Absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of suppressing reduction of a wearing feeling.SOLUTION: An absorbent article comprises: an absorber which is provided at a position including a crotch region and can absorb liquid discharged by a wearer; an exterior body which has a waist opening part into which the abdominal circumference of the wearer can be inserted, and two leg surrounding opening parts into which the respective legs of the wearer can be inserted, and which is located on a non-skin surface side of the wearer relative to the absorber; a right and left pair of first grooves formed on the absorber, and extending in a longitudinal direction in a region corresponding to the urethral opening of the wearer; a high rigidity part which is formed on the absorber, located closer to a rear bodice region side relative to the first grooves and extends in a width direction; and a right and left pair of first stretchable members adhered to the exterior body in a stretched state, and pulling the absorber in the region corresponding to the anal of the wearer in the width direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0007]

[0001] The present invention relates to absorbent articles.

Background Art

[0002] Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, urine pads, and sanitary products have been developed (for example, see Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a disposable diaper provided with a stretchable member at a portion surrounding the wearer's legs. The disposable diaper adheres to the wearer's legs as the stretchable member contracts.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When the stretchable member disposed in the absorbent article contracts, a force in the contraction direction acts on the absorber of the absorbent article, and the absorber is deformed in the contraction direction of the stretchable member by the contraction force of the stretchable member. When the absorber on the back side of the absorbent article is deformed, there is a risk that it will dig into the gluteal cleft (crack) of the wearer's buttocks and the wearing comfort will decline.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of suppressing a decrease in wearing comfort.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, in the present invention, a high-rigidity portion formed in the absorber and a pair of left and right stretchable members that pull the absorber in the width direction are provided.

[0007] More specifically, the absorbent article according to the present invention comprises an absorbent body provided in the longitudinal direction in the order of a front body region located on the abdominal side of the wearer, a crotch region located in the crotch area, and a back body region located on the back side, having a length along the longitudinal direction and a length along the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, an absorbent body provided in a position including the crotch region and capable of absorbing the wearer's excretory fluid, a waist opening through which the wearer's waist circumference can be inserted, and two leg openings through which the wearer's legs can be inserted, an outer body positioned on the non-skin side of the wearer than the absorbent body, a first groove formed in the absorbent body, a pair of left and right first grooves extending along the longitudinal direction in a region corresponding to the wearer's urethral opening, a high-rigidity portion formed in the absorbent body, positioned on the back body region side of the first grooves and extending in the width direction, and a pair of left and right first stretchable members adhered to the outer body in an extended state and pulling the absorbent body in the width direction in a region corresponding to the wearer's anus.

[0008] In the absorbent article described above, the high-rigidity portion may be a compression groove.

[0009] In the absorbent article described above, the high-rigidity portion may be connected to the first groove.

[0010] In the absorbent article described above, the high-rigidity portion may be positioned in a region corresponding to the wearer's anus.

[0011] In the absorbent article described above, the first groove may be positioned on the front body area side of the area corresponding to the wearer's anus.

[0012] In the absorbent article described above, the outer covering comprises an outer cover sheet forming the outer surface and an inner cover sheet positioned on the skin-facing side of the outer cover sheet, the first expandable member is positioned between the outer cover sheet and the inner cover sheet, and in the area corresponding to the wearer's anus, the outer cover sheet and the inner cover sheet may not be adhered to each other.

[0013] The absorbent article may include a second expandable member that is bonded to the non-skin side of the absorbent material in an extended state in the longitudinal direction, and is positioned in a region overlapping between the left and right pair of first grooves, and expands and contracts in the longitudinal direction.

[0014] In the absorbent article described above, the second expandable member may extend between the pair of first grooves on the left and right sides when viewed from above.

[0015] In the absorbent article described above, the second stretchable member may be positioned on the front body area side of the area corresponding to the wearer's anus.

[0016] In the absorbent article described above, the second stretchable member and the absorbent material may not be adhered to each other in the area corresponding to the wearer's anus.

[0017] In the absorbent article described above, the inner end of the first expandable member in the width direction may overlap with the absorbent when viewed in the thickness direction, and its expandable direction may have a component in the width direction.

[0018] In the absorbent article described above, the outer casing and the absorbent may be bonded together between a pair of left and right first expandable members.

[0019] In the absorbent article described above, the inner end of the first expandable member in the width direction may overlap with the first groove when viewed in the thickness direction.

[0020] In the absorbent article described above, the inner end of the first expandable member in the width direction may be positioned outside the first groove when viewed in the thickness direction.

[0021] In the absorbent article described above, the outer casing may have folds extending in the width direction in front of and behind the area corresponding to the wearer's anus.

[0022] In the absorbent article described above, the fold may be formed between the inner ends in the width direction of the pair of left and right first elastic members.

[0023] In the absorbent article described above, another fold extending in the width direction may be formed in the exterior body between the folds formed before and after the region corresponding to the anus of the wearer.

Advantages of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the feeling of wearing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diaper according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a diaper according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a developed view of a diaper according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a developed view showing a absorbent body extracted from a diaper according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view when the diaper according to Embodiment 1 is cut in the width direction along line AA in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view when the diaper according to Embodiment 1 is cut in the width direction along line BB in FIG. 3. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a diaper according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view of a diaper according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view of a diaper according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a diaper according to Embodiment 5.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0026] <Embodiment 1> A diaper according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the configurations of the following embodiments are illustrative, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0027] Figure 1 is an example of a perspective view of an adult disposable pant-type diaper (hereinafter simply referred to as "diaper") according to Embodiment 1. In the diaper, the direction connecting the front panel, which is positioned opposite the wearer's abdomen, and the back panel, which is positioned opposite the wearer's back, is defined as the longitudinal direction (also called the front-to-back direction). Between these front panel (one side in the longitudinal direction) and back panel (the other side in the longitudinal direction) (in the center in the longitudinal direction) lies the inseam section, which is positioned between the wearer's legs (opposite the crotch). Furthermore, when the diaper is worn by the wearer, the side facing the wearer's skin is defined as the skin side, and the side opposite the skin side is defined as the non-skin side. In addition, the direction connecting the skin side and the non-skin side is defined as the thickness direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction is defined as the width direction (also called the left-to-right direction). Moreover, viewing from the thickness direction is defined as a plan view. Diaper 1 has a length along the longitudinal direction and a length along the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and is worn between the wearer's legs. Furthermore, the terms relating to direction used in this application shall mean the directions that correspond to the front, back, left, and right of the wearer when diaper 1 is worn by the wearer. For example, when referring to the left and right directions in this application, it means the directions that correspond to the left and right of the wearer when diaper 1 is worn by the wearer.

[0028] In this embodiment, as an example of an absorbent article, a disposable pant-type diaper with a tubular structure having a waist opening through which the wearer's waist can be inserted and a pair of left and right leg openings through which the wearer's left and right lower limbs can be inserted is exemplified. Furthermore, although this embodiment exemplified an adult disposable pant-type diaper, the term "absorbent article" as used in this application is not limited to adult disposable pant-type diapers. The term "absorbent article" as used in this application includes disposable pant-type diapers for children.

[0029] Diaper 1 has a crotch region 1B, which is the part that covers the wearer's genitals (crotch) when worn; a front body region 1F, which is the part that covers the wearer's abdominal side and is the part that covers the wearer's waist; and a back body region 1R, which is the part that covers the wearer's back and is the part that covers the wearer's waist. Here, the front body region 1F is located in front of the crotch region 1B, and the back body region 1R is located behind the crotch region 1B. In this embodiment, since diaper 1 is a pant-type disposable diaper, the left edge of the front body region 1F and the left edge of the back body region 1R are joined to each other, and the right edge of the front body region 1F and the right edge of the back body region 1R are joined to each other. Thus, a waist opening 2T (an example of a "waist opening" in this disclosure) is formed in diaper 1 by the upper edge of the front body region 1F and the upper edge of the back body region 1R. Furthermore, the diaper 1 has a left lower limb opening 2L on the left side of the crotch area 1B where the above-mentioned joint is not made, and a right lower limb opening 2R on the right side of the crotch area 1B. When the diaper 1 is worn with the wearer's left lower limb inserted through the left lower limb opening 2L, the wearer's right lower limb inserted through the right lower limb opening 2R, and the wearer's torso entering the torso opening 2T, the front body area 1F is positioned on the wearer's abdominal side, and the back body area 1R is The diaper is positioned on the wearer's back, with the left lower limb opening 2L and the right lower limb opening 2R surrounding the wearer's thighs and securing it to the wearer's body. Because the diaper 1 is secured to the wearer's body in this manner, the wearer can move freely while wearing the diaper 1. The left lower limb opening 2L and the right lower limb opening 2R are examples of the "two leg openings" described herein.

[0030] Diaper 1 has an absorbent material that can absorb and retain liquid, mainly located around the crotch area 1B. In addition, to prevent the formation of gaps between diaper 1 and the wearer's skin that could become pathways for liquid leakage, diaper 1 is provided with a three-dimensional gather 3BL at the left lower limb opening 2L surrounding the thigh of the wearer's left lower limb, a three-dimensional gather (not shown) at the right lower limb opening 2R surrounding the thigh of the wearer's right lower limb, and waist gathers 3R and tummy gathers 12 around the wearer's waist. Furthermore, leg gathers 3LF and 3LR (leg gather 3LR is not shown in Figure 1) are provided around the base of the wearer's legs. The leg gather 3LF is provided in the front body area 1F, and the leg gather 3LR is provided in the back body area 1R. In Figure 1, only the leg gather 3LF is shown as an example. The 3D gathers 3BL, 3BR and waist gather 3R contract due to the elastic force of the stretch material, conforming closely to the wearer's skin. In addition, the leg gathers 3LF, 3LR prevent gaps from forming between the wearer's groin and diaper 1. Therefore, the discharge from the wearer's genitals is absorbed into the absorbent material of diaper 1 with almost no leakage.

[0031] Diaper 1 can be used in combination with an inner pad (not shown). The inner pad is a roughly rectangular absorbent item equipped with an absorbent material that absorbs the wearer's waste. When using diaper 1 and the inner pad together, the inner pad is placed on the skin-facing side of diaper 1 so as to be in contact with the wearer's urinary tract. The waste is first absorbed by the inner pad, and only the waste that could not be absorbed by the inner pad reaches the absorbent material of diaper 1 and is further absorbed. Therefore, even if the amount of waste is large, leakage from diaper 1 can be prevented. Also, if the amount of waste is small and can be fully absorbed by the inner pad, only the inner pad needs to be replaced even if the waste is discharged, thus reducing care costs. Furthermore, the frequency of changing diaper 1 can be reduced, allowing diaper 1 to be used for a longer period of time.

[0032] Figure 2 is an example of an exploded perspective view of a diaper 1 according to Embodiment 1. The diaper 1 has a cover sheet (an example of an "outer cover sheet" in this disclosure) 4 and an inner cover sheet 5. The cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5 are sheets that are bonded together to form the outer surface of the diaper 1 and are roughly hourglass-shaped (gourd-shaped). Except for the ends on the front body region 1F side and the ends on the back body region 1R side, they are the same shape and almost the same size. When worn by a wearer, the cover sheet 4 is laminated on the side that does not touch the wearer's skin, and the inner cover sheet 5 is laminated on the side that touches the wearer's skin. Between the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5, there are stretchable members for forming a waist gather 3R, a tummy gather 12, and leg gathers 3LF, 3LR. In this embodiment, elastic thread is used as the stretchable member. However, as the stretchable member, an elastic band or other stretchable member such as a strip of rubber can be appropriately selected instead of elastic thread.

[0033] The cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5 can be made of a nonwoven fabric made of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin, for example, in order to suppress leakage of waste. Examples of liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resins include polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Hereinafter, the absorbent 8 and the absorbent 8 combined with the back sheet 6, top sheet 9, and side sheets 10L and 10R will be referred to as the inner body, and the cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5 with the elastic threads arranged on them will be referred to as the outer body (an example of the "outer body" in this disclosure) as a concept corresponding to the inner body.

[0034] Diaper 1 has a back sheet 6, an absorbent body 8, and a top sheet 9, which are sequentially laminated on the wearer-side surfaces of the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5. The back sheet 6 is a substantially rectangular sheet with a length in the longitudinal direction that extends from the wearer's front body through the crotch to the back body, and a predetermined width in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The absorbent body 8 and the top sheet 9 are both sheet-like members that have a substantially rectangular appearance similar to the back sheet 6, and are sequentially laminated on the back sheet 6 with their longitudinal directions coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the back sheet 6. The back sheet 6 is a sheet made of a non-permeable thermoplastic resin to suppress leakage of waste. The back sheet 6 is also provided with minute pores. The pores allow for ventilation while preventing liquid permeation. The pores are provided, for example, in the area that overlaps with the absorbent body 8. The top sheet 9 is a sheet-like member that is positioned on the wearer's skin side so as to cover the absorbent surface of the absorbent body 8. This top sheet 9 is permeable to liquid in part or all of its structure. Therefore, when diaper 1 is worn, liquids discharged from the wearer penetrate the absorbent material 8 through the top sheet 9, which may come into contact with the wearer's skin, and are absorbed there. Examples of liquid-permeable sheets include woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, and porous films. The top sheet 9 may also be hydrophilic.

[0035] The absorbent body 8 comprises an absorbent core 8c and a core wrap sheet 7 (water-permeable sheet) that encloses the absorbent core 8c. The absorbent core 8c is roughly hourglass-shaped with a constricted portion. The absorbent core 8c has a structure in which granular absorbent resin (super absorbent polymer), such as SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer), a hydrophilic polymer with a cross-linked structure capable of absorbing and retaining water, is held in the gaps between short fibers of cellulosic fibers such as pulp fibers, rayon fibers, or cotton fibers, or synthetic fibers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate that have been treated to be hydrophilic. When the absorbent core 8c absorbs liquid discharged from the wearer, it swells the absorbent resin held in the gaps between the short fibers, thereby retaining the liquid within the short fibers. In this embodiment, the absorbent core 8c is roughly hourglass-shaped with a constriction near the center. The absorbent core 8c can take on an appropriate shape depending on the purpose. Examples of shapes for the absorbent core 8c include rectangular, elliptical, and various other shapes. In this embodiment, the absorption core 8c is formed from a single mat, but the absorption core 8c may also be formed by stacking multiple mats.

[0036] The core wrap sheet 7 is a thin, liquid-permeable sheet. By wrapping the absorbent core 8c with the core wrap sheet 7, the SAP from the absorbent core 8c is less likely to mix with other structures. Furthermore, deformation of the absorbent core 8c is suppressed. The core wrap sheet 7 can be made from pulp fibers, and tissue paper can be used as an example. The core wrap sheet 7 may be a single sheet, or it may consist of two sheets: an upper sheet placed on the skin side of the wearer, and a lower sheet placed on the non-skin side of the wearer, which wraps around the sides of the absorbent core 8c and the skin side. If the core wrap sheet 7 consists of two sheets, the widthwise end of the upper sheet may be wrapped around the other sheets (for example, the side sheets 10L, 10R, back sheet 6, and top sheet 9 described later). Note that the absorbent body 8 is wrapped around the back sheet 6 and top sheet 9, and deformation can also be suppressed by these sheets, so the core wrap sheet 7 may not be provided.

[0037] The back sheet 6, absorbent material 8, and top sheet 9 all extend from the front body region 1F to the back body region 1R. Therefore, when the back sheet 6, absorbent material 8, and top sheet 9 are layered to cover the wearer's genital area (crotch), the longitudinal ends of the back sheet 6, absorbent material 8, and top sheet 9 are located on the wearer's ventral and dorsal sides. In other words, the wearer's genital area is covered by the absorbent material 8 from the wearer's ventral to dorsal side. Therefore, whether the wearer is lying face down or face down when expelling fluid from the body, the expelled fluid will come into contact with the absorbent material 8 via the top sheet 9.

[0038] Furthermore, a thread elastic 4F7 (an example of the "second stretchable member" in this disclosure) is provided in the widthwise center between the back sheet 6 and the core wrap sheet 7, stretched longitudinally from the front body region 1F to the crotch region 1B. The thread elastic 4F7 is bonded to the back sheet 6 and, via the back sheet 6, is bonded to the inner cover sheet 5 and the cover sheet 4. The thread elastic 4F7 exerts a force that causes the inner cover sheet 5 and the cover sheet 4 to contract longitudinally. It is preferable that the area where the thread elastic 4F7 is provided is an area where the absorbent 8 and the inner cover sheet 5 are not bonded, but it may also be an area where the absorbent 8 and the inner cover sheet 5 are bonded. The thread elastic 4F7 may also be provided between the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5.

[0039] Furthermore, a rubber thread cover sheet 13 (stretchable member cover sheet) is placed on the skin-facing side of the rubber thread 4F7. The rubber thread cover sheet 13 covers the rubber thread 4F7 from the skin-facing side and is adhered to the back sheet 6. The rubber thread cover sheet 13 is placed between the rubber thread 4F7 and the absorbent body 8. Also, the rubber thread cover sheet 13 is not entirely adhered to the core wrap sheet 7 of the absorbent body 8. The rubber thread cover sheet 13 is placed between the absorbent body 8 and the back sheet 6, adhered to the back sheet 6, and partially detached from the core wrap sheet 7 of the absorbent body 8. This prevents the elastic force (contraction force) of the rubber thread 4F7 from acting too much on the absorbent body 8, and prevents the absorbent body 8 from deforming excessively. Note that if a strip-shaped stretchable member is used instead of the rubber thread 4F7, the rubber thread cover sheet 13 can be omitted, and the stretchable member and the core wrap sheet 7 can be partially detached. In this embodiment, the rubber thread cover sheet 13 is formed to the same length as the back sheet 6. The elastic thread cover sheet 13 may be formed to a length that matches the extended area of ​​the elastic thread 4F7, or it may be formed to be longer than the extended area of ​​the elastic thread 4F7 and shorter than the back sheet 6. The elastic thread cover sheet 13 may be partially detached from the absorbent 8. The elastic thread cover sheet 13 may be entirely detached from the absorbent 8.

[0040] Furthermore, the diaper 1 has elongated strip-shaped side sheets 10L and 10R for forming the three-dimensional gathers 3BL and 3BR described above. The side sheets 10L and 10R are provided on the long sides of the top sheet 9. Elastic threads 10L1 and 10R1 are attached to the side sheets 10L and 10R in a stretched state along their longitudinal direction. Thus, the edge 4F4 which forms the left edge of the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4 and the edge 4R4 which forms the left edge of the back body region 1R are joined to each other, and the edge 4F5 which forms the right edge of the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4 and the edge 4R5 which forms the right edge of the back body region 1R are joined to each other. As a result, when the diaper 1 is completed as shown in Figure 1, the side sheets 10L and 10R are pulled in the longitudinal direction by the contraction force of the elastic threads 10L1 and 10R1 and rise up from the top sheet 9 along the fold lines 10L2 and 10R2. As a result, three-dimensional gathers 3BL and 3BR are formed to prevent liquid from leaking out of the left lower limb opening 2L and the right lower limb opening 2R.

[0041] Here, when the three-dimensional gathers 3BL and 3BR are formed on the side sheets 10L and 10R, the widthwise spacing between the respective upright lines of the three-dimensional gathers 3BL and 3BR is set to allow for the insertion of an inner pad. The method of joining the edges 4F4 and 4R4, and edges 4F5 and 4R5 is not particularly limited, but can be done by, for example, heat sealing, high-frequency sealing, ultrasonic sealing, etc.

[0042] Furthermore, the diaper 1 has an end sheet 11F that is laminated on the wearer-facing side of the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4, and an end sheet 11R that is laminated on the wearer-facing side of the back body region 1R of the cover sheet 4, sandwiching the back sheet 6, absorbent material 8, top sheet 9, and side sheets 10L, 10R. The end sheets 11F, 11R are strip-shaped sheets that are layered on the cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5 at one end in the longitudinal direction of the top sheet 9. The end sheets 11F, 11R are made of a non-permeable nonwoven fabric, and are mainly The cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5 are reinforced at the waist contact area of ​​the Mutsu 1. In addition, adhesive is applied to the end sheets 11F and 11R, and they are bonded to the inner cover sheet 5 with this adhesive. The end sheets 11F and 11R are positioned on the skin side of the laminate formed by the back sheet 6, absorbent material 8, top sheet 9, and side sheets 10L and 10R, preventing the edges of the laminate from directly touching the skin and causing discomfort to the wearer.

[0043] Figure 3 is an example of a schematic diagram showing the diaper 1 according to Embodiment 1 in an unfolded and extended state. Figure 3(A) schematically shows the internal structure of the unfolded and extended diaper 1 as viewed from the left side. Figure 3(B) is a plan view of the unfolded and extended diaper 1.

[0044] As shown in Figure 3, the elastic thread 4F3 that forms the leg gathers 3LF is provided along the edges of the front body region 1F side of the right lower limb opening 2R and the left lower limb opening 2L into which the wearer's legs enter when the diaper 1 is assembled. The elastic thread 4F3 is adhered to the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5 in an extended state. The elastic thread 4F3 is provided so as to cross in the left-right direction in the crotch region 1B on the front body side. Where the elastic thread 4F3 is provided in this left-right crossing direction, the elastic thread 4F3 and the absorbent material 8 overlap in the thickness direction of the diaper 1. Furthermore, the center of this crossing region in the width direction corresponds to the area of ​​the wearer's urethra when the diaper 1 is worn. Note that in the region where the absorbent material 8 overlaps in the thickness direction, the arrangement of the elastic thread 4F3 is not limited to crossing as shown in Figure 3. The extension direction of the elastic thread 4F3 only needs to have a widthwise component, and preferably the widthwise component of the extension direction of the elastic thread 4F3 is greater than the longitudinal component.

[0045] On the other hand, the elastic thread 4R3 (an example of the "first stretchable member" in this disclosure) that forms the leg gather 3LR is provided so as to follow the edges of the right lower limb opening 2R and the left lower limb opening 2L on the back body region 1R side. The elastic thread 4R3 is bonded to the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5 in an extended state. In the crotch region 1B on the back body side, the tip of the elastic thread 4R3 is facing in the width direction. However, the elastic thread 4R3 is cut in the middle in the width direction, and the left elastic thread 4R3 and the right elastic thread 4R3 are not connected.

[0046] Furthermore, the inner cover sheet 5 and the absorbent material 8 are appropriately bonded together with adhesive via the back sheet 6 from the front body region 1F to the back body region 1R. However, as shown in Figure 3, in the region of the front body region 1F where the elastic thread 4F3 crosses, the inner cover sheet 5 and the absorbent material 8 are not bonded together (referred to as the non-bonded region 15). In practice, in the non-bonded region 15, the inner cover sheet 5 and the back sheet 6 are not bonded together. In this embodiment, the non-bonded region 15 is provided over the entire overlapping region of the crotch area 1B where the elastic thread 4F3 and the absorbent material 8 overlap.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the elastic thread 4F7 is provided in the widthwise center between the back sheet 6 and the core wrap sheet 7, stretched longitudinally from the front body region 1F to the crotch region 1B. In practice, the elastic thread 4F7 is provided between the back sheet 6 and the elastic thread cover sheet 13 (not shown in Figure 3). The area on the crotch region 1B side of the elastic thread 4F7 corresponds to the wearer's anus when the wearer is wearing the diaper 1. The absorbent material 8 is compressed linearly around the elastic thread 4F7, and is shown as line 14 in Figure 3. Line 14 is provided in the widthwise direction at its end on the crotch region 1B side. Line 14 is also bent outward in the widthwise direction at its end on the front body region 1F side. This compression of the absorbent material 8 is achieved, for example, by embossing with a roller.

[0048] The cover sheet 4 has one end folded back at the fold lines 4FF and 4RF shown in Figure 2. The above-mentioned waist gather 3R is formed by attaching a stretched elastic thread (thread-like elastic) 4F1 to the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4, and attaching a stretched elastic thread (thread-like elastic) 4R1 to the back body region 1R of the cover sheet 4. The elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2 are provided along the fold line 4FF, which will form the upper edge of the front body region 1F when folded, in the order of elastic thread 4F1 and elastic thread 4F2 from the fold line 4FF side. Similarly, the tummy gather 12 is formed by attaching a stretched elastic thread 4F2 to the front body region 1F of the cover sheet 4, and attaching a stretched elastic thread 4R2 to the back body region 1R of the cover sheet 4. Similar to the elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2, the elastic threads 4R1 and 4R2 are also provided along the fold line 4RF, which forms the upper edge of the back bodice region 1R when folded, starting from the fold line 4RF side, with elastic thread 4R1 and then elastic thread 4R2.

[0049] Therefore, the elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2 are provided on the cover sheet 4 with their longitudinal direction, which is the direction of stretching, oriented in the left-right direction of the diaper 1. Similarly, the elastic threads 4R1 and 4R2 are provided on the cover sheet 4 with their longitudinal direction, which is the direction of stretching, oriented in the left-right direction of the diaper 1. Thus, when the edges 4F4 and 4R4 are joined to each other, and the edges 4F5 and 4R5 are joined to each other, the elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2 and the elastic threads 4R1 and 4R2 form a substantially annular stretchable member that wraps around the waist opening 2T, and exert the function of contracting the waist opening 2T in the waist direction. In other words, the elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2 and the elastic threads 4R1 and 4R2 exert a contracting force to make the diaper 1 adhere closely to the wearer, preventing the formation of a gap between the diaper 1 and the wearer's waist circumference. The elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 overlap with the absorbent material 8 in a portion of their crotch area 1B side.

[0050] The elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 are provided to extend horizontally along the upper edges of the front and back body regions 1F and 1R, respectively, as shown in Figure 1. The elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 are provided parallel to each other at predetermined intervals. When the diaper 1 is worn, the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 tighten relatively strongly around the wearer's waist above the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2. The elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 are responsible for keeping the diaper 1 in close contact with the wearer, preventing it from shifting position, and preventing leakage of discharge from the abdomen and back. The elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 alleviate the feeling of pressure on the wearer caused by the contractile force of the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1.

[0051] The cover sheet 4 is folded back along the fold lines 4FF and 4RF and extends to the placement area of ​​the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1, reinforcing the placement area of ​​the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 with the folded portion. The end sheets 11F and 11R (see Figure 2) are provided in the placement area of ​​the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 where the cover sheet 4 folded back along the fold lines 4FF and 4RF does not extend, and reinforce the placement area of ​​the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2.

[0052] In this application, the term "overlapping sheets" is not limited to a state in which the overlapping sheets are in full contact with each other, but also includes a concept that includes a state in which only parts of the sheets overlap. For example, the end sheet 11F is overlapped such that a part of one end of the back sheet 6 in the longitudinal direction touches a part of the cover sheet 4. The diaper 1 is formed by stacking the back sheet 6 and top sheet 9 with the absorbent material 8 in between, as well as the cover sheet 4, end sheets 11F, 11R, inner cover sheet 5, and side sheets 10L, 10R. Therefore, it can be said that the diaper has a laminate made up of these multiple sheets stacked on top of each other.

[0053] Here, the lines 14 formed on the absorbent material 8 will be explained using Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 is a plan view showing the absorbent material 8, a portion of the elastic threads 4F3 and 4R3, and the elastic thread 4F7 extracted from the diaper 1. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the diaper 1 when it is cut in the width direction along line AA in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the diaper 1 when it is cut in the width direction along line BB in Figure 3.

[0054] As shown in Figure 4, line 14 has five grooves. The five grooves consist of grooves 14AL, 14AR, grooves 14BL, 14BR (an example of the "first groove" in this disclosure), and groove 14C (an example of the "high-rigidity section" in this disclosure). Grooves 14AL and 14AR are formed in the absorbent body 8 and are a pair of left and right grooves that extend outward from the center in the width direction of the diaper 1 toward the front body region 1F side end in the region corresponding to the wearer's groin. Grooves 14AL and 14AR are compression grooves formed by compressing the absorbent body 8. Note that grooves 14AL and 14AR may be formed by compressing only the absorbent core 8c, or they may be formed by compressing the absorbent body 8 including the core wrap sheet 7. In this embodiment, grooves 14AL and 14AR are formed by compressing the core wrap sheet 7 and the absorbent core 8c from the skin side. The absorbent material 8 bends along the wearer's groin area due to the grooves 14AL and 14AR that are formed therein.

[0055] Furthermore, when the area where grooves 14AL and 14AR are provided is viewed from above, a non-adhesive area 15 is formed that includes the area where grooves 14AL and 14AR overlap, and where the absorbent material 8 and the inner cover sheet 5 are not adhered to each other. In Figure 4, the non-adhesive area 15 is shown as filled in. If the non-adhesive area 15 were not formed including the area where grooves 14AL and 14AR overlap, and the absorbent material 8 and the inner cover sheet 5 were adhered to each other in that area, the outer casing would spread out and press against the skin side, and as a result, the state of the outer casing would be transmitted to the absorbent material 8, and a force would act on the absorbent material that would move from a folded state along the groin area to a flat state. In contrast, the diaper 1 according to this embodiment, by being configured as described above, makes it possible to press the absorbent material 8, which is folded along the groin area, against the skin side while maintaining its folded state. As a result, the diaper 1 can improve the adhesion of the absorbent material 8 to the wearer's skin.

[0056] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the non-adhesive region 15 extends in the width direction of the diaper 1 and has a roughly rectangular shape. When the diaper 1 is worn, and the outer covering is pulled in the left-right direction, the outer covering pushes the absorbent material 8 towards the skin side, allowing the absorbent material 8 to be pressed against the wearer's skin. This improves the adhesion of the absorbent material 8 to the wearer's skin.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, when the diaper 1 is viewed from above, the diaper 1 is equipped with elastic thread 4F3 that is attached to the inner cover sheet 5 and the cover sheet 4 in an extended state in the area overlapping the non-adhesive area 15. As shown in Figure 3, the ends of the elastic thread 4F3 are positioned at the widthwise ends of the left lower limb opening 2L and the right lower limb opening 2R. When the legs are inserted through the left and right lower limb openings 2L and 2R provided in the outer body, the outer body is pulled outward in the widthwise direction, and the elastic thread 4F3 is also pulled outward in the widthwise direction. As a result, in the area where the elastic thread 4F3 extends in the widthwise direction and crosses the crotch area 1B, the outer body is pushed towards the skin side, but this area is provided with a non-adhesive area 15 where the absorbent material 8 and the outer body are not adhered. Therefore, the absorbent material 8 is pushed up by the outer body to move closer to the skin side while maintaining its bent state along the groin. In this embodiment, the elastic thread 4F3 for forming leg gathers extends through the non-adhesive region 15 and is connected on both sides. However, the elastic thread provided in the non-adhesive region 15 that crosses the crotch region 1B and the elastic thread for forming leg gathers may be provided separately. Furthermore, the ends of the elastic thread 4F3 may be adhered to the outer casing, and in the non-adhesive region 15, which is the center in the width direction, the elastic thread may be adhered to another sheet material placed between the outer casing and the backsheet. Even with this configuration, the diaper 1 can obtain the above-described effects as long as the backsheet and the other sheet material are not adhered in the non-adhesive region 15.

[0058] Next, grooves 14BL and 14BR will be described. Grooves 14BL and 14BR are formed in the absorbent body 8 and are a pair of left and right grooves that extend longitudinally in the region corresponding to the wearer's urethral opening. These are grooves. Grooves 14BL and 14BR are compression grooves formed by compressing the absorbent material 8. Note that grooves 14BL and 14BR may be formed by compressing only the absorbent core 8c, or by compressing the absorbent material 8 including the core wrap sheet 7. In this embodiment, grooves 14BL and 14BR are formed by compressing the core wrap sheet 7 and the absorbent core 8c from the skin side. Due to the formation of grooves 14BL and 14BR, the absorbent material 8 between the grooves is raised towards the urethral opening. As a result, the diaper 1 can press the absorbent material 8 against the urethral opening, thereby improving the adhesion of the absorbent material 8 to the wearer's skin.

[0059] Furthermore, when viewed from above, the elastic thread 4F3 is positioned to include an area that overlaps with the front body area 1F side of the grooves 14BL and 14BR. This configuration enhances the effect of pressing the absorbent material 8 against the wearer's skin in a folded state by the elastic thread 4F3. This is because by providing a non-adhesive area 15 in the area where the elastic thread 4F3 and the absorbent material 8 overlap, the absorbent material 8 is not deformed by the contraction of the elastic thread 4F3, but rather the absorbent material 8, which is folded by the grooves 14BL and 14BR, can be pressed against the skin. In order to achieve this effect, it is preferable that the elastic thread 4F3 is pulled in the left-right direction when the legs are inserted through the left and right lower leg openings 2L and 2R, thereby pressing the absorbent material 8 against the skin. For this reason, it is preferable that the elastic thread 4F3 is an elastic thread for forming leg gathers, with its ends positioned at the ends in the width direction of the diaper 1. Furthermore, when viewed in the thickness direction, if the elastic thread 4F3 for forming the leg gathers overlaps with the grooves 14AL and 14AR, it is suitable for pressing the absorbent body 8, which is folded along the groin area, against the wearer's skin side by the contractile force of the elastic thread 4F3. Also, when viewed in the thickness direction, if the elastic thread 4F3 for forming the leg gathers overlaps with the grooves 14BL and 14BR, it is suitable for pressing the absorbent body 8 against the urethral opening, or for pressing the inner pad (urine pad) placed on the top sheet 9 against the urethral opening. However, the diaper 1 may also be configured such that the elastic thread 4F3 overlaps with the grooves 14AL and 14AR, but does not overlap with the grooves 14BL and 14BR, which is suitable for pressing the absorbent body 8, which is folded along the groin area, against the wearer's skin side by the contractile force of the elastic thread 4F3. Furthermore, the diaper 1 may be configured such that the elastic thread 4F3 does not overlap the grooves 14AL and 14AR, but overlaps the grooves 14BL and BR, and as a result, when the elastic thread 4F3 for forming the leg gathers overlaps the grooves 14BL and 14BR, it is suitable for pressing the absorbent body 8 against the urethral opening, or for pressing the inner pad (urine pad) placed on the top sheet 9 against the urethral opening. Also, as in this embodiment, the diaper 1 may have the elastic thread 4F3 overlapping the grooves 14AL, 14AR and grooves 14BL and 14BR, and of course both of the above two preferred configurations may be adopted.

[0060] Note that grooves 14AL, 14AR and grooves 14BL, 14BR are not limited to compression grooves. Grooves 14AL, 14AR and grooves 14BL, 14BR only need to allow the absorbent body 8 to be bent starting from the groove, and may be weight-reducing grooves or through grooves formed by reducing the pulp weight of the absorbent core 8c only in the groove-forming area. Note that by making grooves 14AL, 14AR and grooves 14BL, 14BR compression grooves, the groove-forming area can be made more rigid and prevent deformation of the groove-forming area.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, groove 14AL and groove 14BL are connected, and groove 14AR and groove 14BR are connected. This allows groove 14AL and groove 14BL, and groove 14AR and groove 14BR to be formed integrally. Note that groove 14AL and groove 14BL may be adjacent with a gap between them, and groove 14AR and groove 14BR may be adjacent with a gap between them. Also, if a gap is provided between these grooves, the end of groove 14BL does not have to be located on the extension of groove 14AL, and the end of groove 14BR does not have to be located on the extension of groove 14AR.

[0062] Furthermore, the non-adhesive area 15, when viewed from above, corresponds to the front panel area of ​​grooves 14BL and 14BR. This includes an area that overlaps with the side edge of region 1F. When the legs are inserted through the left and right lower limb openings 2L and 2R provided in the outer body, the outer body is pulled outward in the width direction, and the elastic thread 4F3 is also pulled outward in the width direction. As a result, in the area where the elastic thread 4F3 extends in the width direction and crosses the crotch region 1B, the outer body is pushed up toward the skin side, but there is a non-adhesive region 15 where the absorbent material 8 and the outer body are not adhered. Therefore, the absorbent material 8 maintains a raised state toward the urethral opening between grooves 14BL and 14BR, and is pushed up toward the urethral opening by the outer body. As a result, the diaper 1 can press the absorbent material 8 against the urethral opening, thereby improving the adhesion of the absorbent material 8 to the wearer's skin.

[0063] Next, groove 14C will be described. Groove 14C is formed in the absorbent body 8, is located on the back body region 1R side of grooves 14BL and 14BR, and extends in the width direction. Groove 14C is a compression groove formed by compressing the absorbent body 8. Note that groove 14C may be formed by compressing only the absorbent core 8c, or it may be formed by compressing the absorbent body 8 including the core wrap sheet 7. In this embodiment, groove 14C is formed by compressing the core wrap sheet 7 and the absorbent core 8c from the skin side.

[0064] Groove 14C is a compression groove and therefore has higher rigidity compared to the area outside the groove formation region. Furthermore, because grooves 14BL and 14BR are formed in diaper 1, when worn, the absorbent material 8 is narrowed laterally by the wearer's legs, and the absorbent material 8 bends so that it protrudes towards the skin starting from grooves 14BL and 14BR, improving its adhesion to the urethral opening. However, if the portion of the absorbent material 8 that protrudes towards the skin starting from grooves 14BL and 14BR extends to the wearer's anus, the absorbent material 8 will protrude towards the anus and may enter the gluteal cleft (cleft) of the buttocks, potentially causing discomfort to the wearer. Also, if the absorbent material 8 enters the gluteal cleft, the stool expelled from the anus may be pushed towards the skin surface by the absorbent material 8, potentially causing the stool to press against the skin. Therefore, it is undesirable for the absorbent material 8 to protrude towards the anus and enter the gluteal cleft of the buttocks.

[0065] To suppress the occurrence of this problem, the diaper 1 according to this embodiment has a groove 14C. By having the groove 14C, the diaper 1 can prevent the absorbent material 8 from protruding towards the skin in the region of the diaper 1 corresponding to the anus. By providing the groove 14C, which is a highly rigid part extending in the left-right direction in the region of the diaper 1 corresponding to the anus, the diaper 1 creates a space between the anus or gluteal cleft and the absorbent material 8, thereby suppressing the occurrence of the above-mentioned problem. In Figure 4, the region corresponding to the anus (anal region) 30 is the region where the wearer's anus is located when the diaper 1 is worn.

[0066] The grooves 14BL and 14BR allow the absorbent material 8 to be folded into a W-shape when cut in the width direction, enabling the skin-side of the absorbent material 8 to be pressed against the urethral opening. If grooves 14BL and 14BR are provided only in the urethral opening area, the absorbent material 8 will be flat in parts other than the groove-forming area, and the grooves will not function as a folding mechanism for the absorbent material 8. For this reason, the grooves need to extend longer than the urethral opening area. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pair of left and right grooves 14BL and 14BR extending along the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1 extend from the ventral urethral opening area to the dorsal anal area 30. The anal area 30 is the area where the wearer's anus is located when the diaper 1 is worn. In this embodiment, by extending the grooves 14BL and 14BR to the anal area 30, the absorbent material 8 can be folded into a W-shape, improving the adhesion of the absorbent material 8 to the wearer's urethral opening. However, if grooves 14BL and 14BR are formed up to the anal area 30, and the absorbent material 8 bends along grooves 14BL and 14BR, there is a risk that the absorbent material 8 may dig into the buttocks of the wearer. If the absorbent material digs into the wearer's buttocks, the wearer will feel pressure, and the stool expelled by the wearer will be pressed against the skin around the buttocks, reducing the wearing comfort. Therefore, the diaper 1 according to this embodiment is provided with groove 14C. As a result, the diaper 1 is provided with groove 14C in the anal area 30 By preventing the absorbent material 8 from folding along the grooves 14BL and 14BR, and by preventing the absorbent material 8 from digging into the wearer's buttock cleft, a decrease in wearing comfort can be suppressed. Furthermore, by positioning the inner end of the elastic thread 43 so as not to overlap with the absorbent core 8c when viewed in the thickness direction, it is possible to prevent the elastic thread 4R3 from contracting and causing the absorbent core 8c to lose its shape when the diaper 1 is not being worn.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since grooves 14BL and 14BR are also compression grooves, grooves 14BL and 14BR and groove 14C can be formed in the same process. Also, groove 14C may be connected to grooves 14BL and 14BR. This allows grooves 14BL and 14BR and groove 14C to be formed integrally. Even if groove 14C is connected to grooves 14BL and 14BR, the absorbent material 8 will be convex towards the skin between grooves 14BL and 14BR, but the convex shape of the absorbent material 8 will be suppressed in the groove 14C formation region, which is on the back side. In addition, grooves 14BL and 14BR are positioned on the front body region 1F side of the region corresponding to the wearer's anus (anal region 30). This prevents the absorbent material 8 from being convex in the region corresponding to the anus (anal region 30) of the diaper 1.

[0068] Furthermore, the diaper 1 is equipped with a rubber thread 4F7 that is attached to the non-skin side of the absorbent material 8 in a longitudinally stretched state. The rubber thread 4F7 is positioned in an overlapping area between a pair of grooves 14BL and 14BR and stretches longitudinally. The rubber thread 4F7 contracts the outer covering, consisting of the inner cover sheet 5 and the cover sheet 4, and pushes the absorbent material 8 towards the skin side. As a result, the diaper 1 can lift the portion of the absorbent material 8 that protrudes towards the urethral opening between the pair of grooves 14BL and 14BR towards the skin side by the outer covering. Because the diaper 1 can press the absorbent material 8 against the urethral opening, the adhesion of the absorbent material 8 to the wearer's skin can be improved.

[0069] Furthermore, when the diaper 1 is viewed from above, the elastic thread 4F7 extends between the pair of grooves 14AL and 14AR on the left and right sides. In the region where the absorbent material 8 is bent starting from the grooves 14AL and 14AR and is aligned with the groin area, the outer covering contracts in the longitudinal direction, floats away from the skin, and becomes more easily deformed along the base of the legs. As a result, the diaper 1 can be made more comfortable to wear.

[0070] As described above, the elastic thread 4F7 extends between grooves 14AL, 14AR and grooves 14BL, 14BR. As shown in Figure 3, when the diaper 1 is viewed from above, the elastic thread 4F7 does not overlap with the elastic thread 4F2 for the tummy gathers. By being configured in this way, the diaper 1 forms a space between the wearer's skin and the crotch area 1B of the tummy gathers, making it easier for urine that reaches the front body area 1F (abdominal side) in the left-right direction to flow to the other side. For example, if the wearer is male and the tip of the male genitalia is pointing in either the left or right direction when the wearer urinates, the urine will flow to the other side, thus preventing urine leakage.

[0071] Furthermore, the elastic thread 4F7 is positioned on the front body area 1F side of the area corresponding to the wearer's anus (anal area 30). In other words, the elastic thread 4F7 is positioned on the front body area 1F side of the groove 14C. With this configuration, the diaper 1 lifts the outer body towards the skin side with the contractile force of the elastic thread 4F7, thereby lifting the part of the absorbent material 8 that is convex between grooves 14BL and 14BR towards the skin side, but suppressing the absorbent material 8 from being lifted towards the skin side in the area corresponding to the anus (anal area 30). The diaper 1 can be made to separate the anus from the skin side of the diaper 1.

[0072] Furthermore, in the area corresponding to the wearer's anus (anal area 30), the elastic thread 4F7 and the absorbent material 8 are not adhered to each other. This configuration will be explained using Figures 5 and 6. As shown in Figure 6, the elastic thread cover sheet 13 extends even in the area corresponding to the anus (anal area 30). Therefore, the elastic thread cover sheet 13 is the core wrap sheet 7 Because it is not adhered to the non-skin side, a minute gap is formed between the elastic thread cover sheet 13 and the absorbent material 8, even in the extended region of the elastic thread 4F7, as shown in Figure 5. This gap expands as the outer casing is pulled taut due to the contraction of the elastic threads 4F7 and 4R3. This makes it easier for the diaper 1 to create space between the absorbent material 8 and the wearer's anus. Furthermore, in the anal area 30, the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5 are not adhered. This makes it easier for the diaper 1 to create space between the absorbent material 8 and the wearer's anus.

[0073] Furthermore, in the diaper 1 according to this embodiment, the left and right elastic threads 4R3 are positioned to overlap with the absorbent core 8c and extend to the vicinity of the anal area 30. Specifically, the inner ends of the elastic threads 4R3 in the width direction overlap with the absorbent body 8 when viewed in the thickness direction, and their stretch direction has a component in the width direction. As a result, the elastic threads 4R3 can pull the absorbent body 8 outward in the width direction more reliably. The diaper 1 makes it easier to form a space between the absorbent body 8 and the wearer's anus.

[0074] <Variation> In the above embodiment, the absorbent 8 and the inner cover sheet 5 are not adhered to each other in the non-adherent region 15 where the elastic thread 4F3 traverses in the width direction. However, the absorbent 8 and the inner cover sheet 5 may be partially adhered to each other in the non-adherent region 15 shown in Figure 4. In this case, displacement of the absorbent 8 relative to the inner cover sheet 5 can be prevented. The area where it is partially adhered may be, for example, the center in the width direction.

[0075] <Embodiment 2> Next, we will describe the diaper 1 according to Embodiment 2. Figure 7 is a plan view of the diaper 1 in its unfolded and extended state. Note that components identical to those of Embodiment 1 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0076] In this embodiment, the inner end of the elastic thread 4R3 in the width direction overlaps with the grooves 14BL and 14BR when viewed in the thickness direction. The overlap of grooves 14BL and 14BR with the elastic thread 4R3 allows the grooves 14BL and 14BR to be pulled outward in the width direction from directly below them, suppressing the W-shape of the cross-sectional shape of the absorbent body 8 in the width direction in the anal contact area 30, and preventing the absorbent body 8 from digging into the gluteal cleft of the buttocks. By pulling grooves 14BL and 14BR from directly below them, a force acts in the direction of peeling the absorbent body 8 away from the top sheet 9, making the grooves 14BL and 14BR more prone to collapse, that is, weakening the rigidity (hardness) of the compression grooves, and making it possible to weaken the force that causes the absorbent body 8 to deform into a W-shape by grooves 14BL and 14BR in the anal contact area.

[0077] Furthermore, the inner cover sheet 5 and the absorbent body 8 are bonded together between the pair of elastic threads 4R3. Here, the area between the pair of elastic threads 4R3 is the anal area 30 shown in Figure 4. The bonding of the absorbent body 8 to the outer casing increases the bending rigidity between the pair of elastic threads 4F3, making it less likely for the cross-sectional shape to become W-shaped. In contrast, in the ventral urethral opening area, a non-bonded area 15 is provided, so the absorbent body 8 is more easily bent than in the anal area 30. In order to make the absorbent body 8 in the urethral opening area more easily bent than in the anal area 30, the bonded portion between the absorbent body 8 and the inner cover sheet 5 may be narrower in the urethral opening area than in the anal area 30, or the bonded portion may gradually narrow towards the ventral side.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, grooves 14BL and 14BR are provided extending from the urethral opening region to the anal area 30. The dorsal ends of grooves 14BL and 14BR are the anal area 30. If grooves were formed further dorsally than the anal area 30, there is a risk that even if the absorbent body 8 is pulled outward in the width direction by the expandable member, a force will act on the absorbent body 8 in front of and behind the anal area 30 that will deform its cross-section into a W shape. In this embodiment, grooves 14BL and 14 By positioning the dorsal end of BR within the anal area 30, a force that would deform the absorbent 8 into a W-shape in cross-section is prevented from acting on the absorbent 8 in front of and behind the anal area 30.

[0079] Furthermore, on the ventral side, diaper 1 is fitted snugly around the torso with elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2, and around the legs with elastic thread 4F3, thereby lifting the area around the wearer's anus away from the wearer on the dorsal side, creating a space around the anus, which can then contain feces. This also helps to suppress a decrease in wearing comfort. In addition, by providing a non-adhesive area 15, the contractile force of elastic thread 4F3 does not act to contract the absorbent material 8 in the left-right direction and deform it into a W shape, but rather acts to push the absorbent material 8 towards the skin side, thereby increasing the adhesion between the absorbent material and the skin in the area corresponding to the urethral opening.

[0080] <Embodiment 3> Next, we will describe the diaper 1 according to Embodiment 3. Figure 8 is a plan view of the diaper 1 in its unfolded and extended state. Note that components identical to those of Embodiment 1 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0081] In this embodiment, the inner end of the elastic thread 4R3 in the width direction may be positioned outside the grooves 14BL and 14BR when viewed in the thickness direction. Contrary to pulling the grooves 14BL and 14BR from directly below, this makes it difficult to peel off the adhesion between the absorbent 8 and the skin-side material (e.g., top sheet 9) in the portion of the grooves 14BL and 14BR, and suppresses the peeling of the skin-side material throughout the entire area of ​​the grooves 14BL and 14BR, starting from that portion. This prevents the absorbent 8 from becoming difficult to deform into a W shape in the urethral opening area due to the grooves 14BL and 14BR. However, even in this case, it is preferable to pull the area near the grooves 14BL and 14BR outwards with the elastic thread 4R3.

[0082] Furthermore, the elastic threads 4R3 on both the left and right sides do not extend to a position where they overlap with the absorbent core 8c, but rather to a position where they overlap with the core wrap sheet 7 of the absorbent body 8. By pulling the core wrap sheet 7 outward in the width direction, the elastic threads 4R3 can also pull the absorbent core 8c outward in the width direction. Even with this configuration, the diaper 1 makes it easier to create a space between the absorbent body 8 and the wearer's anus.

[0083] <Embodiment 4> Next, we will describe the diaper 1 according to Embodiment 4. Figure 9 is a plan view of the diaper 1 in its unfolded and extended state. Note that components identical to those of Embodiment 1 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0084] The outer cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5 of the diaper 1 have folds 41 that extend in the width direction in front of and behind the anal contact area 30. The folds 41 are formed in front of and behind the anal contact area 30. The folds 41 are formed as valley folds when the diaper 1 is viewed from the skin side. As a result, the absorbent material 8 and top sheet 9 on the skin side of the outer cover are also valley-folded along the folds 41, and when viewed from the skin side, the outer cover, absorbent material 8 and top sheet 9 have a shape that is recessed towards the non-skin side along the folds 41. The folds 41 also function as tension that suppresses the contraction of the outer cover and the absorbent material 8 on the skin side. By having the folds 41, the diaper 1 can create a space between the wearer and the anal contact area 30, preventing the absorbent material 8 from digging into the gluteal cleft of the buttocks. In addition, by creating a space between the wearer and the diaper 1 in the anal contact area 30, the diaper 1 can create a space to contain feces. Therefore, diaper 1 can suppress a decrease in wearing comfort. In addition, diaper 1 can suppress the contraction of the outer body and the absorbent material 8 on the skin side by the fold 41, thereby preventing the wearer's buttocks from being exposed from diaper 1.

[0085] Furthermore, the fold 41 is formed between the inner ends of the left and right elastic threads 4R3 in the width direction. The fold 41 may also be provided on the extension of the left and right elastic threads 4R3. By pulling the fold 41 outward in the width direction by the elastic threads 4R3, the fold 41 expands in the width direction, and in the anal area 30, the absorbent material 8 can be separated from the wearer's skin starting from the fold 41.

[0086] Furthermore, another fold 42 may be formed between the folds 41 before and after the anal contact area 30. The fold 42 is formed in the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5 so as to extend in the width direction. The fold 42 is formed as a valley fold when the diaper 1 is viewed from the skin side. As a result, the absorbent material 8 and top sheet 9 on the skin side of the outer body are also valley-folded on the fold 42, and when viewed from the skin side, the outer body, absorbent material 8 and top sheet 9 are recessed on the non-skin side on the fold 42. This allows the diaper 1 to more reliably form a space between itself and the wearer in the anal contact area 30.

[0087] The folds 41 and 42 are formed on the extensions of the inner ends in the width direction of the left and right elastic threads 4R3. The folds 41 and 42 are naturally formed by pulling the outer casing outward in the width direction with the elastic threads 4R3. Alternatively, the folds 41 and 42 may be intentionally formed by bending the outer casing.

[0088] Furthermore, the non-adhesive region 15 extends towards the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R from the portion where the elastic thread 4F3 crosses the crotch region 1B (hereinafter, this portion may be referred to as the "transverse portion of the elastic thread 4F3"). The elastic thread 4F3 has a longitudinal component of the diaper 1 on the widthwise side of the diaper 1, beyond the absorbent material 8. Here, the longitudinal component refers to the component that extends and stretches along the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1, and even if the elastic thread 4F3 extends diagonally with respect to the longitudinal direction, the elastic thread 4F3 has a longitudinal component in its stretching direction.

[0089] The non-adhesive region 15 is formed including the front body region 1F side of the extended region of the elastic thread 4F3, and furthermore, the outer widthwise side of the transverse portion of the elastic thread 4F3 has a component that stretches in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1. Therefore, the outer body (cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5) in the non-adhesive region 15 is pulled towards the front body region 1F by the elastic thread 4F3. The diaper 1 pulls the outer body forward by the elastic thread 4F3, thereby pulling the absorbent material 8 behind the non-adhesive region 15 forward, and when worn, the rear side of the absorbent material 8 in the front-to-back direction is tilted downward (towards the non-skin side). By tilting the rear side of the absorbent material 8 downward from the longitudinal center, the diaper 1 can relatively separate the absorbent material 8 from the wearer's skin in the anal area 30 located behind the center. Therefore, the diaper 1 can form a space between itself and the wearer's skin in the anal area 30.

[0090] <Embodiment 5> Next, we will describe the diaper 1 according to Embodiment 5. Figure 10 is an example of an exploded perspective view of the diaper according to Embodiment 5. Note that components identical to those of Embodiment 1 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0091] The absorbent body 8 comprises an absorbent core 8c consisting of multiple mats and a core wrap sheet 7 that encloses the absorbent core 8c. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, the absorbent core 8c has an upper absorbent mat 8a and a lower absorbent mat 8b. The upper absorbent mat 8a is roughly hourglass-shaped with a constricted portion, and the lower absorbent mat 8b is rectangular. The width of the lower absorbent mat 8b is approximately the same as the width of the constricted portion of the upper absorbent mat 8a. In this embodiment, the upper absorbent mat 8a is roughly hourglass-shaped with a constriction near the center. Thus, the absorbent core 8c may be formed by laminating two layers of absorbent mats.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the outer covering on the front body region and the outer covering on the back body region are formed integrally, but the outer covering on the front body region and the outer covering on the back body region may be provided separately.

[0093] The embodiments and variations disclosed above can be combined in any way. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0094] 1B: Inseam area 1F: Front bodice area 1R: Back panel area 2L:Left lower limb opening 2R: Right lower limb opening 2T: Body opening 3BL, 3BR: Three-dimensional gathers 3LF, 3LR: Leg Gather 3R: Waist Gather 4: Cover sheet 4F1, 4F2, 4F3, 4F7: Elastic thread 4F4, 4F5: Edge 4FF: Folding line 4R1, 4R2, 4R3, 4R3: Elastic thread 4R4, 4R5: Edge 4RF: Loopback Line 5: Inner cover sheet 6: Back seat 7: Core wrap sheet 8: Absorbent material 8c: Absorption core 9: Top sheet 10L, 10R: Side seats 10L1, 10R1: Elastic thread 10L2, 10R2: Turnaround line 11F, 11R: End sheet 12: Tummy Gather 13: Thread elastic cover sheet 14: Line 14AL, 14AR, 14BL, 14BR, 14C: Groove 15: Non-adhesive area 30: Anal area

Claims

1. An absorbent article having a front panel region located on the wearer's abdominal side, a crotch region located in the crotch area, and a back panel region located on the back side, arranged in this order along the longitudinal direction, and having a length along the longitudinal direction and a length along the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, An absorbent body provided in a position including the crotch area and capable of absorbing the wearer's excretory fluids, An outer casing having a waist opening through which the wearer's waist can be inserted, and two leg openings through which the wearer's legs can be inserted, and positioned on the non-skin side of the wearer than the absorbent material, The absorbent material has a first groove, comprising a pair of left and right first grooves extending along the longitudinal direction in a region corresponding to the wearer's urethral opening, A high-rigidity portion formed in the absorber, which is positioned on the rear body region side of the first groove and extends in the width direction, A pair of left and right first expandable members are attached to the outer casing in an extended state and pull the absorbent material in the width direction in the area corresponding to the wearer's anus, Equipped with, The high-rigidity portion is connected to the end of the first groove on the rear body region side. Absorbent material.

2. The aforementioned high-rigidity part is a compression groove. The absorbent article according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned high-rigidity portion is positioned in the region corresponding to the wearer's anus. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The first groove is positioned on the front body area side of the area corresponding to the wearer's anus. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

5. An absorbent article having a front body region located on the abdominal side of the wearer, a crotch region located in the crotch area, and a back body region located on the back side, arranged in this order along the longitudinal direction, and having a length along the longitudinal direction and a length along the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, An absorbent body provided in a position including the crotch area and capable of absorbing the wearer's excretory fluids, An outer casing having a waist opening through which the wearer's waist can be inserted, and two leg openings through which the wearer's legs can be inserted, and positioned on the non-skin side of the wearer than the absorbent material, The absorbent material has a first groove, comprising a pair of left and right first grooves extending along the longitudinal direction in a region corresponding to the wearer's urethral opening, A high-rigidity portion formed in the absorber, which is positioned on the rear body region side of the first groove and extends in the width direction, A pair of left and right first expandable members are attached to the outer casing in an extended state and pull the absorbent material in the width direction in the area corresponding to the wearer's anus, Equipped with, The exterior body comprises an outer cover sheet that forms the outer surface and an inner cover sheet that is positioned on the skin side of the outer cover sheet. The first expandable member is positioned between the outer cover sheet and the inner cover sheet. In the region corresponding to the wearer's anus, the outer cover sheet and the inner cover sheet are not adhered to each other. Absorbent material.

6. A second expandable member is bonded to the non-skin side of the absorbent material in an extended state in the longitudinal direction, and is positioned in a region overlapping between a pair of left and right first grooves, and comprises a second expandable member that expands and contracts in the longitudinal direction. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

7. When viewed from above, the second expandable member extends to include the space between the left and right pair of first grooves. The absorbent article according to claim 6.

8. The second stretchable member is positioned on the front body area side of the area corresponding to the wearer's anus. The absorbent article according to claim 6.

9. In the region corresponding to the wearer's anus, the second stretchable member and the absorbent material are not adhered to each other. The absorbent article according to claim 6.

10. The inner end of the first expandable member in the width direction overlaps with the absorber when viewed in the thickness direction, and the expansion direction has a component in the width direction. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

11. Between the pair of left and right first expandable members, the outer casing and the absorber are bonded together. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

12. The inner end of the first expandable member in the width direction overlaps with the first groove when viewed in the thickness direction. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

13. The inner end of the first expandable member in the width direction is positioned outside the first groove when viewed in the thickness direction. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

14. The outer casing has folds extending in the width direction in front of and behind the area corresponding to the wearer's anus. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

15. The aforementioned fold is formed between the inner ends in the width direction of the pair of left and right first expandable members. The absorbent article according to claim 14.

16. Between the folds formed on the front and rear of the region corresponding to the wearer's anus, another fold extending in the width direction is formed on the outer casing. The absorbent article according to claim 14.

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