Absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide a technology to suppress deterioration in skin contact.SOLUTION: An absorbent article includes: an absorbent core; a water-permeable sheet disposed on a skin surface side of the absorbent core and extending to an end part side farther than the absorbent core in a longitudinal direction; an exterior sheet forming a waist opening into which a wearer's abdominal circumference can be inserted and two leg openings into which the wearer's legs can be inserted, and arranged more on a non-skin surface side than the absorbent core; and an end part sheet bonded to the exterior sheet and the water-permeable sheet so as to stretch across the end part in a longitudinal direction of the water-permeable sheet on a skin surface side of the water-permeable sheet. The end part sheet includes a non-bonded part that is not bonded to the water-permeable sheet inside in a longitudinal direction, and a bonded part disposed on an end part side in a longitudinal direction on the non-bonded part and bonded to the water-permeable sheet, the non-bonded part being longer than the bonded part in the longitudinal direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to absorbent articles.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and sanitary products are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a pant-type disposable diaper.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Inside the absorbent article, an adhesive part between materials is provided. This adhesive part is coated with an adhesive or the like, and the skin feel is relatively worse than other parts. When this adhesive part touches the wearer's skin, the skin feel becomes worse.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for suppressing a decrease in skin feel.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An absorbent article according to one aspect of the present invention is an absorbent article having a length along its longitudinal direction and a width along a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, comprising: an absorbent core; a permeable sheet disposed on the skin-facing side of the absorbent core and extending beyond the end of the absorbent core in the longitudinal direction; a waist opening through which the wearer's waist can be inserted; two leg openings through which the wearer's legs can be inserted; an outer sheet formed and disposed on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent core; and an end sheet bonded to the outer sheet and the permeable sheet on the skin-facing side of the permeable sheet so as to straddle the end of the permeable sheet in the longitudinal direction, wherein the end sheet has a non-adhesive portion on the inner side in the longitudinal direction that is not bonded to the permeable sheet, and an adhesive portion disposed on the end side in the longitudinal direction of the non-adhesive portion and bonded to the permeable sheet, wherein the non-adhesive portion is longer in the longitudinal direction than the adhesive portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the skin-friendly feel of absorbent articles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of a diaper according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a diaper according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the diaper according to the embodiment in an unfolded and extended state. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the diaper according to this embodiment in its natural state, without any external force being applied, as viewed from the skin side. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing a part of the diaper according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] A diaper according to an embodiment 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.

[0010] <Embodiment> Figure 1 is an external perspective view of an adult disposable pant-type diaper (hereinafter simply referred to as "diaper") according to an embodiment. 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. 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. Moreover, viewing from the thickness direction is defined as a plan view. Diaper 1 has a length along the longitudinal direction and a width 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 coincide with the front, back, left, and right of the wearer when the diaper 1 is being worn by the wearer. For example, when the term "left and right direction" is used in this application, it means the directions that coincide with the left and right of the wearer when the diaper 1 is being worn by the wearer.

[0011] 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 is inserted and a pair of lower limb openings through which the wearer's left and right lower limbs are inserted is given as an example. However, 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 children's disposable pant-type diapers.

[0012] Diaper 1 has a crotch region 1B, which is the part corresponding to the crotch area that covers the wearer's genitals (crotch) when worn; a front body region 1F, which is the part corresponding to the front of the wearer's waist and covers the wearer's abdominal side; and a back body region 1R, which is the part corresponding to the back of the wearer's waist and covers the wearer's back side. 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 (an example of a "leg opening" in this disclosure) formed on the left side of the crotch area 1B where the above-mentioned joint is not made, and a right lower limb opening 2R formed 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 (an example of a "leg opening" in this disclosure), and the wearer's torso inserted through the torso opening 2T, the front body area 1F is positioned on the wearer's abdominal side, the back body area 1R is positioned on the wearer's back side, and the left lower limb opening 2L and the right lower limb opening 2R are fixed to the wearer's body in a manner that surrounds the wearer's thighs. Since the diaper 1 is fixed to the wearer's body in this manner, the wearer can move freely while wearing the diaper 1.

[0013] 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 lead to 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 3BR at the right lower limb opening 2R surrounding the thigh of the wearer's right lower limb, and a waist gather 3R around the wearer's waist. In addition, leg gathers 3LL and 3LR are provided around the base of the wearer's legs. The three-dimensional gathers 3BL and 3BR and the waist gather 3R adhere closely to the wearer's skin due to the elastic force of the thread elastic. The leg gathers 3LL and 3LR prevent gaps from forming between the base of the wearer's legs and diaper 1. The discharge from the genital area is absorbed into the absorbent material of diaper 1 with almost no leakage.

[0014] Diaper 1 can be used in combination with an inner pad (not shown). The inner pad is a roughly rectangular absorbent article equipped with an absorbent material that absorbs wastewater. When using diaper 1 and the inner pad together, the inner pad is placed on the skin-facing side of diaper 1. Wastewater discharged by the wearer is first absorbed by the inner pad, and only the wastewater 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 wastewater is large, leakage from diaper 1 can be prevented. Also, if the amount of wastewater is small and can be fully absorbed by the inner pad, only the inner pad needs to be replaced when wastewater occurs, thus reducing care costs. Furthermore, diaper 1 can be used for extended periods.

[0015] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a diaper 1 according to an embodiment. The diaper 1 has a cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheets 5F, 5R. The cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F, 5R are examples of "outer sheets" as referred to in this application. The cover sheet 4 is a substantially hourglass-shaped (gourd-shaped) sheet that forms the outer surface of the diaper 1. The inner cover sheets 5F, 5R are sheets that are laminated to the cover sheet 4 in the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R, respectively, and reinforce the cover sheet 4 in the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R. When worn by a person, the cover sheet 4 is laminated on the side that does not touch the wearer's skin, and the inner cover sheets 5F, 5R are laminated on the side that touches the wearer's skin. Between the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F, 5R, elastic threads are provided to form waist gathers 3R and leg gathers 3LL, 3LR. An elastic member such as a strip of rubber can be appropriately selected instead of the elastic threads.

[0016] The cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheets 5F, 5R can be made of a nonwoven fabric made of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin, for example, to suppress leakage of excrement. Examples of liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resins include polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Hereinafter, the cover sheet 4 extending from the front body region 1F to the back body region 1R and the inner cover sheets 5F, 5R together are referred to as the outer body, as a concept corresponding to the absorbent body 8 and the absorbent body 8 combined with the back sheet 6, top sheet 9, and side sheets 10L, 10R. The cover sheet 4 of the outer body forms the outer surface of the front body region 1F, the crotch region 1B, and the back body region 1R.

[0017] Note that the cover sheet 4 may not be provided in the crotch region 1B. For example, in the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R, a cover sheet on the front body region 1F side that substantially overlaps with the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R and a cover sheet on the back body region 1R side may be provided separately. Then, a pad cover sheet for protecting the non-skin surface side of the extending region such as the absorber 8 is provided separately, and in the crotch region 1B where there is no cover sheet, the outer surface may be formed by the pad cover sheet. The non-skin surface side of the diaper is also protected by two separate cover sheets and the pad cover sheet in such a configuration, so damage to the absorber 8 due to external factors can be avoided. Note that the pad cover sheet is also a material included in the outer sheet (outer body).

[0018] The diaper 1 has a back sheet 6, an absorber 8, and a top sheet 9 that are sequentially laminated on the skin surface side of the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F and 5R. The back sheet 6 has a length in the longitudinal direction that reaches from the front body of the wearer through the crotch to the back body, and is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped sheet having a predetermined lateral width in the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The absorber 8 and the top sheet 9 are both sheet-like members having a substantially rectangular appearance similar to the back sheet 6, and are laminated on the back sheet 6 in a state where the longitudinal direction coincides with the longitudinal direction of the back sheet 6. The back sheet 6 is a sheet formed of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin material to suppress leakage of excrement. The top sheet 9 is a sheet-like member disposed on the skin surface side of the wearer so as to cover the water absorption surface of the absorber 8. This top sheet 9 has liquid permeability in part or all of it. Therefore, in the state where the diaper 1 is worn, the liquid excreted from the wearer penetrates through the top sheet 9 that can contact the wearer's skin and enters the absorber 8, where it is absorbed. Examples of the liquid-permeable sheet include woven fabric, non-woven fabric, and porous film. The top sheet 9 may also have hydrophilicity.

[0019] The absorber 8 has an absorption core 8C (see FIG. 3) and a core wrap sheet 7 (an example of the "water-permeable sheet" referred to in the present application) that wraps around the absorption core 8C. The absorption core 8C has a crosslinked structure capable of absorbing and retaining water in the gaps between short fibers of cellulosic fibers such as pulp fibers, rayon fibers, or cotton fibers, or short fibers obtained by subjecting synthetic fibers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate to a hydrophilization treatment, and holds a granular absorbent resin (a high-molecular water absorbent), such as a certain SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer). When the absorption core 8C absorbs the liquid excreted from the wearer, it swells the absorbent resin held in the gaps within the short fibers and retains the liquid within the short fibers. The absorption core 8C can take an appropriate shape, for example, a rectangular shape, an elliptical shape, or various other shapes. In the present embodiment, the absorption core 8C has an hourglass shape with a constriction near the central portion. Also, in the present embodiment, the absorber 8 is disposed slightly biased toward the back body region 1R side such that the end on the back body region 1R side approaches the longitudinal end. Note that the absorption core 8C may be formed by laminating a plurality of mats or may be formed by a single mat.

[0020] In the absorption core 8C according to the present embodiment, a groove 8H extending in the longitudinal direction is provided at the central portion in the width direction of the crotch region 1B. The groove 8H is a through groove that penetrates between the skin side and the non-skin side of the absorption core 8C. Note that the groove 8H may be a non-through groove provided on the skin side of the absorption core 8C. The extending range of the groove 8H includes a position corresponding to the urethral orifice. For this reason, urine generated from the wearer flows into the groove 8H and spreads in the longitudinal direction, and is efficiently absorbed over a wide range of the absorption core 8C. Note that the groove 8H is not essential, and the diaper 1 may be configured without the groove 8H.

[0021] 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 of 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 of 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 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. In this embodiment, the core wrap sheet 7 is formed in a rectangular shape.

[0022] The back sheet 6, absorbent 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 8, and top sheet 9 are layered to cover the wearer's genital area (crotch), the longitudinal ends of the back sheet 6, absorbent 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 8 from the wearer's ventral to dorsal side. Therefore, when the wearer lowers their stomach... Whether the body is facing forward or backward, the expelled liquid will come into contact with the absorbent material 8 via the top sheet 9.

[0023] 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 along the long side of the top sheet 9. Elastic threads 10L1 and 10R1 are bonded to the side sheets 10L and 10R 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 longitudinally by the contractile force of the elastic threads 10L1 and 10R1 and rise 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. The method of joining the edges 4F4 and 4R4, and edges 4F5 and 4R5 is not particularly limited, but can be done by heat sealing, high-frequency sealing, ultrasonic sealing, etc.

[0024] The back sheet 6, core wrap sheet 7, top sheet 9, and side sheets 10L and 10R are formed to be longer in the longitudinal direction than the absorption core 8C in the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R. Therefore, in the region closer to the longitudinal end of the absorption core 8C, which has higher rigidity than these sheets, a laminated portion with moderate rigidity is formed by the lamination of the aforementioned sheets. Part of the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 that constitute the waist gather 3R are superimposed on this laminated portion and biased inward in the width direction.

[0025] Furthermore, diaper 1 has an end sheet 11F that is laminated on the wearer-facing side of the front body region 1F of cover sheet 4, and an end sheet 11R that is laminated on the wearer-facing side of the back body region 1R of 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 overlapped on the cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheets 5F, 5R at one end in the longitudinal direction of the top sheet 9. The end sheets 11F, 11R are made of non-permeable nonwoven fabric and mainly reinforce the cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheets 5F, 5R in the waist contact area of ​​diaper 1. In addition, adhesive is applied to the end sheets 11F, 11R, and this adhesive adheres them to the top sheet 9 and inner cover sheets 5F, 5R. The end sheets 11F and 11R are positioned on the skin-facing side of the laminate formed by the back sheet 6, absorbent 8, top sheet 9, and side sheets 10L and 10R, preventing the longitudinal ends of the laminate from directly touching the skin and causing discomfort to the wearer.

[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the diaper 1 according to the embodiment in an unfolded and extended state. Figure 3(A) schematically shows the internal structure of the diaper 1 in the unfolded and extended state when viewed from the left side. Figure 3(B) is a plan view of the diaper 1 in the unfolded and extended state. Note that the illustration of the side sheets 10L and 10R is omitted in Figure 3(B). The cover sheet 4 has one end folded back at the fold lines 4FF and 4RF shown in Figure 2. The waist gather 3R described above is formed by attaching thread elastic (thread-like elastic) 4F1 and 4F2 to the front body area of ​​the cover sheet 4 in an extended state, and attaching thread elastic (thread-like elastic) 4R1 and 4R2 to the back body area of ​​the cover sheet 4 in an extended state. The elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2 are provided along the fold line 4FF, which forms the upper edge of the front bodice area 1F when folded, in the order of elastic thread 4F1 and elastic thread 4F2 from the fold line 4FF side. Similarly, the elastic threads 4R1 and 4R2 are provided along the fold line 4RF, which forms the upper edge of the back bodice area 1R when folded, in the order of elastic thread 4R1 and elastic thread 4R2 from the fold line 4RF side.

[0027] Therefore, the elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2 are provided on the cover sheet 4 with their longitudinal direction, which is the direction of stretching, aligned with the width 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, aligned with the width 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 4R1 and 4R2 form a substantially annular stretchable member that wraps around the waist opening 2T through which the wearer's waist can be inserted, and exert the function of contracting the waist opening 2T in the waist direction. In other words, the elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2 and 4R1 and 4R2 exert a contracting force to make the diaper 1 fit snugly against the wearer, preventing the formation of a gap between the diaper 1 and the wearer's waist. The elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 overlap with the core wrap sheet 7 of the absorbent material 8 in a portion of the crotch area 1B. The contractile force per strand of elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2, and elastic threads 4R1 and 4R2, may be constant in the width direction.

[0028] The elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 are provided parallel to each other at regular intervals and extending in the width direction along the upper edges of the front body region 1F and back body region 1R shown in Figure 1. The elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 are provided parallel to each other at predetermined intervals and extending in the width direction. The spacing between the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 is narrow, and 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 serve to keep the diaper 1 in close contact with the wearer, prevent it from shifting position, and prevent leakage of discharge from the abdomen and back.

[0029] The spacing between the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 is wider than that between the elastic threads 4F1 and 4F2, which alleviates the feeling of pressure on the wearer caused by the contractile force of the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1. In addition, when an inner pad is used, it suppresses the slippage of the inner pad.

[0030] Furthermore, elastic threads 4F3 and 4R3 are bonded to the cover sheet 4 in an extended state. Elastic threads 4F3 and 4R3 are stretchable members provided in the area of ​​the cover sheet 4 closer to the crotch region 1B than elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2. However, unlike the other elastic threads which are bonded continuously from the left end to the right end of the cover sheet 4, elastic threads 4F3 and 4R3 are arranged in a curve towards the crotch region 1B and overlap with a part of the core wrap sheet 7 at the constricted portion of the hourglass-shaped absorbent core. This configuration allows the areas where elastic threads 4F3 and 4R3 are placed to function as leg gathers 3LL and 3LR.

[0031] The cover sheet 4 is folded back along the fold lines 4FF and 4RF and extends to the area where the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 are placed, reinforcing the area where the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 are placed with the folded portion. The end sheets 11F and 11R are provided in the area where the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 are placed, where the cover sheet 4 folded back along the fold lines 4FF and 4RF does not extend, and reinforcing the area where the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 are placed. Parts of the elastic threads 4F2 and the end sheet 11F overlap with the core wrap sheet 7 of the absorber 8 on the crotch area 1B side, but do not overlap with the extending area of ​​the absorber core 8C.

[0032] In this embodiment, when not worn, the diaper 1 shrinks strongly near the waist opening 2T due to the contractile force of the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 provided on the longitudinal end side, becoming shorter in the width direction. Also, due to the wide spacing of the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 provided on the longitudinal crotch side, the crotch side of the front and back body regions is wider in the width direction compared to the area near the waist opening 2T. In the areas where the elastic threads 4F3 and 4R3 are provided, the extending regions of the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 and the elastic threads 4F3 and 4R3 overlap, causing it to become shorter in the width direction again. Therefore, the elastic threads 4F1, 4F2, 4F3, 4R1, 4R In the case of the outer casing of the extended regions 2 and 4R3, when not worn, the extended regions of the rubber threads 4F2 and 4R2 will have an appearance that bulges in the width direction compared to the extended regions of 4F1, 4R1, 4F3, and 4R3.

[0033] In other words, elastic threads 4F1, 4F2, 4R1, and 4R2, which are stretchable members that extend in the width direction, are bonded to the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R of the outer garment body, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. The contraction force of each individual elastic thread 4F1, 4F2, 4R1, and 4R2 is approximately the same and constant in the width direction of the diaper 1. However, because the longitudinal spacing of the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 is denser than that of the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2, the contraction force of the areas where the elastic threads 4F1 and 4R1 extend is greater than that of the areas where the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 extend. Furthermore, at both ends in the width direction on the crotch area 1B, the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 overlap with a portion of the elastic threads 4F3 and 4R3 that constitute the leg gathers 3LL and 3LR, resulting in a state where the contractile forces of the elastic threads 4F2 and 4R2 and 4F3 and 4R3 overlap in some areas.

[0034] In the completed diaper 1, the longitudinal lengths of the arrangement areas of the elastic threads 4F1, 4F2, and 4F3 in the front body region 1F and the arrangement areas of the elastic threads 4R1, 4R2, and 4R3 in the back body region 1R are the same. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the absorbent body 8 is positioned slightly off-center so that the end on the back body region 1R side is closer to the longitudinal end. Therefore, although the elastic thread 4F2 provided on the front body region 1F side does not overlap with the absorbent core 8C, several of the elastic threads 4R2 provided on the back body region 1R side overlap with the absorbent core 8C on the crotch region 1B side. In other words, in this embodiment, the absorbent core 8C is biased to contract in the width direction only in the back body region 1R by a portion of the elastic threads 4R2 that constitute the waist gather 3R. From this, it can be said that the degree of biasing force that the absorbent core 8C receives in the width direction is different in the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R.

[0035] 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 sheets 5F, 5R, 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.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the absorbent material 8 extends longitudinally at least in the crotch area. The absorbent material 8 does not extend to the longitudinal ends of the front and back body areas of the diaper 1. The cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheets 5F, 5R, which constitute the outer body and are located on the non-skin side of the absorbent material 8, are laminated at least on the longitudinal end side of the diaper 1 than the absorbent material 8, and elastic threads 4F1, 4R1, 4F2, 4R2, 4F3, 4R3 are placed between the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheets 5F, 5R. The elastic threads 4F1, 4R1, 4F2, 4R2, 4F3, 4R3 are fixed to the cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheets 5F, 5R in an extended state, and the pleats 20 (see Figure 5), which will be described later, are formed by contracting the cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheets 5F, 5R.

[0037] Figure 4 shows the diaper according to this embodiment, turned inside out and placed in a natural state without any external force applied, as viewed from the back panel area 1R side. In Figure 4, since the diaper 1 is turned inside out, it is viewed from the skin-facing side of the diaper 1. Note that the side sheets 10L and 10R are not shown in Figure 4.

[0038] The core wrap sheet 7 is positioned on the skin-facing and non-skin-facing sides of the absorbent core 8C, and absorbs It completely encloses the core 8C. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the core wrap sheet 7 extends beyond the absorbent core 8C in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1 to the end side (towards the body opening 2T side). In other words, the core wrap sheet 7 is longer in the longitudinal direction than the absorbent core 8C and extends to the end side in the longitudinal direction.

[0039] The cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5R (see Figure 3(A)), positioned on the non-skin side of the absorbent core 8C and core wrap sheet 7, are joined at their front and rear left and right edges to form the torso opening 2T and the left and right lower limb openings 2L and 2R. Additionally, on the skin side of the absorbent core 8C and core wrap sheet 7, the end sheet 11R is bonded to the cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5R so as to straddle the longitudinal end of the core wrap sheet 7 (see also Figure 3(A)).

[0040] Here, the end sheet 11R has a non-adhesive portion 11RA on the inner side (crotch side) in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1 that is not adhered to the core wrap sheet 7 on the skin side, and an adhesive portion 11RB located on the longitudinal end side of the non-adhesive portion 11RA that is adhered to the core wrap sheet 7. In practice, the end sheet 11R is adhered to the core wrap sheet 7 via the top sheet 9 at the adhesive portion 11RB. Thus, adhesion between materials may occur even if another material is interposed between them.

[0041] In the diaper 1 according to this embodiment, the non-adhesive portion 11RA of the end sheet 11R is longer than the adhesive portion 11RB in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1. In Figure 4, the length of the non-adhesive portion 11RA in the longitudinal direction is shown as L1, and the length of the adhesive portion 11RB in the longitudinal direction is shown as L2. L1 is longer than L2. The relative sizes of L1 and L2 do not change regardless of whether the diaper 1 is in its natural state, stretched state, or worn state.

[0042] Hot melt adhesive is applied to the non-skin side of the adhesive portion 11RB of the end sheet 11R. As a result, the adhesive portion 11RB is bonded to the core wrap sheet 7 via the top sheet 9. Therefore, the adhesive portion 11RB is harder than the surrounding parts and has a relatively poor feel against the skin. When this adhesive portion 11RB comes into contact with the wearer's skin, it feels uncomfortable. In the diaper 1 according to this embodiment, the non-adhesive portion 11RA is formed to be longer than the adhesive portion 11RB, and when the diaper 1 is worn, the non-adhesive portion 11RA is pulled up toward the longitudinal end side of the diaper 1 (towards the body opening 2T) due to friction with the wearer's skin. As a result, the non-adhesive portion 11RA covers the skin side of the adhesive portion 11RB, so the diaper 1 can prevent the adhesive portion 11RB from coming into direct contact with the skin. The diaper 1 can have the non-adhesive portion 11RA of the end sheet 11R interposed on the skin side of the adhesive portion 11RB. This prevents the diaper 1 from becoming less comfortable against the skin. Furthermore, because the diaper 1 can have a freely moving non-adhesive portion 11RA between the adhesive portion 11RB and the wearer's skin, it can be made softer against the skin. Also, because the diaper 1 can have a freely moving non-adhesive portion 11RA between the adhesive portion 11RB and the wearer's skin, it can eliminate gaps with the skin and suppress leakage of excretions such as urine and feces. A back sheet 6 also extends from the non-skin side of the adhesive portion 11RB. The back sheet 6 is a liquid-impermeable film and feels harder than nonwoven fabrics such as the top sheet 9. In this embodiment, by interposing the non-adhesive portion 11RA between the adhesive portion 11RB and the wearer's skin, the hardness of the back sheet 6 on the non-skin side of the non-adhesive portion 11RA can be made less noticeable.

[0043] Furthermore, the end sheet 11R extends beyond the end of the core wrap sheet 7 in the width direction of the diaper 1, and The end sheet 11R is located in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1.The portion beyond the core wrap sheet 7 is bonded to the inner cover sheet 5R. In other words, the end sheet 11R is longer in the width direction than the core wrap sheet 7 and extends to the end of the diaper 1 in the width direction. As a result, the diaper 1 can have a non-adhesive portion 11RA that can move freely throughout its entire width direction in contact with the wearer's skin, thus providing a soft feel against the skin throughout its entire width direction.

[0044] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the non-adhesive portion 11RA and adhesive portion 11RB in Figure 4. One of the multiple elastic threads 4R2 is an elastic thread 40R2 (an example of the "first contraction member" as referred to in this application) positioned in the region between the end of the absorbent core 8C and the end of the core wrap sheet 7 in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1. Multiple folds 20 extending in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1 are formed in the adhesive portion 11RB of the end sheet 11R by the contraction force of the elastic threads 40R2 fixed to the cover sheet 4 and the inner cover sheet 5R. By forming folds 20 in the adhesive portion 11RB, the diaper 1 can soften the feel of the adhesive portion 11RB itself against the skin. In addition, the folds 20 cause the non-adhesive portion 11RA to lift towards the skin side, and by interposing the non-adhesive portion 11RA of the end sheet 11R on the skin side of the adhesive portion 11RB, the diaper 1 can be made even softer against the skin. Furthermore, even if the adhesive portion 11RB comes into contact with the wearer's skin, the diaper 1 has multiple folds 20, which reduces the contact area between the adhesive portion 11RB and the skin, making it softer against the skin.

[0045] Furthermore, one of the multiple elastic threads 4R2 is an elastic thread 41R2 (an example of the "second contraction member" as referred to in this application) that is positioned on the longitudinal end side of the diaper 1 (towards the torso opening 2T) rather than the adhesive portion 11RB. Multiple folds 20 are also formed on the cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5R other than the adhesive portion with the adhesive portion 11RB due to the contraction force of the elastic threads 40R2 and 41R2 fixed to the cover sheet 4 and inner cover sheet 5R.

[0046] Here, the extended region of the elastic thread 41R2 is more contracted than the extended region of the elastic thread 40R2. This can be achieved by making the distance between the elastic thread 41R2 and the elastic thread 4R2 on the side of the body opening 2T (see Figure 4) narrower than the distance between the elastic thread 41R2 and the elastic thread 40R2. It can also be achieved by extending the elastic thread 41R2 more than the elastic thread 40R2 and fixing it to the outer sheet, or by using an elastic thread with greater contractile force than the elastic thread 40R2 for the elastic thread 41R2. By making the extended region of the elastic thread 41R2 more contracted than the extended region of the elastic thread 40R2, the pleats 20 are more easily formed on the elastic thread 41R2 side of the adhesive portion 11RB. The diaper 1 can be made softer against the skin by reliably forming pleats 20 on the adhesive portion 11RB.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the corners of the absorbent core 8C (the longitudinal and widthwise ends of the diaper 1) are naturally bent towards the non-skin side by the contractile force of the elastic threads 40R2 and 41R2. Therefore, as shown in Figure 5, when the absorbent core 8C is viewed from the skin side, these corners appear to be contracted inward in the width direction. Because the corners of the absorbent core 8C are bent towards the non-skin side, the diaper 1 can be made less likely to come into contact with the wearer's skin at these corners, thereby improving skin contact. Note that the absorbent core 8C may be bent beforehand, not just by the contractile force of the elastic threads 40R2 and 41R2.

[0048] <Other Embodiments> Although this embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, Figures 4 and 5 of the above embodiment describe the structure on the back side (back body area side) of the wearer when worn, but the present invention is not limited to this. The diaper 1 may have the structure and configuration shown in Figures 4 and 5 on the ventral side (front body area side) of the wearer when worn.

[0049] The features included in each embodiment and its modified form disclosed above can be combined in any way. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 1. Diaper 1F ··Front bodice area 1B...Inseam area 1R · Back panel area 2L·Left lower limb opening 2R・Right lower limb opening 2T ··Body opening 3BL, 3BR ··3D Gathered 3R Waist Gather 3LL, 3LR - Leg Gather 4. Cover Sheet 4F1, 4F2, 4F3, 4R1, 4R2, 4R3... elastic thread 4F4, 4R4, 4F5, 4R5...edge 4FF, 4RF ·· Turnaround line 5F, 5R... Inner cover sheet 6. Back seat 7. Core Wrap Sheet 8. Absorbent material 8C Absorption Core 8H··Flow guide groove 9. Top sheet 10L, 10R... Side seats 10L1, 10R1 ·· Elastic thread 10L2, 10R2 ·· Turnaround Line 11F, 11R... End sheet 20 folds

Claims

1. An absorbent article having a length along its longitudinal direction and a width along a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, Absorption core and A water-permeable sheet is disposed on the skin-facing side of the absorbent core and extends further toward the end than the absorbent core in the longitudinal direction, An outer sheet is formed and positioned on the non-skin side of the absorbent core, and includes 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. On the skin-facing side of the permeable sheet, an end sheet is bonded to the outer sheet and the permeable sheet so as to straddle the longitudinal end of the permeable sheet, On the inner side in the longitudinal direction, there is a non-adhesive portion that is not adhered to the water-permeable sheet, The non-adhesive portion has an adhesive portion located on the longitudinal end side of the non-adhesive portion and bonded to the water-permeable sheet, The non-adhesive portion is longer in the longitudinal direction than the adhesive portion, extends beyond the edge of the permeable sheet in the width direction, and is provided over the entire width direction of the end sheet. End sheet and An absorbent article equipped with [a specific feature].

2. The end sheet is bonded to the exterior sheet in a portion that extends beyond the longitudinal end of the permeable sheet. The absorbent article according to claim 1.

3. The device comprises a first shrinkage member, which is positioned in the region between the end of the absorbent core and the end of the permeable sheet in the longitudinal direction, and is fixed to the outer sheet in an extended state in the width direction. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A second shrinkage member is provided, located at the end portion in the longitudinal direction from the aforementioned adhesive portion, and fixed to the exterior sheet in an extended state in the width direction. The extended region of the second shrinking member shrinks more than the extended region of the first shrinking member. The absorbent article according to claim 3.

5. The longitudinal end and the widthwise end of the absorption core are naturally bent toward the non-skin side by the contraction force of the first contraction member and the second contraction member. The absorbent article according to claim 4.

6. The end sheet is positioned on the back side of the wearer when worn. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2.

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