Absorbent article

Abstract

An absorbent article (1) includes an absorbent core (10) and has a joining means (30) that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article (1) at the time of disposal. The joining means (30) includes a one-side joining means (30) provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and an other-side joining means (30') provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, and has a portion in which the one-side joining means (30) and the other-side joining means (30') overlap each other in the width direction. In the longitudinal direction, the distance (A) from a central position (CL) of the absorbent article (1) to a central position (C30) of the one-side joining means (30) is different from the distance (B) from the central position (CL) of the absorbent article (1) to a central position (C30') of the other-side joining means (30').

Description

absorbent articles

[0001] The present invention relates to an absorbent article.

[0002] Patent Literature 1 describes an absorbent article that is easy to remove after use and can be kept in a compact state after removal. Specifically, when a used absorbent article is rolled up by rolling it from one end in the longitudinal direction for disposal, the rolled state can be maintained by a band-shaped region near the outer periphery of the absorbent article.

[0003] JP 2024-77999 A

[0004] On the other hand, when an absorbent article absorbs a large amount of excrement, it may become difficult to roll it up by rolling it from the end because the swelling increases in the thickness direction. In such cases, an absorbent article equipped with a closing mechanism that allows the absorbent article to be folded with the skin-facing side inward is desired. The closing mechanism is, for example, such that when the absorbent article is folded in half with the skin-facing side inward, joining means made of an adhesive, a self-adhesive, or the like are provided at both ends of the absorbent article so that they face each other. In an absorbent article equipped with such a closing mechanism, after use, the skin-facing side that has been adhering to the excrement can be closed, allowing the excrement and its odor to be contained and disposed of hygienically.

[0005] In such an absorbent article, if a pair of closing mechanisms (joining means) are arranged symmetrically on one side (e.g., the ventral side) and the other side (e.g., the dorsal side) in the longitudinal direction, the wearer may feel uncomfortable. In other words, if the positions of the pair of symmetrically arranged closing mechanisms cannot be changed, the wearer may feel uncomfortable when wearing the absorbent article. For example, if the joining means are arranged in a position overlapping with a position where local pressure is applied due to changes in the wearer's posture when wearing the absorbent article, the joining means may be pressed against the wearer's body, causing discomfort.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to make it less likely that an absorbent article with a closing mechanism will cause discomfort when worn.

[0007] The main invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is an absorbent article having a liquid-absorbent absorbent core and having a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction which are perpendicular to each other when unfolded, and having a joining means which can be joined to a part of the absorbent article when disposed of, the joining means having a one-side joining means provided on one side of the longitudinal direction and an other-side joining means provided on the other side of the longitudinal direction, having a portion in the width direction where the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means overlap, and the distance from the center position of the absorbent article to the center position of the one-side joining means is different from the distance from the center position of the absorbent article to the center position of the other-side joining means in the longitudinal direction.

[0008] Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0009] According to the present invention, in an absorbent article having a closing mechanism, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of discomfort occurring when worn.

[0010] 1 is a schematic plan view of the pad 1 in an unfolded and stretched state, as seen from the skin side. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pad 1. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are views showing the pad 1 folded in half in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view for explaining the details of the configuration of the pad 1. FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are explanatory views of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30'. FIG. 5B is an explanatory view of the joining means 30, 30'. FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B are diagrams for explaining the positional relationship between the wearer's body and the joining means 30 when wearing the pad 1. FIG. 6A is a plan view showing a first modified example of the joining means 30, 30'. FIG. 7B is a plan view showing a second modified example of the joining means 30, 30'. FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B are diagrams for explaining the overlapping range of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' when the pad 1 is folded in half at the center position CL in the longitudinal direction. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a case where the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are provided on opposite surfaces in the thickness direction. FIG. 12A is a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating the positional relationship between the fixing member 20 (fastening means) and the joining means 30. FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the pad 1 is attached to the inside of a pants-type diaper. FIGS. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a cover part 50 provided on the skin side of the joining means 30 (30'). FIGS. 14A and 14B are diagrams illustrating the operation and effect of the pad 1 to which the joining means 30, 30' are applied. FIGS. 15A to 15C are explanatory diagrams showing modified joining means of the pad 1.

[0011] The present specification and the accompanying drawings make at least the following clear: (Aspect 1) An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbent absorbent core and having longitudinal, width, and thickness directions that are orthogonal to one another in an unfolded state, the absorbent article having joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article when discarded, the joining means having one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and another-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means having an overlapping portion in the width direction, and the distance from a center position of the absorbent article to a center position of the one-side joining means is different from the distance from the center position of the absorbent article to a center position of the other-side joining means in the longitudinal direction.

[0012] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 1, by making the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means asymmetric in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, it becomes easier to arrange the joining means so as to avoid positions where a large body pressure is likely to be applied when the absorbent article is worn. This makes it less likely that the joining means will be pressed against the wearer's skin when the absorbent article is worn, making it less likely that the wearer will feel uncomfortable.

[0013] (Aspect 2) The absorbent article according to aspect 1, wherein, when viewed in the thickness direction in a developed and stretched state, the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means have different lengths in the longitudinal direction or the width direction.

[0014] According to the absorbent article of aspect 2, by making the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means asymmetrical by making their longitudinal positions different and their shapes and sizes different, it becomes easier to position the joining means in a way that avoids positions where large body pressure is likely to be applied when worn, which makes it easier to further reduce discomfort when worn.

[0015] (Aspect 3) The absorbent article according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein when viewed in the thickness direction in a developed and stretched state, the total area of ​​the one-side joining means is different from the total area of ​​the other-side joining means.

[0016] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 3, by making the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means asymmetric by making their areas different and different in longitudinal position, it is possible to reduce the area of ​​at least one of the joining means that comes into contact with the wearer's skin. In other words, the joining means with the smaller total area tends to reduce discomfort when it comes into contact with the wearer's skin.

[0017] (Aspect 4) The absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the one-side joining means is provided on the skin-facing side in the thickness direction, and the other-side joining means is provided on the non-skin-facing side in the thickness direction.

[0018] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 4, when worn, the other-side joining means provided on the non-skin side is prevented from coming into contact with the wearer's skin, thereby reducing discomfort felt when wearing the absorbent article.

[0019] (Aspect 5) The absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 4, wherein when the absorbent article is folded in half at a center position in the longitudinal direction and viewed in the thickness direction, the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means have an overlapping portion.

[0020] According to the absorbent article of aspect 5, when the absorbent article is folded in half, the joining means on one side and the joining means on the other side can be placed opposite each other and joined together, and the absorbent article can be disposed of hygienically with the skin side with excrement adhering tightly closed.

[0021] (Aspect 6) The absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, wherein, when the absorbent article is folded in half at a center position in the longitudinal direction, the length in the width direction of the portion where the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means overlap is longer than the length in the longitudinal direction.

[0022] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 6, when the absorbent article is folded in half longitudinally, the skin-facing sides are joined together over a wide range in the width direction along the longitudinal edge portions, making it easy to maintain the absorbent article in a closed state. Furthermore, when a force is applied in the width direction to peel the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means that are joined together, the absorbent article is able to resist the peeling force and maintain the closed state.

[0023] (Aspect 7) The absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, wherein when the absorbent article is folded in half at a center position in the longitudinal direction, the length in the longitudinal direction of the portion where the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means overlap is longer than the length in the width direction.

[0024] According to the absorbent article of aspect 7, when a longitudinal peeling force acts on the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means that are joined to each other, the article is likely to maintain a closed state against the peeling force.

[0025] (Aspect 8) An absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7, having on its non-skin-side surface a fastening means that can be fastened to the skin-side surface of a disposable diaper, the fastening means having one-side fastening means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and another-side fastening means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, wherein the distance between the center position of the one-side joining means and the center position of the one-side fastening means is different from the distance between the center position of the other-side joining means and the center position of the other-side fastening means in the longitudinal direction.

[0026] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 8, the portion where the fastening means is provided is likely to be fixed in position when the absorbent article is worn in a state where it is attached to a disposable diaper or the like, and is therefore likely to be subjected to localized pressure. Therefore, by displacing the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means in positions offset from the fastening means, it is possible to prevent at least one of the joining means from being pressed strongly against the wearer's skin, thereby reducing discomfort when worn.

[0027] (Aspect 9) The absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 8, wherein a cover portion is provided that covers the joining means in the thickness direction, the joining means has a covered portion that is covered by the cover portion, and the cover portion is movable relative to the covered portion so as to expose at least a portion of the covered portion.

[0028] According to the absorbent article of aspect 9, the cover portion is disposed between the wearer's body and the joining means, so that the portion of the joining means covered by the cover portion is less likely to come into direct contact with the wearer's skin or clothing. This reduces discomfort and discomfort when worn.

[0029] (Mode 10) An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing absorbent core and having a longitudinal direction, width direction, and thickness direction that are perpendicular to each other when unfolded, the absorbent article having a joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article when discarded, the joining means having a one-side joining means provided on one side of the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means provided on the other side of the longitudinal direction, and when viewed in the thickness direction in an unfolded and stretched state, the absorbent article is characterized in that the lengths of the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means are different in the longitudinal direction or the width direction.

[0030] According to the absorbent article of aspect 10, by making the shapes and sizes of the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means different and asymmetrical, it becomes easier to position the joining means to avoid positions where large body pressure is likely to be applied when worn, which makes it easier to further reduce discomfort when worn.

[0031] (Mode 11) An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbent absorbent core and having a longitudinal direction, width direction, and thickness direction that are perpendicular to each other when unfolded, the absorbent article having a joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article when discarded, the joining means having a one-side joining means provided on one side of the longitudinal direction and a other-side joining means provided on the other side of the longitudinal direction, the absorbent article characterized in that when viewed in the thickness direction in an unfolded and stretched state, the total area of ​​the one-side joining means is different from the total area of ​​the other-side joining means.

[0032] According to the absorbent article of Aspect 11, by making the areas of the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means different and asymmetrical, it is possible to reduce the area of ​​at least one of the joining means that comes into contact with the wearer's skin. In other words, the joining means with the smaller total area tends to reduce discomfort when it comes into contact with the wearer's skin.

[0033] (Mode 12) An absorbent article having a liquid-absorbing absorbent core and having a longitudinal direction, width direction, and thickness direction that are perpendicular to one another when unfolded, characterized in that the absorbent article has joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article when discarded, the joining means having one-side joining means provided on one side of the longitudinal direction and another-side joining means provided on the other side of the longitudinal direction, the one-side joining means being provided on the skin-side side in the thickness direction, and the other-side joining means being provided on the non-skin-side side in the thickness direction.

[0034] According to the absorbent article of aspect 12, when worn, the other-side joining means provided on the non-skin side is prevented from coming into contact with the wearer's skin, thereby reducing discomfort felt when wearing the absorbent article.

[0035] Embodiments The absorbent article according to this embodiment will be described using a urine absorption pad (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as a "pad") as an example. However, the absorbent article according to this embodiment is not limited to urine absorption pads, and can also be used, for example, as sanitary napkins, pants-type disposable diapers, shorts-type napkins, tape-type disposable diapers, pet diapers, and absorbent sheets for nursing care or for pets.

[0036] <Basic Structure of Urine Absorption Pad 1> First, the basic structure of the urine absorption pad 1 will be described. Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of the pad 1 in an unfolded and stretched state, as seen from the skin side. Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pad 1. The urine absorption pad 1 can be used by being placed inside a pants-type or tape-type disposable diaper, or it can be used as a standalone pad by being placed directly inside the wearer's underwear (pants or shorts).

[0037] In its unfolded state, the pad 1 has a substantially rectangular planar shape, with a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that are perpendicular to one another. The longitudinal direction corresponds to the front-to-rear direction from the wearer's abdominal side to the dorsal side when the pad 1 is worn. In the thickness direction, the side that contacts the wearer's skin is referred to as the skin side, and the opposite side is referred to as the non-skin side. The pad 1 of this embodiment is symmetrical in the longitudinal direction, except for the joining means 30, which will be described later, and therefore either side of the pad 1 in the longitudinal direction may correspond to the wearer's abdominal side. Unlike tape-type or pants-type diapers, the pad 1 is worn without one longitudinal end and the other longitudinal end being connected along the wearer's waist.

[0038] The expanded state of the pad 1 refers to the state in which the entire pad 1 is expanded in a plane. The stretched state of the pad 1 refers to the state in which the pad 1 is stretched to the extent that wrinkles that have occurred in the pad 1 are substantially invisible, and the pad 1 is stretched to the extent that the dimensions of each member constituting the pad 1 (for example, the side sheet 4 described below) match or are close to the dimensions of the member alone.

[0039] The pad 1 comprises a liquid-absorbent core 10, a liquid-permeable surface sheet 2 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "top sheet 2") (e.g., nonwoven fabric) provided closer to the skin than the absorbent core 10, a liquid-impermeable back sheet 3 (e.g., a resin film such as polyethylene or polypropylene) provided closer to the skin than the absorbent core 10, and a pair of side sheets 4 provided on both widthwise sides of the pad 1. As shown in Figure 2, the pair of side sheets 4 are folded inward in the widthwise direction from the widthwise sides of the back sheet 3 on the non-skin-side surface toward the skin-side surface of the top sheet 2 so as to encase the absorbent core 10.

[0040] An example of the absorbent core 10 is a liquid-absorbent fiber such as pulp fiber containing SAP (super absorbent polymer) molded into a predetermined shape. The absorbent core 10 is covered with a liquid-permeable core wrap sheet 11 (e.g., tissue). However, without being limited to the above, the absorbent core 10 may be an SAP sheet in which an SAP layer is attached to a hydrophilic sheet, an airlaid sheet in which liquid-absorbent fiber is molded into a sheet by an airlaid method, or the like, or may be configured with two or more layers laminated together. Furthermore, the absorbent core 10 does not have to be covered with the core wrap sheet 11.

[0041] Furthermore, a fixing member 20 is provided on the non-skin side of the pad 1, which joins the pad 1 to the inner surface of a pants-type diaper or underwear (outerwear). The fixing member 20 is provided at each of both longitudinal ends of the pad 1. The fixing member 20 is, for example, a rectangular member, and is provided so that its long side is aligned with the width direction of the pad 1. The fixing member 20 is preferably a member that can be peeled off from the inner surface of the outerwear without damaging the outerwear and can be reattached. The fixing member 20 in this embodiment is a tape having a hook material (for example, a male member of a hook-and-loop fastener). Other examples of the fixing member 20 include tape coated with adhesive. The fixing member 20 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0042] The pad 1 also has a pair of leg elastic members 5 provided along the longitudinal direction on both widthwise sides. In Fig. 2, the leg elastic members 5 are fixed in a stretched state in the longitudinal direction between the backsheet 3 and the sidesheets 4. This makes it easier for both widthwise sides of the pad 1 to fit closely around the wearer's legs.

[0043] The pad 1 also has a pair of leakage preventing walls 6 that can stand up toward the skin on both widthwise sides. The leakage preventing walls 6 include side sheets 4 and leakage preventing wall elastic members 7. Both longitudinal ends are fixed to the topsheet 2 by adhesive regions 8. The leakage preventing wall elastic members 7 are fixed to the inner widthwise ends of the side sheets 4 in a stretched state along the longitudinal direction of the pad 1. When the pad 1 is worn, the stretchability of the leakage preventing wall elastic members 7 causes the tips of the leakage preventing walls 6 to stand up toward the skin, and the standing leakage preventing walls 6 suppress lateral leakage of excrement and the like.

[0044] The pad 1 also has, at both longitudinal ends thereof, joining means 30, 30' and cover portions 50, 50' provided on the skin side of the joining means 30, 30'. The configurations thereof will be described in detail below.

[0045] <Joining means 30, 30'> As shown in Fig. 1, one end in the longitudinal direction is provided with one-side joining means 30 as a closing mechanism. Similarly, the other end in the longitudinal direction is provided with other-side joining means 30'. The other-side joining means 30' is part of the pad 1. When the pad 1 is disposed of, the one-side joining means 30 as joining means can be joined to the other-side joining means 30' as part of the pad 1. The joining means 30, 30' in this embodiment are regions at least partially provided with an adhesive (such as a self-adhesive adhesive described below).

[0046] In the pad 1 of this embodiment, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are arranged asymmetrically in the longitudinal direction. For example, in FIG. 1, the central position in the longitudinal direction of the one-side joining means 30 is designated C30, and the central position in the longitudinal direction of the other-side joining means 30' is designated C30'. In this case, the distance A from the central position CL of the pad 1 to the central position C30 of the one-side joining means 30 is different from the distance B from the central position CL of the pad 1 to the central position C30' of the other-side joining means 30'. In other words, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are arranged asymmetrically in the longitudinal direction. The reason for this will be explained later.

[0047] 1, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are shown to have substantially the same shape and size (area), but the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' may have different shapes and sizes (see FIGS. 8 and 9, etc., described later). Also, in FIG. 1, both the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are provided on the skin-facing side (topsheet 2) of the pad 1, but either the one-side joining means 30 or the other-side joining means 30' may be provided on the non-skin-facing side (see FIG. 11, described later).

[0048] FIG. 3 shows the state of the pad 1 folded in half in the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the folded state refers to a state in which the pad 1 is folded in half along the center line (central position) CL of the pad 1 in the longitudinal direction, i.e., the pad 1 is divided into two equal parts in the longitudinal direction and folded along the center line CL (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the fold line FL) along the width direction. This state is, for example, the state of the pad 1 before use or when discarded after use. FIG. 3A is a plan view of the pad 1 folded in half in the longitudinal direction, and FIG. 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the pad 1 folded in half with the ends of the pad 1 closed, as viewed from the width direction. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when the pad 1 is folded in half in the longitudinal direction, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30′ overlap and face each other in the thickness direction, and are arranged to be joinable.

[0049] As described above, in this embodiment, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are arranged asymmetrically in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the pad 1 is folded in half along the longitudinal center line CL, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' may face each other with some deviation in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 3B .

[0050] Fig. 4 is a partially enlarged view for explaining the details of the configuration of the pad 1. Note that Fig. 4 shows the one-side joining means 30, but the other-side joining means 30' has substantially the same configuration as the one-side joining means 30. The one-side joining means 30 is provided at an end of the pad 1 in the longitudinal direction, at a position spaced a predetermined distance d from the end of the pad 1 in the longitudinal direction. The region extending in the width direction from the end of the pad 1 in the longitudinal direction to the one-side joining means 30 over the predetermined distance d is also referred to as the dry edge D. The dry edge D is a non-adhesive region from the end of the pad 1 to the one-side joining means 30 where no adhesive is provided.

[0051] The one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' have a self-adhesive bonding agent 31 (hereinafter, may be referred to as a self-adhesive bonding agent or a self-adhesive bonding agent) as a bonding portion. Note that the bonding agent in this embodiment is not limited to a self-adhesive bonding agent, and may be an adhesive.

[0052] 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30'. The adhesive 31 provided as the joining portion in the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' has low tackiness (adhesion) itself, but has the property of exhibiting adhesive strength (hereinafter referred to as "bonding strength") when the adhesives 31 are brought into contact with each other with relatively weak pressure. As shown in FIG. 5A, when the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are pressed together, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are bonded together by the respective adhesives 31 (bonding strength is exhibited). On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the adhesive 31 comes into contact with a member other than the adhesive 31, such as the nonwoven fabric provided on the pad 1 or the skin, the one-side joining means 30 does not easily adhere to the abutting member.

[0053] The bonding strength between the bonding agent 31 and other members is preferably ¼ or less of the bonding strength between the bonding agents 31 themselves. More preferably, the bonding strength between the bonding agent 31 and other members is 1 / 10 or less of the bonding strength between the bonding agents 31 themselves. Furthermore, when the bonding agents 31 are brought into contact with each other, they can be peeled off without damaging the bonding agents 31, and can be re-bonded by bringing them into contact with each other after peeling.

[0054] The adhesive 31 is not particularly limited as long as it is safe to come into contact with the wearer's skin, and examples thereof include emulsion-based self-adhesives (emulsion inks) and hot-melt-based self-adhesives (HMAs). The main component of an emulsion-based self-adhesive may be a mixture of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or the like with an emulsifier, and examples of such emulsion-based self-adhesives include those disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2589307 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-095381. Furthermore, the main component of a hot-melt-based self-adhesive may be a thermoplastic resin, such as a polyolefin or polyamide resin, which is heated and melted and used, and examples of such hot-melt-based self-adhesives include those disclosed in Japanese Patent Nos. 7476348 and 7543716. In this embodiment, an emulsion-based self-adhesive is used.

[0055] Next, the specific configuration of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the joining means 30, 30'. As shown in FIG. 6, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are quadrilateral regions circumscribing the portion to which the self-adhesive bonding agent 31 is applied as the joining portion. Note that in FIG. 6, the region to which the self-adhesive bonding agent 31 is applied is shown lightly shaded.

[0056] As described above, in this embodiment, an emulsion-based self-adhesive or the like is used as the bonding agent 31. Furthermore, a single application of the bonding agent 31 is defined as a uniform application (a so-called solid application) in a generally rectangular shape that is elongated in the width direction, and in the example shown in FIG. 6 , the bonding agent 31 is repeatedly applied three times. Applying the bonding agent 31 multiple times in a layered manner in the thickness direction can increase the bonding strength when the bonding agent 31 is bonded together compared to a single application. Although the bonding agent 31 is applied three times in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0057] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6 , the application positions of the bonding agent 31 are shifted in the longitudinal direction and the width direction. Therefore, as shown in the diagrams (bottom side view and right side view) showing the thickness direction in Fig. 6 , the application amount (basis weight or basis weight) of the bonding agent 31 per unit area in the first adjacent regions L1, W1 adjacent to one of the central regions Lc, Wc and the second adjacent regions L2, W2 adjacent to the other of the central regions Lc, Wc is smaller than the application amount of the bonding agent 31 per unit area in the central regions Lc, Wc. In other words, since the application amount of the bonding agent 31 per unit area is smaller than that in the central regions Lc, Wc, the bonding strength is also smaller than that in the central regions Lc, Wc.

[0058] The skin-side surface of the one-side joining means 30 has convex portions 32 and concave portions 33 formed due to differences in the amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area. The convex portions 32 are first portions 34 where the amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area is greater than the surrounding areas, and are portions where the adhesive 31 is applied three times out of three times. On the other hand, the concave portions 33 are second portions 35 where the amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area is less than the surrounding areas. As described above, the first portions 34 are thicker in the thickness direction due to the greater amount of adhesive 31 applied per unit area, while the second portions 35 are thinner due to the less amount applied than the first portions 34. Note that other methods may be used to form the convex portions 32 and concave portions 33 on the skin-side surface of the one-side joining means 30. For example, the surface of the topsheet 2 may be unevenly formed to form the convex portions and concave portions on the skin-side surface of the adhesive 31 applied to the topsheet 2, or the convex portions and concave portions may be formed by squeezing a portion of the applied adhesive 31.

[0059] <Regarding Arrangement of Joining Means 30> Next, the arrangement of the joining means 30 (one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30') will be described.

[0060] When discarding the used pad 1, the pad 1 can be hygienically disposed of by folding the pad 1 in half in the longitudinal direction as shown in Fig. 3B and pressing the one-side joining means 30 against the opposing surface (the other-side joining means 30' in Fig. 3B) to join the pad, keeping the skin side with excrement adhered closed so that it does not open. Therefore, when the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are provided as a closing mechanism, it has conventionally been common to arrange the two joining means 30, 30' symmetrically in the longitudinal direction.

[0061] However, if the two joining means 30, 30' are arranged symmetrically, the wearer may feel uncomfortable when wearing the pad 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the wearer's body and the joining means 30 when wearing the pad 1. FIG. 7A shows, as a comparative example, the state when the pad 1 is worn in a case where the two joining means 30, 30' are arranged symmetrically in the longitudinal direction. In FIG. 7A, the other joining means 30' is arranged on the back side of the wearer (rear side in the front-to-back direction) in a position facing the protruding portion of the wearer's buttocks. When the wearer moves their body in this state, the other joining means 30' may be pressed against the buttocks, causing discomfort to the wearer. For example, when the wearer is lying on their back or sitting, the protruding portion of the buttocks is a region where large local pressure (body pressure) is likely to act. Therefore, if the other-side joining means 30' is in contact with the area, the adhesive 31 and other components of the other-side joining means 30' will be pressed against the wearer's skin, which can easily cause discomfort to the wearer, such as stickiness or catching.

[0062] On the other hand, Figure 7B shows the state when the urine absorption pad 1 of this embodiment is worn, in which the two joining means 30, 30' are arranged asymmetrically in the longitudinal direction. In Figure 7B, the other-side joining means 30' is arranged at a position offset from the protruding portion of the wearer's buttocks on the back side of the wearer (rear side in the front-to-back direction). In other words, the other-side joining means 30' is arranged to avoid areas where large localized pressure is likely to be applied. Therefore, compared to the case of Figure 7A, the other-side joining means 30' is prevented from being pressed strongly against the wearer's skin, making it less likely for the wearer to experience discomfort such as stickiness or snagging.

[0063] As described above, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, the distance (A) from the center position CL to the one-side joining means 30 and the distance (B) from the center position CL to the other-side joining means 30' are different in the longitudinal direction. In other words, by making the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' asymmetrical, it becomes easier to position the joining means to avoid positions where large body pressure is likely to be applied during wear. This reduces the likelihood that the joining means 30 (e.g., adhesive 31) will be pressed against the wearer's skin or other parts when wearing the pad 1, thereby reducing discomfort to the wearer. Furthermore, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' overlap each other in the width direction (see FIG. 1). Therefore, when the pad 1 is folded in half longitudinally and closed for disposal, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' can be easily pressed against each other in at least a portion of the width direction, as shown in FIG. 3B. This allows the pad 1 to be disposed of hygienically in the closed state.

[0064] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a first modified example of the joining means 30, 30'. As shown in FIG. 8, when the pad 1 is viewed in the thickness direction in the expanded and stretched state, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' may have different shapes and sizes. In other words, the lengths of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' may be different in the longitudinal direction or width direction. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the length L30 of the one-side joining means 30 in the longitudinal direction is longer than the length L30' of the other-side joining means 30' (L30 > L30'). Furthermore, the length (width) W30 of the one-side joining means 30 in the width direction is longer than the length (width) W30 of the one-side joining means 30 (W30 < W30').

[0065] By making the shapes and sizes of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' different and asymmetrical, it becomes easier to position the joining means 30, 30' to avoid positions where large body pressure is likely to be applied when worn, thereby further reducing discomfort when worn. For example, in cases where the other-side joining means 30' is likely to be pressed against the wearer's buttocks as described in FIG. 7, the length L30' of the other-side joining means 30' in the longitudinal direction can be made as small as possible to more easily shift the position of the other-side joining means 30'. Furthermore, by increasing the length L30 of the one-side joining means 30, the likelihood of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' overlapping in the longitudinal direction increases when the pad 1 is folded in half longitudinally for disposal (see FIG. 3B), thereby allowing the two to be firmly pressed together.

[0066] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a second modification of the joining means 30, 30'. In the pad 1 shown in FIG. 9, when viewed in the thickness direction in the unfolded and stretched state, the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' have different shapes and sizes. Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 9, portions of the one-side joining means 30 (longitudinal ends and the central portion in the width direction) are cut out. The other-side joining means 30' includes two joining means: a first other-side joining means 30a' and a second other-side joining means 30b'. In this case, the total area S30 of the one-side joining means 30 and the total area (S30a' + S30b') of the other-side joining means 30' can be made different. For example, in areas where contact with the wearer's skin is desired to be avoided, the area of ​​contact with the skin can be reduced by reducing the area of ​​the joining means. In addition, the contact area of ​​the joining means with the wearer's skin can be easily adjusted by, for example, cutting out the portion of the joining means that is likely to be pressed firmly against the wearer's skin. By changing and adjusting the area and arrangement range of the joining means 30, 30' in this way, it is possible to further reduce discomfort when wearing the garment.

[0067] The shape, size, and arrangement of the joining means 30, 30' are not limited to those shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 and can be modified as appropriate depending on the size and intended use of the pad 1. However, even if the shapes of the joining means 30, 30' are modified, when the pad 1 is folded in half at the longitudinal center position CL and viewed in the thickness direction, the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side still overlap. That is, the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side are arranged to face each other in at least a partial area. With this configuration, the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side can be joined facing each other as described in FIG. 3B , allowing the pad 1 to be disposed of hygienically with the skin-side surface on which excrement adheres tightly closed.

[0068] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the overlapping area between the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' when the pad 1 is folded in half at the center position CL in the longitudinal direction. In FIG. 10A , the overlapping portion between the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' is indicated by a diagonally shaded area. Hereinafter, the overlapping portion between the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' in a plan view is also referred to as the joining means overlapping portion OP. In FIG. 10A , the widthwise length WOP of the joining means overlapping portion OP is longer than the length LOP in the longitudinal direction (WOP > LOP). With this configuration, when the pad 1 is folded in half in the longitudinal direction, the skin-side surfaces of the pad 1 are more easily joined over a wide range in the widthwise direction along the longitudinal edge portion (the edge portion on one side in FIG. 10A ), making it easier to maintain the pad 1 in a closed state. Furthermore, when a peeling force acts in the width direction on the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' that are joined together, the closed state can be easily maintained against the peeling force. This reduces discomfort when wearing the pad 1, and after use, the pad can be easily disposed of hygienically with the skin-facing side closed.

[0069] Similarly, in Figure 10B, the overlapping portion OP where the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' overlap is indicated by a diagonal line. In Figure 10B, the other-side joining means 30' is formed by two joining means: the first other-side joining means 30a' and the second other-side joining means 30b'. In Figure 10B, the longitudinal length LOP of the overlapping portion OP is longer than the widthwise length WOP (WOP < LOP). In Figure 10B, the widthwise length WOP is the sum of the widthwise length WOP1 of the overlapping portion OP1 between the first other-side joining means 30a' and the one-side joining means 30 and the widthwise length WOP2 of the overlapping portion OP2 between the second other-side joining means 30b' and the one-side joining means 30 (WOP = WOP1 + WOP2). In this case, when a force is applied to peel the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30', which are joined together, in the longitudinal direction, the closed state can be easily maintained against the peeling force. Therefore, the pad 1 can be easily disposed of hygienically after use with the skin side closed, while suppressing any discomfort when worn.

[0070] The joining means 30, 30' can also be modified as follows. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a case where the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are provided on opposite surfaces in the thickness direction. FIG. 11A is a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a case where the one-side joining means 30 is provided on the skin side in the thickness direction and the other-side joining means 30' is provided on the non-skin side in the thickness direction in the pad 1 in an unfolded and stretched state. In the case of FIG. 11A, because the other-side joining means 30' is provided on the non-skin side, contact of at least the other-side joining means 30' with the wearer's skin is suppressed when the pad 1 is worn. Therefore, even with this configuration, it is possible to reduce discomfort when wearing the pad 1.

[0071] FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a method for closing the skin-side surface when discarding the pad 1 of FIG. 11A. When the pad 1 shown in FIG. 11A is folded in half longitudinally, the other-side joining means 30' is located on the non-skin side, making it impossible to press it against the one-side joining means 30 located on the skin-side surface as shown in FIG. 3B. Therefore, when discarding the pad 1 of FIG. 11A, the pad 1 is folded in thirds longitudinally as shown in FIG. 11B to close the skin-side surface. First, at a predetermined longitudinal position FL2, the other longitudinal end of the pad 1 is folded back toward one side in the longitudinal direction and toward the skin in the thickness direction. This results in the other-side joining means 30' being positioned on the skin-side surface of the folded portion (the non-skin side in FIG. 11A). Next, at a predetermined longitudinal position FL1, the one longitudinal end of the pad 1 is folded back toward the other side in the longitudinal direction and toward the skin in the thickness direction. As a result, the one-side joining means 30 is disposed on the surface of the folded portion that faces away from the skin (the skin side in FIG. 11A). Then, by pressing the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' that face each other in the thickness direction together, the pad 1 can be closed with the skin side facing inward as shown in FIG. 11B, and can be disposed of hygienically.

[0072] FIG. 12A is a plan view and a cross-sectional view illustrating the positional relationship between the fastening member 20 (fastening means) and the joining means 30. FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the state in which the pad 1 is attached to the inside of a pants-type diaper. As described above, the pad 1 can be attached to the inside of a pants-type diaper or the like. The non-skin-side surface of the pad 1 is provided with fastening members 20 for joining the pad to the inside of a pants-type diaper or the like. These fastening members 20 are fastening means formed, for example, of hook-and-loop fasteners capable of fastening to the nonwoven fabric constituting the skin-side surface of the pants-type diaper, and are provided on one and the other longitudinal sides. In FIG. 12A , the fastening member 20 provided on one longitudinal side is referred to as the one-side fastening member 20 (one-side fastening means), and the fastening member 20 provided on the other longitudinal side is referred to as the other-side fastening member 20′ (other-side fastening means). The pants-type diaper to which the pad 1 is attached is referred to as the diaper 100. When the pad 1 is attached to the inside of the diaper 100, the fixing members 20, 20' of the pad 1 are engaged with the fixing portions 120, 120', which are predetermined areas on the skin side of the diaper 100, as shown in FIG. 12B.

[0073] In the longitudinal direction of the pad 1 of this embodiment, the distance (C) between the center position C30 of the one-side joining means 30 and the center position C20 of the one-side fixing member 20 (one-side fastening means) is different from the distance (D) between the center position C30' of the other-side joining means 30' and the center position C20' of the other-side fixing member 20' (other-side fastening means) (see FIG. 12A). Therefore, when the pad 1 is attached to the inside of the diaper 100, there is a high probability that at least one of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' will be positioned offset in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction when the diaper 100 is worn) from the fixed parts 120, 120' of the diaper 100 (see FIG. 12B).

[0074] When the pad 1 is attached to the inside of the diaper 100, the fixing members 20, 20' are engaged with the fixing portions 120, 120', respectively. Therefore, when the diaper 100 with the pad 1 attached is worn, the relative positions of the fixing members 20, 20' with respect to the wearer's body are less likely to shift as the diaper 100 fits to the wearer's body. As a result, there is a possibility that the wearer's body pressure will continue to act on the fixing members 20, 20' throughout the period when the diaper 100 is worn. In this case, if the fixing members 20, 20' and the joining means 30, 30' were positioned overlapping, there is a risk that body pressure will continue to act on the joining means 30, 30' throughout the period when the diaper 100 is worn, causing discomfort and annoyance to the wearer.

[0075] In contrast, if the distance (C) between the one-side joining means 30 and the one-side fixing member 20 (one-side fastening means) is different from the distance (D) between the other-side joining means 30' and the other-side fixing member 20' (other-side fastening means), it is highly likely that body pressure will not act on at least one of the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30', and the joining means 30 (30') will not be pressed against the wearer's skin. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of discomfort when wearing the garment.

[0076] Furthermore, as a method for preventing discomfort caused by the joining means 30, 30' when wearing the pad 1, a cover member may be provided to cover the joining means 30, 30' from the skin side, thereby preventing the joining means 30, 30' from coming into direct contact with the wearer's skin. Figures 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a cover part 50 provided on the skin side of the joining means 30 (30').

[0077] The cover portion 50 is a member provided to cover at least a portion of the one-side joining means 30 from the skin side in the thickness direction, and may be made of, for example, a hydrophobic nonwoven fabric (such as an SMS nonwoven fabric) or a release film. In this embodiment, a one-side cover portion 50 that covers the one-side joining means 30 from the skin side and a other-side cover portion 50' that covers the other-side joining means 30' from the skin side are provided. Since the one-side cover portion 50 and the other-side cover portion 50' have a substantially common configuration, the following description will focus on the one-side cover portion 50, and a description of the other-side cover portion 50' will be omitted. The one-side cover portion 50 will also be simply referred to as the "cover portion 50."

[0078] 13A , a rectangular cover portion 50 having a larger area than the one-side joining means 30 is disposed so as to cover the entire one-side joining means 30. Hereinafter, the portion of the one-side joining means 30 that is covered by the cover portion 50 will also be referred to as the covered portion CP. However, in the pad 1, the cover portion 50 does not necessarily have to cover the entire one-side joining means 30. In other words, the area of ​​the covered portion CP may be smaller than the one-side joining means 30. Furthermore, the shape of the cover portion 50 is not limited to the rectangular shape shown in FIG. 13A , and the size (area) of the cover portion 50 is not limited to the example in FIG. 13A .

[0079] A cover joint 51 made of an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive is provided on part of the peripheral edge of the cover part 50, and the cover part 50 is joined to the skin-side surface of the pad 1 (part of the top sheet 2 and side sheet 4 in Figure 4) via the cover joint 51. In Figure 13A, the cover joint 51 is provided along one longitudinal side and both widthwise edge portions of the peripheral edge of the cover part 50. On the other hand, the cover joint 51 is not provided on the other longitudinal edge portion of the peripheral edge of the cover part 50. In other words, the other longitudinal edge portion of the cover part 50 is a non-jointed portion that is not joined to the skin-side surface of the pad 1.

[0080] When the pad 1 is in use, that is, when the pad 1 is attached to the wearer's body, the one-side joining means 30 is covered by the cover portion 50, as shown in Fig. 13A. If the cover portion 50 were not provided and the one-side joining means 30 were exposed on the skin side, the exposed surface would come into direct contact with the wearer's skin or clothing, which could cause discomfort or discomfort to the wearer. In contrast, if the cover portion 50 is disposed between the wearer's body and the one-side joining means 30, the covered portion CP of the one-side joining means 30, which is covered by the cover portion 50, is less likely to come into direct contact with the wearer's skin or clothing. This makes it less likely that the wearer will experience discomfort or discomfort.

[0081] When discarding the used pad 1, the cover portion 50 is moved in the one-side joining means 30 so as to expose at least a portion of the covered portion CP that was covered by the cover portion 50, as shown in Fig. 13B. Similarly, the cover portion 50' is moved in the other-side joining means 30' so as to expose at least a portion of the covered portion CP that was covered by the cover portion 50'. Then, the covered portion CP of the one-side joining means 30 and the covered portion CP of the other-side joining means 30' are brought face to face, and the two are joined (pressed) together, as shown in Fig. 3B.

[0082] In FIG. 13B , a portion of the periphery of the cover portion 50 where the cover joint portion 51 is not provided (the other longitudinal edge portion) is pinched with fingers and the cover portion 50 is rolled up, thereby exposing a portion of the covered portion CP. In this manner, the exposed covered portion CP of the one-side joining means 30 can be firmly joined to the opposing surface of the pad 1 (such as the other-side joining means 30′). Note that in FIG. 13B , the cover portion 50 is rolled up without peeling off the cover joint portion 51. However, the cover portion 50 may be rolled up by peeling off a portion of the cover joint portion 51. For example, the cover joint portions 51 at both widthwise ends of the periphery of the cover portion 50 may be peeled off to roll up the cover portion 50 in a large amount. Alternatively, the entire cover joint portion 51 may be peeled off to separate (move) the cover portion 50 from the pad 1. Furthermore, in the operation of turning up the cover portion 50, a portion of the cover portion 50 may be torn or cut to expose a larger portion of the covered portion CP.

[0083] <Regarding the bonding strength of bonding means 30, 30'> Figure 14 is a diagram for explaining the action and effect of the pad 1 to which bonding means 30, 30' are applied. Figure 14A is a diagram viewed from the thickness direction showing the pad folded in half along fold line FL so that one-side bonding means 30 and the other-side bonding means 30' face each other and then bonded together. Figure 14B is a diagram showing the state when one-side bonding means 30 and the other-side bonding means 30' are peeled apart when unfolding the pad 1.

[0084] In this embodiment, when the pad 1 is folded in half along the center line CL (fold line FL), at least a portion of the central region Lc of the one-side joining means 30 and a central region Lc' of the other-side joining means 30' overlap in the thickness direction, as shown in Fig. 14A. Also, although not shown, at least a portion of the central region We of the one-side joining means 30 and a central region We' of the other-side joining means 30' overlap in the width direction, as in the longitudinal direction.

[0085] The one-side joining means 30 is divided into three equal parts in both the longitudinal and width directions. From one side, the longitudinally separated regions are a first longitudinal adjacent region L1, a longitudinal central region Lc, and a second longitudinal adjacent region L2. The widthwise separated regions are a first widthwise adjacent region W1, a widthwise central region Wc, and a second widthwise adjacent region W2 (see FIG. 6). These regions have different joining strengths. In this embodiment, the joining strength of the first adjacent regions L1 and W1 adjacent to one of the central regions Lc and Wc is weaker than the joining strength of the central regions Lc and Wc in both the longitudinal and width directions. Furthermore, the joining strength of the second adjacent regions L2 and W2 adjacent to the other of the central regions Lc and Wc is weaker than the joining strength of the central regions Lc and Wc.

[0086] The strength of the bonding in each region, such as the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the longitudinal central region Lc, can be evaluated based on the amount per unit area (basis weight) of the bonding agent 31 provided in each region as a bonding portion. In each region, the greater the amount per unit area (basis weight) of the bonding agent 31, the greater the bonding strength.

[0087] The strength of the bonding strength in each region may also be evaluated using a measuring device.

[0088] When measuring the bonding strength of each of the first longitudinal adjacent region L1, the longitudinal central region Lc, and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, two sample pieces are prepared. The first sample piece is a cutout of the region to be measured from each of the first longitudinal adjacent region L1, the longitudinal central region Lc, etc. The second sample piece is a nonwoven fabric coated with a uniform amount of bonding agent 31.

[0089] A holding portion (grip portion) is formed at the end of each sample piece by attaching gum tape to the end of the sample piece. Next, two sample pieces are overlapped and joined by rolling a 2 kg roller at 5 mm / s from the opposite side of the holding portion.

[0090] Next, the sample pieces are held by the holders in the chucks of a tensile tester (e.g., a universal testing machine manufactured by Instron), and the two holders are pulled apart in the direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction to separate the two sample pieces, and the tensile load at the time of separation is measured. The average value of the tensile load is the magnitude of the bonding strength in the region to be measured.

[0091] The bonding strength can be measured in the same manner for the first width adjacent region W1, the width central region Wc, and the second width adjacent region W2.

[0092] Before use (when packaged), the pad 1 is closed, and the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' are in contact with each other, as shown in Fig. 14A. When using the pad 1, the user grasps the dry edge D areas provided at both longitudinal ends of the pad 1 and pulls it away toward the longitudinal center, as shown in Fig. 14B.

[0093] If the adhesive strength at the beginning of the peeling is too strong, it may be difficult to open when unfolding, especially for elderly users with reduced dexterity. However, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, the adhesive strength of the first longitudinal adjacent regions L1, L1' in the one-side adhesive means 30 is weaker than the adhesive strength of the longitudinal central regions Lc, Lc'. Therefore, compared to when the adhesive strength of the first longitudinal adjacent regions L1, L1' in the one-side adhesive means 30 is stronger than or the same as the adhesive strength of the longitudinal central regions Lc, Lc', it can be peeled and unfolded with a relatively weak force. Furthermore, the provision of the dry edge D makes it easier for the user to grasp and peel.

[0094] In this embodiment, since the second adjacent region L2, which has a weaker bonding strength, is located on the longitudinal centerline CL side, the pad 1 can be peeled away from the leg-around elastic member 5 toward the edge. In this case, the same effect as above can be achieved. Furthermore, since the dry edge D is provided over a predetermined distance d from the edge in the width direction of the pad 1, the ease of peeling can be improved even when peeling away in this manner.

[0095] Furthermore, the central region (first portion 34) of both the one-side joining means 30 and the other-side joining means 30' has a stronger joining strength than the adjacent regions. As a result, after use or when discarding the pad 1, by folding the pad 1 in half along the fold line FL and bringing one end of the pad 1 into contact with the other, it becomes easier to keep the pad 1 covering excrement on the skin side.

[0096] The configuration is not limited to the above, and the amount of coating in either the first adjacent region L1, W1 or the second adjacent region L2, W2 may be less than that in the central region Lc, Wc, or the amount of coating may be different only in either the longitudinal direction or the width direction. For example, the amount of coating in only the second adjacent region L2 (second longitudinal adjacent region) in the longitudinal direction may be less than that in the central region Lc. In this case, when the user peels off the pad 1, the pad can be easily unfolded by peeling it off from the second adjacent region L2, which has weaker adhesive strength.

[0097] Furthermore, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, when the pad 1 is folded in half along the center line CL (fold line FL), the central regions Lc, Wc of the one-side joining means 30 and the central regions Lc', Wc' of the other-side joining means 30' overlap in the thickness direction. By overlapping the central regions, when the pad 1 is discarded, it is easy to fold the pad 1 in half and maintain the state in which the pad 1 covers the excrement on the skin side.

[0098] The same action and effect can be achieved even when the pad 1 is folded in half at the center position in the width direction (a fold line along the center line in the width direction). In this case, two joining means may be provided on one side and the other side in the width direction with the center line in the width direction as the reference.

[0099] Alternatively, the joining force may be varied only in the joining means 30 on one side, and the joining force of the joining means 30' on the other side may be uniform. Alternatively, the joining force may be varied only in the joining means 30' on the other side, and the joining force of the joining means 30 on one side may be uniform.

[0100] Furthermore, with regard to the magnitude of the joining strength in the longitudinal direction and width direction of the one-side joining means 30, the value obtained by dividing the difference between the joining strength in the longitudinal central region Lc and the joining strength in the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 by the longitudinal length of the longitudinal central region Lc is greater than the value obtained by dividing the difference between the joining strength in the widthwise central region Wc and the joining strength in the first widthwise adjacent region W1 by the widthwise length of the widthwise central region Wc. In other words, the difference in joining strength per unit length is greater in the longitudinal direction than in the widthwise direction.

[0101] Because the difference in bonding strength per unit length between the central region Lc (Lc') and the adjacent region L1 (L1') is large in the longitudinal direction, even when the pad 1 is folded along the fold line FL along the width direction before use and the one-side bonding means 30 and the other-side bonding means 30' are bonded, the one-side bonding means 30 and the other-side bonding means 30' can be easily peeled apart and unfolded in the longitudinal direction. On the other hand, as shown in the configuration of Figure 6, because the difference in bonding strength per unit length between the central region Wc (Wc') and the adjacent region W1 (W1') is small in the width direction, bonding the one-side bonding means 30 and the other-side bonding means 30' provided on the skin-side surface makes it easier to maintain the pad 1 covering excrement on the skin-side surface when discarding the pad 1.

[0102] Furthermore, the pad 1 of this embodiment can form convex and concave portions by providing the joining means 30, 30' with a first portion 34 and a second portion 35 that is thinner than the first portion 34. As a result, when the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side of the pad 1 are joined before use, the joining means 30 on one side and the joining means 30' on the other side can be easily peeled apart and expanded in the longitudinal direction. In other words, by forming concave and convex portions with the joining agent 31, the concave portions 33 that are thinner in the thickness direction can be easily peeled apart.

[0103] Furthermore, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, the joining means is not limited to the adhesive 31. For example, the joining means 30 may be configured to provide a hook-and-loop fastener on at least one of the skin-side surfaces of the pad 1. Here, examples of the hook-and-loop fastener include a fastener composed of a male member with multiple hook-shaped protrusions and a female member with multiple loops onto which the protrusions of the male member hook, and a fastener consisting solely of the male member. For example, in FIG. 1 , a hook-and-loop fastener (male member) is provided as the joining means 30 on one side, and a sheet member (female member, for example, a target sheet separate from the top sheet 2) with multiple loops is provided as the joining means 30' on the other side.

[0104] When a hook-and-loop fastener is used as the joining means, forming convex and concave portions on the joining surface of the hook-and-loop fastener can achieve the same effect as that described in Fig. 14. Specifically, when the hook-and-loop fastener is provided so as to face each end of the skin-facing side of the pad 1, providing a high portion (convex portion) and a low portion (concave portion) on the hook of the hook-and-loop fastener can make it easier to peel one hook-and-loop fastener from the other hook-and-loop fastener. Similarly, even when a hook-and-loop fastener is provided on only one end and the other end is made of nonwoven fabric (top sheet 2), forming convex and concave portions on the hook-and-loop fastener can make it easier to peel the hook-and-loop fastener from the top sheet 2, which is part of the pad 1.

[0105] In addition, in the pad 1 of this embodiment, the joining means 30, 30' are provided at the ends of the pad 1, respectively, making it easier to peel off and less likely to open when disposed of than when the joining means 30, 30' are provided in the center.

[0106] <Modifications of Bonding Means 30, 30'> Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a modification of the bonding means of the pad 1. Figures 15A and 15B show self-adhesive quadrilateral bonding means 30, 30', respectively. The portion where the bonding agent 31 is applied corresponds to the region where the bonding portion is provided in the modification of this embodiment.

[0107] 15A , the longitudinal central region Lc is a region where the adhesive 31 is uniformly applied (solidly applied) in a substantially rectangular shape that is elongated in the width direction on the skin-facing side of the topsheet 2. Furthermore, the adhesive 31 is applied in a wave-like pattern in the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, as shown in FIG.

[0108] In this case, the adhesive 31 is applied in a wavy pattern to the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, which have margins, so that the adhesive strength is weaker than that of the solidly applied longitudinal center region Lc. As a result, the pad 1 can be easily peeled off when unfolding, while the adhesive strength in the longitudinal center region Lc is stronger than that of the adjacent regions, so that when the pad 1 is folded for disposal, the pad 1 can maintain a state in which excrement on the skin side is covered by the pad 1.

[0109] 15B, the longitudinal central region Lc is a region that is uniformly coated with the adhesive 31, as in the modification of Fig. 15A. The first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2 are partially coated with the adhesive 31 in the width direction, with margins remaining, as shown in Fig. 15B.

[0110] In this case, the adhesive 31 is applied only partially in the width direction to the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, which have a margin, and the adhesive strength of these regions is weaker than that of the solidly applied longitudinal center region Lc. As a result, the adhesive strength of the longitudinal center region Lc is stronger than that of the adjacent regions, ensuring ease of peeling when unfolding the pad 1, and therefore, when folding the pad 1 for disposal, the pad 1 can maintain a state in which excrement on the skin side is covered by the pad 1.

[0111] The joining means 30 in Fig. 15C has a hook-and-loop fastener 36. In the modified example of Fig. 15C, the longitudinal central region Lc is a region where the hook-and-loop fasteners 36 are uniformly arranged, and the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2 are configured so that some of the hook portions of the hook-and-loop fasteners 36 are crushed by embossing 37 or the like to eliminate their function as hooks, as shown in Fig. 15C.

[0112] In this case, the adhesive strength of the first longitudinal adjacent region L1 and the second longitudinal adjacent region L2, in which the hook function is lost by crushing some of the hook portions of the hook-and-loop fastener 36 with the embossing 37 or the like, is weaker than that of the longitudinal central region Lc, in which the hook portions are not crushed. As a result, the adhesive strength of the longitudinal central region Lc is stronger than that of the adjacent regions, while ensuring ease of peeling when unfolding the pad 1, so that when the pad 1 is folded for disposal, the pad 1 can maintain a state in which excrement on the skin side is covered.

[0113] In these modified examples, the application amount per unit area of ​​the bonding means 30 in the central regions Lc and Wc and the arrangement pattern using margins are different from the arrangement pattern of the bonding means 30 in the first adjacent regions L1, W1 or the second adjacent regions L2, W2.

[0114] ===Other=== The above embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0115] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Urine absorption pad (pad, absorbent article), 2 Surface sheet (top sheet), 3 Back sheet, 4 Side sheet, 5 Leg-hole elastic member, 6 Leakage-barrier wall portion, 7 Leakage-barrier wall elastic member, 8 Adhesion region, 10 Absorbent core, 11 Core wrap sheet, 20 One-side fixing member (one-side fastening means), 20' Other-side fixing member (other-side fastening means), 30 One-side joining means, 30' Other-side joining means, 30a' First other-side joining means, 30b' Second other-side joining means, 31 Adhesive, 50 Cover portion, 51 Cover joining portion, 100 Pants-type diaper, 120 Fixed portion, 120' Fixed portion, OP Joining means overlapping portion, CP Covered portion, Lc Longitudinal central region, Wc Width central region, L1 First longitudinal adjacent region, W1 First width adjacent region, L2 second longitudinal adjacent region, W2 second width adjacent region

Claims

1. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that are orthogonal to each other in the unfolded state, and comprising a liquid-absorbent absorbent core, the absorbent article having joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article at the time of disposal, the joining means including one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and the other-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, having a portion where the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means overlap in the width direction, and the distance from the central position of the absorbent article to the central position of the one-side joining means and the distance from the central position of the absorbent article to the central position of the other-side joining means being different in the longitudinal direction. An absorbent article characterized by this.

2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein when viewed in the thickness direction in the unfolded and stretched state, the lengths of the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means are different in the longitudinal direction or the width direction. An absorbent article characterized by this.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein when viewed in the thickness direction in the unfolded and stretched state, the total area of the one-side joining means and the total area of the other-side joining means are different. An absorbent article characterized by this.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the one-side joining means is provided on the skin-side surface in the thickness direction, and the other-side joining means is provided on the non-skin-side surface in the thickness direction. An absorbent article characterized by this.

5. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when viewed in the thickness direction in a state where the absorbent article is folded in half at the central position in the longitudinal direction, the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means have a portion where they overlap. An absorbent article characterized by this.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 5, wherein when the absorbent article is folded in half at the central position in the longitudinal direction, the length in the width direction of the portion where the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means overlap is longer than the length in the longitudinal direction. An absorbent article characterized by this.

7. The absorbent article according to claim 5, wherein when the absorbent article is folded in half at the central position in the longitudinal direction, the length in the longitudinal direction of the overlapping portion of the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means is longer than the length in the width direction.

8. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having locking means on the non-skin side that can be locked to the skin side of a disposable diaper, the locking means including one-side locking means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and the other-side locking means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, and in the longitudinal direction, the distance between the central position of the one-side joining means and the central position of the one-side locking means is different from the distance between the central position of the other-side joining means and the central position of the other-side locking means.

9. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, provided with a cover portion covering the joining means in the thickness direction, the joining means having a covered portion covered by the cover portion, and the cover portion being movable relative to the covered portion so as to expose at least a part of the covered portion.

10. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that are orthogonal to each other in the unfolded state, and including a liquid-absorbent absorbent core, having joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article at the time of disposal, the joining means including one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and the other-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, and when viewed in the thickness direction in the unfolded and stretched state, the lengths of the one-side joining means and the other-side joining means are different in the longitudinal direction or the width direction.

11. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that are orthogonal to each other in the unfolded state, and comprising a liquid-absorbent absorbent core, the absorbent article having joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article at the time of disposal, the joining means including one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and the other-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, and when viewed in the thickness direction in the unfolded and stretched state, the total area of the one-side joining means and the total area of the other-side joining means being different, wherein the absorbent article is characterized by this.

12. An absorbent article having a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction that are orthogonal to each other in the unfolded state, and comprising a liquid-absorbent absorbent core, the absorbent article having joining means that can be joined to a part of the absorbent article at the time of disposal, the joining means including one-side joining means provided on one side in the longitudinal direction and the other-side joining means provided on the other side in the longitudinal direction, the one-side joining means being provided on the skin side surface in the thickness direction, and the other-side joining means being provided on the non-skin side surface in the thickness direction, wherein the absorbent article is characterized by this.

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