Interlabial pad

Abstract

This interlabial pad (1) has an absorbent core (132) and a non-skin-side sheet (133). The non-skin-side sheet (133) has a plurality of slits (18) in end regions (SR) positioned on both sides when the interlabial pad (1) is divided into three equal parts in the width direction. The plurality of slits (18) have first slits (18a) arranged along a first direction and second slits (18b) arranged along a direction different from the first direction. None of the slits among the plurality of slits (18a, 18b) intersect with the other slits.

Description

Interlabial pads

[0001] The present invention relates to an interlabial pad.

[0002] Conventionally, absorbent articles such as interlabial pads that are worn in close contact with the labia have been known. In such interlabial pads (absorbent articles), multiple slits are provided in a highly rigid member such as an absorbent body, allowing the pad to easily deform three-dimensionally to conform to the contours of the wearer's body, thereby improving the fit when worn. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an interlabial pad with multiple slits provided along the longitudinal and lateral directions of the product.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-97693

[0004] In such an interlabial pad having multiple slits, if two different slits intersect with each other, the absorbent core or the sheet member laminated on the absorbent core may curl up toward the skin at the intersection, causing discomfort to the wearer. In particular, in the case of an interlabial pad, the curled-up portion may irritate sensitive skin (labia), making it more likely to cause discomfort.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide an interlabial pad that has a good fit and is unlikely to cause discomfort to the wearer.

[0006] The main invention for achieving the above object is an interlabial pad having a front-to-back direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that intersect with one another, and having an absorbent core and a non-skin side sheet that is located on the non-skin side of the absorbent core in the thickness direction, wherein the non-skin side sheet has a plurality of slits in end regions located on both sides when the interlabial pad is divided into thirds in the width direction, the plurality of slits having a first slit along a first direction and a second slit along a direction different from the first direction, and none of the plurality of slits intersects with the other slits.

[0007] Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an interlabial pad that has a good fit and is unlikely to cause discomfort to the wearer.

[0009] 1 is a plan view of the pad 1 in an unfolded state. It is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1. It is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the pad 1. It is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the pad 1. It is a plan view illustrating the configuration of the absorbent layer 13. It is a diagram illustrating the fiber length distribution of hardwood water-absorbent fibers (hardwood pulp) and softwood water-absorbent fibers (softwood pulp). It is a flow diagram illustrating the manufacturing process of the pad 1. It is a schematic diagram illustrating a manufacturing apparatus 500 for manufacturing absorbent articles such as the pad 1. FIGS. 9A to 9C are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a cutter roll 551 used to form the first slits 18a. FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of an anvil roll 552 used to form the first slits 18a. FIGS. 12A to 12C are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a cutter roll 561 used to form the second slits 18b. It is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the plurality of first slits 18a and the plurality of second slits 18b formed in the region S of FIG. 15A and 15B are diagrams illustrating a case where the first slit 18 a and the second slit 18 b have an intersection. The diagrams illustrate the influence of the fiber length when forming the first slit 18 a.

[0010] At least the following points become clear from the description in this specification and the accompanying drawings: (Aspect 1) An interlabial pad having a front-to-rear direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that intersect with one another, and comprising an absorbent core and a non-skin-side sheet provided on the non-skin side of the absorbent core in the thickness direction, wherein the non-skin-side sheet has a plurality of slits in end regions located on both sides when the interlabial pad is divided into thirds in the width direction, the plurality of slits including a first slit along a first direction and a second slit along a direction different from the first direction, and none of the plurality of slits intersects with the other slits.

[0011] According to the interlabial pad of Aspect 1, the provision of a plurality of first slits and second slits in different directions in the edge regions facilitates three-dimensional deformation of the absorbent layer, improving fit. In addition, the slits do not intersect with each other, which prevents the non-skin-side sheet or other components of the absorbent layer from rolling up toward the skin and irritating the labia, making it less likely for the wearer to experience discomfort or unnaturalness.

[0012] (Aspect 2) The interlabial pad according to aspect 1, wherein the first slit is a slit along the width direction, and the second slit is a slit along the front-to-rear direction.

[0013] According to the interlabial pad of Aspect 2, the absorbent layer and the like are more likely to bend and deform in the front-to-back and width directions, with the first slit and the second slit as the bending starting points. This makes it easier for the interlabial pad to deform more flexibly in accordance with the irregularities in the wearer's crotch area, improving the fit.

[0014] (Aspect 3) An interlabial pad according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein a central region located in the middle when the interlabial pad is divided into thirds in the width direction has a plurality of first slits and a plurality of second slits that run in a direction different from the first direction, and the central region has a portion where the first slits and the second slits intersect.

[0015] According to the interlabial pad of Aspect 3, the first and second slits that intersect in the central region make it easier for the absorbent layer to bend and deform, improving the fit to the vaginal opening. Furthermore, the central region is the part that abuts against the wearer's vaginal opening when the interlabial pad is worn, and even if the pad rolls up toward the skin at the intersection of the slits, the roll is caught in the groove between the labia, making it less likely to cause discomfort to the wearer.

[0016] (Aspect 4) An interlabial pad according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the first slit has a one-side first slit adjacent to one side of the second slit in the width direction and an other-side first slit adjacent to the other side of the second slit, and when viewed in the thickness direction, an extension line of the one-side first slit and an extension line of the other-side first slit overlap, and the distance between the one-side first slit and the other-side first slit is shorter than the length of at least one of the one-side first slit and the other-side first slit.

[0017] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 4, by making the width of the portion where no slits are formed between the first slits on one side and the first slits on the other side shorter than the length of each slit, bending deformation of the absorbent layer occurs more easily than when the width of the portion where no slits are formed is long, and the fit at the edge regions of the interlabial pad can be improved.

[0018] (Aspect 5) The interlabial pad according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4, wherein the distance between the one-side first slit and the other-side first slit is shorter than the length of the one-side first slit and is also shorter than the length of the other-side first slit.

[0019] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 5, by providing long slits that promote deformation on both sides of the area where no slits are formed and the absorbent layer is less likely to deform (the area between the first slits on one side and the first slits on the other side), deformation is more likely to occur over a wide area in the end regions, further improving the fit.

[0020] (Aspect 6) The interlabial pad according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, wherein the distance between the one-side first slit and the other-side first slit is longer than the average fiber length of the fibers contained in the absorbent core.

[0021] In the interlabial pad of aspect 6, if the distance between the first slits on one side and the first slits on the other side is longer than the average fiber length of the fibers, the probability of the fibers being cut where the slits are formed when the two slits are formed is reduced. Therefore, the fibers are prevented from becoming highly dense around the cut areas, and the flexibility of the absorbent core is less likely to deteriorate.

[0022] (Aspect 7) An interlabial pad according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6, wherein the absorbent core has, in the width direction, a portion that is convex toward the skin in the thickness direction between the other end of the one-side first slit and the one end of the other-side first slit.

[0023] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 7, the fibers constituting the absorbent core are not cut and have portions that are convex toward the skin, so that the absorbent core is less likely to become densified in those portions and comes into contact with the labia while maintaining its flexibility, making it easier to achieve good wearability.

[0024] (Aspect 8) The interlabial pad according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7, wherein the second slit has a discontinuous portion in the front-to-rear direction.

[0025] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 8, by providing a discontinuous portion in the second slit along the front-to-rear direction, it becomes easier to control the bending deformation of the absorbent layer and the diffusion of excrement, making it easier to achieve both a good fit and good liquid absorbency.

[0026] (Aspect 9) An interlabial pad according to any one of Aspects 1 to 8, wherein the second slits include a front second slit located forward of a central position in the front-to-rear direction of the absorbent core and a rear second slit located rearward of the central position, and the length of the front second slit in the front-to-rear direction is shorter than the length of the rear second slit in the front-to-rear direction.

[0027] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 9, when worn, the amount of excretory fluid absorbed is greater in the front region in the front-to-back direction (the region closest to the wearer's excretory opening). Therefore, by lengthening the rear second slits to make it easier to spread the excretory fluid to the rear side of the absorbent layer, it is possible to prevent the excretory fluid from accumulating on the front side of the absorbent layer and make it easier to retain the excretory fluid over a wide area of ​​the absorbent layer.

[0028] (Aspect 10) An interlabial pad according to any one of aspects 1 to 9, wherein the number of first slits arranged adjacent to each other on both sides of the rear second slit in the width direction is greater than the number of first slits arranged adjacent to each other on both sides of the front second slit in the width direction.

[0029] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 10, the provision of more slits in the region behind the center in the front-to-back direction makes it easier for the rear region of the absorbent layer to deform three-dimensionally. Therefore, when the interlabial pad is worn, the absorbent layer is more likely to deform three-dimensionally in accordance with large irregularities such as the buttocks on the rear (dorsal) side of the body, improving the fit.

[0030] (Aspect 11) An interlabial pad according to any one of aspects 1 to 10, wherein the length in the front-to-rear direction of the second slits provided in a central region that is located in the middle when the interlabial pad is divided into thirds in the width direction is shorter than the length in the front-to-rear direction of the second slits provided in the end regions.

[0031] According to the interlabial pad of Aspect 11, the longitudinal length of the second slits is not made excessively long in the central region close to the wearer's excretory opening (vagina), thereby restricting the longitudinal diffusion of liquid, while the longitudinal length of the second slits is made longer in the edge regions, thereby promoting the longitudinal diffusion of liquid, thereby facilitating the diffusion of excreted liquid over a wide range of the absorbent layer.

[0032] (Aspect 12) An interlabial pad according to any one of Aspects 1 to 11, wherein in the end region, at least some of the plurality of first slits are arranged so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the width direction.

[0033] In the interlabial pad of aspect 12, the first slits are arranged at an angle, so that when the interlabial pad is worn, it is more likely to bend and deform along the diagonally arranged first slits, which makes it easier for the absorbent layer to deform three-dimensionally and allows it to better fit the contours of the body.

[0034] (Aspect 13) An interlabial pad according to any one of aspects 1 to 12, wherein the first slits are arranged so that the angles of inclination with respect to the width direction are opposite on the front and rear sides of the center position in the front-to-rear direction of the absorbent core.

[0035] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 13, when worn, the bending deformation of the absorbent layer is reversed on the front side (ventral side) and the back side (dorsal side) of the wearer's body, thereby improving the fit on both the ventral and dorsal sides.

[0036] (Aspect 14) An interlabial pad according to any one of aspects 1 to 13, which has a surface layer that can come into contact with the wearer's skin and a secondary absorbent layer between the surface layer and the absorbent core, the absorbent core having a shorter average fiber length and a smaller average fiber diameter than the secondary absorbent layer.

[0037] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 14, the absorbent core is prone to becoming dense due to the densely packed fibers, while the secondary absorbent layer is less likely to become dense than the absorbent core. Therefore, when the interlabial pad is worn, the secondary absorbent layer located closest to the wearer's skin is less likely to become dense, making it possible to provide a soft feel against the skin.

[0038] (Aspect 15) An interlabial pad according to any one of aspects 1 to 14, wherein the average basis weight of the absorbent core in a central region located in the middle when the interlabial pad is divided into thirds in the width direction is smaller than the average basis weight of the absorbent core in the end regions.

[0039] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 15, the absorbent core is easily bent at the center in the width direction, and is easily able to maintain a mountain-shaped shape with the center convex toward the skin, thereby improving the fit to the vaginal opening when worn.

[0040] (Aspect 16) An interlabial pad according to any one of aspects 1 to 15, wherein the slits that intersect with each other are not provided in the end regions of the absorbent core that have a larger average basis weight, and the slits that intersect with each other are provided in the central region of the absorbent core that has a smaller average basis weight.

[0041] According to the interlabial pad of aspect 16, the slits do not cross in the edge regions that come into contact with the wearer's labia when worn, making rolling up less likely to occur. On the other hand, in the central region that is located between the wearer's labia when worn, even if the slits cross and rolling up occurs, it is less likely to cause discomfort to the wearer, and furthermore, because the basis weight of the absorbent core is smaller, the central region is more flexible and easier to deform, improving the fit to the vaginal opening when worn.

[0042] Embodiments Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described using an interlabial pad 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "pad 1") as an example of an absorbent article according to the present invention. The interlabial pad is a sanitary product that is placed between a woman's labia to absorb excrement (body fluids) such as menstrual blood.

[0043] <Basic Structure of Interlabial Pad 1> Fig. 1 is a plan view of the pad 1 in an unfolded state. Fig. 1 is a view of the pad 1 as seen from the skin-facing side. Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating the structure of the pad 1. In each diagram (Figs. 1 to 4), the center C-C indicates the center in the width direction, and the center CL indicates the center in the front-to-back direction of the absorbent layer 13 (described below) when the pad 1 is viewed in the thickness direction. Furthermore, Figs. 1 and 2 are views of a state in which a finger-insertion sheet 15 (described below) has been cut at the center C-C and the pad 1 has been placed flat on a flat surface (a "flat-laid" state).

[0044] The pad 1 has a front-to-rear direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction, which are perpendicular to each other. In the front-to-rear direction of the pad 1, the side that faces the wearer's abdomen when worn is referred to as the "front side," and the side that faces the wearer's back is referred to as the "rear side." In addition, in the thickness direction of the pad 1, the side that comes into contact with the wearer's skin is referred to as the "skin side," and the opposite side is referred to as the "non-skin side."

[0045] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the pad 1 has a generally elliptical shape in plan view, with its front-to-back length longer than its width, is symmetrical about the widthwise center C-C, and has a narrowed portion at the front-to-back center CL, which is constricted inward in the widthwise direction. Furthermore, the pad 1 has an asymmetrical shape with respect to the front-to-back center in plan view. Specifically, the center CL (the front-to-back center of the absorbent layer 13) is located rearward of the front-to-back center of the pad 1, and the distance from the front end of the pad 1 to the front end of the absorbent layer 13 is longer than the distance from the rear end of the pad 1 to the rear end of the absorbent layer 13. In other words, the absorbent layer 13 is positioned closer to the rear in the front-to-back direction of the pad 1. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the pad 1 includes a surface layer 11, a secondary absorbent layer 12, an absorbent layer 13, a back layer 14, and a finger-insertion sheet 15.

[0046] The pad 1 of this embodiment is stored and distributed as a product folded toward the non-skin side along the fold line F. Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating the pad 1 disassembled into its individual components. As shown in Figure 3A, the pad 1 of this embodiment is folded toward the non-skin side along the fold line F (fold line) in the widthwise center (center C-C). A finger insertion sheet 15 for forming the finger insertion section 20 is fixed to the most non-skin side using an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive HMA. The fold line F is a folding portion provided in the widthwise center along the front-to-rear direction. The fold line F has a predetermined width, and the apex of the fold line F on the skin side (the portion that protrudes most toward the skin) is approximately at the same position as the center C-C in the widthwise direction. Figure 3B shows the finger insertion sheet 15 separated from the back layer 14, and Figure 3C shows the pad 1 from which the finger insertion sheet 15 has been removed, horizontally positioned from the folded state along the fold line F. Then, from the state shown in Figure 3C, as shown in Figure 4, the surface layer 11, auxiliary absorbent layer 12, absorbent layer 13, and back layer 14 are stacked in order from the skin side in the thickness direction, and at least some of these components are bonded together with an adhesive or the like (see Figure 2).

[0047] The surface layer 11 is located closest to the skin and is the component that contacts the wearer's skin (between the labia) when worn, so it is preferable to use a soft sheet that is less irritating to the skin. The surface layer 11 forms the outer shape of the pad 1 and is a liquid-permeable sheet component. Examples of the surface layer 11 include nonwoven fabrics obtained by manufacturing methods such as meltblown, spunbond, pointbond, through-air, needle-punched, dry / wet spunlace, and foam film, either alone or in combination. Fiber sheet components containing rayon, acetate, cotton, pulp, or synthetic resins (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene PE, etc.), either alone or in combination to form a core-sheath structure, can also be used. The pad 1 of this embodiment uses a sheet component made of rayon and polyethylene terephthalate.

[0048] The auxiliary absorbent layer 12 is positioned closer to the skin than the surface layer 11 and closer to the skin than the absorbent layer 13. The auxiliary absorbent layer 12 acts as a cushioning layer between the surface layer 11 and the absorbent layer 13, flexibly adapting to changes in the wearer's movements, labia behavior, and pressure from clothing, thereby changing shape and reducing discomfort to the wearer. The auxiliary absorbent layer 12 is generally elliptical, smaller than the surface layer 11, and located approximately in the center of the pad 1 (more precisely, toward the rear). The auxiliary absorbent layer 12 is narrowed inward in the width direction at a center CL in the front-to-back direction. The auxiliary absorbent layer 12 can be made of, for example, pulp, chemical pulp, rayon, acetate, natural cotton, or synthetic fibers, either alone or in combination. In this embodiment, a mixture of pulp fiber, rayon fiber, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is primarily used.

[0049] The absorbent layer 13 is an absorbent body that is located closer to the skin than the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 and closer to the skin than the back surface layer 14, and absorbs bodily fluids such as excrement. The absorbent layer 13 has a generally elliptical shape and is located in the approximate center (more precisely, toward the rear side) of the pad 1. Details of the absorbent layer 13 will be described later.

[0050] The back surface layer 14 is a sheet member located closer to the skin than the absorbent layer 13. The back surface layer 14 forms the outer shape of the pad 1 and has substantially the same shape and size as the front surface layer 11 in a plan view. The back surface layer 14 can be a sheet member such as a liquid-permeable sheet or a liquid-impermeable sheet, and can be, for example, a synthetic resin sheet film, a breathable film, pulp, paper, a nonwoven fabric, a breathable liquid-blocking sheet, or a sheet member made from a combination of these. In this embodiment, a sheet member made from a mixture of rayon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and pulp is used.

[0051] The finger insertion sheet 15 is a sheet member for forming the finger insertion section 20. The finger insertion section 20 is a space between the finger insertion sheet 15 and the back layer 14, and is a space into which the wearer inserts their finger when wearing the pad 1. The finger insertion sheet 15 is shorter in the front-to-back direction than the back layer 14 and shorter in the width direction than the back layer 14. The finger insertion sheet 15 is located on the non-skin side of the back layer 14, on the rear side in the front-to-back direction. Both widthwise ends of the finger insertion sheet 15 are joined and fixed to the non-skin side of the back layer 14 by finger insertion sheet joints 16 formed with an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive (see FIG. 2). The front end and the rear end of the finger insertion sheet 15 each have an opening where the finger insertion sheet 15 and the back layer 14 are not fixed with an adhesive. The front opening is larger than the rear opening. The wearer can insert a finger (for example, a middle finger) through the opening on the front side of the finger insertion section 20, support the pad 1, and place the pad 1 against the labia to wear it.

[0052] The finger insertion sheet 15 can be made of the same material as the front layer 11 and the back layer 14. Examples of suitable materials include spunlace nonwoven fabrics, shrink-type nonwoven fabrics, and extensible spunbond nonwoven fabrics made from composite synthetic fibers such as PE / PP, PE / PET, and PP / PP; sheet materials made from fibers of rayon, acetate, cotton, pulp, or synthetic resin (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET)); and sheet materials such as breathable films, paper, and breathable liquid-blocking sheets. Other suitable materials include films made from synthetic rubber or amorphous olefin resin; perforated foam films, nets, woven fabrics, or fabrics made from woven fabrics woven with spun filaments made from synthetic rubber; spunbond nonwoven fabrics or meltblown nonwoven fabrics primarily made from synthetic rubber; and expanded foam sheets. In this embodiment, sheet materials primarily made from pulp and rayon are used.

[0053] In the present embodiment, the pad 1 is folded away from the skin at the fold line F when unused, but this is not limited to this. For example, the pad may be unfolded and have no fold line F when unused, and the wearer may fold the pad away from the skin when wearing it. The pad may also have multiple fold lines F. The fold line F may have a so-called crease, or may not have a crease.

[0054] <About Wearing Pad 1> Pad 1 is worn by folding the widthwise center portion toward the non-skin side along the front-to-rear direction and bringing it into contact with the wearer's skin (excretory opening). Pad 1 of this embodiment is a sanitary product, and can be worn by folding it toward the non-skin side along fold line F so that it is convex toward the skin, and then sandwiching the widthwise center portion of pad 1 between the woman's labia. Pad 1 adheres more closely to the body (excretory opening) than a sanitary napkin, making it less likely for excreta (menstrual blood) to leak and less likely to cause discomfort during excretion.

[0055] To wear the pad 1, the wearer inserts a finger (index finger or middle finger) into the finger insertion section 20 from the front side of the pad 1 folded at the fold F, and then places the pad 1 between the labia from the ventral side, sandwiching it between the labia. After use, the worn pad 1 can be dropped into the toilet bowl (toilet) or can be grasped with the hand and placed in the toilet bowl, and then flushed down the toilet. To facilitate flushing, the components and adhesives constituting the pad 1 are preferably made of biodegradable, water-dispersible, or water-soluble materials. Flushing the pad 1 down the toilet reduces the effort required to dispose of the pad 1 as waste and reduces the amount of waste.

[0056] "Biodegradable" refers to a material that is broken down into gases such as carbon dioxide or methane, water, and biomass under anaerobic or aerobic conditions in the presence of bacteria such as actinomycetes or other microorganisms, following natural processes. The biodegradability (biodegradation rate, biodegradability, etc.) of the material is comparable to that of naturally occurring materials such as fallen leaves, or synthetic polymers generally recognized as biodegradable under the same conditions. "Water-dispersible" refers to a material that is water-degradable, and is not affected by the limited amount of water (menstrual blood) present when worn, but is easily dispersed in a large amount of water or flowing water into small fragments that will not clog ordinary toilet plumbing. "Water-soluble" refers to a material that is not affected by the limited amount of water (menstrual blood) present when worn, but is soluble in a large amount of water or flowing water.

[0057] <Absorbent Layer 13> Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating the configuration of the absorbent layer 13. The absorbent layer 13 of this embodiment includes, in order from the skin side in the thickness direction, a skin-side sheet 131, an absorbent core 132, and a non-skin-side sheet 133. As shown in Fig. 5, when the pad 1 is divided into three equal parts in the width direction, the central region is referred to as a central region CR, and the regions on both sides are referred to as edge regions SR.

[0058] The absorbent core 132 is a portion with water-absorbing and water-retentive properties that absorb and retain liquids (body fluids) such as menstrual blood, and can be made of, for example, pulp, chemical pulp, rayon, acetate, natural cotton, synthetic fibers, cellulose foam, open-cell foam of synthetic resin, etc., either alone or in combination. Also, a particulate absorbent polymer and a fibrous absorbent polymer may be mixed, or a sheet-like absorbent polymer may be used. Furthermore, in order to maintain the bulk of the absorbent core and increase water-retentive properties, a mixture of chemical pulp, acetate, and synthetic fibers that have been cross-linked and crimped with a cross-linking agent may be used. The pad 1 uses pulp fibers (absorbent fibers) molded into a predetermined shape.

[0059] The skin-side sheet 131 is a member that covers the absorbent core 132 from the skin side, and the non-skin-side sheet 133 is a member that covers the absorbent core 132 from the non-skin side. Examples of materials that can be used for the skin-side sheet 131 and the non-skin-side sheet 133 include pulverized pulp, cellulose such as cotton, regenerated cellulose such as rayon and fibril rayon, semi-synthetic cellulose such as acetate and triacetate, and thermoplastic hydrophobic chemical fibers that have been hydrophilized. In this embodiment, the skin-side sheet 131 of the pad 1 is a sheet made of spunlace pulp and rayon, and the non-skin-side sheet 133 is a sheet made of pulp such as 100% pulp wetlaid tissue.

[0060] Furthermore, the provision of the skin-side sheet 131 makes it easier to spread the excrement that reaches the absorbent layer 13 in the horizontal direction, and the horizontally spread excrement can be absorbed by the absorbent core 132. This makes it easier for the absorbent core 132 to quickly absorb the excrement, which helps to reduce discomfort felt by the wearer's skin.

[0061] The absorbent layer 13 also has multiple slits 18 and multiple compressed portions 19 (not shown in FIG. 5 ). The slits 18 are cuts that penetrate at least the absorbent layer 13 (skin-side sheet 131, absorbent core 132, and non-skin-side sheet 133) in the thickness direction. However, the slits 18 may also penetrate the absorbent layer 13 and auxiliary absorbent layer 12 in the thickness direction. The slits 18 allow the absorbent layer 13 and auxiliary absorbent layer 12 to flexibly deform in response to the wearer's body movements when the pad 1 is worn, improving fit. Furthermore, absorbed excreted liquid can be dispersed in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions along the slits 18, allowing the absorbent core 132 to absorb and retain excreted liquid over a wide area. As will be described in detail later, the slits 18 are formed by cutting the non-skin-side of the absorbent layer 13 in the thickness direction using a cutter or the like. Therefore, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, slits (cuts) are formed in at least the non-skin-side sheet 133.

[0062] The slits 18 include a first slit 18a extending along the width direction and a second slit 18b extending along the front-rear direction. Here, "a slit extending along the width direction" refers to a slit where the smaller of the angles between the slit (or a tangent to the slit) and the width direction is 45 degrees or less. That is, the first slits 18a include slits that are parallel to the width direction and slits that are tilted at a predetermined angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the width direction. Similarly, "a slit extending along the front-rear direction" refers to a slit where the smaller of the angles between the slit (or a tangent to the slit) and the front-rear direction is less than 45 degrees. That is, the second slits 18b include slits that are parallel to the front-rear direction and slits that are tilted at a predetermined angle of less than 45 degrees with respect to the front-rear direction.

[0063] The compressed portions 19 are portions that compress the absorbent layer 13 (skin-side sheet 131, absorbent core 132, and non-skin-side sheet 133) and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 in the thickness direction, and are formed, for example, by stacking the absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 in the thickness direction and embossing them (see Figure 4). The presence of the compressed portions 19 compresses the multiple fibers that make up the absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 together, making it easier for the absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 to maintain their respective shapes and less likely to come apart. Therefore, when the wearer moves while wearing the pad 1, the absorbent layer 13 is prevented from losing its shape or twisting, which could result in a poor fit or leakage of excrement.

[0064] The absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 are only bonded together by the compressed portion 19, and are not fixed with adhesive or the like. Therefore, when the pad 1 is flushed down the toilet after use, if the compressed portion 19 becomes wet, the bond between the fibers (hydrogen bonds) will be released, and the fibers that make up the absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 will easily fall apart. This improves water-disintegrability (water-dispersibility), making it less likely to cause problems such as clogging the toilet pipes.

[0065] The absorbent core 132 of this embodiment also contains pulp fibers (absorbent fibers) made from broad-leaved trees (hardwood pulp). These hardwood absorbent fibers are characterized by shorter fiber length and smaller fiber diameter than softwood absorbent fibers (softwood pulp) made from softwood.

[0066] Figure 6 shows the fiber length distribution of hardwood water-absorbent fibers (hardwood pulp) and softwood water-absorbent fibers (softwood pulp). The horizontal axis shows fiber length (mm), and the vertical axis shows frequency (%). As shown in Figure 6, the average fiber length of softwood pulp is about 2.5 mm, and the fiber length distribution is wide (including fibers 3 mm or longer; standard deviation is 1.6). In contrast, the average fiber length of hardwood water-absorbent fibers is about 0.79 mm, and the fiber length distribution is narrow (standard deviation is 0.27).

[0067] The average fiber length of pulp fibers refers to the length-weighted average fiber length L(l) measured by the centerline fiber length (Cont). The length-weighted average fiber length is measured as the L(l) value using a Kajaani FiberLab fiber properties (off-line) manufactured by Metso Automation. This is also the method recommended in JIS P 8226-2 (Pulp - Fiber length measurement method by optical automatic analysis, conforming to the non-polarized light method).

[0068] The absorbent core 132 is constructed of short-fiber absorbent fibers (with an average fiber length of approximately 0.8 mm) such as hardwood pulp, thereby providing high water retention. For example, when comparing an absorbent core made of short-fiber hardwood pulp with an absorbent core made of long-fiber softwood pulp at the same weight, the fiber density of hardwood pulp is higher than that of softwood pulp. In other words, the use of hardwood pulp allows for a higher density of the absorbent core 132 compared to when softwood pulp is used. Furthermore, by increasing the density of the absorbent core 132, the capillary effect can be enhanced, improving water retention. The fiber density corresponds to the average number of fibers per unit area and is a value calculated by adding the fiber thickness and the average fiber spacing to the number of fibers per unit area in the case of a close-packed structure.

[0069] <Method of manufacturing interlabial pad 1> Next, a method of manufacturing the interlabial pad 1 will be described. Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing the manufacturing process of the pad 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a manufacturing apparatus 500 for manufacturing absorbent articles such as the pad 1. Note that Figs. 7 and 8 explain typical steps involved in manufacturing the pad 1, and do not show all of the manufacturing steps.

[0070] The manufacturing apparatus 500 shown in Fig. 8 can intermittently manufacture the pad 1 according to this embodiment and other absorbent articles by sequentially performing the steps (S101 to S110) shown in Fig. 7. The manufacturing apparatus 500 includes a conveying mechanism 510, an absorbent core lamination mechanism 520, a sub-absorbent layer lamination mechanism 530, an inverting mechanism 540, a first slit forming mechanism 550, a second slit forming mechanism 560, a cutting and sealing mechanism 570, a sailor mechanism 580, a finger-insertion sheet attachment mechanism 590, and a loosening mechanism 595.

[0071] The manufacturing process of the pad 1 begins with a conveying step (S101) in which a continuous body of the non-skin side sheet 133 constituting the absorbent layer 13 is conveyed in the conveying direction. Note that in the manufacturing apparatus 500, the conveying direction is the direction along the front-to-rear direction of the pad 1. Hereinafter, the conveying direction will also be referred to as the "MD direction (Machine Direction)," and the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (the direction along the width direction of the pad 1, i.e., the direction into the paper in FIG. 8 ) will also be referred to as the "CD direction (Cross Direction)."

[0072] In the conveying step, a continuous non-skin-side sheet web 133a (substrate sheet) in which the non-skin-side sheets 133 are connected in the MD direction is unwound from a raw roll and then conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the MD direction at a predetermined conveying speed by a conveying mechanism 510 including a conveying roller or the like. Then, while the continuous non-skin-side sheet web 133a is being conveyed, steps S102 to S110 are performed, thereby manufacturing the pad 1.

[0073] Next, an absorbent core laminating process is performed in which an absorbent core laminating mechanism 520 is used to laminate absorbent cores 132 onto the non-skin side sheet continuous web 133a (substrate sheet) being transported in the MD direction (S102). The absorbent core laminating mechanism 520 includes a defibrator 521, a material supply unit 522, and a rotating drum 523. In the absorbent core laminating process, pulverized pulp, which is the raw material for the absorbent cores 132, is first produced. The pulverized pulp is produced by pulverizing a raw material pulp sheet PS1 using the defibrator 521. The defibrator 521 is provided with a rotating body (e.g., a sawmill 521m) having a cylindrical roll with multiple blades attached to its outer circumferential surface. The rotating body (sawmill 521m) rotates in a manner that scrapes the pulp sheet PS1 being unwound from the raw roll, thereby finely pulverizing the pulp sheet PS1 and producing pulverized pulp. The pulp sheet PS1 may be pulverized using a rotor other than the sawmill 521m, or a hammer mill may be used instead of the rotor to pulverize the pulp sheet PS1 by beating it. In addition, in this embodiment, the pulp sheet PS1 that is the raw material for the absorbent core 132 is made of pulp that mainly contains hardwood pulp, as described above, but it may also contain softwood pulp, or may be a pulp-mixed spunlace.

[0074] The ground pulp produced by the defibrator 521 is collected inside the material supply unit 522 and supplied to the rotary drum 523. The material supply unit 522 is arranged to cover the top of the rotary drum 523, and mixes the ground pulp with a thermoplastic resin, and if necessary, further mixes with superabsorbent polymer particles (SAP), and supplies the mixture to the rotary drum 523 by air conveyance.

[0075] The rotating drum 523 is a hollow cylindrical drum equipped with a suction mechanism (not shown) that draws air from the outside to the inside of the outer peripheral surface. Furthermore, multiple recesses 523r are formed at a predetermined pitch on the outer peripheral surface as molds for filling the absorbent core 132 material. When the rotating drum 523 rotates and the recesses 523r enter the material supply section 522, the suction mechanism causes the absorbent core 132 material (ground pulp) supplied from the material supply section 522 to accumulate in the recesses 523r. As the rotating drum 523 rotates, the recesses 523r containing the absorbent core 132 material reach the bottom of the drum, and the absorbent core 132 material is released from the recesses 523r and transferred onto the transported base sheet (non-skin side sheet continuous web 133a) for delivery to the next process. This results in the absorbent core 132 being laminated on the skin side of the non-skin side sheet 133.

[0076] Next, the base sheet on which the absorbent core 132 is laminated is laminated on the continuous body 131a of the skin side sheet 131 as it is transported downstream in the conveying direction (MD direction) from the absorbent core lamination mechanism 520 (see FIG. 8 ), and reaches the auxiliary absorbent layer lamination mechanism 530 in a state in which the absorbent layer 13 is formed. For simplicity of explanation, the skin side sheet 131 is not shown in the steps following FIG. 8 .

[0077] Next, a sub-absorbent layer laminating step is performed in which the sub-absorbent layer laminating mechanism 530 laminates the sub-absorbent layer 12 on the skin side of the absorbent layer 13 in the thickness direction (S103). The sub-absorbent layer laminating mechanism 530 has a defibrator 531. The defibrator 531 has a sawmill 531m, which is a rotating body having a cylindrical roll with multiple blades on the circumferential surface. Similar to the defibrator 521, the defibrator 531 rotates in a manner that scrapes the pulp sheet PS2 unwound from the raw roll, thereby pulverizing the pulp sheet PS2 to produce ground pulp, which is the raw material for the sub-absorbent layer 12. The ground pulp is sprayed directly on the base sheet, and a layer of ground pulp (the sub-absorbent layer 12) is laminated on the skin side of the absorbent layer 13.

[0078] The pulp sheet PS2 used in the auxiliary absorbent layer lamination step contains softwood pulp, and may contain hardwood pulp in addition to softwood pulp, or may be a blend of rayon. The hardwood pulp content of the pulp sheet PS2 is lower than that of the pulp sheet PS1. This results in the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 having a longer average fiber length and a larger average fiber diameter than the absorbent core 132.

[0079] After the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 is laminated on the absorbent layer 13, an embossing process is carried out to form compressed portions 19. This causes the multiple fibers constituting the absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 to be compressed together, so that the laminated layers do not easily peel off or lose their shape.

[0080] Next, an inversion step is performed in which the base sheet (the absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12) is inverted in the thickness direction by the inversion mechanism 540 (S104). In Fig. 8, the base sheet, which was transported from left to right on the paper, is inverted in the transport direction from right to left, and at the same time, the thickness direction is also inverted. Therefore, after the inversion step, the base sheet is transported in the MD with the absorbent layer 13 stacked vertically above the auxiliary absorbent layer 12.

[0081] Next, a first slit forming step is performed in which a first slit 18a is formed in the absorbent layer 13 using a first slit forming mechanism 550 (S105). The first slit forming mechanism 550 includes a cutter roll 551 and an anvil roll 552. The cutter roll 551 is a cylindrical roll having a plurality of blades on its peripheral surface, and is a rotating body that is driven to rotate about a rotation axis along the CD direction. The anvil roll 552 is disposed opposite the cutter roll 551 in the thickness direction (vertical direction in FIG. 8 ), and is a rotating body that is driven to rotate about a rotation axis along the CD direction. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 , the cutter roll 551 is provided on the upper side (non-skin side of the pad 1) of the manufacturing apparatus 500 in the vertical direction, and the anvil roll 552 is provided on the lower side (skin side of the pad 1). The cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 sandwich and press the base sheet (the absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12) in the thickness direction, thereby forming the first slit 18a. The specific configurations and functions of the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 will be described later.

[0082] Next, a second slit forming step is performed in which a second slit 18b is formed in the absorbent layer 13 using a second slit forming mechanism 560 (S106). The second slit forming mechanism 560 has a cutter roll 561 and an anvil roll 562. The cutter roll 561 is a cylindrical roll having multiple blades on its circumferential surface, and is a rotating body that is driven to rotate about a rotation axis along the CD direction. The anvil roll 562 is disposed opposite the cutter roll 561 in the thickness direction (vertical direction in FIG. 8 ), and is a rotating body that is driven to rotate about a rotation axis along the CD direction. The specific configurations and functions of the cutter roll 561 and the anvil roll 562 will be described later. In the second slit forming step, the second slit forming mechanism 560 cuts the base sheet (the absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12) into a substantially elliptical shape as indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 1 .

[0083] After slits 18 are formed in the absorbent layer 13 (and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12) in the first slit forming step (S105) and the second slit forming step (S106), a continuum 11a of the surface layer 11 is laminated in the thickness direction from the skin side of the auxiliary absorbent layer 12, and a continuum 14a of the back layer 14 is laminated from the non-skin side of the absorbent layer 13.

[0084] Next, a cutting and sealing process is performed in which the continuum 11a of the top layer 11 and the continuum 14a of the back layer 14, with the absorbent layer 13 and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 sandwiched in the thickness direction, are cut into a predetermined shape and joined (sealed) using a cutting and sealing mechanism 570 (S107). In this cutting and sealing process, the continuum 11a of the top layer 11 and the continuum 14a of the back layer 14 are joined in a region outside the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 (absorbent layer 13) by a known welding method such as thermal welding or ultrasonic welding, or by an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive. In other words, the top layer 11 and the back layer 14 are sealed in a region outside the area surrounded by the dashed line representing the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 in the flat state of the pad 1 shown in FIG. 1. The strip-shaped continuum 11a, 14a extending in the MD direction is then cut along the outer edge (contour) of the pad 1 to cut out individual pads 1.

[0085] Next, a sailing step (S108) is performed in which each pad 1 is folded along the front-to-back direction (MD) at the center of the width direction (CD) using a sailing mechanism 580. As shown in Fig. 3B, the sailing mechanism 580 folds the pad 1 along a fold line F along the front-to-back direction (MD) into a triangular shape that is convex toward the skin.

[0086] Next, a finger insertion sheet attachment step is performed (S109) in which the finger insertion sheet 15 is attached to the non-skin side of the back layer 14 using a finger insertion sheet attachment mechanism 590. The finger insertion sheet attachment mechanism 590 attaches the finger insertion sheet 15 to the non-skin side of the back layer 14 of the pad 1 folded into a triangle, as shown in FIG. 3B.

[0087] Next, a loosening process is performed (S110) in which the pad 1 (absorbent article) is loosened using a loosening mechanism 595. The loosening mechanism 595 has multiple rollers that transport the pad 1 folded in half at the fold line F along its circumferential surface. By bending the pad 1 to one side and the other in the thickness direction along the circumferential surface of the rollers, the pad 1 loosens and uniforms uneven distribution and intertwining of the pulp fibers contained in the pad 1. This allows the absorbent layer 13 to flexibly deform, improving the fit of the pad 1 when worn. Furthermore, since the unevenness of the pulp fibers is corrected, liquid absorption and liquid diffusion properties are improved.

[0088] After the loosening process, the pads 1 are individually packaged downstream in the MD direction, and shipped as interlabial pad packages packed one by one or in multiple units, and distributed to the market.

[0089] <Regarding Formation and Arrangement of Slits 18> Next, the details of the method for forming the first slits 18a and the second slits 18b will be described. First, the method for forming the first slits 18a in the first slit formation step (S105) will be described. FIGS. 9A to 9C are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a cutter roll 551 used when forming the first slits 18a. FIG. 9A is a plan view of the cutter roll 551 as viewed from the MD direction. FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating the arrangement pattern of multiple blades 551c provided on the circumferential surface 551f of the cutter roll 551. FIG. 9C is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrows D-D in FIG. 9B. Additionally, FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of an anvil roll 552 used when forming the first slits 18a. FIG. 10A is a plan view of the anvil roll 552 as viewed from the MD direction. FIG. 10B is an enlarged view of region E in FIG. 10A.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 9A , the cutter roll 551 of the first slit forming mechanism 550 is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates around a rotation axis Ar1 aligned in the CD direction. The cutter roll 551 has multiple blades 551c, 551c... protruding radially outward from the cylindrical peripheral surface 551f. The multiple blades 551c are arranged in the pattern shown in FIG. 9B , and the pattern shown in FIG. 9B is intermittently provided at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction on the peripheral surface 551f of the cutter roll 551 as shown in FIG. 9A . Each of the multiple blades 551c is arranged so as to be able to form slits primarily along the CD direction (the width direction of the pad 1). That is, each blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 is primarily parallel to the CD direction or inclined at a predetermined angle of 45 degrees or less relative to the CD direction. These blades 551c can form multiple first slits 18a in the pad 1. However, the cutter roll 551 may also form some slits 18 aligned in the MD direction.

[0091] 10A, the anvil roll 552 of the first slit forming mechanism 550 is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates around a rotation axis Ar2 along the CD direction, and is disposed opposite the cutter roll 551 with the pad 1 (base sheet) sandwiched therebetween (see FIG. 8). As the anvil roll 552 and the cutter roll 551 rotate, a slit (incision) corresponding to the shape of the blade 551c is formed in the base sheet (in this embodiment, the absorbent layer 13, the auxiliary absorbent layer 12, etc.) sandwiched between them at a portion where a peripheral surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 and a tip of a blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 abut against each other.

[0092] Grooves 552d recessed radially inward are provided in a portion of the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552. In this embodiment, a pair of grooves 552d are provided on both sides of a center position CDCL in the CD direction of the anvil roll 552. The grooves 552d are provided continuously along the circumferential direction of the anvil roll 552 (the direction corresponding to the MD direction).

[0093] 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation of forming the first slits 18a by the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552. Fig. 11 shows the positional relationship between the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 and the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552 when the cutter roll 551 and the anvil roll 552 are aligned and opposed to each other at the center position CDCL in the CD direction.

[0094] As shown in Fig. 11 , there are overlapping portions between the blade 551c and the groove 552d on both sides of the central position CDCL in the CD direction. For example, in region F in Fig. 11 , the first portion np of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 located in the central portion in the CD direction overlaps with the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552. On the other hand, the second portions cp of the blade 551c located at both ends in the CD direction do not overlap with the groove 552d. In other words, when the tip of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 abuts against the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552, the second portion cp of the blade 551c abuts against the circumferential surface 552f, but the first portion np does not abut against the circumferential surface 552f.

[0095] In this case, the second portions cp of the blade 551c located at both ends in the CD direction press the base sheet (the absorbent layer 13, etc.) toward the peripheral surface 552f of the anvil roll 552, thereby forming the slits 18. On the other hand, the first portions np of the blade 551c located in the center in the CD direction press the base sheet (the absorbent layer 13, etc.) toward the grooves 552d of the anvil roll 552, and therefore do not form the slits 18. As a result, the first slits 18a along the width direction are formed such that the center in the CD direction (width direction) is divided (see the end regions SR in FIG. 5 ).

[0096] It is preferable that the boundary between the circumferential surface 552f and the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552 be chamfered. In FIG. 10B, the corner portion ch shown in black at the boundary between the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 and the groove 552d is chamfered. By providing such a chamfered portion ch, the force applied when the blade 551c presses the cutter roll 551 changes gradually at the boundary between the portion of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 that overlaps with the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552 in the CD direction (the second portion cp that forms the slit 18) and the portion that overlaps with the groove 552d (the first portion np that does not form the slit 18). Therefore, compared to when the chamfered portion ch is not present, the substrate is less likely to adhere to the blade 551c at the end of the slit 18. Furthermore, the chamfer at the boundary between the circumferential surface 552f and the groove 552d may be formed linearly as shown in FIG. 10B, or may be formed curvedly. In other words, the boundary between the peripheral surface 552f and the groove 552d may have a curved shape.

[0097] Next, a method for forming the second slits 18b in the second slit forming step (S106) will be described. Figures 12A to 12C are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a cutter roll 561 used when forming the second slits 18b. Figure 12A is a plan view of the cutter roll 561 as viewed from the MD direction. Figure 12B is a diagram illustrating the arrangement pattern of multiple blades 561c provided on the peripheral surface 561f of the cutter roll 561. Figure 12C is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrows G-G in Figure 12B.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 12A , the cutter roll 561 of the second slit forming mechanism 560 is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates around a rotation axis Ar3 aligned in the CD direction. The cutter roll 561 has multiple blades 561c, 561c... protruding radially outward from the cylindrical circumferential surface 561f. The multiple blades 561c are arranged in the pattern shown in FIG. 12B , and the pattern shown in FIG. 12B is intermittently provided at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction on the circumferential surface 561f of the cutter roll 561 as shown in FIG. 12A . Each of the multiple blades 561c is configured to be able to form slits primarily along the MD direction (the front-to-rear direction of the pad 1). That is, the blades 561c of the cutter roll 561 are primarily parallel to the MD direction or inclined at a predetermined angle less than 45 degrees relative to the MD direction. These blades 561c can form multiple second slits 18b in the pad 1. However, the cutter roll 561 may also form slits 18 partially aligned in the CD direction.

[0099] Furthermore, a circumferential blade 561rc is provided on the peripheral surface 561f of the cutter roll 561 so as to surround the multiple blades 561c, 561c... along the MD direction. The circumferential blade 561rc is provided to match the shape of the outer edge of the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 (the roughly elliptical shape indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1 ), and cuts out the sheet-like auxiliary absorbent layer 12 laminated in the auxiliary absorbent layer lamination step (S103) in a so-called die-cutting manner, thereby forming the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 into a roughly elliptical shape.

[0100] The anvil roll 562 of the second slit forming mechanism 560 is a cylindrical rotating body that rotates about a rotation axis along the CD direction, and is disposed opposite the cutter roll 561 with the pad 1 (base sheet) sandwiched therebetween (see FIG. 8 ). Note that the circumferential surface of the anvil roll 562 does not have any depressions (grooves) corresponding to the grooves 552d of the anvil roll 552 (see FIG. 10 ). As the anvil roll 562 and the cutter roll 561 rotate, a slit (incision) corresponding to the shape of the blade 561c is formed in the base sheet (in this embodiment, the absorbent layer 13, the auxiliary absorbent layer 12, etc.) sandwiched between them at a portion where the circumferential surface of the anvil roll 562 abuts against the tip of the blade 561c of the cutter roll 561. At the same time, at the portion where the peripheral surface of the anvil roll 562 and the tip of the circumferential blade 561rc of the cutter roll 561 abut, the base sheet (absorbent layer 13 and auxiliary absorbent layer 12) sandwiched between them is cut out into an approximately elliptical shape along the shape of the circumferential blade 561rc.

[0101] Note that a portion of the blade 561c of the cutter roll 561 of the second slit forming mechanism 560 is positioned so as to overlap the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552 of the first slit forming mechanism 550 in the CD direction (see FIG. 12B ). Therefore, a portion of the second slit 18b formed in the second slit forming step (S106) is formed in a portion where the first slit 18a is not formed in the first slit forming step (S105) (a portion corresponding to the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552). As a result, in the edge region SR of the pad 1, as shown in FIG. 5 , there is no portion where the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b intersect with each other.

[0102] Fig. 13 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the plurality of first slits 18a and the plurality of second slits 18b formed in region S in Fig. 5. In the front-to-rear direction in Fig. 13, a second slit 18b1 (referred to as a front second slit) extending along the front-to-rear direction is provided forward of a central position CL, and a second slit 18b2 (referred to as a rear second slit) extending along the front-to-rear direction and spaced apart from second slit 18b1 is provided rearward of the central position CL.

[0103] In addition, first slits 18a11 (referred to as "one-side first slit") and first slits 18a12 (referred to as "other-side first slit") are provided along the left-right direction, adjacent to both sides of the second slit 18b1 in the width direction. As described in FIG. 11 , these first slits 18a11 and 18a2 are slits formed by a certain blade 551c of the cutter roll 551. For example, in the cross-sectional view showing region F in FIG. 11 , the first slit 18a11 (one-side first slit) is formed by a second portion cp of the blade 551c on the left side in the CD direction (one side in the width direction). Similarly, the first slit 18a12 (other-side first slit) is formed by a second portion cp of the blade 551c on the right side in the CD direction (the other side in the width direction). Furthermore, the first portion np of the blade 551c in FIG. 11 at the center in the CD direction presses against the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, so no slit is formed. Therefore, in Figure 13, no first slit 18a is formed in the area between the other widthwise end of the first slit 18a11 (first slit on one side) and the one widthwise end of the first slit 18a12 (first slit on the other side).

[0104] That is, first slit 18a11 (first slit on one side) and first slit 18a12 (first slit on the other side) are discontinuous slits that are separated at groove 552d in the process of being formed by one blade 551c of cutter roll 551. Since these two slits are formed by one blade 551c, the extension line of first slit 18a11 and the extension line of first slit 18a12 overlap when viewed in the thickness direction (see FIG. 13).

[0105] Furthermore, first slits 18a31, 18a32, 18a41, 18a42, and 18a51 are provided along the left-right direction so as to be adjacent to the second slit 18b2 (rear second slit) in the width direction. By providing a plurality of first slits 18a and second slits 18b that are oriented in different directions, when the pad 1 is worn, the absorbent layer 13 and the like are bent and deformed three-dimensionally with the slits 18a and 18b as bending starting points, making it easier to fit snugly to the contours of the wearer's body.

[0106] 5 and 13, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, of the multiple slits 18, 18 provided in the end regions SR on both sides in the width direction, none of the slits 18 intersects with the other slits 18. Specifically, in the end regions SR, a first slit 18a extending along a certain direction (the width direction in FIG. 5) does not intersect with a second slit 18b extending along a different direction from the first slit 18a (the front-to-rear direction in FIG. 5). This makes it possible to reduce the likelihood of discomfort to the wearer when wearing the pad 1.

[0107] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating a case where the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b have an intersection. Figure 14 illustrates a state in which the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b are provided in a base sheet, such as the non-skin-side sheet 133, and the two slits intersect at the intersection ip. When wearing an absorbent article (interlabial pad) with such intersecting slits, the base sheet may roll up toward the wearer's skin at the intersection ip of the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b. In particular, in sanitary products such as interlabial pads, if rolling up toward the skin occurs at both widthwise ends (portions corresponding to the end regions SR of the pad 1), which are portions that contact the wearer's labia, as shown in Figure 14, the rolled-up portions may irritate the labia, causing discomfort or annoyance to the wearer.

[0108] In contrast, in the interlabial pad 1 of this embodiment, the first slits 18a and the second slits 18b, each of which is provided in multiple numbers, do not intersect with each other, at least in the edge region SR. Therefore, the intersecting slits are less likely to roll up toward the skin, as shown in Figure 14. In this way, in the pad 1, the first slits 18a and the second slits 18b are provided in multiple directions in the edge region SR, which facilitates three-dimensional deformation of the absorbent layer 13 and improves fit. In addition, because the slits 18a, 18b do not intersect with each other, the non-skin-side sheet 133 and other components of the absorbent layer 13 are prevented from rolling up toward the skin, making it less likely that the wearer will experience discomfort or unnaturalness.

[0109] Of the multiple slits 18, 18..., the first slit 18a is provided along the width direction of the pad 1, and the second slit 18b is provided along the front-to-rear direction of the pad 1. Therefore, the absorbent layer 13 and the like are likely to bend and deform in the front-to-rear and width directions, with the slits 18a, 18b as bending starting points. This allows the pad 1 to deform more flexibly in accordance with the unevenness of the wearer's crotch area, improving the fit.

[0110] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, the central region CR, located in the widthwise center of the pad 1, has a portion where the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b intersect. That is, in the central region CR, the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b may roll toward the skin at the intersection of the first slit 18a and the second slit 18b. However, the central region CR is the portion that abuts against the wearer's vaginal opening when the pad 1 is worn, and even if rolling toward the skin occurs, the rolling is sandwiched between the labia and is therefore less likely to cause discomfort to the wearer than if the rolling were to abut against the labia. Conversely, the absorbent layer 13 is more likely to bend and deform in the central region CR, thereby improving the fit to the vaginal opening.

[0111] Furthermore, the distance between the first slit 18a on one side and the first slit 18a on the other side, which are adjacent to each other on either side of the second slit 18b in the width direction, is shorter than the length of at least one of the first slit 18a on one side and the first slit 18a on the other side. Here, the distance between the first slit 18a on one side and the first slit 18a on the other side refers to the distance between the other end of the first slit 18a in the width direction and the other end of the first slit 18a in the width direction. For example, in FIG. 13 , the distance l2 between the first slit 18a31 on one side of the rear second slit 18b2 in the width direction and the first slit 18a32 on the other side of the rear second slit 18b2 in the width direction is shorter than at least the length l1 of the first slit 18a31 (l1 > l2).

[0112] If the width (l2) of the portion where the slits 18 are not formed between the first slits 18a31 on one side and the first slits 18a32 on the other side were longer than the lengths (l1, l3) of the slits, bending deformation of the absorbent layer 13 would be difficult to occur in the portion where the slits 18 are not formed, which could result in poor fit. In contrast, by making the width (l2) of the portion where the slits 18 are not formed shorter than the lengths (l1, l3) of the slits, as in this embodiment, bending deformation of the absorbent layer 13 occurs more easily than in the opposite case, and the fit in the edge region SR of the pad 1 can be improved.

[0113] Furthermore, it is preferable that the distance between the one-side first slit 18a and the other-side first slit 18a, which are adjacent on both sides in the width direction with the second slit 18b in between, is shorter than the length of the one-side first slit 18a and also shorter than the length of the other-side first slit 18a. In other words, it is preferable that the distance between the one-side first slit 18a and the other-side first slit 18a is shorter than both the one-side first slit 18a and the other-side first slit 18a. Since long slits 18a, 18a that promote deformation are provided on both sides of the region where no slits 18 are formed and where the absorbent layer 13 and the like are unlikely to deform, deformation occurs more easily over a wide range in the end region SR, further improving fit.

[0114] Furthermore, the distance between the first slits 18a on one side and the first slits 18a on the other side, which are adjacent to each other on either side of the second slit 18b in the width direction, is preferably longer than the average fiber length of the fibers contained in the absorbent core 132. Figures 15A and 15B are diagrams illustrating the influence of fiber length when forming the first slits 18a. Figure 15A shows a case where the average fiber length is longer than the distance between the first slits 18a on one side and the first slits 18a on the other side. Figure 15B shows a case where the average fiber length is shorter than the distance between the first slits 18a on one side and the first slits 18a on the other side.

[0115] If the average fiber length is longer than the distance between the first slits 18a on one side and the first slits 18a on the other side, when the first slits 18a are formed in the first slit forming step (S105), the fibers may be arranged so as to straddle the entire groove 552d of the anvil roll 552, as shown in Figure 15A. In this case, the fibers are cut when the second portions cp, cp at both ends in the CD direction (width direction) of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 press against the circumferential surface 552f of the anvil roll 552. If the fibers are cut, the fibers may become denser around the cut area, increasing rigidity and potentially reducing the flexibility of the absorbent core 132.

[0116] On the other hand, if the average fiber length is shorter than the distance between the first slits 18a on one side and the first slits 18a on the other side, there is a possibility that the fibers will be disposed between the grooves 552d of the anvil roll 552, as shown in FIG. 15B . In this case, the first portion np of the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 at the center in the CD direction (width direction) presses against the grooves 552d of the anvil roll 552, making it difficult for the fibers to be cut. Therefore, there are fewer areas where the fibers become highly dense around the cut area, making it difficult for the flexibility of the absorbent core 132 to deteriorate. In this way, if the distance between the first slits 18a on one side and the first slits 18a on the other side is longer than the average fiber length of the fibers, the probability that the fibers will be cut by the cutter roll 551c is reduced, making it easier to ensure the flexibility of the absorbent core 132.

[0117] Furthermore, between the first slit 18a on one side and the first slit 18a on the other side, adjacent to each other in the width direction across the second slit 18b, a portion of the absorbent core 132 is formed that is convex toward the skin side in the thickness direction. For example, in FIG. 13, a portion of the absorbent core 132 is convex toward the skin side in the region between the first slit 18a31 on one side and the first slit 18a32 on the other side (the region overlapping with the groove 552d). This is because, in the first slit forming step (S105), the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 presses the absorbent core 132 (substrate) from the non-skin side toward the skin side (the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552) (see FIG. 11, etc.). Furthermore, because the fibers constituting the absorbent core 132 have a convex portion toward the skin side without being cut, the absorbent core 132 is less likely to become densified in that region and is more likely to abut against the labia while maintaining its flexibility. This facilitates achieving good wearability.

[0118] Furthermore, the second slits 18b have discontinuous portions in the front-to-rear direction. In FIG. 13 , the front second slits 18b1 and the rear second slits 18b2 are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction, and the slits 18b1 and 18b2 are discontinuous. In the pad 1, the second slits 18b along the front-to-rear direction have the function of inducing the bending and deformation of the absorbent layer 13 in the width direction and the function of diffusing absorbed excrement, such as menstrual blood, in the front-to-rear direction of the absorbent layer 13. If the front second slits 18b1 and the rear second slits 18b2 were a single, long slit 18 continuous in the front-to-rear direction, the long slit extending in the front-to-rear direction would likely form long folds in the front-to-rear direction, which could make it difficult to fit the pad to complex irregularities in the body shape. Furthermore, it would be difficult to control the diffusion of absorbed excrement in the front-to-rear direction, which could result in excrement concentrating on only one side in the front-to-rear direction, and the absorbent layer 13 as a whole would not be able to fully exhibit its moisture retention performance. In contrast, by providing a discontinuous portion in the second slit 18b, it becomes easier to control the bending deformation of the absorbent layer 13 and the diffusion of excreted liquid, making it easier to achieve both good fit and liquid absorbency.

[0119] 13 , the length of the front second slit 18b1 in the front-to-rear direction is shorter than the length of the rear second slit 18b2 in the front-to-rear direction. As described above, the second slits 18b have the function of diffusing excrement, such as menstrual blood, in the front-to-rear direction of the absorbent layer 13. When the pad 1 is worn, the wearer's excretory opening (vagina) is likely to be located forward of the center position CL in the front-to-rear direction, so a greater amount of excrement is absorbed in the front region of the pad 1 in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, by lengthening the rear second slits 18b2, excrement can be more easily diffused toward the rear side of the absorbent layer 13 in the front-to-rear direction, which prevents excrement from accumulating in the front region in the front-to-rear direction and makes it easier to retain excrement over a wider area of ​​the absorbent layer 13.

[0120] In addition, when the second slits 18b are discontinuous in the front-to-rear direction, the first slits 18a extending along the width direction may be disposed in the discontinuous portions. In FIG. 13 , the first slits 18a21 and 18a22 are disposed in the discontinuous portions between the front second slits 18b1 and the rear second slits 18b2 in the front-to-rear direction. By disposing the first slits 18a extending along the width direction, it is possible to more easily restrict the movement (diffusion) of excreted liquid in the front-to-rear direction across the discontinuous portions between the front second slits 18b1 and the rear second slits 18b2 in the end region SR. This makes it easier to control the liquid diffusion in the absorbent layer 13.

[0121] 13, the first slits 18a21 and 18a22 provided in the discontinuous portion between the front second slit 18b1 and the rear second slit 18b2 are disposed in the central region when the pad 1 is divided into thirds in the front-to-rear direction. This central region in the front-to-rear direction is the region located under the crotch of the wearer when the pad 1 is worn, and therefore, by providing the first slits 18a21 and 18a22 along the width direction in this region, the pad 1 (absorbent layer 13) can be easily bent forward and backward in the central region, making it easier to fit along the crotch area of ​​the wearer.

[0122] Furthermore, in the pad 1, the number of first slits 18a arranged adjacent to each other in the width direction of the rear-side second slits 18b2 is greater than the number of first slits 18a arranged adjacent to each other in the width direction of the front-side second slits 18b1. Here, the first slits 18a arranged adjacent to each other in the width direction of the second slits 18b refer to the first slits 18a that are formed in the first slit forming step (S105) described above so as to be divided in the width direction by the blade 551c of the cutter roll 551 and the groove 552d of the anvil roll 552 (see FIG. 11 ) and that are arranged at a position where at least a portion of the first slits 18a overlaps with a second slit 18b in the front-rear direction.

[0123] 13, two first slits 18a11 and 18a12 are provided adjacent to the front second slit 18b1. Meanwhile, five first slits 18a31, 18a32, 18a41, 18a42, and 18a51 are provided adjacent to the rear second slit 18b2. By providing more slits 18 (18a) in the region rearward of the center position CL in the front-to-rear direction, the rear region of the absorbent layer 13 is more likely to undergo three-dimensional deformation. Therefore, when wearing the pad 1, the absorbent layer 13 is more likely to undergo three-dimensional deformation on the rear side (dorsal side) of the body in accordance with large irregularities such as the buttocks, thereby improving fit.

[0124] Furthermore, the front-to-rear length of each second slit 18b in the central region CR of the pad 1 is shorter than the front-to-rear length of each second slit 18b in the edge regions SR (see FIG. 5). When the pad 1 is worn, the central region CR abuts the wearer's excretory opening and absorbs a greater amount of excrement, such as menstrual blood. Therefore, spreading the excrement absorbed in the central region CR in the width direction from the central region CR to the edge regions SR, rather than spreading it in the front-to-rear direction within the central region CR, allows the excrement to be absorbed and retained more efficiently over a wider area of ​​the absorbent layer 13. Therefore, in the central region CR of the pad 1, the front-to-rear length of the second slits 18b is not excessively long to limit front-to-rear liquid diffusion. On the other hand, in the edge regions SR, the front-to-rear length of the second slits 18b is increased to promote front-to-rear liquid diffusion. This facilitates spreading excrement over a wider area of ​​the absorbent layer 13.

[0125] Furthermore, at least some of the first slits 18a arranged in the edge region SR are inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the width direction (CD direction). For example, in the front region in the front-to-rear direction of FIG. 13, the first slits 18a11-18a22 are inclined from one side to the other in the width direction and from the rear to the front in the front-to-rear direction. The obliquely inclined first slits 18a facilitate bending and deformation along the obliquely arranged first slits 18a when the pad 1 is worn. This facilitates three-dimensional deformation of the absorbent layer 13, allowing it to better fit the contours of the body.

[0126] Furthermore, the first slits 18a arranged in the edge region SR are arranged so that the inclination angle with respect to the width direction is opposite between the front and rear sides of the center position CL in the front-to-rear direction. For example, in Fig. 13, the inclination with respect to the width direction of the first slit 18a11 arranged on the front side in the front-to-rear direction is opposite to that of the first slit 18a41 arranged on the rear side in the front-to-rear direction. This causes the bending deformation of the absorbent layer 13 to be opposite between the front side (ventral side) and the rear side (dorsal side) of the wearer's body when the pad 1 is worn, thereby improving the fit on both the ventral side and the dorsal side.

[0127] As described above, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, the absorbent core 132 of the absorbent layer 13 is formed primarily from hardwood pulp, and the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 laminated on the skin side of the absorbent layer 13 is formed containing softwood pulp. Therefore, the fibers constituting the absorbent core 132 have shorter and thinner average fiber lengths than the fibers constituting the auxiliary absorbent layer 12. As a result, the absorbent core 132 is likely to have densely packed fibers and a high density, while the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 is less likely to have a high density compared to the absorbent core 132. With this configuration, the density of the auxiliary absorbent layer 12, which is located closest to the wearer's skin when the pad 1 is worn, is less likely to be high, resulting in a softer feel against the skin.

[0128] 2, the absorbent core 132 has a widthwise central portion that is thinner and has a lower basis weight than both end portions. In other words, the average basis weight in the central region CR of the absorbent core 132 is smaller than the average basis weight in the end regions SR. This makes it easier for the absorbent core 132 to bend along the fold line F (folding line) in the widthwise central portion (center C-C), and it is easier to maintain the mountain-shaped shape in which the center C-C is convex toward the skin, as shown in FIG. 3A. This improves the fit to the vaginal opening when worn.

[0129] As shown in Figure 5, in the end regions SR, where the absorbent core 132 has a larger basis weight, the slits 18a, 18b do not intersect with each other, while in the central region CR, where the absorbent core 132 has a smaller basis weight, the slits 18a, 18b intersect with each other. As described above, the end regions SR are the regions that come into contact with the wearer's labia when the pad 1 is worn, so preventing the slits 18a, 18b from intersecting makes it less likely for the pad to roll up. On the other hand, the central region CR is the region that is positioned between the wearer's labia when the pad 1 is worn, so even if the slits 18a, 18b intersect and cause rolling up, it is less likely to cause discomfort to the wearer. Furthermore, since the absorbent core 132 has a smaller basis weight in the central region CR, combined with the intersecting slits 18a, 18b, the central region CR is more flexible and deformable, improving the fit to the vaginal opening when worn.

[0130] ===Other Embodiments= ...

[0131] In the above embodiment, the absorbent core 132 of the absorbent layer 13 is described as being composed of short fibers with an average fiber length of approximately 0.8 mm. Conventionally, when it is desired to finely grind pulp to shorten the fiber length, a softener (debonder) such as a quaternary ammonium surfactant is added to the pulp sheet before grinding to make the pulp easier to grind (so-called treated pulp). However, the use of a softener (debonder) may easily impair water absorption.

[0132] Therefore, it is preferable that the absorbent fibers constituting the absorbent core 132 of the pad 1 are formed without containing a softener (debonder), thereby preventing a decrease in the water retention performance of the absorbent core 132. In the above-described embodiment, the absorbent core 132 is formed using hardwood pulp, so that the average fiber length can be set to about 0.8 mm without using a softener (debonder), thereby realizing an absorbent core 132 with excellent water absorption and flexibility.

[0133] In the above embodiment, the pad 1 is described as being configured such that the absorbent layer 13 is disposed closer to the skin than the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 (see FIG. 2, etc.), but the arrangement of these layers in the thickness direction may be reversed. For example, the auxiliary absorbent layer 12 may be disposed on the side of the absorbent layer 13 that is closer to the skin in the thickness direction. Alternatively, the pad 1 may be configured to include only the absorbent layer 13, without the auxiliary absorbent layer 12.

[0134] 1 Interlabial pad (pad, absorbent article), 11 Surface layer, 11a Continuous body, 12 Sub-absorbent layer, 13 Absorbent layer, 131 Skin side sheet, 131a Continuous body, 132 Absorbent core, 133 Non-skin side sheet, 133a Continuous body, 14 Back layer, 14a Continuous body, 15 Finger insertion sheet, 15de Finger insertion sheet non-jointed portion, 16 Finger insertion sheet jointed portion, 17 Back layer jointed portion, 18 Slit, 18a First slit, 18a11, 18a21, 18a31, 18a41, 18a51 One side first slit, 18a12, 18a22, 18a32, 18a42 Other side first slit, 18b Second slit, 18b1 Front side second slit, 18b2 Rear second slit, 19 Compression section, 20 Finger insertion section, 500 Manufacturing device, 510 Conveying mechanism, 520 Absorbent core laminating mechanism, 521 Defibration device, 522 Material supply section, 523 Rotating drum, 523r Recess, 530 Sub-absorbent layer laminating mechanism, 531 Defibration device, 540 Reversing mechanism, 550 First slit forming mechanism, 551 Cutter roll, 551f Peripheral surface, 551c Blade, 552 Anvil roll, 552f Peripheral surface, 552d Groove, 560 Second slit forming mechanism, 561 Cutter roll, 561f Peripheral surface, 561c Blade, 561rc Circumferential blade, 562 Anvil roll, 570 Cutting and sealing mechanism, 580 Sailer mechanism, 590 Finger insertion sheet attaching mechanism, 595 Refining mechanism, F Folding line (bending line), PS1 Pulp sheet, PS2 Pulp sheet, CR Central region, SR End region

Claims

1. An interlabial pad having a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that intersect each other, comprising an absorbent core and a non-skin-side sheet provided on the non-skin side in the thickness direction with respect to the absorbent core, wherein the non-skin-side sheet has a plurality of slits in end regions located on both sides when the interlabial pad is divided into three equal parts in the width direction, the plurality of slits include a first slit along a first direction and a second slit along a direction different from the first direction, and none of the plurality of slits intersects with other slits.

2. The interlabial pad according to claim 1, wherein the first slit is a slit along the width direction, and the second slit is a slit along the longitudinal direction.

3. The interlabial pad according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in a central region located at the center when the interlabial pad is divided into three equal parts in the width direction, there are a plurality of the first slits and a plurality of the second slits along a direction different from the first direction, and in the central region, there is a portion where the first slit and the second slit intersect.

4. The interlabial pad according to claim 2, wherein the first slit includes a first one-sided slit adjacent to one side of the second slit and a first other-sided slit adjacent to the other side of the second slit in the width direction, when viewed in the thickness direction, an extension line of the first one-sided slit and an extension line of the first other-sided slit overlap, and a distance between the first one-sided slit and the first other-sided slit is shorter than at least a length of either the first one-sided slit or the first other-sided slit.

5. The interlabial pad according to claim 4, wherein the distance between the first one-sided slit and the first other-sided slit is shorter than the length of the first one-sided slit and shorter than the length of the first other-sided slit.

6. The interlabial pad according to claim 4, wherein the distance between the first one-sided slit and the first other-sided slit is longer than an average fiber length of fibers included in the absorbent core.

7. The interlabial pad according to claim 4, wherein the absorbent core has a portion that protrudes toward the skin side in the thickness direction between the other end of the one-sided first slit and the one end of the other-sided first slit in the width direction. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

8. The interlabial pad according to claim 2, wherein the second slit has a discontinuous portion in the front-rear direction. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

9. The interlabial pad according to claim 8, wherein the second slit has a front-side second slit disposed on the front side of the central position of the absorbent core in the front-rear direction and a rear-side second slit disposed on the rear side of the central position, and the length of the front-side second slit in the front-rear direction is shorter than the length of the rear-side second slit in the front-rear direction. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

10. The interlabial pad according to claim 9, wherein the number of the first slits disposed adjacent to both sides in the width direction of the rear-side second slit is larger than the number of the first slits disposed adjacent to both sides in the width direction of the front-side second slit. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

11. The interlabial pad according to claim 2, wherein the length of the second slit provided in the central region located at the center when the interlabial pad is divided into three equal parts in the width direction is shorter than the length of the second slit provided in the end region in the front-rear direction. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

12. The interlabial pad according to claim 2, wherein in the end region, at least a part of the plurality of the first slits is disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the width direction. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

13. The interlabial pad according to claim 12, wherein the first slits are disposed such that the inclination angles with respect to the width direction are reversed on the front side and the rear side of the central position of the absorbent core in the front-rear direction. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

14. The interlabial pad according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a surface layer capable of contacting the skin of the wearer, having a sub-absorbing layer between the surface layer and the absorbent core, and the absorbent core having a shorter average fiber length and a thinner average fiber diameter than the sub-absorbing layer. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

15. The interlabial pad according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the average basis weight of the absorbent core in the central region located at the center when the interlabial pad is divided into three equal parts in the width direction is smaller than the average basis weight of the absorbent core in the end region. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

16. The interlabial pad according to claim 15, wherein the slits intersecting each other are not provided in the end region of the absorbent core having a large average basis weight, and the slits intersecting each other are provided in the central region of the absorbent core having a small average basis weight. The interlabial pad is characterized by this.

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