Absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article capable of efficiently absorbing loose passage.SOLUTION: A loose passage pad 100 (absorbent article) comprises in a thickness direction D, in an order from a side close to the skin of a wearer: a top sheet 10; a filtration sheet 20; a water absorption sheet (SAP sheet) 50; and an absorber 30. The top sheet 10 has many apertures 11. The filtration sheet 20 has a plurality of recess parts 15 which becomes hollow in the thickness direction D from a surface facing the top sheet 10 toward an opposite rear surface. The SAP sheet 50 is formed by sandwiching a high absorbent resin (SAP) with liquid permeable sheets in the thickness direction, and on a region overlapping with the recess parts 15 relative to a region overlapping with a part 16 excluding the recess parts 15 in plan view, there is arranged a SAP part 51 where a SAP amount per unit area is relatively large.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to absorbent articles.

Background Art

[0002] As an inner pad that is used by being overlapped inside a disposable diaper, a soft stool pad mainly for absorbing soft stools is known. A general inner pad is configured mainly for absorbing urine, which is moisture. On the other hand, since soft stools contain solids, in a general inner pad, the solids are likely to remain on the topsheet. And when the solids remain on the topsheet, the contact between the solids and the skin continues for a long time, and there is a risk of skin trouble.

[0003] Therefore, an inner pad suitable for soft stools (hereinafter referred to as a soft stool pad) uses a perforated sheet in which a plurality of large holes for transferring the solids of soft stools to the lower layer are formed in the topsheet that directly touches the skin of the wearer. The soft stool pad provided with the perforated sheet can transfer the solids of the soft stools to the lower filtration sheet through the holes of the perforated sheet. As a result, the soft stool pad can suppress the solids from remaining on the sheet that contacts the skin and prevent or suppress the occurrence of skin trouble (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] The soft stool pad disclosed in Patent Document 1 further forms a recessed portion that is partially recessed in the filtration sheet, and by accommodating the soft stools in the recessed portion, it is possible to increase the speed of diffusing and absorbing the soft stools and improve the retention of the soft stools.

[0005] Also, in a diaper in which an absorber is disposed under the topsheet and a diffusion layer is disposed under the absorber, through holes for allowing highly viscous excrement such as soft stools to pass through are formed in the topsheet and the absorber, and the excrement that reaches the diffusion layer through the through holes is diffused by the diffusion layer, and a technique for absorbing the excrement into the absorber from the back side (skin-contact side) of the absorber has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-153897 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-112232 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The soft stool pad described in Prior Art Document 1 may not be able to absorb soft stool efficiently if there is a large amount of excretion or repeated excretion, as the holes in the perforated sheet in the recessed area may become clogged, reducing the rate of absorption of soft stool and causing soft stool to accumulate in the recessed area. This problem can also occur with the diaper described in Prior Art Document 2.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an absorbent article that can efficiently absorb loose stools. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention relates to an absorbent article in which a top sheet, a filter sheet, an absorbent sheet, and an absorbent body are laminated in the thickness direction, in order from the side closest to the wearer's skin, the top sheet has numerous openings, the filter sheet has multiple recesses formed in the lamination direction from the surface facing the top sheet toward the opposite surface, the absorbent sheet is formed by sandwiching a highly absorbent resin between liquid permeable sheets in the thickness direction, and the highly absorbent resin is relatively more abundant in the region overlapping the recesses than in the region overlapping the portion excluding the recesses when viewed in plan. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the absorbent article of the present invention, loose stools can be absorbed efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing the inner surface of the soft stool pad. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the thickness direction D of the soft stool pad along line AA. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the thickness direction D of the soft stool pad along the BB line. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view, corresponding to Figure 3, showing details of the recessed area of ​​the soft stool pad. [Figure 5] This is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the SAP section, where the highly absorbent resin of the water-absorbing sheet is concentrated, and the recessed area. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram equivalent to Figure 4, illustrating the action of the soft stool pad, and shows the state of the SAP area before expansion. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram equivalent to Figure 4 illustrating the function of the soft stool pad, showing the state after the SAP section has expanded and the recessed area has closed. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram equivalent to Figure 4 illustrating the action of a soft stool pad, showing the diffusion of soft stool when soft stool is expelled in the state shown in Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1, showing a plan view of a soft stool pad according to a second embodiment (Embodiment 2) of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the SAP sheet used in the soft stool pad of the third embodiment (Embodiment 3) of the present invention, showing the state of the SAP portion before expansion. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section of the SAP sheet used in the soft stool pad of Embodiment 3 of the present invention, and shows the state after the SAP portion has expanded. [Figure 12] Figures 10 and 11 are schematic diagrams showing the state of the SAP portion of a soft stool pad after it has expanded, using the SAP sheet shown. [Figure 13] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a soft stool pad according to the fourth embodiment (Embodiment 4) of the present invention, showing the state of the SAP portion and the high-ply portion before expansion. [Figure 14]It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the soft stool pad of Embodiment 4 of the present invention, showing the state after expansion of the SAP portion and the high basis weight portion.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Embodiments of the absorbent article according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] <Embodiment 1> [Configuration] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a plan view of the inner surface side of the soft stool pad 100, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section in the thickness direction D by the surface along the line A-A of the soft stool pad 100 shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-section in the thickness direction D by the surface along the line B-B of the soft stool pad 100 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing details of the recess 15 of the soft stool pad 100, and FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the SAP portion 51 where the highly absorbent resin (SAP) of the water-absorbing sheet 50 is mainly arranged and the recess 15.

[0014] The illustrated soft stool pad 100 is an embodiment of the absorbent article according to the present invention, and in particular, it is an inner pad suitable for absorbing soft stools. The soft stool pad 100 is used by being overlaid on a disposable diaper (hereinafter referred to as a diaper), and in a state where the diaper is worn by the wearer, it is used by being overlaid on the inner surface side of the diaper, which is the side closer to the wearer's skin surface. The soft stool pad 100 is, in particular, an inner pad suitable for absorbing the soft stools of the wearer. Note that the soft stool pad 100 is not limited to being used by being overlaid on a disposable diaper, and may be used by being overlaid on a non-disposable diaper, for example, a cloth-type diaper.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the soft stool pad 100 is formed such that the ventral portion 110, the crotch portion 120, and the dorsal portion 130 are connected in the length direction L. In the plan view shown in FIG. 1, the soft stool pad 100 has a width direction W that is orthogonal to the length direction (front-rear direction) L. The ventral portion 110 corresponds to a portion that mainly covers the lower abdomen on the ventral side, which is the front of the wearer of the diaper, the crotch portion 120 corresponds to a portion that mainly covers the groin of the wearer, and the dorsal portion 130 corresponds to a portion that mainly covers the buttocks of the wearer.

[0016] It should be noted that the soft stool pad 100 does not have any boundaries or structural differences between the dorsal portion 130 and the groin portion 120, nor between the ventral portion 110 and the groin portion 120. Rather, for the convenience of identifying and explaining the area of ​​the soft stool pad 100, it is simply divided into three rough parts: the dorsal portion 130, the groin portion 120, and the ventral portion 110.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, the soft stool pad 100 is formed by laminating a top sheet 10, a filter sheet 20, an absorbent material 30, and a back sheet 40 in the thickness direction D, except for the peripheral area including the portion facing the wearer's anus. The top sheet 10 is positioned on the side closest to the wearer's skin in the thickness direction D (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the inner side or skin side), and the back sheet 40 is positioned on the side furthest from the wearer's skin in the thickness direction D (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the outer side or non-skin side).

[0018] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the soft stool pad 100 is formed by laminating the top sheet 10, the filter sheet 20, the absorbent sheet 50 (hereinafter referred to as SAP sheet 50), the absorbent body 30, and the back sheet 40 in the thickness direction D in the peripheral region including the part facing the wearer's anus. In other words, in the peripheral region including the part facing the wearer's anus, the SAP sheet 50, which is not provided in other regions, is provided between the filter sheet 20 and the absorbent body 30.

[0019] The soft stool pad 100 has three-dimensional gathers 60 on both sides in the width direction W of the top sheet 10, covering both sides in the width direction W from above (inner side) of the top sheet 10 as shown in Figure 2. The outer ends of the three-dimensional gathers 60 in the width direction W are joined to the back sheet 40, and elastic threads 61 are fixed to the inner ends in the width direction W. The elastic force of the elastic threads 61 causes the three-dimensional gathers 60 to rise up on the inner side in the width direction W and the inner side in the thickness direction D. The three-dimensional gathers 60 are impermeable to liquid.

[0020] (Top sheet) The top sheet 10 is a liquid-permeable sheet and, as shown in Figure 1, has numerous openings 11 that penetrate in the thickness direction D. The openings 11 allow the fixed components (solid matter) of the soft stool discharged onto the top sheet 10 to pass through to the lower layer of the top sheet 10 in the thickness direction D. The openings 11 are formed in an oval shape, for example, with a length L dimension that is longer than the width W dimension. As an example, the oval shape of the opening 11 has a width W dimension of 3 [mm] and a length L dimension of 4 [mm]. The specific dimensions of the openings 11 are not limited to this example, and they may be formed in other dimensions as long as they are large enough to allow some of the solid matter of the soft stool to pass through.

[0021] Furthermore, the opening 11 is not limited to an oval shape that is long in the length direction L, but may also be an oval shape that is long in the width direction W, or a perfect circle with equal dimensions in the length direction L and the width direction W, or it may not be limited to a circle, but may be a rhombus, rectangle, or other polygon.

[0022] The top sheet 10 has openings 11 arranged in an oblique direction, tilted with respect to the length direction L and the width direction W. In other words, the numerous openings 11 are arranged in a staggered pattern, as shown in Figure 1. However, the top sheet 10 is not limited to having openings 11 arranged in a staggered pattern; it may also have openings arranged in a grid pattern aligned with the length direction L and the width direction W.

[0023] Furthermore, a top sheet 10 in which the openings 11 are arranged in a staggered pattern can increase the density of the openings 11 compared to a top sheet in which the openings 11 are arranged in a grid pattern, making it easier to guide soft stool into the openings 11.

[0024] (Filter sheet) The filter sheet 20 is positioned directly beneath the top sheet 10. The filter sheet 20 is permeable to liquids. The filter sheet 20 filters out solid matter from soft stool that has passed through the openings 11 of the top sheet 10, and allows the remaining liquid components to pass to the lower layer. The filter sheet 20 is formed with a bulk dimension D in the thickness direction, for example, about 10 to 20 mm.

[0025] (recess) As shown in Figure 1, the filter sheet 20 has recesses 15 formed in the portion spanning from the crotch area 120 to the back area 130. The portion where these recesses 15 are formed is the peripheral area including the portion facing the wearer's anus when the wearer is wearing the sheet. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the recesses 15 are formed in a total of 9 locations: 3 in the length direction L and 3 in the width direction W. Note that the number of recesses 15 is not limited to 9; there may be more or fewer than 9, but there must be at least 2.

[0026] Each recess 15 is formed in the thickness direction D, which is the lamination direction, from the surface facing the top sheet 10 (the skin-facing side (inner surface) that is in contact with the wearer's skin) to the opposite back surface facing the absorbent 30 (the non-skin-facing side (outer surface) that is far from the wearer's skin), as shown in the cross-sectional views of Figures 3 and 4.

[0027] Furthermore, since the top sheet 10 follows the surface of the filter sheet 20, it is recessed along the recessed surface of the recess 15, and the inner surface of the soft stool pad 100 is recessed along the contour of the recess 15. Since the recess 15 is sufficiently larger in size than the openings 11 formed in the top sheet 10, multiple openings 11 face the surface of one recess 15.

[0028] (Water-absorbing (SAP) sheet) Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship in plan view between the recess 15 of the filter sheet 20 and the SAP portion of the SAP sheet 50.

[0029] The SAP sheet 50 is formed by sandwiching granular superabsorbent polymers (SAP) between liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric sheets on the inner and outer sides in the thickness direction D. This SAP sheet 50 has SAP sections 51 where SAP is concentrated. In other words, the SAP sheet 50 is formed with a distribution in plan view of SAP sections 51 where the amount of SAP per unit area is relatively large, and non-SAP sections 52 where the amount of SAP per unit area is small compared to the SAP sections 51, or where no SAP is present at all. SAP retains moisture by absorbing moisture it comes into contact with and swelling.

[0030] Furthermore, such a partition between the SAP portion 51 and the non-SAP portion 52 can be easily formed by joining the inner surface liquid permeable sheet and the outer surface liquid permeable sheet in the thickness direction D. If the SAP sheet 50 is formed so that the non-SAP portion 52 is an area where no SAP is placed at all, the non-SAP portion 52 will be an area where the inner surface liquid permeable sheet and the outer surface liquid permeable sheet are simply overlapped.

[0031] As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 4 and the plan view of Figure 5, the SAP sheet 50 used in the soft stool pad 100 has an SAP portion 51 arranged in the area that overlaps with the recess 15 in a plan view, and in the area that overlaps with the portion 16 excluding the recess 15, there is no SAP portion 51, and a non-SAP portion 52 is arranged.

[0032] In this embodiment, the SAP portion 51 of the soft stool pad 100 has an elliptical outline in plan view as shown in Figure 5. However, the outline of the SAP portion of the SAP sheet in the absorbent article according to the present invention is not limited to an ellipse, but may be circular, rectangular, polygonal, or any other shape.

[0033] However, as will be described later, it is preferable that the absorbent article according to the present invention expands the SAP portion to increase the bulk in the thickness direction D. Therefore, it is preferable that the absorbent article according to the present invention has a single SAP portion in each recess 15 that can increase the bulk in the thickness direction D when expanded, rather than having multiple small SAP portions arranged in a plan view.

[0034] (Absorbent) As shown in Figure 2, the absorbent body 30 comprises an absorbent member 31 and a packaging body 32. The absorbent member 31 is made of fibrous pulp with granular SAP interwoven in it, and the SAP absorbs moisture upon contact and swells, thereby retaining moisture. The packaging body 32 is made of a liquid-permeable material such as crepe paper and encloses the absorbent member 31. Note that the absorbent body 30 may be made only of the absorbent member 31 and not enclosed in the packaging body 32.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, the absorbent 30 has a recess 35 formed in the portion that overlaps with the recess 15 of the filter sheet 20 in a plan view, and is recessed in the thickness direction D, which is the stacking direction, from the surface facing the filter sheet 20. As a result, the SAP portion 51 of the SAP sheet 50 and the protrusion 17 of the filter sheet that protrudes on the opposite side of the recess 15 (towards the absorbent 30 in the thickness direction D) due to the formation of the recess 15 are fitted into the recess 35 of the absorbent 30.

[0036] Furthermore, the soft stool pad 100 is not limited to one in which a recess 35 is formed in the absorbent material 30. In this case, the recess 15 should be formed on the back side of the filter sheet 20 so that no protrusion 17 is formed.

[0037] (Back seat) The backsheet 40 is impermeable to liquids, preventing urine discharged to the inner surface of the soft stool pad 100 and the liquid components of soft stool from penetrating and leaking outward beyond the backsheet 40 in the thickness direction D.

[0038] [Effect] Figures 6, 7, and 8 are schematic diagrams corresponding to Figure 4 illustrating the action of the soft stool pad 100. Figure 6 shows the state of the SAP section 51 before expansion, Figure 7 shows the state after the SAP section 51 has expanded and the recess is closed, and Figure 8 shows the diffusion of soft stool 200 when it is discharged in the state shown in Figure 7.

[0039] The soft stool pad 100 is attached to the inside of a disposable diaper with the top sheet 10 facing the wearer's skin (with the back sheet 40 facing the inside of the disposable diaper). This ensures that when the soft stool pad 100 is attached to the wearer, the top sheet 10 is in contact with the wearer's skin.

[0040] The soft stool 200 excreted by the wearer is initially received by the top sheet 10 of the soft stool pad 100, but as shown by the arrow in Figure 6, it moves into the recess 15 formed across the crotch area 120 and the back area 130. The solid portion of the soft stool 200 then moves through the openings 11 of the top sheet 10, which are located on the bottom and periphery of the recess 15, to the lower layer, the filter sheet 20. The liquid component of the soft stool 200 moves to the filter sheet 20 through the openings 11 along with the solid portion, as well as through parts of the top sheet 10 other than the openings 11.

[0041] The filter sheet 20 retains the solid components of the soft stool 200 by filtering them out through its filtration action, while allowing the liquid components of the soft stool 200 to diffuse and pass through. The liquid components of the soft stool 200 that have passed through the filter sheet 20 reach the SAP sheet 50 below the filter sheet 20.

[0042] Of the liquid components of the loose stool that reach the SAP sheet 50, the liquid components that reach the SAP section 51, which is positioned to overlap the recess 15 in a plan view, are absorbed and held by the SAP in the SAP section 51. At this time, the SAP in the SAP section 51 swells due to the absorption of the liquid components, as shown in Figure 7. The liquid components are held by this SAP.

[0043] Then, the SAP section 51, due to the increase in volume caused by swelling, pushes up the bottom portion of the recess 15 of the filter sheet 20 towards the inner surface in the thickness direction D. When the bottom portion of the recess 15 of the filter sheet 20 is pushed up to a height level similar to that of the surface of the portion 16 excluding the recess 15, the soft stool pad 100 becomes in a state where the recess 15 is closed.

[0044] Thus, when the soft stool 200 is contained in the recess 15, which has risen to a height similar to that of the portion 16 excluding the recess 15 and is now blocked, as shown in Figure 8, if more soft stool 200 is discharged into the recess 15, the soft stool will not be contained in the blocked recess 15, as indicated by the arrow, but will instead move to other recesses adjacent to the blocked recess 15.

[0045] Furthermore, the soft stool 200 contained in the adjacent recess 15 can be absorbed in the same manner as the action of absorbing the soft stool 200 described above.

[0046] Thus, the soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment can reduce the opportunity for contact between the soft stool 200 and the wearer's skin by containing the soft stool 200 in the recesses 15. Furthermore, the soft stool pad 100 can transfer the solid portion of the soft stool 200 contained in the recesses 15 to the filter sheet 20 through the openings 11. In addition, the soft stool pad 100 can transfer soft stool 200 that is repeatedly discharged to the same part of the top sheet 10 to other recesses 15 other than the blocked recess 15 by expanding the SAP in the SAP section 51 with the liquid components that have passed through the filter sheet 20 and sealing the recesses 15.

[0047] As a result, even if soft stool 200 is repeatedly discharged in the same area or a large amount of soft stool 200 is discharged, the soft stool pad 100 of this embodiment does not continue to receive the soft stool 200 in the same recess 15, but quickly transfers it to other recesses 15, thereby increasing the diffusion of the soft stool 200 and enabling efficient absorption of the soft stool 200.

[0048] <Embodiment 2> [composition] Figure 9 is a plan view of the soft stool pad 300 of the second embodiment (Embodiment 2) of the present invention, corresponding to Figure 1.

[0049] The illustrated soft stool pad 300 is one embodiment of the absorbent article according to the present invention, and is particularly suitable for absorbing soft stools. The soft stool pad 300 is the same as the soft stool pad 100 of Embodiment 1, except that the arrangement of the recesses 15 of the filter sheet 20 in a plan view is different, as shown in Figure 9.

[0050] Therefore, for the soft stool pad 300 of Embodiment 2, the explanation of the configuration and effects other than the arrangement of the recesses 15 will be omitted. Although Figure 9 does not show the openings 11 formed in the top sheet 10, this is simply because the illustration of the openings 11 has been omitted, and the soft stool pad 300 has openings 11 formed in the top sheet 10, just like the soft stool pad 100.

[0051] (recess) In Embodiment 1, the soft stool pad 100 has recesses 15 formed in the filter sheet 20 arranged in a grid pattern, with the recesses 15 aligned in a straight line along the length direction L and the width direction W, respectively. In contrast, in Embodiment 2, the soft stool pad 300 has recesses 15 formed in the filter sheet 20 aligned in a straight line along the width direction W, but not along the length direction L, with the recesses 15 aligned in a staggered pattern along a direction inclined with respect to the length direction L.

[0052] (SAP Department) Furthermore, similar to the soft stool pad 100, the soft stool pad 300 has the SAP portion 51 of the SAP sheet 50 formed in a location that overlaps with the recess 15 in a plan view. Therefore, the SAP portion 51 of the soft stool pad 300 is aligned in a straight line along the width direction W, similar to the recess 15, but is not aligned along the length direction L, but rather in a staggered arrangement along a direction inclined with respect to the length direction L.

[0053] [Effect] In the second embodiment, the soft stool pad 300, like the soft stool pad 100, expands the SAP in the SAP section 51 with the liquid components that have passed through the filter sheet 20, thereby blocking the recesses 15. This allows the soft stool 200 that is repeatedly discharged to the same part of the top sheet 10 to be transferred to other recesses 15 besides the blocked recess 15.

[0054] As a result, even if soft stool 200 is repeatedly expelled in the same area or if a large amount of soft stool 200 is expelled, the soft stool pad 300 does not continue to receive the soft stool 200 in the same recess 15, but quickly transfers it to other recesses 15, thereby increasing the diffusion of the soft stool 200 and enabling efficient absorption of the soft stool 200.

[0055] Furthermore, since the recesses 15 of the soft stool pad 300 are not arranged in a straight line along the length direction L, the portion 16 excluding the recesses 15 does not continue in a straight line along the length direction L. For this reason, even if the soft stool 200 discharged onto the portion 16 excluding the recesses 15 moves in a straight line along the length direction L on the top sheet 10, it can always flow into the adjacent recesses 15.

[0056] Therefore, as described above, even the soft stool 200 that has moved through the portion 16 excluding the recess 15 is reliably received by the recess 15, further increasing the diffusivity of the soft stool 200 and allowing for more efficient absorption of the soft stool 200.

[0057] Furthermore, the absorbent article according to the present invention is not limited to those in which the recesses formed in the filter sheet and the SAP portion of the SAP sheet are arranged in a grid pattern or a staggered pattern. These recesses and SAP portions may be arranged in a pattern other than a grid pattern or a staggered pattern.

[0058] <Embodiment 3> [composition] Figures 10 and 11 are schematic diagrams showing cross-sections of the SAP sheets 50 and 70 used in the soft stool pad 400 of the third embodiment (Embodiment 3) of the present invention. Figure 10 shows the state of the SAP portions 51 and 71 before expansion, and Figure 11 shows the state of the SAP portions 51 and 71 after expansion. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section showing the state of the SAP portions 51 and 71 after expansion of the soft stool pad 400 using the SAP sheets 50 and 70 shown in Figures 10 and 11.

[0059] The soft stool pad 400 of Embodiment 3 is an embodiment of the absorbent article according to the present invention, and is particularly suitable for absorbing soft stools. The soft stool pad 100 of Embodiment 1 consists of one SAP sheet 50, but the soft stool pad 400 of Embodiment 3, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, has another SAP sheet 70 placed on top of the SAP sheet 50 in the thickness direction D.

[0060] The soft stool pad 400 is the same as the soft stool pad 100, which has only one SAP sheet 50, except that it has two layers of SAP sheets 50 and 70. Therefore, for the soft stool pad 400 of Embodiment 3, the explanation of the configuration and effects excluding the SAP sheets 50 and 70 will be omitted.

[0061] Note that Figures 10 and 11 only show the SAP sheets 50 and 70 of the soft stool pad 400. The soft stool pad 400, like the soft stool pad 100, includes a top sheet 10, a filter sheet 20, an absorbent material 30, and a back sheet 40.

[0062] (SAP sheet) The soft stool pad 400 of Embodiment 3 has a configuration in which a separate SAP sheet 70 is laminated between the SAP sheet 50 and the absorbent material 30 in the soft stool pad 100. The SAP sheet 70 is formed in the same way as the SAP sheet 50 by sandwiching granular SAP between liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric sheets on the inner and outer sides in the thickness direction D, respectively, to form a sheet.

[0063] Like the SAP sheet 50, the SAP sheet 70 also has SAP sections 71 where SAP is concentrated, as shown in Figure 10. In other words, the SAP sheet 70 is formed with SAP sections 71 where a relatively large amount of SAP is placed per unit area, and non-SAP sections 72 where the amount of SAP per unit area is less than that of the SAP sections 71, or where no SAP is placed at all, distributed in a plan view. Furthermore, the SAP sections 71 of the SAP sheet 70 are distributed so as to overlap with the SAP sections 51 of the SAP sheet 50 in a plan view.

[0064] In Figure 10, the SAP portion 71 of the SAP sheet 70 in the soft stool pad 400 is formed to be larger (wider in plan view) than the SAP portion 51 of the SAP sheet 50, but the SAP portion 71 may be the same size as the SAP portion 51 or smaller than the SAP portion 51.

[0065] However, the soft stool pad 400 must be arranged so that at least a portion of the SAP section 71 and the SAP section 51 overlap each other in a plan view.

[0066] [Effect] In this embodiment, the soft stool pad 400 receives soft stool 200 in the recess 15. The soft stool 200 received in the recess 15 moves to the filter sheet 20 through the opening 11 of the top sheet 10 in the recess 15, and the liquid component of the soft stool 200 reaches the SAP portion 51 of the SAP sheet 50 and the SAP portion 71 of the SAP sheet 70. As a result, the SAP portions 51 and 71 that come into contact with the liquid component absorb the liquid component and expand as shown in Figure 11.

[0067] As a result, the portion of the soft stool pad 400 where the SAP portion 51 and SAP portion 71 are arranged in overlapping positions in a plan view becomes higher in the thickness direction D by a height H, as shown in Figure 11, relative to the position of the SAP sheet 70.

[0068] As a result, as shown in Figure 12, the soft stool pad 400 not only has the portion where the recess 15 was formed closed due to the overlap of the expansion of the SAP portion 51 and the expansion of the SAP portion 71, but it also becomes raised by a height h on the inner surface side in the thickness direction D compared to the portion 16 excluding the recess 15.

[0069] Therefore, the soft stool pad 400 can more quickly transfer the soft stool 200 that is repeatedly discharged onto the same part of the top sheet 10 to the other recesses 15 besides the raised recess 15, further increasing the spreadability of the soft stool 200 and enabling more efficient absorption of the soft stool 200.

[0070] As mentioned above, there are no limitations on the size of the SAP portion 71 of the SAP sheet 70 in the soft stool pad 400 relative to the SAP portion 51, however, it is preferable to form the SAP portion 51 of the SAP sheet 50 relatively small. This is because, in a soft stool pad 400 with a relatively small SAP portion 51, the angle of inclination of the contour of the raised area with respect to the width direction W when the recess 15 is closed and raised is larger than when the SAP portion 51 is formed relatively large, making it easier for subsequent soft stool discharged onto the raised area to fall off.

[0071] Furthermore, while the soft stool pad 400 of this embodiment is constructed by stacking two SAP sheets, SAP sheet 50 and SAP sheet 70, and arranging them so that the SAP portion 51 and SAP portion 71 overlap in a plan view, the absorbent article according to the present invention may be constructed by stacking three or more SAP sheets and arranging them so that the SAP portions of these three or more SAP sheets overlap in a plan view.

[0072] <Embodiment 4> [composition] Figures 13 and 14 are schematic cross-sectional views of the soft stool pad 500 according to the fourth embodiment (Embodiment 4) of the present invention, with Figure 13 showing the SAP portion 51 and the high-mesh portion 37 before expansion, and Figure 14 showing the SAP portion 51 and the high-mesh portion 37 after expansion.

[0073] The illustrated soft stool pad 500 is one embodiment of the absorbent article according to the present invention, and is particularly suitable for absorbing soft stools. In the soft stool pad 500, as shown in Figure 13, the portion of the absorbent material 30 that overlaps with the SAP portion 51 of the SAP sheet 50 in a plan view is made into a high-weight portion 37 that contains a relatively large amount of SAP per unit area.

[0074] Furthermore, the soft stool pad 500 is the same as the soft stool pad 400, except for the SAP sheet 70 and the absorbent material 30 described above. Therefore, for the soft stool pad 500 of Embodiment 4, the explanation of the configuration and effects excluding the absorbent material 30 will be omitted.

[0075] The absorbent material 30 has a high-weight portion 37 in which SAP is concentrated. In other words, the absorbent material 30 has a high-weight portion 37 in which the amount of SAP per unit area is relatively larger compared to other areas. Furthermore, the high-weight portion 37 of the absorbent material 30 is formed to be distributed so as to overlap with the SAP portion 51 of the SAP sheet 50 in a plan view.

[0076] [Effect] In this embodiment, the soft stool pad 500 receives soft stool 200 in the recess 15. The soft stool 200 received in the recess 15 moves to the filter sheet 20 through the opening 11 of the top sheet 10 in the recess 15, and the liquid component of the soft stool 200 reaches the SAP portion 51 of the SAP sheet 50 and the high-weight portion 37 of the absorbent material 30. As a result, the SAP portion 51 and the high-weight portion 37 that come into contact with the liquid component absorb the liquid component and expand as shown in Figure 14.

[0077] As a result, the soft stool pad 500 not only has the portion where the recess 15 was formed closed due to the overlap of the expansion of the SAP portion 51 and the expansion of the high-density portion 37, but it also becomes raised by a height h on the inner surface in the thickness direction D compared to the portion 16 excluding the recess 15.

[0078] Therefore, the soft stool pad 500 can more quickly transfer the soft stool 200 that is repeatedly discharged onto the same part of the top sheet 10 to the other recesses 15 besides the raised recess 15, further increasing the spreadability of the soft stool 200 and allowing for more efficient absorption of the soft stool 200.

[0079] Each of the above-described embodiments 1 to 4 of the absorbent article according to the present invention may be configured by combining two or more forms, and such embodiments combining two or more forms are also embodiments of the absorbent article according to the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 10 Top Sheets 11 Opening 15 recesses 16. Part excluding the recess 20 filter sheets 30 absorbent material 50 absorbent sheets (SAP sheets) 51 SAP Department 100 Soft stool pads (absorbent items) 200 loose stools D thickness direction L (Length direction) W (width direction)

Claims

1. In the thickness direction, the top sheet, filter sheet, absorbent sheet, and absorbent core are layered in order from the side closest to the wearer's skin. The top sheet has a number of openings formed therein. The aforementioned filter sheet has multiple recesses formed in the stacking direction, extending from the surface facing the top sheet toward the opposite surface. The absorbent sheet is formed by sandwiching a highly absorbent resin between two liquid-permeable sheets in the thickness direction, and the highly absorbent resin is relatively more abundant in the region overlapping the recess compared to the region overlapping the portion excluding the recess when viewed in plan.

2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent has a recess formed in the portion of the filter sheet that overlaps with the recess in the filter sheet in a plan view, recessed in the stacking direction from the surface facing the filter sheet.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are arranged in a staggered pattern, aligned in a straight line along a direction inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction in which the ventral portion, groin portion, and dorsal portion are connected.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein two or more absorbent sheets are arranged in the stacking direction, and in each of the absorbent sheets, the superabsorbent resin is relatively more abundant in the region overlapping the recess compared to the region overlapping the portion excluding the recess in a plan view.

5. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent has a relatively larger amount of the superabsorbent resin in the region overlapping the recess compared to the region overlapping the portion excluding the recess in a plan view.

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