absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article which hardly imparts feeling of hardness of touch of thermal deposition to a user, even though a top sheet and a second sheet of the article are thermally deposited by heat seal or ultrasonic seal.SOLUTION: A loose passage pad 100 (absorbent article) is formed by laminating a top sheet 10, a second sheet 20, and an absorber 30. The top sheet 10 is used arranged on an internal side touching a skin of a user. The top sheet 10 and the second sheet 20 are joined by thermal deposition with heat seal embossments 90 (or ultrasonic embossments), and the heat seal embossments 90 (or ultrasonic embossment) are formed on relatively recessed parts in a thickness direction D where the top sheet 10 is laminated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] So-called soft stool pads are known as inner pads that are placed inside disposable diapers. The inner pad is constructed by laminating multiple sheets and absorbents, and soft stool pads use a perforated sheet with large holes formed as the top sheet of the laminated sheets and absorbents that comes into direct contact with the user's skin in order to adequately absorb soft stool.

[0003] In general absorbent articles such as inner pads, the top sheet and the second sheet laminated in contact with the top sheet are joined together with, for example, a hot melt. However, when the top sheet is a perforated sheet, there is a risk that the hot melt provided between the top sheet and the second sheet may fall out to the outside through the perforations in the perforated sheet.

[0004] Therefore, when the top sheet is a perforated sheet, instead of using hot melt, the perforated sheet and the second sheet are joined by thermal welding using multiple dotted heat seals or ultrasonic seals (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-104650 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-178384 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, heat sealing and ultrasonic sealing melt the materials to be joined using heat, and the melted portion becomes harder than the original material. Therefore, when the melted portion of the top sheet comes into contact with the wearer's skin, the user may feel that the melted portion is hard to the touch, which may reduce comfort when wearing the top sheet.

[0007] The above-mentioned problem is not limited to soft stool pads with large openings formed in the top sheet, but can also occur in various absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, other inner pads used on top of disposable diapers, feminine hygiene products, and urinary incontinence absorbents, as long as the top sheet and second sheet are thermally welded together using heat sealing or ultrasonic sealing.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an absorbent article that can make the wearer less likely to feel the hardness of the heat-sealed joint against their skin, even if the top sheet and second sheet are heat-sealed by heat sealing or ultrasonic sealing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention relates to an absorbent article in which a top sheet, a second sheet, and an absorbent body are laminated together, the top sheet being used on the inside so as to come into contact with the wearer's skin, and the top sheet and the second sheet being thermally joined together by heat seal embossing or ultrasonic embossing, in which the heat seal embossing or ultrasonic embossing is formed in a relatively recessed portion in the thickness direction of the laminated top sheet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the absorbent article of the present invention, even if the top sheet and the second sheet are thermally welded by heat sealing or ultrasonic sealing, the wearer is less likely to feel the stiffness of the thermal weld against the skin. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]This is a plan view of the soft stool pad when unfolded, viewed from the top sheet side. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the soft stool pad taken along line AA in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 10 is a diagram showing the folding lines, diffusion slits and fit embossing formed on the soft stool pad. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the soft stool pad folded along the folding line. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a portion where a heat seal embossment is formed. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5, showing the diffusion slit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, a soft stool pad 100, which is one embodiment of an absorbent article according to the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a plan view of the soft stool pad 100 when unfolded, as seen from the side (inside) of the top sheet 10, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the soft stool pad 100 taken along line AA in Fig. 1. The soft stool pad 100 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is one embodiment of the absorbent article according to the present invention, but in Figs. 1 and 2, the illustration of recessed portions of the soft stool pad 100, which will be described later, is omitted to avoid complication of the illustration. The recessed portions of the soft stool pad 100 will be described in simplified drawings, which will be described later.

[0014] <Configuration> The illustrated soft stool pad 100 is an inner pad placed inside a disposable diaper and is particularly suitable for absorbing a wearer's soft stool. As shown in Figure 1, the soft stool pad 100 has a back portion L3, a ventral portion L1, and a crotch portion L2 between the back portion L3 and the ventral portion L1, which are integrally formed.

[0015] The soft stool pad 100 is arranged in the order of the back portion L3, crotch portion L2, and abdominal portion L1 in the longitudinal direction L. There are no boundaries or structural differences between the back portion L3 and the crotch portion L2 or between the abdominal portion L1 and the crotch portion L2 in the soft stool pad 100, and for the convenience of identifying and explaining the areas of the soft stool pad 100, the soft stool pad 100 is simply divided into three rough portions: the back portion L3, the crotch portion L2, and the abdominal portion L1.

[0016] When the soft stool pad 100 is worn by a wearer over a disposable diaper, the back side L3 is a portion that faces approximately the buttocks of the wearer and covers them, the abdominal side L1 is a portion that faces approximately the lower abdomen of the wearer and covers them, and the crotch side L2 is a portion that faces approximately the crotch area of ​​the wearer and covers them. The direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L of the soft stool pad 100 will be referred to as the width direction W hereinafter.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the soft stool pad 100 is formed by laminating a top sheet 10, a second sheet 20, an absorbent body 30, and a back sheet 40 in this order in the thickness direction D. Both the top sheet 10 and the second sheet 20 are liquid permeable, and the back sheet 40 is liquid impermeable. The absorbent body 30 includes an absorbent member 31 and a packaging body 32. The absorbent member 31 adsorbs moisture. The packaging body 32 is liquid permeable and encases the absorbent member 31.

[0018] Additionally, on both sides in the width direction W, three-dimensional gathers 50, 50 are provided that rise in the thickness direction D so as to cover both sides in the width direction W of the top sheet 10 from above the top sheet 10 in the figure. The side edges of the three-dimensional gathers 50 in the width direction W are joined to the back sheet 40, and the insides in the width direction W are formed to rise.

[0019] Both ends of the top sheet 10 in the width direction W are joined to the second sheet 20, and both ends of the second sheet 20 in the width direction W are joined to the three-dimensional gathers 50. Elastic thread 51 is fixed to the inner ends of the three-dimensional gathers 50 in a stretched state along the longitudinal direction L to form gathers. The three-dimensional gathers 50 are liquid impermeable.

[0020] The soft stool pad 100 is attached to the inside of a disposable diaper with the top sheet 10 facing inward (with the back sheet 40 facing the inner surface of the disposable diaper), so that when the soft stool pad 100 is attached to the wearer, the top sheet 10 is in contact with the wearer's skin.

[0021] Loose stool excreted by the wearer transfers from the top sheet 10 to the second sheet 20, and liquid moisture permeates the second sheet 20 and is adsorbed by the absorbent body 30. Because the back sheet 40 is liquid impermeable, moisture adsorbed by the absorbent body 30 does not permeate the back sheet 40 and leak to the outside.

[0022] Furthermore, the three-dimensional gathers 50 that stand up on both sides of the top sheet 10 in the width direction W block loose stool when it spreads in the width direction W on the top sheet 10 and do not allow liquid water to pass through, so that this water does not leak out by passing through the three-dimensional gathers 50.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1 , the top sheet 10 has a large number of relatively large perforations 11 formed therethrough in the thickness direction D in order to allow loose stool excreted by the wearer to move from the top sheet 10 to the second sheet 20, which is the layer next to the top sheet 10, as quickly as possible. The perforations 11 are formed, for example, in the shape of an ellipse whose dimension in the longitudinal direction L is longer than its dimension in the width direction W. As an example, the dimension of the ellipse of the perforations 11 is 3 mm in the width direction W and 4 mm in the longitudinal direction L. The dimensions of the perforations 11 are not limited to this example.

[0024] Furthermore, the openings 11 are not limited to being ovals that are long in the longitudinal direction L, but may be ovals that are long in the width direction W, or may be circles whose dimensions in the longitudinal direction L and the width direction W are equal. However, when the openings 11 are ovals that are long in the longitudinal direction L, loose stool on the top sheet 10 can be quickly diffused in the longitudinal direction and transferred to the second sheet 20 more quickly.

[0025] Furthermore, the shape of the openings 11 is not limited to a circle, but may be a diamond, a rectangle, or any other polygon. However, since circular openings 11, including ovals, have no corners, they can prevent or suppress the discomfort that can be caused by the corners of a polygon, compared to polygons such as diamonds and rectangles.

[0026] The top sheet 10 has a large number of apertures 11 formed so that they are aligned in a diagonal direction relative to the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the width direction W. In other words, the large number of apertures 11 are arranged in a staggered pattern. Note that the top sheet 10 is not limited to one in which the apertures 11 are arranged in a staggered pattern, and the apertures 11 may be arranged in a lattice pattern relative to the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the width direction W.

[0027] Furthermore, a top sheet 10 in which the openings 11 are arranged in a staggered pattern can form the openings 11 at a higher density than a top sheet in which the openings 11 are arranged in a grid pattern, and can more quickly transfer soft stool from the top sheet 10 to the second sheet 20 through the openings 11.

[0028] Here, the top sheet 10 and the second sheet 20 are joined not only at both end portions of the top sheet 10 in the width direction W as described above, but also at a plurality of distributed regions by heat seal embossing 90. Note that the top sheet 10 and the second sheet 20 may be joined at distributed regions by other thermal welding methods such as ultrasonic embossing, in addition to heat seal embossing 90.

[0029] The heat seal embossment 90 is formed in a circular shape with a diameter of, for example, 3 to 4 mm, and is joined to the second sheet 20 so as to include at least a portion of the top sheet 10 other than the apertures 11.

[0030] The heat seal embossing 90 bonds materials by melting them with heat, but once melted and hardened, it has properties that make it harder than the original materials.

[0031] The soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment is formed on the inner surface (surface of the top sheet 10) that comes into contact with the wearer's skin in a portion that is relatively recessed in the thickness direction D. Therefore, the soft stool pad 100 is less likely to come into contact with the wearer's skin because the heat seal embossing 90 is formed on the recessed portion, and this makes it possible to keep the top sheet 10 joined to the second sheet 20 while making it less likely for the wearer to feel the hardness of the heat fusion to the touch.

[0032] Specific examples of the recessed portion where the heat seal embossment 90 is formed will be described below.

[0033] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the folding lines 71, 72, 75, 76, diffusion slits 81, 82 and fit embossments 85, 86 formed on the soft stool pad 100, Figure 4 is a diagram showing the soft stool pad 100 in a folded state along the folding lines 71, 72, 75, 76, and Figure 5 is a plan view showing the part where the heat seal embossment 90 is formed.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment has fold lines 71, 72, 75, and 76 along which the pad is folded with the top sheet 10 facing inward. The fold lines 71 and 72 divide the soft stool pad 100 into three equal lengths in the longitudinal direction L. The fold line 71 is a valley fold dividing line formed in the top sheet 10 when the ventral portion L1 is folded inward mainly to face the crotch portion L2 (see Figure 4). The fold line 72 is a valley fold dividing line formed in the top sheet 10 when the dorsal portion L3 is folded inward mainly to face the crotch portion L2 (see Figure 4).

[0035] The folding lines 75, 76 are lines that divide the soft stool pad 100 into three sections in the width direction W. The folding lines 75, 76 are dividing lines of valley folds formed in the top sheet 10 when both widthwise side portions are folded inward so that they face the widthwise center portion (see Figure 4).

[0036] By folding the soft stool pad 100, the absorber 30 on the folding lines 71, 72, 75, 76 is compressed and becomes thinner than the other general parts. As a result, the folding lines 71, 72, 75, 76 become recessed parts on the inner surface (surface of the top sheet 10) of the soft stool pad 100 compared to the other general parts.

[0037] As a result, the soft stool pad 100 is less likely to come into contact with the wearer's skin because the heat seal embossing 90 is formed on the recessed folding lines 71, 72, 75, and 76, and while the top sheet 10 is joined to the second sheet 20, the wearer is less likely to feel the hardness of the heat welding.

[0038] 5, the soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment has heat seal embossments 90 formed so as to be distributed on the folding lines 71, 72, 75, and 76. The heat seal embossments 90 are formed on the folding lines 71, 72, 75, and 76 at intervals of, for example, 10 mm.

[0039] Although the folding lines 71, 72 extending in the width direction W are recessed compared to the general portions, they may come into contact with the wearer's skin. Therefore, it is preferable to form the heat seal embossments 90 smaller in size at the center of the folding lines 71, 72 than at both sides in the width direction W. This is because a smaller heat seal embossment 90 is less likely to be perceived as stiff by the wearer than a larger one.

[0040] The folding lines 75, 76 extending in the longitudinal direction L are formed near the ends of the soft stool pad 100 in the width direction W, and therefore are unlikely to come into contact with the wearer's skin, so the size of the heat seal embossment 90 may be constant over the entire length in the longitudinal direction L.

[0041] The fold lines 71, 72 extending in the width direction W are formed by compressing the absorbent body 30 through folding, thereby reducing the thickness of the absorbent body 30 and forming recesses in the top sheet 10. Therefore, if the absorbent body 30 is not sufficiently compressed, the fold lines 71, 72 may not be sufficiently recessed.

[0042] In this case, in order to make the folding lines 71, 72 sufficiently recessed, it is preferable to perform mechanical embossing in advance on the lines along which the folding lines 71, 72 are to be formed when the soft stool pad 100 is in the state before being folded (unfolded state), so that when the folding lines 71, 72 are later formed, the folding lines 71, 72 are sufficiently recessed.

[0043] 3, the soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment has two diffusion slits 81, 82 on the inside. The diffusion slits 81, 82 are formed mainly in the crotch portion L2 of the soft stool pad 100. The diffusion slits 81, 82 are formed apart from each other near the center of the soft stool pad 100 in the width direction W. Both the diffusion slits 81, 82 are slit-shaped recesses that guide moisture such as urine in the longitudinal direction L.

[0044] The diffusion slits 81, 82 are formed as relatively recessed parts on the inner surface (surface of the top sheet 10) of the soft stool pad 100 compared to the general parts by forming the absorber 30 to be thinner than the other general parts.

[0045] 5, the soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment has heat seal embossments 90 formed so as to be distributed on the diffusion slits 81 and 82. The heat seal embossments 90 are formed on the diffusion slits 81 and 82 at intervals of, for example, 10 mm.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5, showing the diffusion slit 81. In FIG.

[0047] Although the diffusion slits 81, 82 extending in the longitudinal direction L are recessed compared to the general portion, they are required to diffuse moisture in the longitudinal direction while transferring it to the second sheet 20. The heat seal embossment 90 is formed into a film by melting a material through thermal welding. For this reason, if the heat seal embossment 90 is formed at the most recessed bottom of the diffusion slits 81, 82, it will be difficult for moisture that has flowed into the bottom of the diffusion slits 81, 82 to transfer from the film-like top sheet 10 to the second sheet 20, which may affect the function of the diffusion slits 81, 82.

[0048] Therefore, in the soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment, the diffusion slit 81 is formed to have at least two levels of depth, with both side portions 81a, 81a in the width direction W of the diffusion slit 81 and a central portion 81b that is recessed deeper than both side portions 81a, 81a, as shown in Fig. 6. The soft stool pad 100 may have the heat seal embossment 90 formed on both side portions 81a, 81a, but not on the central portion 81b.

[0049] As a result, the soft stool pad 100 is less likely to come into contact with the wearer's skin because the heat seal embossing 90 is formed in the diffusion slits 81, 82 which are recessed more than the general part, and while the top sheet 10 is joined to the second sheet 20, the wearer is less likely to feel the hardness of the heat welding.

[0050] Furthermore, by forming the diffusion slits 81 in the soft stool pad 100 as described above, it is possible to ensure a portion through which liquid can transfer from the top sheet 10 to the second sheet 20 .

[0051] Although not explained further, the diffusion slit 82, like the diffusion slit 81, can be formed to have at least two levels of depth, and the heat seal embossment 90 can be formed not in the most recessed part (center) but in the second most recessed part (both sides).

[0052] 3, the soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment has two fit embossments 85, 86 on the inside. The fit embossments 85, 86 are formed in an arc shape extending in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction L of the soft stool pad 100, mainly on the back side L3 of the soft stool pad 100, which faces the buttocks of the wearer.

[0053] The fit emboss 85 and the fit emboss 86 may be, for example, concentric arcs having a common center, or may be identical arcs arranged at intervals in the radial direction.

[0054] The fit embossment is a recessed portion for preventing loose stool excreted by the wearer from spreading to the end of the back portion L3 in the longitudinal direction L.

[0055] The fit embossments 85, 86 are formed by pressing the top sheet 10 in the thickness direction D with an embossing roll, and are recessed relatively compared to the general part on the inner surface of the soft stool pad 100 (surface of the top sheet 10).

[0056] 5, the soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment has heat seal embossments 90 formed so as to be distributed on the fit embossments 85, 86. The heat seal embossments 90 are formed on the fit embossments 85, 86 at intervals of, for example, 10 mm.

[0057] As a result, the soft stool pad 100 is less likely to come into contact with the wearer's skin because the heat seal embossing 90 is formed on the fit embossings 85, 86 which are recessed more than the general part, and while the top sheet 10 is joined to the second sheet 20, the wearer is less likely to feel the hardness of the heat fusion to the skin.

[0058] The soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment is an example in which heat seal embossings 90 are formed on the folding lines 71, 72, 75, 76, the diffusion slits 81, 82 and the fit embossings 85, 86 as recessed parts compared to the general part, but the absorbent article of the present invention is not limited to those in which heat seal embossings 90 are formed on all of these folding lines 71, 72, 75, 76, the diffusion slits 81, 82 and the fit embossings 85, 86.

[0059] That is, the absorbent article according to the present invention may have the heat seal embossment 90 formed on at least one of the folding lines 71, 72, 75, 76, the diffusion slits 81, 82 and the fit embossment 85, 86.

[0060] Furthermore, in the absorbent article of the present invention, the areas where the heat seal embossment 90 is formed are not limited to the folding lines 71, 72, 75, 76, the diffusion slits 81, 82, and the fit embossment 85, 86, but may be any area that is recessed compared to other general areas of the top sheet.

[0061] Moreover, in place of the heat seal embossing, other heat welding methods such as ultrasonic seal embossing can also be applied to the absorbent article according to the present invention.

[0062] In the soft stool pad 100 of the above-described embodiment, the heat seal embossments 90 are formed only on the folding lines 71, 72, 75, 76, the diffusion slits 81, 82 and the fit embossments 85, 86.

[0063] However, as shown in Figure 5, in the embodiment of the soft stool pad 100, since the absorbent body 30 is not disposed between the top sheet 10 and the back sheet 40, the thickness is thin in the same manner as the recessed portion in the thickness direction D of the top sheet 10, and heat seal embossments 90 joining the top sheet 10 and the second sheet heat 20 may also be formed along the width direction W at the front end portion and rear end portion in the longitudinal direction L.

[0064] In addition, in the absorbent article of the present invention, in addition to the portions of the top sheet 10 that are recessed in the thickness direction D, heat seal embossing or ultrasonic seal embossing may also be formed in the general portions of the top sheet 10 that are not recessed in the thickness direction D.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a soft stool pad 100 having an opening 11 formed therein is applied as an example of an absorbent article according to the present invention, but the absorbent article according to the present invention is not limited to the soft stool pad 100 having an opening 11 formed therein, and various absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, other inner pads used on top of disposable diapers, feminine hygiene products, absorbents for urinary incontinence, etc. can be applied as long as the top sheet and the second sheet are heat-sealed or ultrasonically sealed together regardless of whether or not an opening 11 is formed.

[0066] In the case of an absorbent article in which no openings are formed in the top sheet, the second sheet can usually be joined by a joining method other than heat seal embossing, such as hot melt, so the present invention can function more effectively in an absorbent article in which openings are formed in the top sheet.

[0067] Furthermore, although this embodiment is an absorbent article in which the top sheet 10 and the second sheet 20 are joined by a heat seal embossing 90, in the case of an absorbent article in which, in addition to the second sheet 20, another intermediate sheet is arranged between the top sheet 10 and the absorbent body 30, the heat seal embossing 90 may also join the top sheet 10, the second sheet 20, and the intermediate sheet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 10 Topsheet 11 Opening 20 Second seat 30 absorber 71, 72, 75, 76 Folding lines (recessed parts) 81,82 Diffusion slits (recessed parts) 85,86 Fit embossment (recessed part) 90 Heat Seal Embossing 100 soft stool pads D thickness direction

Claims

1. An absorbent article in which a top sheet, a second sheet, and an absorbent body are laminated together, the top sheet being used on the inside that comes into contact with the wearer's skin, and the top sheet and the second sheet are joined together by thermal welding using heat seal embossing or ultrasonic embossing, The heat seal embossing or the ultrasonic embossing is formed in a relatively recessed portion in the thickness direction of the laminated top sheet, The container has a slit-shaped recess formed to extend in the longitudinal direction and to guide moisture in the longitudinal direction, and the recessed portion is the slit-shaped recess, the slit-shaped recess has at least two depths, one at both sides in the width direction of the slit-shaped recess and one at a central portion that is deeper than the both sides, and the heat seal embossing or the ultrasonic embossing is not formed in the central portion but is formed on the both sides, The absorbent article has a fold line along which the top sheet is folded inward, and the recessed portion is located on the fold line, The fold lines extend in the width direction of the absorbent article, and the heat seal embossing or the ultrasonic embossing is formed smaller in the central part of the part on the fold lines than in both sides in the width direction.

2. 2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent article has a recessed portion formed in a portion facing the buttocks of the wearer, extending linearly in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, for suppressing the diffusion of loose stool in the longitudinal direction, and the recessed portion is the recessed portion.

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