Absorbent articles

Abstract

To provide an absorbent article which is unlikely to cause a user to have wet feeling or stuffy feeling.SOLUTION: An absorbent article 1 includes: an absorbent body 2 having an absorber 23; and an exterior body arranged on a non-skin facing surface side of the absorbent body 2. The exterior body has an abdominal side panel 4A and a back side panel 4B. The abdominal side panel 4A or the back side panel 4B is provided with an elastic member arrangement area 11 where an elastic member is arranged along a lateral direction Y of the absorbent article 1. The absorbent article 1 has an overlapping region 12a where the elastic member arrangement area 11 and the absorber 23 overlap in a plan view of the absorbent article 1 and has a fiber high content area 14 where, in the overlapping region 12a, a non-skin facing surface side overlapping region 13 composed of members positioned on the non-skin facing surface side nearer than the absorber 23, of members present in the overlapping region 12a, is higher than a non-overlapping region 12b other than the overlapping region 12a on the abdominal side panel 4A or the back side panel 4B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to absorbent articles. [Background technology]

[0002] In absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, a backing sheet is placed on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent material. For example, Patent Document 1 describes using a nonwoven fabric containing a first fiber layer and a second fiber layer located on one main surface of the first fiber layer as the backing sheet of an absorbent article. Patent Document 2 also describes using a moisture-permeable, liquid-impermeable sheet as the backing sheet. Furthermore, the same document describes placing an outer sheet containing cellulose fibers on the non-skin-facing side of the liquid-impermeable backing sheet in an absorbent article. In the outer sheet of the same document, the cellulose fibers form multiple fiber clusters. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 004554 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-119024 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] As described in Patent Document 2, when a moisture-permeable, liquid-impermeable sheet is used as a backing sheet, the humidity inside the absorbent article can be reduced by allowing moisture to escape to the outside of the absorbent article. However, when a moisture-permeable sheet is used as a backing sheet, there is a problem that the moisture released between the absorbent article and the clothing can cause the clothing outside the absorbent article to become wet or feel stuffy.

[0005] In this regard, Patent Document 2 describes that a fibrous mass formed of cellulose fibers in the outer sheet can absorb and retain moisture that would otherwise be released to the outside of the absorbent article by permeable liquid-impermeable sheet. However, as in Patent Document 2, when moisture is absorbed by a sheet containing water-absorbing fibers such as cellulose fibers, the fibers may continue to retain moisture, potentially causing a feeling of dampness or skin problems for the wearer. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article that can overcome the drawbacks of the prior art described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention comprises an absorbent body having an absorbent material, and an outer casing disposed on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body. An absorbent article having an abdominal portion positioned on the wearer's abdominal side, a dorsal portion positioned on the wearer's back, and a crotch area, The outer casing, when the absorbent article is worn, has a ventral panel positioned on the ventral side and a dorsal panel positioned on the dorsal side. The ventral panel or the dorsal panel includes an elastic member arrangement region in which an elastic member is arranged along the lateral direction of the absorbent article, The absorbent article has an overlapping region in a plan view of the absorbent article where the elastic member arrangement region and the absorbent material overlap. In the overlapping region, the non-skin-facing side overlapping region, which is composed of members located on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent material, has a higher fiber content area than the non-overlapping regions other than the overlapping region in the ventral panel or the dorsal panel, thereby providing an absorbent article. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, an absorbent article is provided that does not cause a feeling of wetness or stuffiness. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a plan view of a pant-type disposable diaper, which is an embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention, viewed from the skin-facing side in a state where it is unfolded and maximally extended. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-section along line III-III (a cross-section along the thickness direction and the lateral direction) in the natural state of the diaper shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the worn state of the diaper shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a plan view of a pant-type disposable diaper, which is another embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention, viewed from the skin-facing side in a state where it is unfolded and maximally extended. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a plan view of a pant-type disposable diaper, which is yet another embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention, viewed from the skin-facing side in a state where it is maximally unfolded and extended. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of Figure 7. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a plan view showing a modified example of the diaper 1 shown in Figure 7.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] In Figure 1, a pant-type disposable diaper (hereinafter also simply referred to as "diaper") 1, which is an embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention, is shown. As shown in Figure 1, the diaper 1 has a ventral part A arranged on the ventral side of the wearer and a dorsal part B arranged on the dorsal side in its worn state, and a crotch part C located between the ventral part A and the dorsal part B. The crotch part C is arranged under the crotch of the wearer in the worn state of the diaper 1. The diaper 1 has a longitudinal direction X corresponding to the direction extending from the ventral part A through the crotch part C to the dorsal part B and a lateral direction Y orthogonal to the longitudinal direction X.

[0010] The diaper 1 comprises an absorbent body 2 and an outer casing disposed on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body 2. The outer casing has a ventral panel 4A and a dorsal panel 4B. The ventral panel 4A is positioned on the wearer's ventral side when the diaper 1 is worn. The dorsal panel 4B is positioned on the wearer's dorsal side when the diaper 1 is worn. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B are independent and separate components. The ventral panel 4A mainly forms the front of the diaper 1. The dorsal panel 4B mainly forms the back of the diaper 1. The absorbent body 2 is stretched and fixed between the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B.

[0011] In diaper 1, the ventral panel 4A has both sides 4e, 4e along the longitudinal direction X, and the dorsal panel 4B has both sides 4f, 4f along the longitudinal direction X, which are joined together. This joining creates a pair of side seals (not shown), a waist opening (not shown), and a pair of leg openings (not shown) in diaper 1.

[0012] The ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B each have an outer layer sheet 42, an inner layer sheet 41 positioned on the skin-facing side of the outer layer sheet 42, and a plurality of elastic members positioned between the two sheets 41 and 42, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. For the sake of clarity, the illustration of each elastic member is omitted in Figure 2. The elastic members in the ventral panel 4A include a waist elastic member 43a and a waist elastic member 43b. Similarly, the elastic members in the dorsal panel 4B also include a waist elastic member 43a, a waist elastic member 43b, and a leg elastic member 43c. Both the waist elastic member 43a and the waist elastic member 43b are thread-like and are positioned to extend along the transverse direction Y of the diaper 1. The waist elastic member 43a and the waist elastic member 43b are positioned at intervals along the longitudinal direction X of the diaper 1.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the waist elastic member 43a is positioned in an extended state along the lateral direction Y at the opening end WE of the waist opening and its vicinity. This forms a substantially continuous annular waist gather around the entire circumference of the waist opening.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the waist elastic member 43b is positioned closer to the inside in the vertical direction X than the waist elastic member 43a. More specifically, the waist elastic member 43b is positioned to overlap with the absorber 23 and is stretchable along the horizontal direction Y. To make the waist elastic member 43b stretchable, for example, it can be positioned in an extended state. In this embodiment, the waist elastic member 43b is positioned so as not to exhibit elasticity in the region that overlaps with the absorbent body 2 in the thickness direction by processing such as finely dividing it. The waist elastic member 43b may exhibit elasticity in the aforementioned region.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the leg elastic member 43c is positioned to be extendable along the lateral direction Y, more specifically along the opening edges LE, LE of each of the pair of leg openings. This forms a substantially continuous annular leg gather around the entire circumference of each opening edge LE of the leg openings. The leg elastic member 43c starts at the side edge 4f of the back panel 4B and extends to a position near the center of the lateral direction Y of the back panel 4B. The leg elastic member 43c may start at one side edge 4f of the back panel 4B and end near the center of the lateral direction Y of the back panel 4B, or it may start at one side edge 4f of the back panel 4B, traverse the center of the lateral direction Y of the back panel 4B and end at the other side edge 4f. In this embodiment, the leg elastic member 43c starts at the end on the crotch side C of one side edge 4f of the back panel 4B, extends along the opening edge LE of one leg opening, further traverses the central area in the lateral direction Y of the back panel 4B, extends along the opening edge LE of the other leg opening, and terminates at the end on the crotch side C of the other side edge 4f. Furthermore, the leg elastic member 43c is arranged so as not to exhibit elasticity in the region that overlaps with the absorbent body 2 in the thickness direction by processing such as finely dividing it. The leg elastic member 43c may exhibit elasticity in the aforementioned region.

[0016] The ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B, as shown in Figure 1, includes an elastic member arrangement region 11 in which an elastic member is positioned along the lateral direction Y of the diaper 1. Figure 1 shows the state in which each of the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B is equipped with an elastic member arrangement region 11. Each elastic member arrangement region 11 has a waist elastic member 43a and a waist elastic member 43b. The elastic member arrangement region 11 includes not only areas in which the elastic member is positioned to exhibit elasticity, but also areas in which the elastic member is positioned not to exhibit elasticity. Furthermore, the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B has an overlapping region 12a and a non-overlapping region 12b. Details of the overlapping region 12a and the non-overlapping region 12b will be described later.

[0017] The absorbent body 2 has a shape that is elongated in the vertical direction X of the diaper 1. As shown in Figure 2, the absorbent body 2 has an absorbent core 23, a surface sheet 21 disposed on the skin-facing side of the absorbent core 23, a back sheet 22 disposed on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent core 23, and a water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 disposed on the non-skin-facing side of the back sheet 22. In Figure 2, the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3, which has a three-layer structure, is shown. The water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is disposed on the outermost surface of the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body 2. The absorbent body 23, like the absorbent main body 2, has a shape that is elongated in the vertical direction X of the diaper 1. The absorbent body 23 is interposed between the surface sheet 21 and the back sheet 22. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, elastic members (hereinafter also referred to as "elastic members for forming absorbent body gathers") 24 are arranged on each side of the absorbent body 23 in the vertical direction X. The elastic members for forming absorbent body gathers 24 are arranged in an extended state along the vertical direction X. The elastic members for forming absorbent body gathers 24 are fixed between the absorbent body 23 and the surface sheet 21. For the sake of explanation, the illustration of the elastic members for forming absorbent body gathers 24 is omitted in Figure 1.

[0018] The backing sheet 22 is impermeable to liquids or has low liquid permeability. The backing sheet 22 is breathable. Furthermore, the backing sheet 22 is non-absorbent of moisture. The backing sheet 22 is generally composed of a porous film or a hydrophobic composite nonwoven fabric formed by laminating spunbond nonwoven fabric and meltblown nonwoven fabric. Hydrophobicity refers to a property of poor affinity for water, such as having a contact angle of 90° or more with water at 25°C. The surface sheet 21 is permeable to liquids. The surface sheet 21 is generally composed of a hydrophilic nonwoven fabric.

[0019] The absorbent nonwoven fabric 3, like the absorbent main body 2, has a shape that is elongated in the longitudinal direction X of the diaper 1. The absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is continuous in the longitudinal direction X from the ventral panel 4A to the dorsal panel 4B. In other words, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is composed of a single sheet that is continuous from the ventral part A, through the crotch area C, to the dorsal part B. The absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 may be the same shape and size as the absorbent body 23 in a plan view, but in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is shorter in length in the vertical X direction and the horizontal Y direction than the absorbent body 23, and the entire periphery of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is located inward from the periphery of the absorbent body 23.

[0020] The ventral edge A of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 overlaps with the ventral panel 4A in a plan view of the diaper 1. On the other hand, the dorsal edge B of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 overlaps with the dorsal panel 4B in a plan view of the diaper 1. The region 3C between the ventral A end and the dorsal B end of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is located in the crotch area C of the diaper 1. Hereafter, this region 3C will also be referred to as the "crotch region 3C". In the crotch region 3C, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 forms the outer surface of the diaper 1. The absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 has a fibrous sheet containing absorbent fibers. Absorbent fibers are present throughout the entire surface of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3. The absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is breathable and has moisture permeability.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the diaper 1 has an overlapping region 12a (indicated by a downward-sloping diagonal line in Figure 1) in a plan view of the diaper 1 where the elastic member arrangement region 11 and the absorbent material 23 overlap. In this specification, the overlapping region 12a is the region in a plan view of the diaper 1 where the elastic member arrangement region 11 and the absorbent material 23 overlap, and in the thickness direction of the diaper 1, it is the region that extends over the entire thickness direction of the diaper 1 (indicated by a dashed line in Figure 2). Therefore, in this embodiment, the overlapping region 12a is composed of all members from the surface sheet 21 to the outer layer sheet 42 in the thickness direction of the diaper 1. The overlapping region 12a may be located on either the ventral portion A or the dorsal portion B, or both. In this embodiment, the overlapping region 12a is located on both the ventral portion A and the dorsal portion B.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the overlapping region 12a includes the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13. In a plan view of the diaper 1, the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13 is the same region as the overlapping region 12a. However, in the thickness direction of the diaper 1, the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13 is different from the overlapping region 12a. Specifically, when the overlapping region 12a is viewed along the thickness direction of the diaper 1, the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13 is the region of the overlapping region 12a that is located on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent material 23 (the region shown by the dashed line in Figure 2). Therefore, the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13 is composed of the components present in the overlapping region 12a that are located on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent material 23. In this embodiment, the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 is located on the ventral side A and the dorsal side B, respectively. The overlapping region 13 on the non-skin-facing side contains absorbent fibers. This will be explained later.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B each has a non-overlapping region 12b. In this specification, the non-overlapping region 12b refers to the region of the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B other than the overlapping region 12a. The non-overlapping region 12b may or may not contain absorbent fibers. In the thickness direction of the diaper 1, the non-overlapping region 12b extends over the entire thickness direction. If the ventral panel 4A does not have an overlapping region 12a, then the ventral panel 4A is also assumed to not have a non-overlapping region 12b. The same applies to the dorsal panel 4B. In the diaper 1 of this embodiment, the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B each have a non-overlapping region 12b.

[0024] The non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 includes a fiber-high content region 14 (the region with a downward-sloping diagonal line in Figure 1, and the region shown by a dotted line in Figure 2). The fiber-high content region 14 is a region with a higher content ratio (ratio on a mass basis) of absorbent fibers than the non-overlapping region 12b. In this embodiment, the fiber-high content region 14 is the region in the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 where the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 and the outer casing overlap. The fiber-rich region 14 may be located in either the ventral portion A or the dorsal portion B, or both. In this embodiment, the fiber-rich region 14 is located in both the ventral portion A and the dorsal portion B. The fiber-high content region 14 contains the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3, while the non-overlapping region 12b does not contain the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3. Therefore, the fiber-high content region 14 has a higher proportion of absorbent fibers than the non-overlapping region 12b.

[0025] In this specification, "absorbent fiber" refers to a fiber that has the ability to absorb water, that is, to draw up water, and that absorbent fiber is capable of retaining the absorbed water. More specifically, it refers to a fiber with a standard moisture content (the moisture content of the fiber in an environment at a temperature of 20°C and a humidity of 65%) of 5% by mass or more. Absorbent fiber may be a fiber that is inherently absorbent, or a fiber that is not inherently absorbent but has been processed to impart absorbency.

[0026] The relative proportions of absorbent fibers can be determined by the relative basis weight of the absorbent fibers. The larger the basis weight of the absorbent fibers, the higher the proportion of absorbent fibers is considered to be. Therefore, the fiber-high region 14 is a region with a higher basis weight of absorbent fibers than the non-overlapping region 12b. The basis weight of absorbent fibers can be measured by the following method. [Method for measuring the basis weight of absorbent fibers] If the area to be measured is formed by joining and laminating multiple nonwoven fabrics by adhesive or other methods, each nonwoven fabric is separated and designated as the measurement nonwoven fabric. If the area to be measured consists of only one nonwoven fabric, that nonwoven fabric is designated as the measurement nonwoven fabric. Then, only the absorbent fibers present in the measurement nonwoven fabric are dyed. For dyeing, a dye (Aizen Food Coloring, Food Blue No. 1, manufactured by Daiwa Kasei Co., Ltd.) prepared in a 0.5% by mass aqueous solution is used. The measurement nonwoven fabric is immersed in the dye prepared in a 0.5% by mass aqueous solution, left to stand for 3 minutes, then removed and placed on paper (Kimtowels, manufactured by Nippon Paper Crecia Co., Ltd.), and a load of 3 kPa is applied from above the nonwoven fabric for 1 minute to dewater it. As a result, only the absorbent fibers among the constituent fibers are dyed. While visually confirming the position of the dyed absorbent fibers using an optical microscope, non-absorbent fibers are collected from the area that does not contain absorbent fibers and designated as the non-absorbent sample. If the mixture is uniformly mixed and no areas free of absorbent fibers can be found, use tweezers or similar tools to isolate only the non-absorbent fibers. In this case, the isolated non-absorbent fibers are left to stand for 1 hour in an electric dryer at a temperature of 105±2°C (e.g., manufactured by Isuzu Manufacturing Co., Ltd.). Then, in a standard environment of 20±2°C and 65±2% relative humidity, the sample is wrapped in Saran Wrap (registered trademark) manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation and placed in a glass desiccator (e.g., manufactured by TechJam Co., Ltd.) containing silica gel (e.g., manufactured by Toyota Chemical Industries, Ltd.). The sample is left to stand until the fiber sample reaches a temperature of 20±2°C, and this is considered the non-absorbent sample. Non-water-absorbing samples are finely cut, and thermal analysis is performed using a high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimeter (DSC6200, Seiko Instruments Inc.) at a heating rate of 10°C / min to measure the melting peak temperature T1 and its peak area S1 of the components of the non-water-absorbing sample. If multiple peaks are present, the peak with the largest peak area is selected. Next, fiber samples taken from any 10 locations on the nonwoven fabric for measurement are combined into one, and the melting peak temperature and peak area are measured using the method described above. The content ratio C (mass%) of absorbent fibers is calculated from the peak area S2 of the peak near the melting peak temperature T1 (within 3°C) of the non-absorbent sample using the following formula. C = (1 - S2 / S1) × 100 The measurement was repeated three times, and the average value was used as the percentage of absorbent fibers. Then, using the ratio of absorbent fibers in the obtained nonwoven fabric for measurement, the basis weight (absorbent fiber content per unit area) of absorbent fibers in the area to be measured is calculated. If absorbent fibers are present in multiple nonwoven fabrics that make up the area to be measured, the basis weight of absorbent fibers is calculated by adding them together.

[0027] The advantages of the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 including the fiber-rich region 14 are as follows. Since the overlapping region 12a is part of the elastic member arrangement region 11, when the diaper 1 is worn, the overlapping region 12a contracts due to the contraction of the elastic member. When the diaper 1 is worn, the overlapping region 12a contracts, causing the diaper 1 to adhere closely to the wearer's skin in that region. When the diaper 1 is worn, as shown in Figure 4, a space R is formed between the skin-facing surface of the diaper 1 in the crotch area C and the wearer's skin, which may allow liquids such as urine to flow easily over the skin-facing surface in the crotch area C. In the overlapping region 12a, the diaper 1 is in close contact with the wearer's skin. Therefore, if liquid such as urine flows in the front-to-back direction of the wearer, i.e., in the vertical direction X of the diaper 1, the liquid is easily blocked in the overlapping region 12a. The liquid blocked in the overlapping region 12a is absorbed by the absorbent material 23 and diffuses within the absorbent material 23. As a result, in the overlapping region 12a, the liquid is more likely to reach the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent material 23. Consequently, in the overlapping region 12a, the amount of liquid absorbed by the absorbent material 23 tends to be larger, and the amount of moisture generated due to this liquid tends to be larger. Moisture generated in the overlapping region 12a passes through the moisture-permeable backing sheet 22 and moves to the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13. The non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13 includes a fiber-high content region 14 that contains a relatively large amount of water-absorbing fibers, so it can absorb and retain the moisture generated in the overlapping region 12a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the wearer's clothes from getting wet due to moisture that has passed through the backing sheet 22. This prevents the wearer from perceiving a feeling of wetness. It is also possible to prevent moisture from accumulating between the backing sheet 22 of the diaper 1 and the wearer's clothes, so when a caregiver removes the diaper 1 from the wearer, they can also prevent the wearer from perceiving a feeling of stuffiness. As a result of these factors, the diaper 1 of this embodiment has the advantageous effect of making it difficult to perceive a feeling of wetness or stuffiness.

[0028] From the viewpoint of making the above advantages even more pronounced, it is preferable that in diaper 1, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 containing absorbent fibers is located in the fiber-high content region 14. As described above, moisture that has permeated through the back sheet 22 tends to remain in the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 which includes the fiber-high content region 14. Therefore, by having the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 located in the fiber-high content region 14, moisture can be efficiently absorbed and retained, making it even more difficult to perceive wetness and stuffiness.

[0029] As described above, when the diaper 1 is worn, the overlapping region 12a of the diaper 1 adheres closely to the wearer's skin, and liquid such as urine is blocked in the adhered portion. Therefore, in the overlapping region 12a, among the overlapping region 12a, the region closer to the crotch C absorbs more liquid than the other regions. Thus, relatively more moisture is likely to occur in the region closer to the crotch C within the overlapping region 12a. From the viewpoint of efficiently absorbing and retaining the moisture generated in the region closer to the crotch C within the overlapping region 12a and making it more difficult to perceive the feeling of dampness and stuffiness, in the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13, among the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13, the region closer to the crotch C (hereinafter, also referred to as the "region closer to the crotch") preferably has a higher content ratio of the water-absorbent fiber than the regions other than the region closer to the crotch (hereinafter, also referred to as the "non-region closer to the crotch"). In other words, it is preferable that the basis weight of the water-absorbent fiber in the region closer to the crotch is larger than that in the non-region closer to the crotch. The region closer to the crotch means the region closer to the crotch C than the virtual line that bisects the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13 in the longitudinal direction X of the diaper 1. From the same viewpoint, it is preferable that the high-fiber content region 14 is formed at a position closer to the crotch C within the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13. That is, the high-fiber content region 14 coincides with the region closer to the crotch described above. In relation to this, the basis weight of the water-absorbent fiber in the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is preferably 0.1 g / m 2 or more, more preferably 0.3 g / m 2 or more, still more preferably 0.5 g / m 2 or more, and preferably 3.0 g / m 2 or less, more preferably 2.0 g / m 2 or less, still more preferably 1.0 g / m 2 or less, and preferably 0.1 g / m 2 or more and 3.0 g / m 2 or less, more preferably 0.3 g / m 2 or more and 2.0 g / m 2 or less, still more preferably 0.5 g / m 2 or more and 1.0 g / m 2 or less as viewed from the viewpoint of making it more difficult to feel the feeling of dampness and stuffiness. The ratio of absorbent fibers in the crotch area is calculated based on the absorbent fibers contained in all materials constituting the crotch area within the overlapping area 13 on the non-skin-facing side. Similarly, the ratio of absorbent fibers in the non-crotch area is calculated based on the absorbent fibers contained in all materials constituting the non-crotch area within the overlapping area 13 on the non-skin-facing side.

[0030] From the viewpoint of further reducing the perception of wetness and stuffiness, it is preferable that the total content of water-absorbing fibers in the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 is at least 2 times higher by mass than that of the non-overlapping region 12b, more preferably at least 3 times higher by mass, and even more preferably at least 4 times higher by mass. In this regard, the basis weight of the absorbent fibers in the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 is preferably 0.1 g / m², from the viewpoint of making it difficult to perceive a feeling of wetness or stuffiness. 2 More than 0.3 g / m 2 More preferably 0.5 g / m 2 The above applies, and preferably 3.0 g / m². 2 More preferably, 2.0 g / m 2 More preferably, 1.0 g / m 2 The following, and preferably 0.1 g / m 2 More than 3.0g / m 2 More preferably, 0.3 g / m 2 More than 2.0g / m 2 More preferably, 0.5 g / m 2 More than 1.0g / m 2 The following applies: The total content of absorbent fibers in the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 can be calculated, for example, by multiplying the basis weight of the absorbent fibers in the region 13 by the area of ​​the region 13. The same applies to the total content of absorbent fibers in the non-overlapping region 12b.

[0031] The basis weight of the absorbent fibers in the non-overlapping region 12b is preferably 5.0 g / m², from the viewpoint of making it difficult to perceive a feeling of wetness or stuffiness. 2 More preferably, 3.0 g / m 2 More preferably, 1.0 g / m 2The following applies: The basis weight of the absorbent fibers in the nonwoven fabric may be zero. If absorbent fibers are included in the non-overlapping region 12b, the lower limit of the basis weight of the absorbent fibers is preferably 0.1 g / m². 2 It can be done this way.

[0032] From the viewpoint of preventing the absorbent fibers in the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 from clumping together, preventing the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 from absorbing excessive water, and preventing the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 from becoming excessively damp, the content ratio of absorbent fibers in the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 2.0% by mass or more, also preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 4.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 3.0% by mass or less, and preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, more preferably 1.0% by mass or more and 4.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 2.0% by mass or more and 3.0% by mass or less. The remainder of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 other than the absorbent fibers are non-absorbent fibers. Non-absorbent fibers are fibers with an official moisture content of less than 5% by mass. An example of a non-absorbent fiber is a fiber made of a thermoplastic resin having fiber-forming ability.

[0033] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the absorbent body 2 has a first leak-proof cuff 5 and a second leak-proof cuff 6 on each side of the diaper 1 in the vertical direction X. For the sake of explanation, the first leak-proof cuff 5 and the second leak-proof cuff 6 are not shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, the first leak-proof cuff 5 has a fixed end 5a at one end in the lateral direction Y, which is fixed to another member. The other end of the first leak-proof cuff 5 in the lateral direction Y is a free end 5b that is not fixed to another member. The first leak-proof cuff 5 has a plurality of elastic members (hereinafter also referred to as "elastic members for forming the first leak-proof cuff") 53 located near the free end of the first leak-proof cuff 5. The elastic members for forming the first leak-proof cuff 53 are arranged in an extended state along the longitudinal direction X. When the diaper 1 is worn, the first leak-proof cuff 5, due to the contraction force of the elastic member 53 for forming the first leak-proof cuff, stands upright towards the wearer at least in the crotch area C, with the free end 5b side using the fixed end 5a as the base end for standing. This prevents the outward leakage of excrement such as urine in the lateral direction Y.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3, the upright portion of the first leak-proof cuff 5 is bent at the bent portion 5c. The bent portion 5c extends along the vertical direction X. The upright portion of the first leak-proof cuff 5 is composed of a first upright portion 51 extending from the fixed end 5a to the bent portion 5c, and a second upright portion 52 extending from the bent portion 5c to the free end 5b, located closer to the wearer's skin than the first upright portion 51. That is, in the upright state, the first upright portion 51 is located on the fixed end 5a side and the second upright portion 52 is located on the free end 5b side. The second upright portion 52 is a band-shaped portion on the free end side of the first leak-proof cuff 5, and the skin-facing surface of the second upright portion 52 can come into contact with the wearer's skin (groin area) when worn. The first upright portion 51 is a portion connected to the second upright portion 52 via the bent portion 5c, and is an upright portion that rises from the fixed end portion 5a toward the skin-facing surface.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the second leak-proof cuff 6 has a fixed end 6a at one end in the lateral direction Y, which is fixed to another member. The other end of the second leak-proof cuff 6 in the lateral direction Y is a free end 6b that is not fixed to another member. The free end of the second leak-proof cuff 6 is located further outward in the lateral direction Y of the diaper 1 than the free end of the first leak-proof cuff 5. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the free end of the second leak-proof cuff 6 is located further outward in the lateral direction Y of the diaper 1 than the free end of the first leak-proof cuff 5, both in the natural state and the maximum extended state of the diaper 1. The second leak-proof cuff 6 has a plurality of elastic members (hereinafter also referred to as "second leak-proof cuff forming elastic members") 63 located near the free end of the second leak-proof cuff 6. The second leak-proof cuff forming elastic members 63 are arranged in an extended state along the vertical direction X. When the diaper 1 is worn, the second leak-proof cuff 6, due to the contraction force of the elastic member 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff, stands upright towards the wearer at least in the crotch area C, with the free end 6b side and the fixed end 6a as the base end. This more effectively prevents the outward leakage of excrement such as urine in the lateral direction Y. Specifically, it effectively prevents leakage outward in the lateral direction Y of excrement that has unintentionally moved beyond the standing first leak-proof cuff 5.

[0036] In the vertical direction X of diaper 1, each side edge 3e, 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 may or may not reach each side edge 2e, 2e of the absorbent body 2, but it is preferable that they do not reach. By preventing each side edge 3e, 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 from reaching each side edge 2e, 2e of the absorbent body 2, it is possible to prevent the side edges 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 from rubbing against the wearer's clothing, etc., causing some of the absorbent fibers in the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 to fall off and adhere to the skin. As described above, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is able to retain moisture due to the absorbent fibers it contains, so the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 may become wet while wearing diaper 1. If some of the absorbent fibers in the wet absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 fall off and adhere to the skin, it may have an adverse effect on the skin. Because the side edges 3e, 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 do not reach the side edges 2e, 2e of the absorbent body 2, it is possible to prevent the side edges 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 from rubbing against the wearer's clothing, etc., causing some of the absorbent fibers in the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 to fall off and adhere to the skin, thus preventing the adverse effects described above from occurring. In this embodiment, the side edges 2e, 2e of the absorbent body 2 in the vertical direction X are the side edges of the second leak-proof cuff 6. It is preferable that, at least in the natural state of the diaper 1, the side edges 3e, 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 do not reach the side edges 2e, 2e of the absorbent body 2.

[0037] Furthermore, it is preferable that the side edges 3e, 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 do not reach the elastic member 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff. In other words, it is preferable that the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 does not overlap with the elastic member 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff in a plan view of the diaper 1. The second leak-proof cuff 6 stands up on the skin-facing side due to the contraction of the elastic member 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff, so the portion of the second leak-proof cuff 6 where the elastic member 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff is located may come into close contact with the wearer's skin. By arranging the positional relationship between the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 and the elastic member 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff as described above, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 can be kept away from the portion of the second leak-proof cuff 6 where the elastic member 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff is located, which is the portion that comes into close contact with the wearer's skin. This prevents the moisture absorbed and retained by the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 from moving to the part of the second leak-proof cuff 6 that is in close contact with the wearer's skin, thus further preventing the wearer from perceiving a feeling of wetness. Furthermore, by arranging the positional relationship between the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 and the elastic member 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff as described above, it is also possible to effectively prevent the side edges 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 from rubbing against the wearer's clothing, etc., causing the absorbent fibers in the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 to fall off and adhere to the skin. In the natural state of the diaper 1, it is preferable that each side edge 3e, 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 does not reach the elastic member 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff.

[0038] When multiple elastic members 63 for forming the second leak-proof cuff are arranged, it is preferable that at least one of the multiple elastic members 63 does not overlap with the elastic member 63 located furthest outward in the lateral direction Y, and more preferably that it does not overlap with the elastic member 63 located furthest inward in the lateral direction Y. The absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 may or may not overlap with the first leak-proof cuff forming elastic member 53 in a plan view of the diaper 1. The absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 may or may not overlap with the elastic member 24 for forming the absorbent gathers in a plan view of the diaper 1.

[0039] In the longitudinal direction of diaper 1, the positions of the side edges 3e, 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 may or may not coincide with the positions of the side edges 23e, 23e of the absorbent body 23. If the positions of the side edges 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 and the positions of the side edges 23e of the absorbent body 23 do not coincide, either the side edge 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 or the side edge 23e of the absorbent body 23 may be located outward in the lateral direction Y. From the viewpoint of ensuring that the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 absorbs moisture generated from the absorbent material 23 without excess or deficiency, it is preferable that the positions of the side edges 3e, 3e of the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 in the longitudinal direction X of the diaper 1 coincide with the positions of the side edges 23e, 23e of the absorbent material 23.

[0040] As shown in Figure 1, the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B have areas that overlap with the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 (hereinafter referred to as the "third overlapping area" for the purpose of distinguishing them from the overlapping area 12a and the non-skin-facing side overlapping area 13). It is preferable that openings are provided in the third overlapping region. These openings may be provided in both the third overlapping region Ra of the ventral panel 4A and the third overlapping region Rb of the dorsal panel 4B, or in only one of them. If openings are provided in the third overlapping regions Ra,Rb of the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B, these openings may be provided on both the skin-facing side and the non-skin-facing side, or on only one of them. Specifically, openings may be provided in both the outer layer sheet 42 and the inner layer sheet 41 of the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B, or in only one of the sheets. It is preferable that multiple openings are provided. In this embodiment, multiple openings are provided in the third overlapping region that penetrate either the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B. Specifically, multiple openings are provided in the third overlapping region Ra of the ventral panel 4A that penetrate the ventral panel 4A, and multiple openings are provided in the third overlapping region Rb of the dorsal panel 4B that penetrate the dorsal panel 4B.

[0041] Because the openings are located in the third overlapping region Ra,Rb, moisture absorbed and retained by the absorbent fibers in the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 can escape appropriately to the non-skin-facing side of the ventral panel 4A or dorsal panel 4B in the third overlapping region where the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is not exposed to the outer surface, thus making it less likely for the ventral panel 4A and dorsal panel 4B to get wet. As a result, the wearer of the diaper 1 will perceive the feeling of wetness even less. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the openings are located only on the non-skin-facing side of the ventral panel 4A or dorsal panel 4B, and it is more preferable that they are located on both the skin-facing side and the non-skin-facing side of the ventral panel 4A or dorsal panel 4B.

[0042] The method for forming the openings in the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B is not particularly limited. For example, a sheet with pre-distributed openings may be used as the outer layer sheet 42 or the inner layer sheet 41 to form the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B in which the elastic member 43 is arranged in an extended state between the outer layer sheet 42 and the inner layer sheet 41. Alternatively, a sheet without openings may be used as the outer layer sheet 42 or the inner layer sheet 41 to form the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B in which the elastic member 43 is arranged in an extended state between the outer layer sheet 42 and the inner layer sheet 41, and then the openings may be formed. In this embodiment, as described above, the torso elastic member 43b and leg elastic member 43c, which are positioned to overlap with the absorbent body 2, are designed not to exhibit elastic stretchability. However, when dividing the elastic members 43b and 43c into smaller pieces, the division may be made by pressing a cutting blade against the outside of the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B, thereby forming the openings in the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B. Specifically, after forming a ventral panel 4A or dorsal panel 4B with the elastic members 43b and 43c in an extended state between the outer layer sheet 42 and the inner layer sheet 41, the elastic member cutting means may be used to press a cutting blade against the outside of the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B, corresponding to the position where the absorbent body 2 is positioned, thereby pressing the elastic member 43 into multiple individual pieces so as not to exhibit contraction function, and forming the openings. Examples of the elastic member cutting means include an elastic member cutting section used in the method for manufacturing a composite expandable member described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-253605.

[0043] Both the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B may have a third overlapping region, or only one of them may have a third overlapping region. If both the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B have a third overlapping region, the openings may be located in the third overlapping region of both the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B, or the openings may be located in only one of the third overlapping region of the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B. It is preferable that there are multiple openings.

[0044] Below, another embodiment of the absorbent article according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. In the embodiments described below, components that differ from those of the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 4 will be mainly described, and similar components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. For components that are not specifically described, the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 will be applied as appropriate.

[0045] In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, the diaper 1 has a water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 containing water-absorbent fibers on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body 2. In addition, the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B also contain water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 containing water-absorbent fibers. For the sake of clarity, the illustration of each elastic member is omitted in Figure 6.

[0046] The ventral panel 4A in the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6 will be described in detail. In this embodiment, the fiber-high content region 14 in the elastic member arrangement region 11 of the ventral panel 4A is composed of at least a water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3. More specifically, the ventral panel 4A of this embodiment has an inner layer sheet 41, an outer layer sheet 42, and an elastic member, as well as a water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 arranged on the skin-facing side of the inner layer sheet 41. Figure 6 shows a three-layer structure of the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3. The water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is located in the fiber-high content region 14 in the elastic member arrangement region 11 of the ventral panel 4A. More specifically, the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 of the ventral panel 4A is located in the region of the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 where the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 arranged on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body 2 exists. In addition, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 of the ventral panel 4A is located in the area of ​​the non-skin facing overlapping region 13 where there is no absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 on the non-skin facing side of the absorbent body 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the fiber-high content region 14 and the non-skin facing overlapping region 13 are the same region in a plan view of the diaper 1, and are also the same region in the thickness direction of the diaper 1.

[0047] In this embodiment as well, similar to the previous embodiment, in the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13, the region closer to the crotch area C has a higher content ratio of absorbent fibers than the non-crotch area, which is the region other than the crotch-facing region. The fiber-high content region 14 coincides with the crotch-facing region described above.

[0048] The dorsal panel 4B in this embodiment has the same configuration as the ventral panel 4A described above. Therefore, the above description of the ventral panel 4A also applies to the dorsal panel 4B. For example, in the dorsal panel 4B, the fiber-high content region 14 in the elastic member arrangement region 11 is made of the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3.

[0049] According to the embodiments shown in Figures 5 and 6, moisture generated due to the absorbed liquid, etc., by the absorbent material 23 can be absorbed and retained more efficiently, making it possible to further reduce the perception of wetness and stuffiness. In this embodiment, the fiber-high content region 14 in the elastic member arrangement region 11 is made of water-absorbing nonwoven fabric 3 in both the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B, but the fiber-high content region 14 in the elastic member arrangement region 11 may be made of water-absorbing nonwoven fabric 3 in only one of the ventral panel 4A or the dorsal panel 4B.

[0050] Figures 7 and 8 show yet another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in these figures, the diaper 1 does not have an absorbent body 2 with an absorbent nonwoven fabric 3. Furthermore, the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B are composed of a single continuous panel 4. For the sake of explanation, the illustration of each elastic member is omitted in Figure 8.

[0051] In the embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8, the portion of panel 4 from the waist opening end WE on the ventral side A to the end of the crotch area C on the lateral edge 4e along the longitudinal direction X on the ventral side A of panel 4 is the ventral panel 4A. The portion of panel 4 from the waist opening end WE on the dorsal side B to the end of the crotch area C on the lateral edge 4f along the longitudinal direction X on the dorsal side B of panel 4 is the dorsal panel 4B.

[0052] In the embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8, similar to the embodiments shown in Figures 5 and 6, the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B are composed of a water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 containing water-absorbent fibers. In the embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8, the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 included in the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B is the same shape and size as the non-skin-facing overlapping region 13 in a plan view of the diaper 1.

[0053] In the embodiments shown in Figures 7 and 8, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 containing absorbent fibers is placed only in the vicinity of the overlapping region 12a where a relatively large amount of moisture is generated, thereby enabling more efficient absorption and retention of the moisture. Furthermore, since the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 is placed only in the vicinity of the overlapping region 12a and not in the crotch area C, the amount of absorbent fibers used can be reduced, thereby lowering the manufacturing cost of the diaper 1.

[0054] Figure 9 shows a modified example of the embodiment shown in Figure 7. The diaper 1 shown in Figure 9 has the same configuration as the diaper 1 shown in Figure 7, except that the shape of the panel 4 is different. The panel 4 of the diaper 1 shown in Figure 9 has a portion 61 in the central area in the vertical direction X with a constant length in the horizontal direction Y, and portions 62 and 63 that are longer in the horizontal direction Y than portion 61. In the diaper 1 shown in Figure 9, of the portions 62 and 63 of the panel 4, the portion that is positioned on the wearer's abdominal side when the diaper 1 is worn can be designated as the abdominal panel 4A, and the portion that is positioned on the wearer's back can be designated as the back panel 4B.

[0055] Next, we will describe the common points shared by each of the embodiments described above. As the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3, nonwoven fabrics manufactured by various methods can be used, such as air-through nonwoven fabrics, spunbond nonwoven fabrics, spunlace nonwoven fabrics, airlaid nonwoven fabrics, resin-bonded nonwoven fabrics, and meltblown nonwoven fabrics. As the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3, one of these nonwoven fabrics can be used alone or two or more can be laminated together. It is preferable that the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 includes air-through nonwoven fabric. When the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 includes air-through nonwoven fabric, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 tends to become bulkier, and the distance between the absorbed absorbent fibers and the non-skin-facing surface of the diaper 1 tends to increase, making it possible to further reduce the feeling of wetness and stuffiness. For example, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 can be composed of a single nonwoven fabric consisting of three layers of air-through nonwoven fabric, and it is preferable that the absorbent fibers be contained in the layers other than the layer located closest to the non-skin-facing surface of this nonwoven fabric.

[0056] The absorbent fibers included in the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 include natural fibers, regenerated cellulose fibers such as rayon and lyocell, semi-synthetic cellulose fibers such as acetate fibers, and hydrophilic synthetic fibers such as polyvinyl alcohol fibers and polyacrylonitrile fibers. Among these, natural fibers are preferred. Examples of natural fibers include cotton, wood pulp such as coniferous and hardwood pulp, and hemp fibers. From the viewpoint of moisture absorption and texture, cotton is preferred among these.

[0057] As the surface sheet 21, a liquid-permeable sheet such as a nonwoven fabric or a perforated film can be used. The surface sheet 21 may have an uneven surface on the side facing the skin. For example, multiple protrusions can be formed in a scattered pattern on the side facing the skin of the surface sheet 21. Alternatively, alternating ridges and grooves extending in one direction can be formed on the side facing the skin of the surface sheet 21. For such purposes, the surface sheet 21 can also be formed using two or more nonwoven fabrics.

[0058] On the other hand, the backing sheet 22 can be, for example, a liquid-impermeable or liquid-difficult-permeable film or a spunbond, meltblown, or spunbond laminated nonwoven fabric. A liquid-impermeable or liquid-difficult-permeable film may be provided with multiple micropores to give the film water vapor permeability. For the purpose of further improving the feel of the absorbent article, a sheet with a good texture, such as a nonwoven fabric, may be laminated to the outer surface of the backing sheet 22.

[0059] Furthermore, the back sheet 22 may or may not contain absorbent fibers. If the back sheet 22 does not contain absorbent fibers, the non-skin-facing side overlapping region 13 may be a region composed of members located on the non-skin-facing side of the members present in the overlapping region 12a, which are located on the non-skin-facing side of the back sheet 22.

[0060] The absorbent body 23 is equipped with an absorbent core. The absorbent core is composed of, for example, a stack of hydrophilic fibers such as cellulose including pulp, a mixed stack of hydrophilic fibers and an absorbent polymer, a deposit of an absorbent polymer, or a laminated structure in which an absorbent polymer is supported between two absorbent sheets. The absorbent core may have at least its skin-facing surface covered with a liquid-permeable core wrap sheet, or the entire surface including the skin-facing and non-skin-facing surfaces may be covered with a core wrap sheet. As the core wrap sheet, for example, thin paper made of hydrophilic fibers or a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric can be used.

[0061] Although the present invention has been described above based on its embodiments, the present invention can be modified as appropriate without being limited to the above embodiments. For example, in each embodiment, the absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 has a multilayer structure of two or more layers, but it may also have a single-layer structure. Furthermore, in the embodiments shown in Figure 1 and Figure 5, the ventral panel 4A and the dorsal panel 4B may be the same shape and size.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a three-layer laminated sheet was described as an example of a case where the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 consists of multiple laminated sheets, but the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 3 may also have a two-layer structure, or a laminated structure of four or more layers.

[0063] Furthermore, although the above embodiment is an example of applying the absorbent article of the present invention to a panty-type disposable diaper, the present invention can be applied to various other types of absorbent articles. For example, the present invention can be applied to absorbent articles such as tape-fastened disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, panty liners, and incontinence pads.

[0064] With regard to the embodiments described above, the present invention further discloses the following absorbent articles. <1> An absorbent article comprising an absorbent body having an absorbent material and an outer casing disposed on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body, The outer casing has an abdominal panel positioned on the wearer's abdominal side and a dorsal panel positioned on the wearer's back when the absorbent article is being worn. The ventral panel or the dorsal panel includes an elastic member arrangement region in which an elastic member is arranged along the lateral direction of the absorbent article, The absorbent article has an overlapping region in a plan view of the absorbent article where the elastic member arrangement region and the absorbent material overlap. In the overlapping region, the non-skin-facing side overlapping region, which is composed of members located on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent among the members present in the overlapping region, has a fiber-high content region with a higher water-absorbing fiber content than the non-overlapping regions other than the overlapping region in the ventral panel or the dorsal panel.

[0065] <2> The non-skin-facing overlapping region preferably has a total content of absorbent fibers within the region that is 2 times or more by mass than the non-overlapping region, more preferably 3 times or more by mass, and even more preferably 4 times or more by mass. <1> Absorbent articles as described above. <3> The basis weight of the absorbent fibers in the non-overlapping region is preferably 5.0 g / m². 2 More preferably, 3.0 g / m 2 More preferably, 1.0 g / m 2 The following is the aforementioned <1> or the above <2> Absorbent articles as described above. <4> In the state in which the absorbent article is worn, it has a crotch area that is positioned between the wearer's legs, In the non-skin-facing overlapping region, the region within the non-skin-facing overlapping region that is closer to the crotch area than the imaginary line that bisects the non-skin-facing overlapping region in the vertical direction of the absorbent article has a higher water-absorbing fiber content than the region outside of that region. <1> or the aforementioned <3> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <5> The non-skin-facing overlapping region has a total water-absorbing fiber content that is at least twice as high by mass as the non-overlapping region. <1> or the aforementioned <4> The absorbent article described in any one of the following.

[0066] <6> The water-absorbing nonwoven fabric containing the water-absorbing fibers is located in the region with a high fiber content. <1> or the aforementioned <5> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <7> In the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, the side edge of the absorbent nonwoven fabric does not reach the side edge of the absorbent body. <6> Absorbent articles as described above. <8> The absorbent body has a first leak-proof cuff and a second leak-proof cuff on each of the longitudinal sides of the absorbent article, The free end of the second leak-proof cuff is located laterally outward from the absorbent article than the free end of the first leak-proof cuff. The second leak-proof cuff has an elastic member extending along the longitudinal direction at a position near the free end of the second leak-proof cuff, The absorbent nonwoven fabric, in a plan view of the absorbent article, does not overlap with the elastic member of the second leak-proof cuff. <6> or the above <5> Absorbent articles as described above. <9> The position of the side edge of the absorbent nonwoven fabric in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article coincides with the position of the side edge of the absorbent body. <6> ~the aforementioned <8> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <10> The ventral panel or the dorsal panel has an area that overlaps with the absorbent nonwoven fabric in a plan view of the absorbent article. An opening is provided in the region where the ventral panel or the dorsal panel and the absorbent nonwoven fabric overlap. <4> ~the aforementioned <9> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <11> The aforementioned opening is an opening that penetrates the ventral panel or the dorsal panel in the thickness direction. <10> Absorbent articles as described above.

[0067] <12> The member constituting the overlapping region on the non-skin-facing side includes a water-absorbing nonwoven fabric containing the water-absorbing fibers, The absorbent nonwoven fabric is located in the fiber-high content region, The water-absorbing fiber content in the water-absorbing nonwoven fabric is 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, <1> or the aforementioned <11> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <13> The absorbent body comprises an absorbent nonwoven fabric containing the absorbent fibers, which is positioned on the outermost surface of the non-skin-facing side. The absorbent nonwoven fabric is located in the fiber-high content region, Of the ventral panel or the dorsal panel, the region located in the fiber-high content region within the elastic member arrangement region is at least composed of a water-absorbing nonwoven fabric containing the water-absorbing fibers, <1> or the aforementioned <12> The absorbent article described in any one of the following.

[0068] <14> The basis weight of the absorbent fibers in the absorbent nonwoven fabric is preferably 0.1 g / m². 2 More than 3.0g / m 2 More preferably, 0.3 g / m 2 More than 2.0g / m 2 More preferably, 0.5 g / m2 More than 1.0g / m 2 The following is the aforementioned <6> or the aforementioned <13> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <15> The content ratio of the absorbent fibers in the absorbent nonwoven fabric is preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, more preferably 1.0% by mass or more and 4.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2.0% by mass or more and 3.0% by mass or less. <6> or the aforementioned <14> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <16> The absorbent nonwoven fabric consists of one of the following: air-through nonwoven fabric, spunbond nonwoven fabric, spunlace nonwoven fabric, airlaid nonwoven fabric, resin-bonded nonwoven fabric, and meltblown nonwoven fabric, or a laminate of two or more of these. <6> or the aforementioned <15> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <17> The water-absorbent nonwoven fabric consists of a laminated sheet of multiple layers, <6> or the aforementioned <16> The absorbent article described in any one of the following.

[0069] <18> The absorbent fibers are natural fibers, regenerated cellulose fibers such as rayon and lyocell, semi-synthetic cellulose fibers such as acetate fibers, or hydrophilic synthetic fibers such as polyvinyl alcohol fibers and polyacrylonitrile fibers. <1> or the aforementioned <17> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <19> The absorbent fiber is a natural fiber. <1> or the aforementioned <18> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. <20> The aforementioned natural fiber is cotton. <19> Absorbent articles as described above. <21> The absorbent item is a panty-type disposable diaper, a tape-fastened disposable diaper, a sanitary napkin, a panty liner, or an incontinence pad. <1> or the aforementioned <20> The absorbent article described in any one of the following. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 1 diaper 11 Elastic member arrangement area 12a Overlapping area 12b Non-overlapping area 13 Overlapping area on non-skin facing side 14 High fiber content area 2 Absorbent body 21 Surface sheet 22 Back sheet 23 Absorbent 3 Water absorbent nonwoven fabric 4A Ventral panel 4B Rear Panel 41 Inner layer sheet 42 Outer layer sheet 43a Waist elastic member 43b Elastic member around the torso 43c Leg elastic member A. Ventral part B Dorsal part C Inseam X vertical direction Y (horizontal direction)

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising an absorbent body having an absorbent material and an outer casing disposed on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body, The outer casing has an abdominal panel positioned on the wearer's abdominal side and a dorsal panel positioned on the wearer's back when the absorbent article is being worn. The ventral panel or the dorsal panel includes an elastic member arrangement region in which an elastic member is arranged along the lateral direction of the absorbent article, The absorbent article has an overlapping region in a plan view of the absorbent article where the elastic member arrangement region and the absorbent material overlap. In the overlapping region, the non-skin-facing side overlapping region, which is composed of members located on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent material, has a higher fiber content region than the non-overlapping regions other than the overlapping region in the ventral panel or the dorsal panel, where the water-absorbing fiber content ratio is higher. The absorbent article has a crotch area that is positioned between the wearer's legs when the absorbent article is being worn. In the non-skin-facing overlapping region, the absorbent article has a higher water-absorbing fiber content in the region of the non-skin-facing overlapping region that is closer to the crotch area than the imaginary line that bisects the non-skin-facing overlapping region in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, compared to the region outside of that area.

2. An absorbent article comprising an absorbent body having an absorbent material and an outer casing disposed on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body, The outer casing has an abdominal panel positioned on the wearer's abdominal side and a dorsal panel positioned on the wearer's back when the absorbent article is being worn. The ventral panel or the dorsal panel includes an elastic member arrangement region in which an elastic member is arranged along the lateral direction of the absorbent article, The absorbent article has an overlapping region in a plan view of the absorbent article where the elastic member arrangement region and the absorbent material overlap. In the overlapping region, the non-skin-facing side overlapping region, which is composed of members located on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent material, has a higher fiber content region than the non-overlapping regions other than the overlapping region in the ventral panel or the dorsal panel, where the water-absorbing fiber content ratio is higher. The non-skin-facing overlapping region is an absorbent article in which the total content of absorbent fibers within the region is at least twice as high by mass as that of the non-overlapping region.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent nonwoven fabric containing the absorbent fibers is located in the fiber-high fiber-content region.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein the side edge of the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article does not reach the side edge of the absorbent body.

5. The absorbent body has a first leak-proof cuff and a second leak-proof cuff on each of the longitudinal sides of the absorbent article. The free end of the second leak-proof cuff is located laterally outward from the absorbent article than the free end of the first leak-proof cuff. The second leak-proof cuff has an elastic member extending along the longitudinal direction at a position near the free end of the second leak-proof cuff, The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein the absorbent nonwoven fabric does not overlap with the elastic member of the second leak-proof cuff in a plan view of the absorbent article.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein the position of the side edge of the water-absorbent nonwoven fabric in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article coincides with the position of the side edge of the absorbent body.

7. The ventral panel or the dorsal panel has an area that overlaps with the absorbent nonwoven fabric in a plan view of the absorbent article. The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein openings are provided in the region where the ventral panel or the dorsal panel and the absorbent nonwoven fabric overlap.

8. The absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the opening is an opening that penetrates the ventral panel or the dorsal panel in the thickness direction.

9. The member constituting the overlapping region on the non-skin-facing side includes a water-absorbing nonwoven fabric containing the water-absorbing fibers, The absorbent nonwoven fabric is located in the fiber-high content region, The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content ratio of the absorbent fibers in the absorbent nonwoven fabric is 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less.

10. The absorbent body comprises an absorbent nonwoven fabric containing the absorbent fibers, which is positioned on the outermost surface of the non-skin-facing side. The absorbent nonwoven fabric is located in the fiber-high content region, The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the region of the ventral panel or the dorsal panel located in the fiber-high content region within the elastic member arrangement region is at least composed of a water-absorbent nonwoven fabric containing the water-absorbent fibers.

11. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent fiber is a natural fiber.

12. The absorbent article according to claim 11, wherein the natural fiber is cotton.

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