sheet 12 that forms the skin-facing surface (inner surface) of the holder 10. The inner layer sheet 12 can come into contact with the wearer's skin when the holder 10 is worn.

[0021] In this embodiment, the holder 10 (holder main body 11) includes elastic members 14 arranged to be stretchable in a direction perpendicular to the height direction HD (circumferential direction CD). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1(b) and FIGS. 3(a) and (b), a plurality of elastic members 14 are arranged between the outer layer sheet 13 and the inner layer sheet 12 to be stretchable in a direction perpendicular to the height direction HD (circumferential direction CD). As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of elastic members 14 extend over the entire length of the front body F and the back body R in a direction perpendicular to the height direction HD (circumferential direction CD), and are arranged intermittently in the height direction HD. Each elastic member 14 is fixed to other surrounding members with an adhesive. The number and positions of the elastic members 14 are not particularly limited and can be determined appropriately taking into consideration the fit of the holder 10 to the wearer's body, etc.

[0022] Nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics, resin films, etc. manufactured by various methods can be used for both sheets 12 and 13. Specific examples of nonwoven fabrics that can be used for each of sheets 12 and 13 include spunbond nonwoven fabrics, air-through nonwoven fabrics, and needle-punched nonwoven fabrics, and they may have a single-layer structure or a laminate structure in which one or more types of nonwoven fabrics are laminated. The sheets 12, 13 may be of the same type or different types. Here, "same type" means that the manufacturing process, type of constituent fibers, diameter and length of the constituent fibers, thickness and basis weight of the fiber sheet are all the same between the sheets. If even one of these is different, the sheets are "different" from each other.

[0023] Since the holder 10 does not include an absorbent that absorbs and retains moisture, if washable materials are used for the constituent members of the holder main body 11, including the sheets 12 and 13, the holder 10 can be washed and reused. The fact that the holder 10 is washable leads to a reduction in the amount of waste and carbon dioxide emissions, and contributes to reducing the burden on the environment. From the viewpoint of making the holder 10 washable, it is preferable that the holder 10 be made of woven fabric. In other words, it is preferable that the constituent members of the holder main body 11, including the sheets 12 and 13, be woven fabric.

[0024] One or both of the sheets 12, 13 may be stretchable in a direction perpendicular to the height direction HD (circumferential direction CD). The holder for the absorbent article of the present invention includes a configuration that does not include the above-mentioned elastic member 14, and in such a configuration, it is preferable that one or both of the sheets 12, 13 are stretchable in a direction perpendicular to the height direction HD. The holder of the present invention includes, for example, a configuration in which the outer layer sheet 13 is stretchable in a direction perpendicular to the height direction HD and the inner layer sheet 12 is not stretchable.

[0025] Either or both of the front body piece F and the back body piece R of the holder 10 have a slit 15 extending in the circumferential direction CD. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1(b) and Figs. 3(a) and (b), the front body piece F and the back body piece R each have a slit 15. The slit 15 is formed to penetrate the holder main body part 11 in the thickness direction of the holder main body part 11. The slit 15 is configured so that an end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 can be inserted through the slit 15 from the skin-facing side of the holder 10 toward the non-skin-facing side. In this embodiment, the front body piece F and the back body piece R each have only one slit 15, but they may each have multiple slits. As shown in Figure 3(a), the slit 15 of the front body piece F is located in the center region of the front body piece F in the circumferential direction CD. As shown in Figure 3(b), the slit 15 of the back body piece R is located in the center region of the back body piece R in the circumferential direction CD.

[0026] One of the features of the absorbent article of the present invention is that, as shown in Figures 1(a) and (b), the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 inserted through the slit 15 from the skin-facing side of the holder 10 to the non-skin-facing side can be fastened to the non-skin-facing side of the holder 10 via the pad-side fastening structure 25. By inserting end region 20e of absorbent pad 20 through slit 15 from the skin-facing side of holder 10 toward the non-skin-facing side, the portion of holder 10 below slit 15 in the height direction HD is positioned on the non-skin-facing side of absorbent pad 20, so that wearer's excrement is less likely to adhere to holder 10, particularly the portion of holder 10 below slit 15 in the height direction HD, and holder 10 is less likely to become soiled. Because holder 10 is less likely to become soiled, only absorbent pad 20 soiled with excrement can be replaced with a new one, and the same holder 10 can be used for a long period of time, thereby reducing waste disposal and the burden on the environment. In addition, the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 pulled out from the slit 15 toward the non-skin facing side of the holder 10 can be fastened to the non-skin facing side of the holder 10, making it easy to attach the absorbent pad 20 to the holder 10.

[0027] Furthermore, by positioning the portion of the holder 10 below the slit 15 in the height direction HD closer to the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent pad 20, it is possible to effectively utilize the absorption performance of the absorbent pad 20. Such effects will be described below. For example, when the holder does not have a slit, as in the absorbent article of Patent Document 2, and the end region of the absorbent pad is attached to the non-skin-facing surface of the holder, the portion of the absorbent pad from the longitudinal end to the lower end of the holder in the height direction is located on the non-skin-facing surface of the holder. Therefore, this portion of the absorbent pad 20 has difficulty absorbing excrement, and the absorbent area of ​​the absorbent pad 20 is narrowed by this portion. In contrast, in the diaper 1 of this embodiment, the portion of the holder 10 below the slit 15 in the height direction HD is located on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent pad 20, so that the portion of the absorbent pad 20 from the edge of the end region 20e to the position of the slit 15 is located on the non-skin-facing side of the holder 10, and the portion of the absorbent pad 20 from the slit 15 to the position of the lower end 11b in the height direction HD of the holder 10 is located on the skin-facing side of the holder 10. Therefore, the portion of the absorbent pad 20 from the slit 15 to the position of the lower end 11b in the height direction HD of the holder 10 is able to absorb excrement, and the absorbent area of ​​the absorbent pad 20 can be expanded, allowing the absorbent pad 20 to be used more effectively. In this way, the diaper 1 of this embodiment makes it easy to attach the absorbent pad 20 to the holder 10, the holder 10 is less likely to become soiled during use of the diaper 1, and the absorption performance of the absorbent pad 20 can be effectively utilized.

[0028] As described above, only one of the front body F and the back body R of the holder 10 may have the slit 15, but from the viewpoint of more significantly achieving the effects of facilitating attachment of the absorbent pad 20 to the holder 10, preventing the holder 10 from becoming soiled during use of the diaper 1, and enabling effective utilization of the absorption performance of the absorbent pad 20, it is preferable that both the front body F and the back body R have the slit 15. When only one of the front body F and the back body R has the slit 15, the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 may be fastened to the non-skin-facing surface of the other body that does not have the slit 15.

[0029] The slit 15 can be formed at any position on the front body piece F or the back body piece R in the height direction HD. The higher the slit 15 is positioned in the height direction HD, the longer the portion of the front body F located on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent pad 20 becomes in the longitudinal direction X when the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 inserted through the slit 15 is attached to the non-skin-facing side of the holder 10, making the holder 10 more resistant to soiling. Furthermore, when the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 inserted through the slit 15 is attached to the non-skin-facing side of the holder 10 and the diaper 1 is worn, the portion of the holder 10 located below the slit 15 in the height direction HD becomes less likely to tear, allowing the holder 10 to be used for a long period of time. To achieve these effects more significantly, the distance F3 of the slit 15 formed in the front body F from the lower end 11b in the height direction HD of the front body F is preferably 20% or more, more preferably 25% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more of the total length F1 in the height direction HD of the front body F. From a similar perspective, the distance R3 of the slit 15 formed in the back body R from the lower end 11b in the height direction HD of the back body R is preferably 20% or more, more preferably 25% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more of the total length R1 in the height direction HD of the back body R.

[0030] When the diaper 1 is for adults, the slits 15 formed in the front body F make the holder 10 more resistant to soiling and make the portion of the holder 10 located below the slits 15 in the height direction HD less likely to tear, thereby enabling the holder 10 to be used for a long period of time, so that the distance F3 is preferably 5 cm or more, more preferably 7 cm or more, and even more preferably 10 cm or more. From the same perspective, the distance R3 of the slits 15 formed in the back body R is preferably 5 cm or more, more preferably 7 cm or more, and even more preferably 10 cm or more.

[0031] On the other hand, the lower the slit 15 is located in the height direction HD, the less likely the holder 10 is to break, and the longer it can be used. From the perspective of making this effect even more pronounced, the distance F2 of the slit 15 formed in the front body piece F from the upper end 11a in the height direction HD of the front body piece F is preferably 20% or more, more preferably 25% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more of the total length F1 in the height direction HD of the front body piece F. From the same perspective, the distance R2 of the slit 15 formed in the back body piece R from the upper end 11a in the height direction HD of the back body piece R is preferably 20% or more, more preferably 25% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more of the total length R1 in the height direction HD of the back body piece R.

[0032] When the diaper 1 is for adults, the distance F2 of the slit 15 formed in the front body F is preferably 5 cm or more, more preferably 7 cm or more, and even more preferably 10 cm or more, from the viewpoint of using the holder 10 for a long period of time. From the same viewpoint, the distance R2 of the slit 15 formed in the back body R is preferably 5 cm or more, more preferably 7 cm or more, and even more preferably 10 cm or more.

[0033] The length Ls of the slit 15 in the circumferential direction CD is preferably long enough to allow the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 to be inserted therethrough. Here, "insertable" refers not only to the case where the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 is insertable in its natural state, but also to the case where the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 is inserted therethrough when the end region 20e is bent in the lateral direction Y to a length shorter than that of the end region 20e in its natural state. To facilitate insertion of the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 through the slit 15, the length Ls of the slit 15 in the circumferential direction CD is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 60% or more, and even more preferably 70% or more of the length Lp of the absorbent pad 20 in the width direction Y. The upper limit of the length Ls of the slit 15 in the circumferential direction CD may be 80% of the length Lp of the absorbent pad 20 in the width direction Y. The length Ls of the slit 15 in the front body piece F and the back body piece R may be the same or different.

[0034] When the diaper 1 is for adults, the length Ls of the slit 15 in the circumferential direction CD is preferably 10 cm or more, more preferably 15 cm or more, and even more preferably 20 cm or more, from the viewpoint of facilitating insertion of the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 into the slit 15. The upper limit of the length Ls of the slit 15 in the circumferential direction CD may be 30 cm.

[0035] In the holder 10, the length F1 of the front body section and the length R1 of the back body section may be the same or different in the height direction HD. When the length F1 of the front body section and the length R1 of the back body section are different, the length F1 may be longer than the length R1, or the length R1 may be longer than the length F1. Generally, excretory parts such as the urethral opening of a wearer are located on the abdominal side of the wearer, so from the viewpoint of making the holder 10 less susceptible to soiling, it is preferable that the length F1 of the front body section F be short. From the viewpoint of ensuring that the back body section R properly covers the buttocks of the wearer and gives the wearer a sense of security, it is preferable that the length R1 of the back body section R be long. From the viewpoint of achieving both of these, the length F1 of the front body section F is preferably at least 5 cm shorter than the length R1 of the back body section R in the height direction HD, more preferably at least 6 cm shorter, and even more preferably at least 7 cm shorter.

[0036] The holder 10 is preferably made of an elastic member that is elastic in the height direction HD and the circumferential direction CD. This improves the fit of the holder 10. Furthermore, when the diaper 1 is worn, the absorbent pad 20 can be pulled up, thereby improving the fit of the absorbent pad 20. To ensure that these effects are more pronounced, the elongation percentage of the elastic member constituting the holder 10 is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 15% or more, and even more preferably 20% or more. The upper limit of the elongation percentage of the holder 10 can be set to 40%. The elongation percentage of the elastic member constituting the holder 10 can be measured by the following method.

[0037] <Method for measuring elongation rate> First, in the natural state, two marks are made on the outer surface of the holder 10 with an oil-based pen or the like, spaced a fixed distance L0 (e.g., 100 mm) apart in the extension / contraction direction of the holder 10. The marked areas on the holder 10 are then clamped between the chucks of a tensile tester (Shimadzu Corporation, model number: Autograph AG-X). Next, the distance between the chucks is increased at a rate of 300 mm / min, and the distance between the chucks when the tensile load reaches 3 N is defined as L1. The extension / contraction ratio is then calculated using the following formula. Stretching ratio=(L1-L0) / L0

[0038] It is also preferable that the holder 10 has liquid-absorbency. This allows the holder 10 to absorb sweat while wearing the diaper 1, thereby reducing discomfort caused by sweat even when wearing the diaper 1 for a long period of time. Here, having liquid-absorbency means that when a drop (approximately 0.05 cc) of saline is dropped using a Komagome pipette or the like, the drop is absorbed and becomes invisible within three seconds of contacting the holder 10. One method for imparting liquid-absorbency to the holder 10 is to use a liquid-absorbent material as the outer layer sheet 13 or the inner layer sheet 12. Examples of liquid-absorbent materials include cotton and polyester.

[0039] The pad-side fastening structure 25 may be any known detachable fastening structure as long as it can detachably fasten the end region 20e of the absorbent pad 20 to the non-skin-facing surface of the holder. For example, the pad-side fastening structure 25 may have an adhesive portion formed by applying an adhesive, and the pad-side fastening structure 25 may be detachably fastened to the non-skin-facing surface of the holder 10 via the adhesive portion.

[0040] In this embodiment, a male member of a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener is used as the pad-side fastening structure 25. The term "mechanical hook-and-loop fastener" as used herein refers to a fastener consisting of a pair of a surface member (male member) with hook-shaped protrusions (engaging member) arranged on one surface and a surface member (female member) with pile-shaped protrusions (loop member). A specific example of a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener is Magic Tape (registered trademark). In this embodiment, the non-skin-facing surface of the holder 10 is made of a fiber sheet such as a nonwoven fabric or woven fabric with which the male member can be engaged. The holder 10 may also have a holder-side fastening structure on the non-skin-facing surface to which the pad-side fastening structure 25 can be fastened. An example of the holder-side fastening structure is a female member of a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener. The holder 10 may have a holder-side fastening structure on either or both of the front body piece F and the back body piece R.

[0041] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the invention. For example, the holder of the present invention may be one that is worn in a ring shape around the wearer's waist when in use, but does not have to be ring-shaped when not in use. For example, holder main body 11 may be in the form of a long strip that is long in one direction, and one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of holder main body 11 may be detachably connectable, so that holder main body 11 is in the form of a strip when not in use and is ring-shaped when in use (when worn) by connecting one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of holder main body 11. Alternatively, holder main body 11 may be divided into multiple members in the circumferential direction CD (for example, a member corresponding to front body F and a member corresponding to back body R), and these multiple members may be detachably connectable in one direction, so that these multiple members are connected to form ring-shaped holder main body 11 when in use (when worn).

[0042] Furthermore, the planar shape of the front body F and back body R of the holder 10 in the maximum extended state is not particularly limited, and may be a substantially rectangular shape, etc. Furthermore, the front body F and back body R may have the same shape and dimensions as each other in a planar view.

[0043] In the above embodiment, both the outer layer sheet 13 and the inner layer sheet 12 have a single-layer structure, but in the present invention, one or both of the sheets 12, 13 may have a laminated structure. For example, the outer layer sheet 13 may have a laminated structure of two or more sheets including a sheet that is stretchable in the lateral direction Y, and the inner layer sheet 12 may have a single-layer structure made of a non-stretchable sheet.

[0044] In the above embodiment, the holder 10 includes the outer layer sheet 13 and the inner layer sheet 12 as sheet-like members constituting the holder main body 11, but in the present invention, the holder 10 may include sheet-like members other than the two sheets 12, 13. Specifically, for example, in addition to the two sheets 12, 13, the holder 10 (holder main body 11) may further include a functional sheet that is placed in an area corresponding to the waist of the wearer on the skin-facing surface (inner surface) of the holder 10. The functional sheet has at least one of various functions, such as sweat absorption, moisture absorption, antibacterial properties, and deodorizing properties.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the pad side fastening structure 25 is a male member of a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener, and the pad side fastening structure 25 is attachable to the non-skin-facing surface of the holder 10; however, the pad side fastening structure 25 may be a female member of a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener, and a male member of a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener may be provided as the holder side fastening structure on the non-skin-facing surface of the holder 10, so that the pad side fastening structure 25 is attachable to the holder side fastening structure.

[0046] A pair of leakage preventing cuffs may be arranged on both sides of the absorbent pad 20 along the longitudinal direction X, so as to stand up against the wearer's skin when the diaper 1 is worn. Each leakage preventing cuff may include a leakage preventing cuff-forming sheet that forms the main body of the leakage preventing cuff, and an elastic member fixed to the sheet in a stretched state in the longitudinal direction X.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the planar shape of the absorbent pad 20 is an approximately hourglass shape in which the central region in the vertical direction X is shorter in the horizontal direction Y than the end regions 20e in the vertical direction X, but the planar shape of the absorbent pad 20 is not limited to this and may be, for example, an approximately rectangular shape. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1. Absorbent articles (diapers) 10 Holder 11 Holder body 12 Inner layer sheet 13 Outer layer sheet 14 Elastic member 15 Slit 20 absorbent pads 21 Surface sheet 22 Back sheet 23 Absorbent 25 Pad side fastening structure WH Waist opening LH leg opening F Front R back HD holder height direction Circumferential direction of CD holder X Longitudinal direction of absorbent pad Y Width of absorbent pad

Claims

1. An absorbent article having a holder that is worn in a circular shape around the waist of a wearer and an absorbent pad that is detachably attached to the holder, The holder has a circumferential direction along the waist circumference direction of the wearer and a height direction along the height direction of the wearer, and has a front body arranged on the abdominal side of the wearer and a back body arranged on the back side of the wearer, and a lower end of the front body in the height direction and a lower end of the back body in the height direction are not continuous in the front-to-back direction of the wearer, the holder does not have a portion to be placed in the crotch area of ​​the wearer, The absorbent pad has a pad-side fastening structure at an end region in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent pad, An absorbent article in which either or both of the front body and the back body have a slit extending in the circumferential direction, and the end region of the absorbent pad inserted into the slit from the skin-facing side of the holder toward the non-skin-facing side can be attached to the non-skin-facing side of the holder via the pad side fastening structure.

2. 2. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the slit is spaced from the top end of the front or rear body in the height direction by 20% or more of the total length of the front or rear body in the height direction, and the slit is spaced from the bottom end of the front or rear body in the height direction by 20% or more of the total length of the front or rear body in the height direction.

3. An absorbent article as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the front body part and the back body part having the slit do not have an elastic member arranged in a position overlapping with the slit in the height direction.

4. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the length of the slit in the circumferential direction is 50% or more of the length of the absorbent pad in the width direction.

5. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the slit is at a distance of 5 cm or more from the upper end of the front body or the rear body in the height direction and at a distance of 5 cm or more from the lower end of the front body or the rear body in the height direction.

6. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the slit has a length in the circumferential direction of 10 cm or more.

7. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the length of the front body section is at least 5 cm shorter than the length of the rear body section in the height direction.

8. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein both the front body section and the rear body section have the slit.

9. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the holder is made of an elastic member having an elongation rate of 10% or more.

10. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the holder has liquid-absorbent properties.

11. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the holder is made of woven fabric.

12. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the absorbent pad has a mass of 40 g or less.

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