absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article from which hook tapes hardly come off.SOLUTION: An absorbent article includes: an absorber which extends from a back body area to a front body area of a wearer in a longitudinal direction and can cover a crotch area; a liquid-permeable sheet arranged on a skin surface side of the absorber; a non-liquid-permeable sheet arranged on a non-skin surface side of the absorber; hook tapes which project from width direction ends of the back body area that are equipped respectively with mechanical fasteners on the skin surface side; and a front patch which is directly or indirectly adhered to a part corresponding to at least an end part in the longitudinal direction of the absorber on the non-skin surface side of the non-liquid-permeable sheet that is engageable with the hook tapes. In the end part in the longitudinal direction of the absorber, the liquid-permeable sheet bends toward the non-skin surface side along the end part of the absorber and reaches the non-liquid-permeable sheet, while the non-liquid-permeable sheet does not bend.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A known example of a diaper is a tape-type disposable diaper, which has an absorbent body with a certain thickness in the crotch area, and a tape with a hook-and-loop fastener that protrudes widthwise from the rear body area of ​​the diaper, which is adhered to a front patch, which is a hook-and-loop fastener fastener attached to the non-skin-facing side of the front body area of ​​the diaper, to fasten the diaper around the wearer's waist (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-216796 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Considering the amount of exudates that the diaper needs to absorb and the need to prevent leakage, it is preferable that the absorbent body has a certain thickness and extends at least to the waist area where the front patch is located. On the other hand, in order to properly engage the hook-and-loop fastener and the front patch, it is desirable that the front patch does not have any bent portions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a diaper in which, at the longitudinal end of the absorbent body, the sheet covering the skin-facing side of the absorbent body is bent along the end of the absorbent body, and the sheet covering the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body is not bent.

[0006] Specifically, the present invention relates to an absorbent article comprising an absorbent body that extends longitudinally from the rear body region to the front body region of the wearer and is capable of covering the crotch region, a water-permeable sheet that is arranged on the skin-facing side of the absorbent body, a non-water-permeable sheet that is arranged on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body, a hook tape that protrudes from the widthwise end of the rear body region and has a mechanical fastener on the skin-facing side, and a front patch that is directly or indirectly attached to the non-skin-facing side of the non-water-permeable sheet at least in a position corresponding to the longitudinal end of the absorbent body and is engageable with the hook tape, wherein at the longitudinal end of the absorbent body, the water-permeable sheet bends toward the non-skin-facing side along the end of the absorbent body to reach the non-water-permeable sheet, and the non-water-permeable sheet does not bend.

[0007] A non-adhesive region of a predetermined length in which the water-permeable sheet and the non-water-permeable sheet are not adhered to each other may be provided longitudinally from the longitudinal end of the absorbent body, and the water-permeable sheet may be adhered to the non-water-permeable sheet beyond the non-adhesive region, and the space formed between the water-permeable sheet and the non-water-permeable sheet in the non-adhesive region may be used as a buffer space.

[0008] The insulated diaper may further comprise a covering sheet that covers the outer periphery of the absorbent body on the absorbent body side of the water-permeable sheet and the water-impermeable sheet.

[0009] In the non-adhesive region of the buffer space, the cover sheet may be adhered to the non-skin-facing side of the water-permeable sheet and the skin-facing side of the water-impermeable sheet.

[0010] The outer end of the buffer space in the longitudinal direction may be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the absorber.

[0011] The outer end of the buffer space in the longitudinal direction may be oblique to the longitudinal direction of the absorber.

[0012] The outer end of the buffer space in the longitudinal direction may be the farthest from the end of the absorbent body at the center in the width direction of the absorbent article.

[0013] A non-permeable sheet covering the skin side may be provided near the longitudinal end, with the longitudinal end side bonded to another sheet and a pocket member with an opening facing the crotch region.

[0014] The buffer space may be provided at a position corresponding to the opening of the pouch member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, even when an absorbent body is provided up to the front patch portion, the thickness of the absorbent body does not cause bending of the front patch, so a diaper can be provided that does not cause problems with engagement with the hook-and-loop fastener. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diaper according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the diaper according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the diaper according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a front patch portion of a diaper according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which a buffer space is provided at the end of the absorbent body. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the buffer space. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a diaper having a buffer space. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a case where the buffer space is not parallel to the diaper width direction. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the buffer space at its widest point at the center in the width direction. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a diaper having a pocket on the skin-facing side. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a diaper having a pocket on the skin-facing side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Diapers according to embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments.

[0018] In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of a tape-type disposable diaper (an example of an "absorbent article" in the present application, hereinafter simply referred to as "diaper") is the direction connecting the front body portion, which is positioned opposite the wearer's abdomen, and the back body portion, which is positioned opposite the wearer's back. Between the front body portion (one side in the longitudinal direction) and the back body portion (the other side in the longitudinal direction) (the center in the longitudinal direction), a crotch portion, which is positioned under the wearer's crotch (facing the crotch), is located. Furthermore, when the diaper is worn by a wearer (hereinafter abbreviated as "worn state"), the side facing the wearer's skin (the inner side when worn) is the skin-facing side, and the side opposite the skin-facing side (the outer side when worn) is the non-skin-facing side. Furthermore, the direction connecting the skin-facing side and the non-skin-facing side is the thickness direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction is the width direction. Furthermore, a view from the thickness direction is a planar view.

[0019] 1 is a perspective view of a diaper according to the present embodiment. The diaper 1 has a crotch region 1B, which corresponds to the crotch area of ​​a wearer and covers the genitals when worn, a front body region 1F, which is located in front of the crotch region 1B and corresponds to the front body of the wearer, and a back body region 1R, which is located behind the crotch region 1B and corresponds to the back body of the wearer (hereinafter referred to as the back body region in the present application). Main body). Tapes 2L and 2R are provided on both left and right edges of the rear body region 1R, which can be attached to front patches 2F provided on the surface of the front body region 1F facing away from the wearer. When the tapes 2L and 2R are attached to the front patches 2F with the front body region 1F positioned on the wearer's stomach and the back body region 1R positioned on the wearer's back, the diaper 1 is secured to the wearer's body, surrounding the wearer's abdomen and thighs. Because the diaper 1 is secured to the wearer's body in this manner, the wearer can stand and walk while wearing the diaper 1.

[0020] The diaper 1 has an absorbent body, capable of absorbing and retaining liquid, mainly located near the crotch region 1B. To prevent gaps from forming between the diaper 1 and the wearer's skin that could serve as a liquid leakage path, the diaper 1 has leg gathers 3AL, 3AR around the wearer's legs (thighs), three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR located inward in the width direction of the diaper 1 from the leg gathers 3AL, 3AR, and waist gathers 3R around the wearer's abdominal circumference. The leg gathers 3AL, 3AR, three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR, and waist gathers 3R adhere closely to the wearer's skin due to the elastic force of the elastic members. Therefore, liquid excreted from the wearer's genitals is absorbed by the absorbent body of the diaper 1 without leaking out. The elastic member may be selected from thread-like or strip-like rubber, etc., as appropriate.

[0021] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a diaper according to an embodiment. As shown in the figure, the diaper 1 is composed of multiple sheets and has a complex structure. The diaper 1 includes a cover sheet 4 that forms the outer surface when worn. The cover sheet 4 is a sheet-like member having a generally rectangular appearance with constrictions 4KL and 4KR along the long sides, forming the outer surface of the diaper 1. The constrictions 4KL and 4KR are located in the areas where the wearer's thighs are located. The cover sheet 4 is provided to reinforce the back sheet 5 (described later) and to improve its feel. For example, to prevent leakage of excrement, a nonwoven fabric made of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin can be used as the material. Examples of liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resins include polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). The cover sheet 4 is not limited to a single-layer structure, but may also have a multi-layer structure including an inner cover sheet and an outer cover sheet. The function of the cover sheet 4 can also be integrated with the back sheet 5. When the back sheet 5 and the cover sheet 4 are integrated, the front patch 2F is directly bonded to the back sheet 5. When the cover sheet 4 is provided, or when the cover sheet 4 has a multi-layer structure, the front patch 2F is indirectly bonded to the back sheet 5.

[0022] The diaper 1 comprises a backsheet 5, an absorbent body 6, and a topsheet 7, which are layered in this order on the wearer-facing surface of the cover sheet 4. The backsheet 5, absorbent body 6, and topsheet 7 are all sheet-like components with a generally rectangular appearance, and are layered in this order on the cover sheet 4 with their longitudinal directions aligned with the longitudinal direction of the cover sheet 4. Like the cover sheet 4, the backsheet 5 is a sheet formed from a water-impermeable thermoplastic resin to prevent leakage of body waste. The backsheet 5 is preferably made of a moisture-permeable material to prevent stuffiness during wear. The topsheet 7 is a sheet-like component placed on the wearer's skin side so as to cover the water-absorbing surface of the absorbent body 6. The topsheet 7 is water-permeable in part or in its entirety. Therefore, when the diaper 1 is worn, liquid excreted by the wearer passes through the topsheet 7, which comes into contact with the wearer's skin, into the absorbent body 6, and is absorbed therein. For example, the topsheet 7 can be made of a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, or a porous film. The top sheet 7 may be hydrophilic.

[0023] The absorbent body 6 extends in the longitudinal direction from at least the center of the front body region 1F to at least the center of the back body region 1R, including the crotch region 1B. The top sheet 7 is an example of the skin-facing sheet referred to in the present application, and the back sheet 5 is an example of the non-skin-facing sheet referred to in the present application. This is an example.

[0024] The back sheet 5, absorbent body 6, and top sheet 7 all extend from the front body region 1F to the back body region 1R. Therefore, when the wearer's genitals are covered with the cover sheet 4, in which the back sheet 5, absorbent body 6, and top sheet 7 are laminated, the longitudinal ends of the back sheet 5, absorbent body 6, and top sheet 7 are located on the wearer's ventral and dorsal sides. In other words, the wearer's genitals are covered by the absorbent body 6 from the wearer's ventral to dorsal sides. Therefore, whether the wearer is in a ventral or dorsal position when excreting liquid, the excreted liquid will come into contact with the absorbent body 6 via the top sheet 7.

[0025] The diaper 1 also has long, strip-shaped side sheets 8R, 8L. The side sheets 8R, 8L are liquid-impermeable sheets provided on the long sides of the top sheet 7. Similar to the cover sheet 4, the side sheets 8R, 8L have constrictions 8KR, 8KL in the areas where the wearer's thighs will be located. Elastic members 8ER, 8EL are knitted into the side sheets 8R, 8L along their longitudinal directions to form three-dimensional gathers 3BR, 3BL. When the diaper 1 is worn, i.e., when the diaper 1 is U-shaped in side view, the side sheets 8R, 8L are drawn longitudinally by the contractile force of the elastic members 8ER, 8EL, rising from the top sheet 7 and forming three-dimensional gathers 3BR, 3BL that prevent liquid from leaking out.

[0026] The cover sheet 4 is provided with elastic members 4C, which prevent gaps from forming between the diaper 1 and the wearer's abdominal circumference, and which are located inward in the width direction of the diaper 1 from the elastic members 4SL and 4SR and along the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1. The elastic members 4C are provided in accordance with the elastic force (contractile force) required for the design of the diaper 1.

[0027] The absorbent body 6 has a structure in which granular absorbent resin such as SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer), a hydrophilic polymer with a cross-linked structure that can absorb and retain water, is held in the gaps between fibers that have been hydrophilically treated, such as cellulosic fibers like pulp fibers, rayon fibers, or cotton fibers, or synthetic fibers like polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate. Therefore, in the absorbent body 6, the volumetric change of the absorbent resin before and after absorbing liquid basically occurs within the short fibers that hold the absorbent resin in the gaps. Therefore, when viewed from the perspective of the entire absorbent body 6, it can be said that the expansion rate of the thickness of the absorbent body 6 after absorbing liquid is not as large as the expansion rate of the absorbent resin itself.

[0028] In this embodiment, SAP particles refer to a resin composition containing SAP in a granular form. The term "SAP-containing resin composition" as used herein encompasses both a composition consisting solely of SAP and a composition containing SAP as the main component and containing other substances to the extent that they do not adversely affect the water absorption properties. Examples of "other substances" include additives (such as surface modifiers added to hydrophobize the particle surface) and unreacted monomers remaining during the synthesis of SAP.

[0029] The outer periphery of the absorbent body 6 may be wrapped in a core wrap sheet 6R (not shown in the figure). The core wrap sheet 6R is a water-permeable sheet made of a nonwoven fabric formed from pulp fibers such as tissue paper or thin resin fibers, and covers the entire absorbent body 6 to maintain the shape of the absorbent body 6 and prevent SAP particles from scattering into other structures. In addition, because it is water-permeable, it does not prevent urine from passing from the skin-facing side into the absorbent body 6. The core wrap sheet 6R is an example of the covering sheet referred to in this application.

[0030] Fig. 3 is a plan view of a diaper according to an embodiment. In this figure, the upper side is the rear body region 1R, which is provided with tapes 2R, 2L equipped with hook-and-loop fasteners from the widthwise ends. In the crotch region 1B, side sheets 8R, 8L are provided on the left and right sides in the widthwise direction. Elastic members 8ER, 8EL are knitted into the widthwise center of L, and the contractile force of these elastic members 8ER, 8EL causes them to rise from the top sheet 7 to form three-dimensional gathers 8BR, 8BL. A front patch 2F engageable with the hook-and-loop fasteners of tapes 2R, 2L is adhered to the non-skin-facing side of front body region 1F, so that the hook-and-loop fasteners of tapes 2R, 2L can be attached.

[0031] The absorbent body 6, covered with another sheet, extends from the middle of the back body region 1R, passing inside the three-dimensional gathers in the crotch region 1B, to the middle of the front body region 1F. The absorbent body 6 is bonded with a core wrap sheet 6R (not shown) that covers the absorbent body 6 using hot melt or the like. Furthermore, the core wrap sheet 6R is bonded with a top sheet 7 and a back sheet 5 that cover the absorbent body 6 using hot melt or the like. In areas where the absorbent body 6 is not present, the top sheet 7 and the back sheet 5 are bonded together using hot melt or the like.

[0032] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the front patch portion of a diaper according to an embodiment. This cross-sectional view shows the structure of the front body region 1F of the diaper 1, with the front patch 2F located on the non-skin-facing side, and is taken along a longitudinal section near the end of the absorbent body 6. The front patch 2F is located on the non-skin-facing side of the front body region, and is a hook tape female portion that can be engaged with a mechanical fastener. Tapes 2R and 2L equipped with mechanical fasteners protruding widthwise from the end of the back body region can be attached to the front patch 2F.

[0033] In this figure, the top sheet 7 starts from the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 wrapped in the core wrap sheet 6R, bends along the outer edge of the absorbent body 6, and abuts against the back sheet 5. The top sheet 7 abutting against the back sheet 5 extends to the longitudinal end of the diaper while being adhered to the back sheet 5. Meanwhile, the back sheet 5 does not bend at the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6. Therefore, no step appears along the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 on the non-skin-facing side of the cover sheet 4 adhered to the back sheet 5, and no step appears on the surface of the front patch 2F adhered to the cover sheet 4. This configuration can be achieved by making the longitudinal length of the top sheet 7 longer than the back sheet 5 in accordance with the thickness of the absorbent body 6.

[0034] If there is a step on the surface of the front patch 2F and tapes 2R and 2L are attached to that location, the mechanical fasteners attached to tapes 2R and 2L and the hook tape attached to the front patch 2F will not engage sufficiently, and there is a risk that tapes 2R and 2L will come off while the diaper 1 is being put on.However, if there is no step on the front patch 2F as shown in this figure, the mechanical fasteners and hook tape will be firmly joined and will be less likely to come off while the diaper 1 is being put on.

[0035] Conventionally, to prevent steps appearing at the edge of the absorbent body 6 from affecting the function of the front patch 2F, the position of the front patch 2F has been limited to a location where the absorbent body 6 is layered on the skin side or a location where there is no absorbent body 6. If configured as shown in this figure, the front patch 2F can be freely positioned without being affected by the position of the absorbent body 6.

[0036] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example in which a buffer space is provided at the end of the absorbent body. This figure is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the same location as Fig. 4. In this figure, the top sheet 7 starts from the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 wrapped in the core wrap sheet 6R, bends obliquely rather than along the side of the absorbent body, passes through a non-adhesive region of a predetermined length, comes into contact with the back sheet 5, and then extends to the longitudinal end of the diaper while being adhered to the back sheet 5. In the embodiment shown in this figure, a substantially triangular buffer space 6E is formed by the outer edge of the absorbent body 6, the flat back sheet 5, and the non-adhesive region of the top sheet 7.

[0037] The back sheet 5 does not bend, and no step appears along the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 on the non-skin-facing side of the cover sheet 4 bonded to the back sheet 5, so that no step appears on the surface of the front patch 2F. As in Figure 4, this configuration does not cause any adverse effects on the engagement between the mechanical fastener and the hook tape. Furthermore, in the configuration shown in this figure, the inclination of the top sheet 7 at the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 is gentler. If the end of the absorbent body 6 protruded perpendicularly toward the skin side as in Figure 4, the step formed at the end of the absorbent body 6 would come into strong contact with the skin, causing discomfort to the wearer and possibly inducing bedsores. On the other hand, in the configuration shown in this figure, the presence of the buffer space 6E makes it less likely that the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 will come into strong contact with the skin side, thereby reducing discomfort to the wearer.

[0038] Furthermore, the buffer space 6E has another effect. When the amount of excrement is large or the force of excrement is strong, the excrement passes through the top sheet 7 and enters the absorbent body 6, but it may not be completely absorbed and may return to the skin surface from the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6. Excrement that returns to the skin surface causes discomfort to the wearer. Furthermore, when the force of excrement is strong, it may cause abdominal leakage. When the buffer space 6E exists beyond the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 as shown in this figure, excrement that overflows from the absorbent body 6 is stored inside the buffer space 6E before leaking beyond the top sheet 7 to the skin surface. In other words, the buffer space 6E also functions as a liquid storage space.

[0039] If the amount of excrement overflowing from the absorbent body 6 falls below the capacity of the buffer space 6E, the excrement stored in the buffer space 6E will be reabsorbed by the absorbent body 6 over time. Therefore, the buffer space 6E can prevent excrement from leaking onto the skin side. Note that the backsheet 5 is hydrophobic and excrement does not pass through the backsheet 5, so even if the buffer space 6E is provided, excrement will not leak onto the non-skin side.

[0040] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a buffer space. In this example, a core wrap sheet 6R that covers the absorbent body 6 is adhered to the inside of the buffer space 6E. In order for excrement stored in the buffer space 6E to leak over the top sheet 7 to the skin-facing side, it must pass over not only the top sheet 7 but also the core wrap sheet 6R. This makes it difficult for excrement to leak from the buffer space 6E to the skin-facing side. Furthermore, because there is no core wrap sheet 6R between the absorbent body 6 and the buffer space 6E, excrement stored in the buffer space 6E is more likely to be reabsorbed by the absorbent body 6.

[0041] Furthermore, when the core wrap sheet 6R extends inside the buffer space 6E, the skin-facing side of the buffer space 6E is less likely to bend along the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6. As a result, the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 is less likely to come into strong contact with the skin-facing side, reducing the discomfort felt by the wearer.

[0042] Fig. 7 is a plan view of a diaper having a buffer space. In this figure, the outer longitudinal end of the buffer space 6E is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the diaper. In other words, the buffer space 6E is provided parallel to the width direction of the diaper. The provision of the buffer space 6E reduces the step that occurs on the skin-facing side of the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6, and furthermore, it can store excrement leaking from the end of the absorbent body 6 and prevent the excrement from returning to the skin-facing side.

[0043] The problem of unevenness at the end of the absorbent body 6 on the skin-facing side mainly occurs in the front body region 1F where the front patch 2F is present. Therefore, it is possible to provide the buffer space 6E only in the front body region 1F and not in the back body region 1R. However, since the diaper wearer is often in a supine position, excrement tends to flow toward the back body region 1R. As mentioned above, the buffer space 6E also has the effect of temporarily storing excrement, so it is preferable to provide the buffer space 6E in the back body region 1R as well.

[0044] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a buffer space 6E that is not parallel to the diaper width direction. In this figure, the buffer space 6E has a sawtooth edge in the longitudinal direction of the diaper. In other words, the outer edge of the buffer space 6E in the longitudinal direction of the diaper is oblique to the longitudinal direction of the diaper. When the force of excrement is strong, the excrement may flow in a straight line in the longitudinal direction through part of the absorbent body 6 and reach the edge. Even if such excrement is guided into the buffer space 6E, the momentum of the excrement cannot be sufficiently weakened, and it may pass through the top sheet 7 again and return to the skin-facing side.

[0045] Therefore, in this figure, the outer longitudinal edge of the buffer space 6E is angled relative to the longitudinal direction of the diaper. The non-skin-facing side of the top sheet 7 is coated with a hot melt adhesive, making it more difficult for excrement to leak across the top sheet 7 from the absorbent core side back to the skin-facing side than from the skin-facing side to the absorbent core side. Therefore, excrement that reaches the buffer space 6E first spreads within the buffer space 6E, attempting to fill it. Because the longitudinal edge of the buffer space 6E is angled relative to the longitudinal direction of the diaper, excrement that flows in a straight line through part of the absorbent core 6 and reaches the edge changes direction to fill the buffer space 6E with its angled longitudinal edge. The change in flow direction weakens the momentum of the excrement, further reducing the likelihood that the excrement will pass through the top sheet 7 again at the longitudinal edge of the absorbent core 6 and flow back to the skin-facing side.

[0046] Furthermore, when the longitudinal ends of the buffer space 6E are slanted in this manner, the top sheet 7 also has a slightly wavy shape that is approximately parallel to the longitudinal direction of the diaper at the longitudinal ends of the absorbent body 6, making it difficult for the top sheet 7 to bend all at once toward the non-skin-facing side. As a result, the longitudinal ends of the absorbent body 6 are less likely to come into strong contact with the skin-facing side, reducing discomfort felt by the wearer.

[0047] 9 is a plan view showing the buffer space 6E at its widest point in the widthwise center. In this figure, the longitudinal end of the buffer space 6E is located at the diaper's widthwise center and is farthest from the end of the absorber 6. Therefore, the buffer space 6E has a substantially isosceles triangular shape with the longitudinal end of the absorber 6 as its base and the longitudinal apex of the diaper as its apex.

[0048] As mentioned above, the most common position that a diaper wearer takes is on their back, and excrement is released along the midline of the human body. When the wearer is in the supine or prone position, excrement flows longitudinally through the widthwise center of the absorber 6, and depending on the amount and force of the excrement, it may reach the longitudinal ends of the absorber 6 and flow from the widthwise center into the buffer space 6E where it is temporarily stored.

[0049] When the diaper wearer is in another position, such as lying on their side, the location where excrement flows into the buffer space 6E may not be the center in the width direction, but in this case, the flow rate of excrement is restricted and reduced by the three-dimensional gathers 3BR, 3BL, etc. Therefore, it is unlikely that excrement will reach the buffer space 6E. Therefore, it can be said that the location where excrement is most likely to flow into the buffer space 6E is the center in the width direction, and since the diaper shown in this figure has the largest space in this area, it can effectively store large amounts of excrement.

[0050] Furthermore, excrement that reaches near the apex of the buffer space 6E is sufficiently slowed down during the process. The excrement changes direction along the way, flows through the equilateral portion, and returns to the absorbent body 6, where it is reabsorbed. Therefore, by configuring the buffer space 6E in this way, it is possible to sufficiently reduce the possibility that excrement will pass through the top sheet 7 again and flow back to the skin-facing side.

[0051] Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of a diaper having a pocket on the skin-facing side. A pocket (pouch) can be further provided on the skin-facing side of the longitudinal end of the diaper 1. The pocket can be provided in either or both of the front and rear body regions. The diaper 1 in this figure has a pocket member 11 in the rear body region and a pocket member 12 in the front body region. The pocket members 11 and 12 are hydrophobic.

[0052] The pocket members (clothing pouch members) 11, 12 are provided at the skin-facing side near the longitudinal ends of the diaper 1, and the widthwise ends are bonded to the side sheets 8R, 8L. On the longitudinal end side, the pocket members 11 and 12 are bonded to all adjacent sheets, including the top sheet 7. Note that on the longitudinal end side, all of the originally stacked sheets are bonded, and the pocket members 11 and 12 are bonded together with all of the stacked sheets.

[0053] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a diaper with a pocket portion on the skin-facing side. At the longitudinal center of the pocket members 11, 12, only the widthwise ends are bonded to the side sheets 8R, 8L, and not to the top sheet 7. As described above, elastic members 8ER, 8EL are incorporated at the widthwise center of the side sheets 8R, 8L. The widthwise center of the side sheets 8R, 8L is raised by the biasing force of the elastic members 8ER, 8EL to form the three-dimensional gathers 3BR, 3BL. Although the elastic members 8ER, 8EL are not present at the positions of the side sheets 8R, 8L where the pocket members 11, 12 are bonded, and the three-dimensional gathers 3BR, 3BL are not formed, the biasing force of the elastic members 8ER, 8EL still remains, causing the widthwise center end to lift. Therefore, the pocket members 11, 12 are pushed up by the widthwise center end of the side sheets 8R, 8L, forming a pocket shape with an opening toward the crotch region 1B.

[0054] Even if the amount of excrement is large or the force of the excrement is so great that it cannot be absorbed by the absorbent body 6 and reaches the longitudinal ends, the excrement will enter the pocket-like space formed by the pocket members 11, 12 and the top sheet 7. The excrement that enters the pocket-like space is temporarily held between the hydrophobic pocket members 11, 12 and the hydrophobic back sheet 5, and does not flow further toward the longitudinal ends, and is eventually gradually absorbed by the absorbent body 6. This effectively prevents back leakage and abdominal leakage of excrement.

[0055] The pocket members 11, 12 may be provided on either of the longitudinal ends of the diaper 1. As mentioned above, the most common posture of a diaper wearer is lying on their back, where waste material tends to flow swiftly toward the rear body region. Therefore, it is preferable to provide the pocket member 11 in the rear body region 1R. If the wearer is a man and the urethra contact position is close to the front body region, waste material may reach the front body region 1F with great force, so it is meaningful to also provide the pocket member 12 in the front body region 1F.

[0056] In particular, by providing the pocket member 12 so as to cover the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 on the front body region 1F side, the step formed at the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6 does not come into direct contact with the skin, thereby reducing the discomfort felt by the wearer. Furthermore, if the buffer space 6E described above is provided at the tip of the longitudinal end of the absorbent body 6, a synergistic effect will further reduce the discomfort felt by the wearer.

[0057] Furthermore, by providing the pocket members 11, 12 and the buffer space 6E simultaneously, a synergistic effect is created in terms of preventing abdominal and back leakage of exudates. As described above, the widthwise central portions on the longitudinal center side of the pocket members 11, 12 are not bonded to other sheets, and the biasing force remaining in the side sheets 8R, 8L that form the three-dimensional gathers 3BR, 3BL forms a pocket-like space that is open toward the crotch region 1B between the pocket members 11, 12 and the top sheet 7. However, because the side sheets 8R, 8L do not have elastic members at the positions where the pocket members 11, 12 are bonded, the pocket members 11, 12 do not necessarily rise toward the skin side to form a pocket-like space with an opening toward the crotch region 1B.

[0058] If the crotch region 1B side of the pocket-like space is not open (contacting another sheet on the non-skin-facing side), and excrement flows over the top sheet 7 without being absorbed by the absorbent body 6 and reaches the longitudinal end, the excrement may get in between the pocket members 11, 12 and the skin surface. As mentioned above, the pocket members 11, 12 are hydrophobic and cannot absorb excrement, so the excrement reaches the longitudinal end as is. For this reason, if the crotch region 1B side of the pocket members 11, 12 is not opened properly and the force of the excrement is strong, it may actually induce abdominal leakage. It becomes easier.

[0059] Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in the figure, a buffer space 6E is provided between the entrance to the pocket-like space and the end of the absorbent body 6. On the skin-facing side of the buffer space 6E, there is a space below the top sheet 7 (or, in some embodiments, the top sheet 7 and core wrap sheet 6R), and excreted matter easily passes through the top sheet 7 and is stored in the buffer space 6E. If the force of the excreted matter is strong, it may pass through the top sheet 7 again at the end of the buffer space 6E and overflow onto the skin-facing side, but the overflow location will be into the pocket-like space formed between the pocket members 11, 12 and the top sheet 7.

[0060] Therefore, even if the entrance of the pocket-like space on the crotch region 1B side is not open, the provision of the buffer space 6E allows excrement to be guided into the pocket-like space via the buffer space 6E. The excrement that flows into the pocket-like space does not flow further toward the longitudinal end sides, but is gradually absorbed into the absorber 6. Due to this mechanism, in this embodiment, the pocket-like space can function effectively regardless of whether the crotch region 1B side is open or not.

[0061] Although the embodiments of the absorbent article of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiments, the pocket members 11 and 12 are described as non-biased, impermeable sheets. However, an elastic member can be knitted into the pocket members 11 and 12 to function as waist gathers. Because the pocket portion is closest to the skin, making the pocket members 11 and 12 waist gathers can achieve waist gathers that fit closely against the skin, effectively suppressing abdominal and back leakage.

[0062] The embodiments and application examples disclosed above can be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1. Diapers 1R: Back body area 1B...Inseam area 1F: Front body area 2R, 2L tape 2F, 2F1, 2F2 Front Patch 3BL, 3BR: 3D gathers 4. Cover sheet 5. Back seat 6. Absorber 6R Core Wrap Sheet 6E·Buffer space 7. Top sheet 8R, 8L side seats 11, 12 Pocket member

Claims

1. an absorbent body that extends longitudinally from the back body region to the front body region of the wearer and is capable of covering the crotch region; a water-permeable sheet disposed on the skin-facing side of the absorbent body; a non-water-permeable sheet disposed on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body; a hook tape having a mechanical fastener on its skin-facing side, the hook tape protruding from the widthwise end of the back body region; a front patch that is directly or indirectly bonded to a portion of the non-skin-facing side of the impermeable sheet that corresponds to at least an end portion of the absorbent body in the longitudinal direction and that is engageable with the hook tape; With At the longitudinal end of the absorbent body, the water-permeable sheet is bent along the end of the absorbent body toward the non-skin-facing side to reach the water-impermeable sheet, and the water-impermeable sheet is not bent, a non-adhesive region of a predetermined length in which the water-permeable sheet and the water-impermeable sheet are not adhered to each other is provided in the longitudinal direction from the longitudinal end of the absorbent body; The water-permeable sheet is adhered to the water-impermeable sheet at the end of the non-adhesive region; In the non-adhesive region, a space formed between the water-permeable sheet and the water-impermeable sheet is a buffer space, The water-permeable sheet and the non-water-permeable sheet further include a covering sheet on the absorbent body side that covers the outer periphery of the absorbent body, the covering sheet covers the absorbent body by bending along the absorbent body at the longitudinal end portions of the absorbent body so as not to separate the buffer space, or the covering sheet extends inside the buffer space along the water-permeable sheet and the water-impermeable sheet in the non-adhesive region so as not to separate the buffer space; Absorbent articles.

2. In the non-adhesive region of the buffer space, the covering sheet is adhered to the non-skin side of the water-permeable sheet and the skin side of the water-impermeable sheet. The absorbent article of claim 1.

3. The outer end of the buffer space in the longitudinal direction is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the absorber. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The outer end of the buffer space in the longitudinal direction is oblique to the longitudinal direction of the absorber. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The outer end of the buffer space in the longitudinal direction is farthest from the end of the absorbent body at the center in the width direction of the absorbent article. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. A water-impermeable sheet covering the skin side is provided near the longitudinal end portion, and the longitudinal end portion is bonded to another sheet, and a clothing pouch member having an opening in the direction of the crotch region is provided. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The buffer space is provided at a position corresponding to the opening of the pouch member. The absorbent article of claim 6.

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