Absorbent bodies and absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article fitting to the male crotch, and excellent in feeling of wear and prevention of leak.SOLUTION: An absorbent article that comprises a liquid permeable top sheet 10, a liquid impermeable back sheet 30, and an absorbent sheet 20 arranged therebetween is such that: the absorbent article 50 and the absorbent sheet 20 have a plane view shape of an almost trapezoidal shape in which a rear side 80 in the longitudinal direction is wider than a front side 70; the absorbent sheet 20 has a skin side sheet 22 and a non-skin side sheet 23 whose expansion rates in the longitudinal direction are different from each other; the skin side sheet 22 has a larger expansion rate than the non-skin side sheet 23; and the skin side sheet 22 is connected to the non-skin side sheet 23 in a state of being expanded along the longitudinal direction, and has a compressed groove 21 recessed from a skin side surface to a non-skin side of the skin side sheet 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an absorbent body and an absorbent article including the absorbent body. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, absorbent articles are composed of a liquid-permeable top sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorbent body disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet. Absorbent articles come in a variety of forms depending on the intended use, including pad products such as light incontinence pads, light incontinence liners, urine absorption pads, and sanitary napkins, as well as disposable diaper products such as pants-type disposable diapers and tape-type disposable diapers. Recently, absorbent articles for men have been developed, and various proposals have been made.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an absorbent pad for men, which has mutually perpendicular longitudinal and lateral directions, a skin-facing surface and an opposite non-skin-facing surface, and a longitudinal axis dividing the lateral dimension in half, and which includes a pad body having a liquid-permeable body-side liner, a liquid-impermeable backsheet, and a liquid-absorbent core positioned between the body-side liner and the backsheet, and the pad body has fold-inducing grooves that are concave from the skin-facing surface toward the non-skin-facing surface, the fold-inducing grooves including a first groove extending diagonally and intersecting the longitudinal axis, and a second groove extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal axis and intersecting the first groove, the intersection of the first groove and the second groove being located on the longitudinal axis (Claim 1, Paragraph 0006).Patent Document 1 also states that the fold-inducing grooves allow the absorbent pad to bend outward to fit the shape of the body, thereby improving the fit of the absorbent pad (Paragraph 0008, etc.).

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses an absorbent article for men, which includes a main body including an absorbent core, and has multiple pairs of three-dimensional deformation-inducing grooves spaced apart from each other on both vertical sides of the main body, each pair having a substantially linearly symmetrical shape with respect to a vertical centerline CL, each pair gradually inclining outward in the width direction as it extends upward, with the angle of inclination between the direction of extension of the three-dimensional deformation-inducing groove and the width direction line being larger for the lower three-dimensional deformation-inducing groove than for the upper three-dimensional deformation-inducing groove, and each pair of three-dimensional deformation-inducing grooves being spaced apart from each other on the left and right at the center in the width direction (Claim 1, Figure 1). Patent Document 2 states that the article can provide a comfortable fit to the body without causing discomfort or uneasiness to the wearer (paragraph 0023). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-058325 A [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2020-048906 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As described above, conventional absorbent articles for men have attempted to improve the fit, particularly around the groin area, by considering only their structure, but have not achieved a fully satisfactory fit. Furthermore, conventional absorbent articles for men cannot be said to have adequately addressed not only fit but also comfort when worn and leakage of bodily fluids.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article that fits well around a man's groin area and is also excellent in terms of comfort when worn and in preventing leakage of bodily fluids. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of extensive research to solve the above problems, the inventors have found that a desired absorbent article can be obtained by using an absorbent sheet in which superabsorbent polymer particles are arranged between a skin-side sheet and a non-skin-side sheet having different shrinkage rates, and the skin-side sheet is further joined to the non-skin-side sheet in a stretched state, and by structurally shaping the absorbent article and absorbent sheet in a generally trapezoidal shape in plan view with the front side being wider than the rear side in the longitudinal direction, and by providing compressed grooves at predetermined positions in the skin-side sheet of the absorbent sheet, thereby completing the present invention. The present invention provides the following absorbent article and absorbent article.

[0009] (1) An absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable top sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorbent sheet disposed therebetween, The absorbent article and the absorbent sheet have a generally trapezoidal shape in plan view, with the front side in the longitudinal direction being wider than the rear side, The absorbent sheet includes a skin-side sheet and a non-skin-side sheet having different longitudinal elongation rates, the skin side sheet has a higher elongation rate than the non-skin side sheet, An absorbent article characterized in that the skin side sheet is joined to the non-skin side sheet in a stretched state along the longitudinal direction and has compressed grooves recessed from the skin side surface of the skin side sheet to the non-skin side. (2) The absorbent article according to (1) above, wherein the compression grooves are provided in pairs on the left and right sides along the edges corresponding to the oblique sides of the trapezoidal shape on both sides in the width direction of the absorbent sheet. (3) The absorbent article according to (1) or (2) above, wherein a superabsorbent polymer is sandwiched between the skin-side sheet and the non-skin-side sheet in a fixed or unfixed state. (4) The absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the skin-side sheet is a polyurethane continuous porous sheet. (5) The absorbent article according to (4) above, wherein the polyurethane continuous porous material sheet has a longitudinal elongation rate of 105% or more and 150% or less. (6) The absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein the non-skin-side sheet is a pulp-containing composite nonwoven fabric obtained by hydroentangling pulp fibers in a spunbond nonwoven fabric. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, an absorbent article is provided which fits well around a man's groin area and is also excellent in terms of comfort when worn and in terms of preventing leakage of bodily fluids. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating the configuration of absorbent articles according to the present embodiment, Example 1, and Comparative Example 4. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line yy shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the absorbent sheet shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line xx shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] 1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of absorbent articles according to Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Examples 5 to 8. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of an absorbent article according to Comparative Example 2. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of an absorbent article according to Comparative Example 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In this specification, "wearing an absorbent article" refers to the state in which the absorbent article is worn on the body, regardless of whether bodily fluids have been absorbed or not. In an absorbent article, the longitudinal direction is the direction indicated by the symbol Y that extends from the front to the back of the body through the wearer's crotch when the absorbent article is worn on the body, the width direction is the direction indicated by the symbol X that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the thickness direction is the direction indicated by the symbol Z in which the components are stacked. The skin-facing surface is the surface that contacts or faces the wearer's skin when the absorbent article is worn, and the non-skin-facing surface is the surface that contacts or faces the wearer's clothing. Body fluids refer to liquids excreted from the body to the outside, such as urine, blood, and water in loose stools.

[0013] <Absorbent articles> An absorbent article 50 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figures 1, 2, and 4 show the absorbent article 50. Figure 3 shows the absorbent sheet 20. Figures 5 to 7 show absorbent articles 51, 52, and 53 according to Comparative Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 5 to 8. These drawings do not stipulate the shape, dimensions, size relationships, etc. of each component of the absorbent article 50.

[0014] The absorbent article 50 of this embodiment can be used as various absorbent articles for babies and adults, including, for example, pad products such as light incontinence products, light incontinence liners, urine absorption pads, and sanitary napkins, as well as absorbents for disposable diaper products such as pants-type disposable diapers and tape-fastened disposable diapers. Among these, the absorbent article 50 is particularly suitable for use as an absorbent article for men, as it provides an excellent fit to the crotch area of ​​men. Furthermore, various types of disposable diapers may be combined as outerwear with the absorbent article 50 as innerwear. The longitudinal dimension (maximum dimension) and width dimension (maximum dimension) of the absorbent article 50 are not particularly limited, but are, for example, in the range of 100 mm to 800 mm, or 150 mm to 400 mm, or 50 mm to 500 mm, and in particular, the width of the front side that mainly contacts the crotch area of ​​the wearer is in the range of 100 mm to 180 mm, and the width of the rear side that mainly contacts the lower abdominal area of ​​the wearer is in the range of 80 mm to 150 mm, with the front side being wider than the rear side. By adjusting the dimensions of the absorbent article 50 to be within the above ranges, absorbent articles 50 of various shapes can be easily obtained.

[0015] 1 to 4 has a trapezoidal shape in a plan view and comprises a liquid-permeable top sheet 10 located on the skin side, a liquid-impermeable back sheet 30 positioned opposite the top sheet 10 and located on the non-skin side, and an absorbent sheet 20 positioned between the top sheet 10 and the back sheet 30. The absorbent article 50 and absorbent sheet 20 of this embodiment each have a substantially trapezoidal shape in a plan view, with a front side 70 in the longitudinal direction being wider than a rear side 80. The absorbent sheet 20 comprises a skin-side sheet 22 and a non-skin-side sheet 23 which have different elongation rates in the longitudinal direction, the skin-side sheet 22 having a greater elongation rate than the non-skin-side sheet 23, and the skin-side sheet 22 is joined to the non-skin-side sheet 23 in a stretched state along the longitudinal direction, and has compressed grooves 21 recessed from the skin-side surface of the skin-side sheet 22 to the non-skin side.

[0016] According to this embodiment, 1) the planar shapes of the absorbent article 50 and the absorbent sheet 20 are each configured to be approximately trapezoidal in plan view, with the longitudinal front side (mainly abutting the lower abdominal region) 70 being wider than the longitudinal rear side (mainly abutting the crotch region) 80, 2) the absorbent sheet 20 is configured to include a skin-side sheet 22 and a non-skin-side sheet 23 which have different elongation rates, and the skin-side sheet 22 has a higher elongation rate than the non-skin-side sheet 23 and is joined to the non-skin-side sheet 23 in a stretched state, so that when worn, the entire absorbent article 50 curves so as to be concave against the wearer's skin, and 3) by providing compression grooves 21 in the skin-side sheet 22 along the edges on both sides of the width of the absorbent sheet 20 (the hypotenuses of the trapezoidal shape), the absorbent sheet 20 in the widthwise outer portion than the compression grooves 21 can easily bend toward the skin starting from the compression grooves 21, making it possible to easily form a three-dimensional shape in which the entire absorbent article 50 is concave against the skin. In particular, in the case of light incontinence products for men, this concave three-dimensional space is shaped to encase the male genitalia, effectively preventing leakage during urination.

[0017] With the above-described configuration of this embodiment, during use, the contraction of the skin-side sheet 22 causes the entire absorbent article 50 to curve into a three-dimensional shape, improving leakage prevention when absorbing body fluids. For example, by using a polyurethane continuous porous body sheet as the skin-side sheet 22 of the absorbent sheet 20 and a pulp-containing composite nonwoven fabric formed by laminating and integrating a pulp fiber web onto a spunbond nonwoven fabric as the non-skin-side sheet 23, and providing a superabsorbent polymer 12 between these sheets, it is possible to obtain an absorbent sheet 20 and an absorbent article 50 including the absorbent sheet 20 that does not decrease in absorption rate, particularly during repeated absorption, has excellent diffusion of body fluids, and has good absorbency and comfort when worn. In particular, due to the polyurethane continuous porous body sheet's structure containing many fine pores, the hardness of the superabsorbent polymer 12 is hardly felt before body fluids are discharged, and the pulp-containing composite nonwoven fabric has an uneven surface formed on the water-entangled surface by the water jet, which contacts the superabsorbent polymer 12, preventing the superabsorbent polymer 12 from shifting or moving, and allowing the thickness and texture to be maintained more uniform in the longitudinal and width directions even after body fluids are absorbed, improving wearing comfort. Furthermore, when the absorbent article 50 is worn, as described above, the absorbent article 50 deforms into a concave shape relative to the wearer's body surface, thereby increasing the adhesion between the outer edge of the absorbent article 50 and the body surface and greatly reducing gaps that allow leakage to occur, thereby significantly preventing side leakage, rear leakage, etc. of body fluids.

[0018] The absorbent article 50 of this embodiment has a top sheet 10, an absorbent sheet 20, and a back sheet 30 as basic structural units, and can be modified as needed with various known modifications, such as the provision of three-dimensional gathers (not shown), the provision of a liquid-permeable transfer sheet (not shown) or a liquid-permeable second sheet between the top sheet 10 and the absorbent sheet 20, and the provision of a hydrophilic sheet (not shown) that wraps around the entire absorbent sheet 20. Below, the components of the absorbent article 50 will be described in more detail in the order of the top sheet 10, the absorbent sheet 20, and the back sheet 30.

[0019] <Top sheet> The top sheet 10 is a liquid-permeable sheet-like substrate that allows bodily fluids to pass through quickly toward the absorbent sheet 20 and / or diffuse the bodily fluids in the plane direction. The top sheet 10 is preferably a substrate that is soft to the touch and does not irritate the skin so that it can come into contact with the wearer's skin. Examples of such substrates include hydrophilic sheets, composite nonwoven fabrics that are laminates of the same or different hydrophilic sheets, apertured films such as apertured polyethylene films, and foamed films such as polyethylene foam and urethane foam. Examples of hydrophilic sheets include air-through nonwoven fabrics, thermobonded nonwoven fabrics, spunlace nonwoven fabrics, and spunbonded nonwoven fabrics made from synthetic fibers made from synthetic resins such as polypropylene and polyethylene, regenerated fibers such as rayon, and natural fibers such as cotton. Among these, nonwoven fabrics are preferred, and thermobonded nonwoven fabrics and spunbonded nonwoven fabrics are more preferred.

[0020] The surface of the top sheet 10 may be embossed or perforated to improve liquid permeability. The top sheet 10 may contain one or more of lotions, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory ingredients, pH adjusters, antibacterial agents, moisturizers, etc. to reduce irritation to the skin. The basis weight of the top sheet 10 is set to, for example, 18 g / m² from the viewpoints of strength, processability, and liquid wetting-back. 2 More than 400g / m 2 The shape of the top sheet 10 is not particularly limited, and may be any shape that covers part or all of the absorbent sheet 20 necessary to guide body fluids to the absorbent sheet 20 without leakage.

[0021] <Absorbent sheet> The absorbent sheet 20 does not contain absorbent fibers such as fluff pulp, has a trapezoidal shape in a plan view, and is an absorbent body that is flat in the thickness direction, with the width of the end of the longitudinal front side 70 (the region that mainly contacts the wearer's lower abdominal area) being greater than the width of the end of the longitudinal rear side 80 (the region that mainly contacts the wearer's crotch area). The end of the longitudinal rear side 80 corresponds to the lower base of the trapezoid, the end of the longitudinal front side 70 corresponds to the upper base of the trapezoid, and both edges in the width direction correspond to the oblique sides of the trapezoid. The longitudinal dimension (maximum length) of the absorbent sheet 20 is, for example, in the range of 100 mm to 800 mm, 150 mm to 500 mm, or 270 mm to 500 mm. The widthwise dimension (maximum width) is, for example, in the range of 90 mm to 170 mm at the end of the longitudinal front side 70, and in the range of 70 mm to 140 mm at the end of the longitudinal rear side 80. The absorbent sheet 20 may be embossed all or part of its surface.

[0022] (growth rate) The absorbent sheet 20 of this embodiment comprises, for example, a skin-side sheet 22 arranged on the skin side, a non-skin-side sheet 23 arranged on the non-skin side opposite the skin-side sheet 22, and a superabsorbent polymer 12 sandwiched between the skin-side sheet 22 and the non-skin-side sheet 23. The skin-side sheet 22 and the non-skin-side sheet 23 have different elongation rates, with the skin-side sheet 22 having a higher elongation rate than the non-skin-side sheet 23. As shown in FIG. 1 , the skin-side sheet 22 and the non-skin-side sheet 23 are arranged so that their respective elongation directions 60 coincide with their longitudinal directions. When the skin-side sheet 22 and the non-skin-side sheet 23 stretch in both the horizontal and vertical directions, the direction with the larger elongation rate is defined as the elongation direction 60. When the skin-side sheet 22 and the non-skin-side sheet 23 stretch in all directions at approximately the same elongation rate, either the horizontal or vertical direction is defined as the elongation direction 60.

[0023] The elongation rate of the skin side sheet 22 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, in the range of 5% to 0%, and the elongation rate of the non-skin side sheet 23 is also not particularly limited, but is, for example, in the range of 0% to 45%. If the elongation rate of the skin side sheet 22 and / or the elongation rate of the non-skin side sheet 23 is outside the above-mentioned range, the convex spaces against the skin surface that are generated by the synergistic action with the compressed grooves 21 will not be formed, which may result in a decrease in fit and comfort, particularly in the crotch area of ​​men, and a decrease in adhesion between the wearer's body and the absorbent article 50, making side leakage, armpit leakage, rear leakage, etc. of bodily fluids more likely to occur.

[0024] Furthermore, in the absorbent sheet 20, the skin-side sheet 22 has a higher elongation rate than the non-skin-side sheet 23, and is joined to the non-skin-side sheet 23 in an elongated state. With this configuration, the skin-side sheet 22 shrinks more easily than the non-skin-side sheet 23, so the absorbent sheet 20, and therefore the absorbent article 50, deforms concavely against the wearer's skin surface, starting from the skin-side sheet 22, and this works synergistically with the deformation starting from the compressed grooves 21, described below, to form a concave space with an appropriate thickness between the wearer's skin surface and the absorbent article. This concave space significantly improves the fit to the man's crotch area, and, together with the trapezoidal shape of the absorbent sheet 20 in a planar view, improves wearing comfort.

[0025] The elongation rate when the skin side sheet 22 is joined to the non-skin side sheet 23 (hereinafter also referred to as "joint elongation rate") is not particularly limited as long as it is within a range in which the stretching force of the skin side sheet 22 is greater than the stretching force of the non-skin side sheet 23, and is, for example, in the range of 5% to 50%. If the joint elongation rate is less than 5%, the concave deformation of the absorbent article 50 relative to the skin surface of the wearer will be insufficient, and wearing comfort will tend to be poor. If the joint elongation rate exceeds 50%, the concave deformation of the absorbent article 50 relative to the skin surface of the wearer will be too great, making leakage of body fluids more likely and also making it difficult to obtain a good fit.

[0026] The elongation percentages of the skin side sheet 22 and the non-skin side sheet 23 are determined by the following procedure. (a) A sample measuring 100 mm in length and 50 mm in width is cut out from the skin side sheet 22 or the non-skin side sheet 23. (b) Fix one end of the sample in the longitudinal direction to a horizontal surface, and apply a tensile stress of 20 N to the other end parallel to the horizontal surface, and measure the length of the sample (hereinafter referred to as the "extended length"). (c) Calculate the elongation rate (%) using the following formula. Elongation rate (%) = [(elongation length of sample) / (sample length)] × 100

[0027] (Compression groove) 1 and 3, the skin-side surface of the skin-side sheet 22 is provided with two bottomed compressed grooves 21 extending longitudinally along two longitudinally extending edges (corresponding to the oblique sides of the trapezoid) that face the width direction of the absorbent sheet 20 and are recessed from the skin-side surface to the non-skin side. By providing the compressed grooves 21 and making the extensibility of the skin-side sheet 22 greater than that of the non-skin-side sheet 23, the portions of the absorbent sheet 20 outside the compressed grooves 21 bend toward the skin-side surface from the compressed grooves 21, and the absorbent article 50 curves and deforms in a convex shape against the skin surface of the wearer's body, taking on a shape that envelops the male crotch area. Furthermore, the improved adhesion between the outer edge of the absorbent article 50 and the skin surface of the wearer effectively prevents leakage during excretion of bodily fluids and improves fit and comfort.

[0028] The length of the compressed grooves 21 is, for example, in the range of 30% to 90% of the length of the edge (oblique side) extending longitudinally and facing the width direction of the absorbent sheet 20, the width of the compressed grooves 21 is, for example, in the range of 2 mm to 20 mm, and the shortest distance between the compressed grooves 21 and the edge in the width direction of the absorbent sheet 20 (hereinafter simply referred to as the "shortest distance") is, for example, in the range of 3 mm to 30 mm. Here, the shortest distance is determined by photographing the skin-facing surface of the absorbent sheet 20 and processing the resulting image. If the length of the compressed grooves 21 is less than 30% of the edge of the absorbent sheet 20, deformation of the absorbent article 50 starting from the compressed grooves 21 tends to be insufficient, and if it exceeds 90%, even if a space is created by deformation of the absorbent article 50, the space is not sufficiently maintained, and in either case, the fit and wearing comfort tend to be reduced. If the width of the compressed groove 21 is less than 2 mm or exceeds 20 mm, deformation of the absorbent article 50 starting from the compressed groove 21 tends to be difficult to occur. If the shortest distance is less than 3 mm or exceeds 30 mm, deformation of the absorbent article 50 starting from the compressed groove 21 tends to be difficult to occur.

[0029] (Polyurethane continuous porous sheet) The skin side sheet 22 may be, for example, a continuous porous polyurethane sheet (hereinafter simply referred to as a "continuous porous sheet"). The continuous porous sheet contains an open-cell polyurethane foam (hereinafter also referred to as a "flexible polyurethane foam") as a main component, and is excellent in body fluid diffusibility and flexibility. Here, "containing as a main component" means that the sheet contains 50% by mass or more of flexible polyurethane foam as a whole. Examples of continuous porous sheets include a single-layer sheet containing flexible polyurethane foam as a main component, and a single-layer sheet made of flexible polyurethane foam.

[0030] The basis weight and apparent density of the continuous porous sheet are not particularly limited, but the basis weight is set to, for example, 30 g / m from the viewpoints of bodily fluid diffusion, flexibility, wet-back and bodily fluid leakage prevention, breathability, stuffiness, etc. 2 More than 300g / m 2The apparent density is, for example, 100 kg / m or less from the viewpoints of the mechanical strength of the absorbent sheet 20 as a whole, prevention of slippage of the absorbent sheet 20 after absorbing body fluids, flexibility, etc. 3 More than 200kg / m 3 The continuous porous body sheet has a longitudinal elongation rate in the range of 105% or more and 150% or less. If the longitudinal elongation rate is less than 105%, the force that deforms the absorbent article 50 decreases, and a good fit tends not to be obtained, while if it exceeds 150%, the force that deforms the absorbent article 50 becomes too great, and the convex spaces tend to become too large. The thickness of the continuous porous body sheet is, for example, in the range of 1.0 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less, or in the range of 1.5 mm or more and 3.2 mm or less. The thickness is measured under no-load conditions, for example, using a "height gauge" (manufactured by Mitutoyo Corporation).

[0031] The skeleton surface of the flexible polyurethane foam contained in the continuous porous sheet may be hydrophilic or hydrophobic, but in a preferred embodiment, the skeleton surface is hydrophilic. Examples of hydrophilic skeletons include those containing a polyol and a polyalkylene oxide polyol. Alternatively, the hydrophobic skeleton may be hydrophilized by introducing hydrophilic groups derived from surfactants, ethylene oxide, or the like. Whether the skeleton surface is hydrophilic or not is determined by first cutting a sample 10 mm or more wide and 10 mm or more long from the continuous porous sheet and leaving it unstrained. Ten droplets (0.05 mL) of ion-exchanged water are dropped onto the sample and the time until the sample absorbs the water is measured. If this time is within 5 seconds or if 8 or more droplets are absorbed, the sample is considered to be hydrophilic.

[0032] Flexible polyurethane foams can be obtained, for example, by mixing raw material compounds such as polyols and polyisocyanates with additives such as blowing agents, foam stabilizers, and catalysts, and then heating the resulting mixture to foam. Alternatively, a gaseous blowing agent may be added while the raw material compounds are reacting under heat. By appropriately selecting reaction conditions such as the type of raw material compounds, the type and amount of additives, the heating temperature during foaming, the foaming time, and the pressure during foaming, various properties of the flexible polyurethane foam, such as expansion ratio, basis weight, apparent density, tensile strength, tensile elongation at break, elongation stress, elongation rate, mean coefficient of friction (MIU), and mean coefficient of friction variation (MMD), can be adjusted. For example, the expansion ratio of flexible polyurethane foams is in the range of 10 to 60 times, taking into account factors such as body fluid diffusibility and flexibility. Flexible polyurethane foams can also be produced by extraction methods, W / O emulsion methods, and the like.

[0033] (Pulp-containing composite nonwoven fabric) For example, a pulp-containing composite nonwoven fabric (hereinafter simply referred to as a "composite nonwoven fabric") is used for the non-skin side sheet 23. The composite nonwoven fabric is a nonwoven fabric in which a pulp fiber web is laminated or laminated onto the surface of a spunbond nonwoven fabric, forming an integrated structure. Here, "integrated" means that the spunbond nonwoven fabric and the pulp fiber web will not peel even partially from each other during the use of the absorbent article 50, thereby preventing a significant reduction in the functionality of the composite nonwoven fabric.

[0034] Composite nonwoven fabrics can be produced by various methods, including hydroentangling, which involves spraying pulp fibers onto a spunbond nonwoven fabric with a water jet. In the hydroentangling method, the water jet nozzles used to spray the water jets have a hole diameter Φ of, for example, 0.06 mm to 0.15 mm, and the nozzle spacing is, for example, 0.4 mm to 1.0 mm, from the viewpoint of achieving a balance between appearance, softness, and efficiency.

[0035] In a composite nonwoven fabric that is an integrated product formed by hydroentanglement, the fibers that make up the spunbond nonwoven fabric are entangled with the pulp fibers on one surface of the spunbond nonwoven fabric, thereby integrating the pulp fiber web, and some of the pulp fibers penetrate the spunbond nonwoven fabric in the thickness direction and are exposed on the other surface, firmly bonding the spunbond nonwoven fabric and the pulp fiber web together. In a composite nonwoven fabric made by hydroentanglement, fine irregularities (not shown) are formed on the surface of the pulp fiber web. Therefore, when a composite nonwoven fabric is arranged as the non-skin-side sheet 23 with the pulp fiber web positioned on the skin-side surface, the powdered superabsorbent polymer 12 is fixed in position by the fine irregularities of the pulp fiber web, which advantageously prevents the superabsorbent polymer 12 from shifting due to the wearer's movements and the resulting deterioration in absorption performance and discomfort when worn.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, the composite nonwoven fabric has a tensile strength in a Tensilon tensile test (hereinafter also referred to as "Tensilon test tensile strength") required to stretch a 25 mm wide test piece longitudinally by 2 mm, in the range of 1.5 N / 25 mm to 5.0 N / 25 mm. This allows the absorbent sheet 20 to achieve high levels of both shape retention and comfort when the absorbent article 50 is worn.

[0037] In another preferred embodiment, the mass composition ratio of the spunbond nonwoven fabric to the pulp fiber web in the composite nonwoven fabric (spunbond nonwoven fabric / pulp fiber web, by mass %) is in the range of 40 / 60 to 10 / 90, or in the range of 40 / 60 to 25 / 75. When the mass composition ratio is in the above-mentioned range, the shape retention effect of the pulp fiber web is maintained by the spunbond nonwoven fabric, and not only does the pulp fiber web prevent the superabsorbent polymer from shifting position, but the pulp fiber web's ability to temporarily store body fluids is fully exhibited, fully preventing wetback and leakage in the early stages of body fluid excretion, and the composite nonwoven fabric maintains a predetermined softness, thereby imparting a good fit and feel to the absorbent article 50.

[0038] The spunbond nonwoven fabric may be one made by a spunbonding method, meltblowing method, flash spinning method, or the like, without any particular limitation. However, a spunbond nonwoven fabric containing one or more types of resin fibers made from resin materials such as polyamide (Nylon (trade name)), vinylon, polyester, acrylic resin, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene is preferred. Furthermore, the spunbond nonwoven fabric may be hydrophilized with a known hydrophilic agent such as a surfactant. The hydrophilization treatment makes it easier for body fluids to pass through the spunbond nonwoven fabric and reach the pulp fiber web.

[0039] The basis weight of the spunbond nonwoven fabric is, for example, 7 g / m 2 More than 20g / m 2 The following range or 10g / m 2 More than 17g / m 2 The basis weight of the pulp fiber web is, for example, 30 g / m 2 More than 70g / m 2 The following range or 30g / m 2 More than 50g / m 2 The ranges are as follows: When the basis weights of the spunbond nonwoven fabric and the pulp fiber web are within the above-mentioned ranges, the basis weight of the composite nonwoven fabric can be easily adjusted to an appropriate range, and each function can be fully exerted.

[0040] Pulp fibers contained in the pulp fiber web are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include softwood bleached kraft pulp (NBKP) such as radiata pine, slash pine, southern pine, lodgepole pine, spruce, Douglas fir, etc. NBKP can be used singly or in combination of two or more types.

[0041] (Superabsorbent polymer) As described above, the absorbent sheet 20 has a superabsorbent polymer 12 sandwiched between the skin-side sheet 22 and the non-skin-side sheet 23. There are no particular restrictions on the superabsorbent polymer 12, so long as it can absorb body fluids and prevent backflow, and examples include polyacrylates, polyaspartates, (starch-acrylic acid) graft copolymers, (acrylic acid-vinyl alcohol) copolymers, (isobutylene-maleic anhydride) copolymers, and saponified versions thereof. Among these, from the viewpoint of absorption capacity per weight, polyacrylates are preferred, alkali metal polyacrylates are more preferred, and sodium polyacrylate is even more preferred. The superabsorbent polymers can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0042] The superabsorbent polymer is used in the form of particles, fibers, etc., but is preferably used in the form of particles from the viewpoint of ease of handling, etc. In this case, by avoiding the use of a finely powdered superabsorbent polymer that has poor flowability as a powder and using a superabsorbent polymer with a median particle size, it is possible to improve basic absorption performance and reduce the rough feel that occurs when the absorbent sheet 20 becomes hard. The median particle size of the superabsorbent polymer is, for example, in the range of 50 μm to 600 μm or in the range of 100 μm to 500 μm.

[0043] When the superabsorbent polymer 12 is disposed between the skin-side sheet 22 and the non-skin-side sheet 23, the superabsorbent polymer 12 may or may not be fixed to the skin-side sheet 22 and / or the non-skin-side sheet 23. In an embodiment in which the superabsorbent polymer 12 is fixed, for example, a hot melt adhesive is applied to the skin-side surface of the non-skin-side sheet 23, a predetermined amount of superabsorbent polymer 12 is sprayed thereon, the non-skin-side surfaces of the skin-side sheets 22 in a predetermined stretched state are overlapped, and the opposing edges of the stretched skin-side sheet 22 and the non-skin-side sheet 23 in a non-stretched state are fixed with the hot melt adhesive to produce the absorbent sheet 20. At this time, the non-skin-side surface of the skin-side sheet 22 may or may not be coated with a hot melt adhesive. In an embodiment where the superabsorbent polymer 12 is not fixed, for example, a predetermined amount of superabsorbent polymer 12 is sprayed on the skin-side surface of the non-skin-side sheet 23, the non-skin-side surface of the skin-side sheet 22 in a predetermined stretched state is overlapped, and the opposing edges of the stretched skin-side sheet 22 and the non-skin-side sheet 23 in a non-stretched state are fixed with a hot melt adhesive to produce the absorbent sheet 20. Here, the basis weight of the superabsorbent polymer is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoints of preventing gel blocking, absorbing body fluids multiple times, wearing comfort, etc., it is preferable to use, for example, 30 g / m 2 More than 300g / m 2 The range is as follows:

[0044] The hot melt adhesive used here can be any adhesive with a melting point of 100°C or higher and 180°C or lower, and examples thereof include synthetic rubber hot melt adhesives such as styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymers and styrene-isoprene-styrene copolymers, and olefin hot melt adhesives such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers. Known methods for applying the hot melt adhesive include the curtain coat method and spiral method, in which the molten hot melt adhesive is applied from a nozzle in a non-contact manner, and the slot method, in which the adhesive is applied in a contact manner. The content of the hot melt adhesive is, for example, 10 g / m2, from the viewpoint of not impairing the absorbency of the superabsorbent polymer and the feel on the skin when worn. 2 The range is as follows:

[0045] (Carrier sheet) In this embodiment, the carrier sheet may include a carrier sheet (not shown) that encases the entire absorbent sheet 20. For example, the non-skin side of the absorbent sheet 20 is placed near the center of the width direction of the carrier sheet, and after adhering them as necessary, both ends of the carrier sheet in the width direction are folded in a C-shape to overlap the skin side of the absorbent sheet 20, and the overlapped portions are adhered as necessary, thereby encasing the entire absorbent sheet 20. Any hydrophilic sheet commonly used in this field can be used as the carrier sheet, and examples thereof include hydrophilic nonwoven fabrics such as thermal bonded nonwoven fabrics, spunbonded nonwoven fabrics, air-laid nonwoven fabrics, air-through nonwoven fabrics, and pulp-containing nonwoven fabrics, as well as tissue paper and absorbent paper. The thickness of the carrier sheet is, for example, in the range of 0.10 mm to 0.25 mm, and the basis weight is, for example, 5 g / m 2 More than 40g / m 2 The range is as follows:

[0046] <Back seat> The backsheet 30 may be formed using a breathable or non-breathable substrate that is liquid-impermeable so that body fluids retained by the absorbent sheet 20 do not wet clothing. Examples of such substrates include resin films and composite sheets that are laminates of resin films and nonwoven fabrics. The nonwoven fabrics used in the composite sheets may be made by any method, and examples include single-layer nonwoven fabrics such as spunbonded nonwoven fabrics and meltblown nonwoven fabrics, composite nonwoven fabrics such as spunbonded nonwoven fabric / meltblown nonwoven fabric laminates and spunbonded nonwoven fabric / meltblown nonwoven fabric / spunbonded nonwoven fabric laminates, and composite materials thereof. Examples of resin films include polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene, polypropylene, and composite films of polyethylene and polypropylene.

[0047] The basis weight of the back sheet 30 is, for example, 15 g / m from the viewpoint of strength and processability. 2 More than 40g / m 2The range is as follows. In order to prevent stuffiness during wear, it is preferable that the back sheet 30 be breathable. To make the back sheet 30 breathable, for example, a filler may be blended into the resin film of the base material, or the back sheet 30 may be embossed. An example of the filler is calcium carbonate, and the blending method can be any known method without any restrictions.

[0048] <Method for manufacturing absorbent articles> The absorbent article 50 can be manufactured by a known manufacturing method, such as a manufacturing method including the steps of: placing the absorbent sheet 20 between the top sheet 10 and the back sheet 30; fixing the top sheet 10 and the back sheet 30 partially or entirely around their peripheries using a hot melt adhesive, heat embossing, ultrasonic embossing, high-frequency embossing, or the like; and providing three-dimensional gathers 40 at predetermined positions on the back sheet 30 and the top sheet 10. In this case, the Y direction of the absorbent article in FIG. 1 corresponds to the flow direction of the manufacturing line. If the absorbent article 50 is a urine absorption pad or a light incontinence pad, it can be individually packaged in a package and then folded lengthwise in thirds. Furthermore, three-dimensional gathers, leg gathers, waist gathers, side flaps, and the like can be provided as needed. The absorbent article 50 of this embodiment is slightly concave on the non-skin side when manufactured, and when worn, it provides a comfortable fit around a man's crotch.

[0049] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, it goes without saying that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments and examples. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. Furthermore, it is clear from the claims that such modifications and improvements can also be included within the technical scope of the present invention. [Example]

[0050] The present embodiment will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples.

[0051] (Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 8) (Making absorbent articles for men) Absorbent articles for men of Example 1 (Fig. 1), Comparative Example 1 (Fig. 5), Comparative Example 2 (Fig. 6), Comparative Example 3 (Fig. 7), Comparative Example 4 (Fig. 1), and Comparative Examples 5 to 8 (all Fig. 5), having the structures shown in Table 1 and the respective figures, were fabricated as follows: The absorbent articles in Figs. 6 and 7 are rectangular in plan view, rather than trapezoidal in plan view.

[0052] The skin-side sheet is a continuous porous sheet (urethane foam sheet, the skeleton surface is hydrophilic, basis weight 80 g / m 2 , thickness 2.0 mm, apparent density 140 kg / m 3 ) was used as the non-skin side sheet, and a composite nonwoven fabric (polypropylene spunbond nonwoven fabric (basis weight 15 g / m 2 ) and pulp fiber web (basis weight 40 g / m 2 The hot melt adhesive was applied to the skin surface (pulp fiber web) of the non-skin side sheet at a basis weight of 6 g / m. 2 Then, 5 g of superabsorbent polymer (basis weight 217 g / m 2 ) was sprayed onto the skin side sheet, which had been stretched, and then the skin side sheet and the non-skin side sheet were overlapped at their facing edges with a set melt adhesive to produce the absorbent sheets of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 8. When the surface of the pulp fiber web of the composite nonwoven fabric was observed under a microscope, micron-order irregularities were confirmed across the entire surface of the pulp fiber web.

[0053] Next, an air-through nonwoven fabric (basis weight 20 g / m) was used as a liquid-permeable top sheet. 2 ) as a liquid-impermeable backsheet and a breathable polyethylene film (basis weight 35 g / m 2) was used to stack and integrate the top sheet, the absorbent sheet obtained above, and the back sheet in this order, and at the same time, a hot melt adhesive was used to bond the top sheet and the skin side surface of the absorbent sheet, thereby producing the absorbent articles of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 8.

[0054] The following evaluations were carried out on the absorbent articles of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 8. The results are shown in Table 1. (Total absorption) After immersion in physiological saline for 5 minutes, the sample is drained on a wire mesh for 30 seconds, and the weight difference before and after absorption is measured. (Leakage evaluation) The occurrence of leakage of body fluids from the time the absorbent article was put on until it was changed was subjected to a sensory test by 20 monitors, and the results were evaluated according to the following criteria. ◎: When there are no "missing people" or when there are 1 to 2 people ○: When there are 3 to 6 people who have been left out △: When there are 6 to 9 people who have "missed" ×: When there are 10 to 20 people who have been left out (Fit and comfort evaluation) The fit and comfort of the absorbent article from putting it on to changing it were subjected to a sensory test by 20 monitors, and evaluated according to the following criteria. ◎: When 16 to 20 people rate the product as "good fit and comfortable to wear." ○: When 11 to 15 people rate the product as "good fit and comfortable to wear." △: When 6 to 10 people rate the product as "good fit and comfortable to wear." ×: No one or 1 to 5 people said "fits well"

[0055] [Table 1]

[0056] From Table 1, it can be seen that only by satisfying all of the following requirements specified in this embodiment, namely that the planar view shape is trapezoidal, that the elongation rates of the skin-side sheet and the non-skin-side sheet are different and that the skin-side sheet is joined in a stretched state, and that compressed grooves extending longitudinally are arranged along the edges on both sides of the width of the skin-side sheet (corresponding to the hypotenuse of the trapezoid shape), can an absorbent article for men be obtained that has excellent fit and comfort and prevents leakage of bodily fluids. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 10 Topsheet 12 Superabsorbent Polymer 20 absorbent sheets 30 Back Seat 50, 51, 52, 53 Absorbent articles 60 Extension direction 70 longitudinal front side 80 Longitudinal rear side

Claims

1. A male absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable top sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorbent sheet disposed therebetween, The absorbent article and the absorbent sheet have a trapezoidal shape in plan view, with the front side in the longitudinal direction being wider than the rear side, The absorbent sheet includes a skin-side sheet and a non-skin-side sheet having different longitudinal elongation rates, the skin side sheet has a higher elongation rate than the non-skin side sheet, the skin side sheet is joined to the non-skin side sheet in a state stretched along the longitudinal direction, and has compressed grooves recessed from the skin side surface of the skin side sheet to the non-skin side, An absorbent article for men, characterized in that a pair of the compressed grooves are provided on the left and right sides of the absorbent sheet along edges corresponding to the oblique sides of the trapezoidal shape on both sides in the width direction of the absorbent sheet.

2. 2. The male absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein a superabsorbent polymer is sandwiched between the skin side sheet and the non-skin side sheet in a fixed or unfixed state.

3. 3. The male absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the skin side sheet is a polyurethane continuous porous sheet.

4. 4. The male absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein the polyurethane continuous porous body sheet has a longitudinal elongation rate of 105% or more and 150% or less.

5. 5. The male absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the non-skin-side sheet is a pulp-containing composite nonwoven fabric obtained by hydroentangling pulp fibers with a spunbond nonwoven fabric.

6. The length of the compression groove is 30% or more and 90% or less of the length of the edge extending in the longitudinal direction opposite to the width direction of the absorbent sheet, The width of the compression groove is 2 mm or more and 20 mm or less, 6. The absorbent article for men according to claim 1, wherein the shortest distance between the compressed groove and an edge of the absorbent sheet in the width direction is 3 mm or more and 30 mm or less.

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