Underpants-shaped absorbent article

Abstract

Provided is an underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) including an absorbent body (10) including an absorbent core (11), in which an end part of the absorbent body (10) on one side in the longitudinal direction is joined to a ventral exterior member (20) and an end part of the absorbent body (10) on the other side in the longitudinal direction is joined to a dorsal exterior member (30) when the underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) is laid in an unfolded and stretched state. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) has a non-joined part (50) in which the dorsal exterior member (30) is not joined to the absorbent body (10). The position of the end of the non-joined part (50) on said one side in the longitudinal direction is aligned with the position of the end of the dorsal exterior member (30) on the same side. The absorbent body (10) has longitudinally elastic members (17) that are stretchable / contractable in the longitudinal direction. The end of each longitudinally elastic member (17) on said one side in the longitudinal direction is positioned on said other side of the ventral exterior member (20), and the end of each longitudinally elastic member (17) on said other side in the longitudinal direction extends across the end of the non-joined part (50) on said one side.

Description

Pants-type absorbent article

[0001] The present invention relates to a pants-type absorbent article.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a pants-type absorbent article having an absorbent main body with an absorbent core, a belt portion with a ventral waistband portion and a dorsal waistband portion, and a plurality of crotch elastic members disposed on the absorbent core and extending in the longitudinal direction. It is stated that with this configuration, when pulling up the belt portion during putting on the garment, the pulling force is easily transmitted to the crotch portion via the crotch elastic members, and the crotch portion can be pulled up as a whole to prevent leakage, etc.

[0003] WO 2023 / 32386

[0004] The crotch elastic member described in Patent Document 1 is intended to effectively lift the crotch area. Therefore, if the crotch elastic member extends to the area overlapping the belt, a force is applied to the belt in a downward direction via the crotch elastic member after wearing, and it is described that it is preferable for the crotch elastic member not to overlap the belt. However, it is known that excretory fluids (urine and menstrual blood) tend to leak backward along the wearer's buttocks crease when lying down. Therefore, when using the pants-type absorbent article described in Patent Document 1, a crotch elastic member that does not reach the back waistband portion may not be able to fit the absorbent main body closely to the wearer's buttocks crease, potentially resulting in leakage of urine or menstrual blood.

[0005] However, if the crotch elastic member extends to the back waist portion, the contractile force of the crotch elastic member will exert on the back waist portion, causing wrinkles. In particular, if the non-skin-side surface of the absorbent main body is exposed between the ventral waist portion and the back waist portion as in Patent Document 1, wrinkles at the lower end of the back waist portion (the boundary with the absorbent main body) will be noticeable, resulting in an appearance resembling that of a disposable diaper. Such an appearance will likely make the wearer reluctant to wear the diaper.

[0006] Pants-type absorbent articles are also known that include an outer body in which the ventral waistband and the rear waistband are connected at the crotch area, or an outer body that is a single member that is continuous from the ventral waistband to the rear waistband. This configuration reduces the visibility of wrinkles at the lower end of the rear waistband. However, the adhesive force of the absorbent main body provided by the crotch elastic member is more likely to act on the wearer's excretory openings (urethral opening and vaginal opening) due to the outer body that is continuous from the rear side to the ventral side. Pressing the absorbent main body against the excretory openings may cause discomfort, such as pain, to the wearer.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a pants-type absorbent article that has an underwear-like appearance and can suppress leakage while reducing the pressure of the absorbent body against the excretory opening.

[0008] The main invention for achieving the above object is a pants-type absorbent article having an absorbent main body having an absorbent core, a ventral outer member, and a back-side outer member configured as a separate member from the ventral outer member, wherein in an unfolded and stretched state, the article has a longitudinal direction, a left-right direction, and a thickness direction which are perpendicular to one another, an end of the absorbent main body on one side in the longitudinal direction is joined to the ventral outer member, and an end of the absorbent main body on the other side in the longitudinal direction is joined to the back-side outer member, and at a portion where the back-side outer member and the absorbent main body overlap in the thickness direction, the article has a joined portion where the back-side outer member and the absorbent main body are joined, and a non-joined portion where the back-side outer member and the absorbent main body are not joined, in the longitudinal direction, the position of the one end of the non-joined portion is the same as the position of the one end of the back-side outer member, and the absorbent main body has a longitudinal elastic member stretchable in the longitudinal direction on the non-skin side of the absorbent core in the thickness direction, The present invention is a pants-type absorbent article characterized in that the end of the one side of the longitudinal elastic member in the longitudinal direction is located on the other side of the ventral-side outer member, and the end of the other side of the longitudinal elastic member in the longitudinal direction is located across the end of the one side of the non-joined portion. 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, it is possible to provide a pants-type absorbent article that has an underwear-like appearance and can suppress leakage while reducing the pressure of the absorbent main body against the excretory opening.

[0010] 3A and 3B are a front view of the shorts-type napkin 1 as seen from the ventral side; a back view of the shorts-type napkin 1 as seen from the dorsal side; a schematic plan view of the shorts-type napkin 1 in an unfolded and stretched state as seen from the skin side; and a schematic plan view of the shorts-type napkin 1 in an unfolded and stretched state as seen from the non-skin side. FIG. 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the first center line CL1 in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the second center line CL2 in FIG. 3. An explanatory diagram of a non-joining portion 50 between the absorbent main body 10 and the outer members 20, 30. An explanatory diagram of a non-joining portion 50 between the absorbent main body 10 and the outer members 20, 30. An explanatory diagram of a non-joining portion 50 between the absorbent main body 10 and the outer members 20, 30. FIGS. 9A and 9B are explanatory views of modified examples of the dorsal-side outer member 30. Diagrams illustrating a menstrual blood drip test.

[0011] The present specification and the accompanying drawings make clear at least the following: (Aspect 1) A pants-type absorbent article having an absorbent main body having an absorbent core, a ventral exterior member, and a back-side exterior member configured as a separate member from the ventral exterior member, wherein in an unfolded and stretched state, the article has a longitudinal direction, a left-right direction, and a thickness direction that are orthogonal to one another, an end of the absorbent main body on one side in the longitudinal direction and the ventral exterior member are joined, an end of the absorbent main body on the other side in the longitudinal direction and the back-side exterior member are joined, and at a portion where the back-side exterior member and the absorbent main body overlap in the thickness direction, a joint portion where the back-side exterior member and the absorbent main body are joined, and ... a non-joined portion where the absorbent main body is not joined to a back-side outer member, the position of one end of the non-joined portion in the longitudinal direction is the same as the position of one end of the back-side outer member, the absorbent main body has a longitudinal elastic member that is stretchable in the longitudinal direction on the non-skin side of the absorbent core in the thickness direction, the one end of the longitudinal elastic member in the longitudinal direction is located on the other side of the ventral-side outer member, and the other end of the longitudinal elastic member in the longitudinal direction is located across the one end of the non-joined portion.

[0012] According to Aspect 1, the vertical elastic members that reach the rear-side outer member allow the absorbent main body to fit closely to the wearer's buttocks, thereby suppressing leakage of excrement. The vertical elastic members that do not reach the ventral-side outer member reduce the pressure of the absorbent main body against the wearer's excretory opening. The non-jointed portion prevents the contractile force of the vertical elastic members from reaching one end of the rear-side outer member in the longitudinal direction, making wrinkles less likely to occur. Furthermore, the rear-side outer member can float and cover the area of ​​the absorbent main body where wrinkles have occurred due to the vertical elastic members. In this way, the appearance of the pants-type absorbent article, which is less likely to wrinkle and is less noticeable, is closer to that of underwear.

[0013] (Aspect 2) A pants-type absorbent article as described in Aspect 1, wherein the rear outer member has one or more horizontal elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, the non-joined portion has an overlapping non-joined portion that overlaps with at least a portion of the vertical elastic member in the left-right direction, and in the unfolded and stretched state, the other end of the vertical elastic member in the longitudinal direction and the other end of the overlapping non-joined portion are located on the other side of the horizontal elastic member that is located furthest on one side in the longitudinal direction.

[0014] According to Aspect 2, since the longitudinal elastic members are positioned further to the other side in the longitudinal direction, the absorbent main body can be in close contact with the wearer's buttocks for a longer period of time, thereby suppressing leakage of excrement. Since the overlapping non-joined portion is also positioned further to the other side in the longitudinal direction, wrinkles caused by the longitudinal elastic members are less likely to occur in the back-side outer member over a wider range in the longitudinal direction, and wrinkles in the absorbent main body can be covered by the back-side outer member.

[0015] (Aspect 3) A pants-type absorbent article according to Aspect 1 or 2, wherein the ventral outer member and the rear outer member are joined in an annular shape by a pair of side joints, and in the unfolded and stretched state, the rear outer member extends further to the one side in the longitudinal direction than the side joints and is located further to the other side than the center of the pants-type absorbent article in the longitudinal direction.

[0016] According to Aspect 3, the back-side exterior member can cover wrinkles in the absorbent main body up to a position on one side in the longitudinal direction. Also, it is possible to prevent the back-side exterior member from forming creases facing inward (toward the absorbent main body), and the back-side exterior member can cover wrinkles in the absorbent main body.

[0017] (Aspect 4) A pants-type absorbent article according to Aspect 3, wherein in the unfolded and stretched state, the one end of the rear outer member in the longitudinal direction is located on the one side of the center between the center of the pants-type absorbent article in the longitudinal direction and the one end of the side joint.

[0018] According to the fourth aspect, the rear-side exterior member can cover wrinkles in the absorbent main body up to a position on one side in the longitudinal direction.

[0019] (Aspect 5) A pants-type absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4, wherein in the unfolded and stretched state, the non-joined portion has an overlapping non-joined portion that overlaps with at least a portion of the longitudinal elastic member in the left-right direction, the joined portion has a side joined portion outside of at least a portion of the longitudinal elastic member in the left-right direction, and the longitudinal length of the overlapping non-joined portion is longer than the length in the longitudinal direction from the one end of the back outer member to the one end of the side joined portion.

[0020] According to Aspect 5, wrinkles caused by the longitudinal elastic members are less likely to occur in the back-side outer member over a wider range in the longitudinal direction, and the back-side outer member can cover wrinkles in the absorbent main body. The side joint portions ensure the bonding strength between the absorbent main body and the back-side outer member, preventing the two members from separating.

[0021] (Aspect 6) A pants-type absorbent article as described in Aspect 5, wherein, in the unfolded and stretched state, the joint is not provided closer to the center in the left-right direction than the side joint, or the joint is provided with a length in the longitudinal direction that is shorter than that of the side joint.

[0022] According to the sixth aspect, the length in the longitudinal direction of the non-jointed portion located closer to the center in the left-right direction than the side joint portion can be increased.

[0023] (Aspect 7) A pants-type absorbent article according to Aspect 5 or 6, wherein the ventral outer member and the back outer member are joined in an annular shape by a pair of side joints, the back outer member has a plurality of transverse elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, and in an unfolded and stretched state, the transverse elastic members that overlap with the side joints in the longitudinal direction are waist elastic members, the longitudinal distance between the waist elastic member located furthest to one side in the longitudinal direction and the waist elastic member second from the one side is defined as a first distance, and when the waist elastic members whose distance between adjacent waist elastic members at the other longitudinal end of the back outer member is shorter than half the first distance are defined as waist elastic members, the length from the other longitudinal end of the back outer member to the waist elastic member located furthest to the one side in the longitudinal direction is longer than the length from the one longitudinal end of the side joint.

[0024] According to Aspect 7, the waist-side elastic members arranged at close intervals can prevent the pants-type absorbent article from slipping down. The side joints located further to one side in the longitudinal direction can prevent the back-side outer member from being rolled up significantly.

[0025] (Aspect 8) A pants-type absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7, wherein in the unfolded and stretched state, the non-joined portion has an overlapping non-joined portion that overlaps with at least a portion of the longitudinal elastic member in the left-right direction, and a ventral side joint portion where the ventral outer member and the absorbent main body are joined is provided outside in the left-right direction of at least a portion of the longitudinal elastic member, and the longitudinal length of the overlapping non-joined portion is longer than the length in the longitudinal direction from the other end of the ventral outer member to the other end of the ventral side joint portion.

[0026] According to Aspect 8, wrinkles caused by the longitudinal elastic members are less likely to occur in the back-side outer member over a wider range in the longitudinal direction, and the back-side outer member can cover wrinkles in the absorbent main body. The longitudinal length of the non-jointed portion of the ventral-side outer member is shortened, which can prevent the ventral-side outer member from rolling up, and the wearer is less likely to feel uncomfortable even when raising their legs forward.

[0027] (Aspect 9) A pants-type absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 8, wherein the ventral outer member has one or more ventral-side transverse elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, the non-joined portion has an overlapping non-joined portion that overlaps with at least a portion of the longitudinal elastic member in the left-right direction, and in the unfolded and stretched state, the longitudinal length of the overlapping non-joined portion is longer than the length from the other end of the ventral outer member in the longitudinal direction to the ventral-side transverse elastic member that is located furthest to the other side.

[0028] According to Aspect 9, wrinkles caused by the longitudinal elastic members are less likely to occur in the back-side outer member over a wider range in the longitudinal direction, and the back-side outer member can cover wrinkles in the absorbent main body. The ventral outer member can be prevented from rolling up in the left-right direction outside the absorbent main body, and the wearer is less likely to feel uncomfortable even when raising their legs forward.

[0029] (Aspect 10) A pants-type absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 9, wherein in the unfolded and stretched state, all of the portions of the longitudinal elastic members that overlap the back-side outer member in the thickness direction are located in the non-jointed portions.

[0030] According to aspect 10, wrinkles caused by the longitudinal elastic members are even less likely to occur in the back-side exterior member, and the back-side exterior member can cover wrinkles in the absorbent main body.

[0031] (Aspect 11) A pants-type absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 10, wherein the rear outer member has one or more horizontal elastic members stretchable in the left-right direction, and when the horizontal elastic member provided at one end of the rear outer member in the longitudinal direction is used as a crotch-side elastic member, in the unfolded and stretched state, the crotch-side elastic member is positioned continuously from the left end to the right end of the absorbent main body, and intersects with the vertical elastic member and the non-jointed portion.

[0032] According to aspect 11, the portion of one longitudinal end of the back-side outer member that overlaps with the absorbent body is uniformly contracted by the crotch-side elastic member, making the appearance of the pants-type absorbent article closer to that of underwear.

[0033] (Aspect 12) A pants-type absorbent article according to any one of Aspects 1 to 10, wherein the rear outer member has one or more horizontal elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, and when the horizontal elastic member provided at one end of the rear outer member in the longitudinal direction is used as a crotch elastic member, in the unfolded and stretched state, the crotch elastic member is positioned outside the vertical elastic member in the left-right direction.

[0034] According to Aspect 12, a portion of one longitudinal end of the back-side outer member, including the portion overlapping with the vertical elastic member, is less susceptible to the influence of the crotch-side elastic member, so that the back-side outer member can widely cover wrinkles in the absorbent main body caused by the vertical elastic member in the left-right direction.

[0035] (Aspect 13) A pants-type absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 12, wherein the pants-type absorbent article is a shorts-type napkin, and when a menstrual blood drop test is conducted in which artificial menstrual blood is dropped onto the center of the absorbent core in the longitudinal direction and the left-right direction, the thickness of the center of the shorts-type napkin after the menstrual blood drop test is smaller than the thickness of the center of the shorts-type napkin before the menstrual blood drop test is conducted.

[0036] According to aspect 13, even after absorbing menstrual blood, irregularities are less likely to form on the skin-side surface of the shorts-type napkin at the position where the shorts-type napkin contacts the excretory opening and in the surrounding area, making it easier for the shorts-type napkin to remain in close contact with the skin.

[0037] (Aspect 14) A pants-type absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 13, wherein the absorbent body has a back sheet arranged on the side away from the skin of the absorbent core, and a sheet member arranged on the side away from the skin of the back sheet, and the bonding strength between the back side outer member and the absorbent body is higher than the bonding strength between the back sheet and the sheet member.

[0038] According to aspect 14, although a non-jointed portion where the back-side exterior member and the absorbent main body are not joined is provided, separation of the back-side exterior member and the absorbent main body can be suppressed.

[0039] (Aspect 15) A pants-type absorbent article according to any one of aspects 1 to 14, wherein the absorbent main body has a back sheet arranged on the non-skin side of the absorbent core and a sheet member arranged on the non-skin side of the back sheet, the back side outer member has a back side skin side sheet and a back side non-skin side sheet arranged on the non-skin side of the back side skin side sheet, and the bonding strength between the back side skin side sheet and the back side non-skin side sheet is higher than the bonding strength between the back sheet and the sheet member.

[0040] According to aspect 15, when in a lying position, the back skin side sheet and the back non-skin side sheet located in the non-jointed portion tend to move, but separation of the back skin side sheet and the back non-skin side sheet can be prevented.

[0041] (Aspect 16) A pants-type absorbent article as described in Aspect 3, wherein the rear outer member has one or more horizontal elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, and in the unfolded and stretched state, the left-right length of the intersection region where the horizontal elastic member located on one side of the side joint in the longitudinal direction intersects with the vertical elastic member is longer than the longitudinal length of the intersection region.

[0042] According to Aspect 16, since the longitudinal elastic members are widely arranged in the left-right direction of the absorbent main body, the absorbent main body is firmly pushed up against the skin, thereby suppressing leakage of excrement. In addition, since the absorbent main body is in close contact with the buttocks crease becomes less visible.

[0043] EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the pants-type absorbent article according to the present invention will be described using a shorts-type napkin as an example. However, the pants-type absorbent article according to the present invention can also be used as pants-type disposable diapers for infants and adults, pants for light incontinence, etc. <<Basic Structure of Shorts-Type Napkin 1>> Fig. 1 is a front view of the shorts-type napkin 1 as seen from the ventral side. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the shorts-type napkin 1 as seen from the dorsal side. Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the shorts-type napkin 1 in an unfolded and stretched state as seen from the skin side. Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of the shorts-type napkin 1 in an unfolded and stretched state as seen from the non-skin side. Fig. 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the first center line CL1 in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the second center line CL2 in Fig. 3. In the following description, the shorts-type napkin will also be simply referred to as "napkin." The first center line CL1 is a line extending in the left-right direction at the center point that divides the product (napkin 1) in half in the longitudinal direction, and the second center line CL2 is a line extending in the longitudinal direction at the center point that divides the product in half in the left-right direction.

[0044] The unfolded state of the shorts-type napkin 1 is the state in which the napkin 1 is opened and unfolded flat by separating the pair of side joints 2 on both sides of the napkin 1. The stretched state of the shorts-type napkin 1 is the state in which the napkin 1 is stretched to the extent that wrinkles in the napkin 1 are no longer visible. Specifically, it is the state in which the napkin 1 is stretched until the dimensions of each component constituting the napkin 1 match or are close to the dimensions of the component alone.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 1, the shorts-type napkin 1 has a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and a front-to-back direction (directions passing through the paper in Fig. 1) that are perpendicular to one another, and has a waist opening BH and a pair of leg openings LH. The upper side in the vertical direction corresponds to the waist opening BH side, and the lower side corresponds to the crotch side. The front side in the front-to-back direction corresponds to the wearer's abdomen, and the rear side corresponds to the wearer's back.

[0046] In addition, in the unfolded and extended state of the shorts-type napkin 1 shown in Figure 3, the napkin 1 has a longitudinal direction, a left-right direction, and a thickness direction (a direction passing through the paper in Figure 3) that are perpendicular to one another. The left-right direction in the unfolded state is the same as the left-right direction in the pants-type state (Figure 1). The longitudinal direction in the unfolded state is a direction that follows the up-down direction in the pants-type state. One side in the longitudinal direction corresponds to the ventral side (front side), and the other side corresponds to the dorsal side (rear side). Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the direction in which the materials that make up the napkin 1 are layered is referred to as the thickness direction. In the thickness direction, 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.

[0047] The napkin 1 has an absorbent main body 10 and exterior members 20, 30 arranged on the non-skin side of the absorbent main body 10. The exterior members 20, 30 have a ventral-side exterior member 20 that covers the ventral side of the wearer, and a dorsal-side exterior member 30 that is configured as a separate member from the ventral-side exterior member 20 and covers the dorsal side of the wearer.

[0048] In the unfolded napkin 1, the ventral outer member 20 and the back outer member 30 are positioned side by side at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction, and the absorbent main body 10 is suspended between them in the longitudinal direction. The front end, which is one side of the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 10, is joined to the ventral outer member 20, and the rear end, which is the other side of the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 10, is joined to the back outer member 30. From this state, the absorbent main body 10 is folded in half in the longitudinal direction, and the ventral outer member 20 and the back outer member 30 are joined in an annular shape by a pair of side joining portions 2 to form a shorts-type napkin 1. Examples of joining methods using the side joining portions 2 include heat welding, ultrasonic welding, and joining methods using an adhesive.

[0049] The absorbent body 10 includes an absorbent core 11 that absorbs and retains excreted liquids such as urine, a liquid-permeable topsheet 12 (e.g., nonwoven fabric, perforated film, etc.) arranged closer to the skin than the absorbent core 11, a liquid-impermeable backsheet 13 (e.g., resin film, etc.) arranged closer to the skin than the absorbent core 11, and a sheet member 14 (e.g., hydrophobic nonwoven fabric, etc.). The outer peripheral surface of the absorbent core 11 may be covered with a liquid-permeable core wrap sheet 15 such as tissue paper or nonwoven fabric. Both left and right sides of the topsheet 12 are folded back toward the skin side so as to wrap around the absorbent core 11. The sheet member 14 is arranged closer to the skin than the backsheet 13 and forms a leakage prevention wall portion 3 closer to the skin than the topsheet 12.

[0050] The absorbent core 11 is a molded body obtained by molding a predetermined liquid-absorbent material into a generally hourglass shape in plan view, which is an example of a predetermined shape. Examples of the liquid-absorbent material include water-retentive fibers and liquid-absorbent granular materials such as superabsorbent polymers (so-called SAPs). The water-retentive fibers are not particularly limited as long as they have the ability to absorb and retain moisture, and examples thereof include cellulosic fibers (e.g., pulp fibers, non-wood fibers such as cotton and hemp, and recycled fibers such as rayon).

[0051] As shown in Figures 3 and 5A, a pair of leakage preventing walls 3 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 10 on both left and right side portions of the absorbent main body 10. The pair of leakage preventing walls 3 is formed integrally with the absorbent main body 10 by folding a sheet member 14 constituting the exterior of the absorbent main body 10. Specifically, the sheet member 14 covers the non-skin side of the back sheet 13, and portions extending outward in the left and right direction are folded at multiple locations to form the leakage preventing walls 3 on both left and right side portions of the skin side of the top sheet 12. Leak preventing wall elastic members 16 (e.g., rubber threads) are attached to the leakage preventing walls 3 in a stretched state along the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal stretchability of the leakage preventing wall elastic members 16 causes the leakage preventing walls 3 to stand up toward the wearer's skin.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5A, leg elastic members 18 (e.g., rubber threads) that stretch along the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body 10 may be provided on both left and right sides of the absorbent body 10, outside the leak-proof wall elastic members 16 in the left and right direction.

[0053] The ventral outer member 20 includes a ventral skin-side sheet 21, a ventral non-skin-side sheet 22 laminated closer to the skin than the ventral skin-side sheet 21, and multiple ventral waist elastic members 23 (e.g., rubber thread) that stretch in the left-right direction. Similarly, the back outer member 30 includes a back skin-side sheet 31, a back non-skin-side sheet 32 ​​laminated closer to the skin than the back skin-side sheet 31, and multiple back waist elastic members 33 (e.g., rubber thread) that stretch in the left-right direction. The multiple ventral (back) waist elastic members 23 (33) are arranged side by side in the vertical direction (longitudinal direction) between the ventral skin-side sheet 21 (back skin-side sheet 31) and the ventral non-skin-side sheet 22 (back non-skin-side sheet 32) and are attached in a stretched state in the left-right direction. The stretchability of the ventral and back waist elastic members 23, 33 allows the ventral outer member 20 and the back outer member 30 to fit the waist of the wearer.

[0054] Furthermore, cover sheets 24, 34 may be provided so as to cover the upper end of the absorbent main body 10 from the skin side (see FIG. 3). The cover sheets 24, 34 can prevent the upper end edge of the absorbent main body 10 from digging into the wearer's skin and can prevent the absorbent main body 10 from opening open.

[0055] 2, the ventral exterior member 20 and the dorsal exterior member 30 have different planar shapes in the unfolded and extended state. The ventral exterior member 20 has a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction and has a length in the up-down direction that is roughly the same as that of the side joint portion 2. The dorsal exterior member 30 has a rectangular waistband portion 30A that overlaps with the ventral exterior member 20, and further has a buttocks covering portion 30B that is located below the side joint portion 2 and whose width in the left-right direction narrows from top to bottom in the up-down direction.

[0056] Additionally, an inclined elastic member 35 (e.g., rubber thread) is provided at the lower end of the back-side outer member 30 (the region extending from the lower end of the side joint 2 to the buttocks-covering portion 30B). The inclined elastic member 35 is arranged so as to roughly follow the lower outer edge of the back-side outer member 30, and has portions that incline downward from both lateral sides of the back-side outer member 30 toward the center, and a portion that extends in the lateral direction at the center of the back-side outer member 30. The inclined elastic member 35 is also attached in a stretched state between the back-side skin-side sheet 31 and the back-side non-skin-side sheet 32, and the stretchability of the inclined elastic member 35 allows the buttocks-covering portion 30B of the back-side outer member 30 to fit easily around the wearer's buttocks and is less likely to roll up from the buttocks.

[0057] The basic structure of the napkin 1 has been described above, but the structure of the napkin 1 is merely an example and is not intended to be limiting. For example, a liquid-permeable intermediate sheet may be provided between the topsheet 12 and the core wrap sheet 15. The ventral waistband portion 20 may have a portion extending toward the crotch area. Furthermore, thread-like ventral and dorsal waistband elastic members 23, 33 may be provided at the upper ends (waist portions) of the waistband portions 20, 30 to provide a secure fit, and a stretchable sheet may be provided below the thread-like waistband elastic members 23, 33. By providing a stretchable sheet between the ventral skin-side sheet 21 (dorsal skin-side sheet 31) and the ventral non-skin-side sheet 22 (dorsal non-skin-side sheet 32) and intermittently joining the laminated sheets, the waistband portions 20, 30 exhibit stretchability and provide a soft, surface-to-surface fit around the wearer's waist.

[0058] <<Regarding the longitudinal elastic member 17 and the exterior members 20, 30>> Figures 6, 7, and 8 are explanatory views of the non-jointed portion 50 between the absorbent main body 10 and the exterior members 20, 30. Figures 9A and 9B are explanatory views of modified examples of the back-side exterior member 30. The drawings are part (Figures 6, 7, 9A, and 9B) or all (Figure 8) of a schematic plan view of the shorts-type napkin 1 in an unfolded and stretched state.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 6, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, the napkin 1 has, in the area where the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 overlap in the thickness direction, a joint portion 40 where the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 are joined, and a non-joined portion 50 where the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 are not joined. In Fig. 6, the joint portion 40 is shown as a rectangular area with diagonal lines, and the non-shaded area other than the joint portion 40 is shown as the non-joined portion 50.

[0060] The joint 40 is a joint that cannot be detached and cannot be rejoined like a hook-and-loop fastener or the like. In other words, once the joint at the joint 40 is released and the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 are separated, the two members cannot be rejoined. An example of a method for joining the joint 40 is a joining method using an adhesive. The adhesive may be applied evenly over the entire surface of the joint 40, that is, solidly, or may be applied in a well-known application pattern (for example, a spiral pattern, an Ω pattern, a line pattern, etc.).

[0061] The joining portions 40 of this embodiment include side joining portions 40S, two of which are provided on each of the left and right sides of the absorbent main body 10, and two central joining portions 40C, which are provided in the left and right central portion of the absorbent main body 10. The four side joining portions 40S and the two central joining portions 40C are arranged side by side with small gaps in between in the left and right direction.

[0062] In addition, in the longitudinal direction, the position of the front end 50fe (one side) of the non-joined portion 50 is the same as the position of the front end 30fe (one side) of the back-side exterior member 30. More specifically, the non-joined portion 50 extends toward the waist from the position of the front end 30fe (lower end) of the back-side exterior member 30. Particularly in the center in the left-right direction, the relatively wide non-joined portion 50 extends long toward the waist in the longitudinal direction.

[0063] 3 and 5A, the absorbent main body 10 has a plurality of longitudinal elastic members 17 that are stretchable in the longitudinal direction in the left-right central portion and on the non-skin side in the thickness direction of the absorbent core 11. In this embodiment, a plurality of longitudinal elastic members 17, which are four rubber threads, are arranged side by side at intervals in the left-right direction. The longitudinal elastic members 17 are attached in a stretched state between the back sheet 13 and the sheet member 14 that is arranged on the non-skin side of the back sheet 13. In the drawings, only the stretchable portion (so-called effective length portion) of the longitudinal elastic members 17 that exhibits stretchability is shown.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 3, the end 17fe on the front side (one side) of the longitudinal elastic member 17 (stretchable portion) in the longitudinal direction is located on the rear side (the other side) of the ventral-side outer member 30. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 6, the end 17be on the rear side (the other side) of the longitudinal elastic member 17 (stretchable portion) in the longitudinal direction is located across the front end 50fe of the non-joined portion 50.

[0065] In other words, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, the vertical elastic members 17 do not overlap the ventral outer member 20 but overlap the dorsal outer member 30 in the thickness direction. Therefore, when the napkin 1 is worn, the vertical elastic members 17 tend to be positioned in the wearer's gluteal crease (the crease extending from the perineum to the anus). As a result, the absorbent main body 10 (absorbent core 11), which is pushed up against the skin by the contractile force of the vertical elastic members 17, comes into close contact with the wearer's gluteal crease. This prevents excretory fluids such as urine and menstrual blood from flowing through gaps in the gluteal crease, thereby suppressing leakage of excretory fluids, particularly rear leakage.

[0066] On the other hand, since the longitudinal elastic members 17 do not extend far forward, they are unlikely to be positioned at the wearer's excretory opening (urethral opening or vaginal opening) when the napkin 1 is worn. This prevents the absorbent main body 10 from being pressed against the excretory opening due to contraction of the longitudinal elastic members 17. This prevents the absorbent main body 10 from fitting too tightly to the excretory opening, causing discomfort such as pain to the wearer, and improves the comfort of wearing the napkin 1.

[0067] Furthermore, unlike this embodiment, for example, if the outer covering member has a crotch portion and the ventral waistline portion and the back waistline portion are connected at the crotch portion, or if the outer covering member is a single member that is continuous from the ventral waistline portion to the back waistline portion, when the outer covering member is pushed up together with the absorbent main body 10 pushed up by the longitudinal elastic member 17 at the rear, there is a risk that the front outer covering member portion will also be pushed up in conjunction with the movement of the rear outer covering member portion. This will result in the absorbent main body 10 being pressed against the excretory opening.

[0068] In contrast, in the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the back-side outer member 30 is configured as a separate member from the ventral-side outer member 20, and the non-skin side of the absorbent main body 10 is exposed in the crotch area. Therefore, even if the back-side outer member 30 is pushed up together with the absorbent main body 10 due to contraction of the longitudinal elastic members 17, it is difficult for the ventral-side outer member 20 to move in conjunction with this. This also reduces the pressure of the absorbent main body 10 against the excretory opening.

[0069] As described above, arranging the longitudinal elastic members 17 longer on the rear side can suppress leakage of excrement. However, if the longitudinal elastic members 17 reach the rear-side outer member 30, the contractile force of the longitudinal elastic members 17 may act on the rear-side outer member 30, causing wrinkles. In particular, if the non-skin side of the absorbent main body 10 is exposed between the ventral-side outer member 20 and the rear-side outer member 30, wrinkles at the lower end of the rear-side outer member 30 (the boundary with the absorbent main body 10) will be noticeable, resulting in an appearance resembling that of a disposable diaper.

[0070] Therefore, in this embodiment, as described above, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, the position of the front end 50fe (one side) of the non-joined portion 50 in the longitudinal direction is the same as the position of the front end 30fe (one side) of the back-side outer member 30. The rear end 17be (the other side) of the longitudinal elastic member 17 is located across the front end 50fe (one side) of the non-joined portion 50. In other words, the lower end of the back-side outer member 30 corresponds to the non-joined portion 50 that is not joined to the absorbent main body 10. At least a part of the longitudinal elastic members 17 (all four longitudinal elastic members 17 in FIG. 6 ) extends in the longitudinal direction and intersects with the lower end (50fe) of the non-joined portion 50, which has a length in the left-right direction.

[0071] Therefore, the non-jointed portion 50 separates the lower end of the rear outer member 30 from the portion of the absorbent main body 10 where the longitudinal elastic members 17 are located. This prevents the contractile force of the longitudinal elastic members 17 from acting on the lower end of the rear outer member 30, where wrinkles are most likely to be noticeable, and causing wrinkles. Furthermore, by lifting (separating) the lower end of the rear outer member 30 from the portion of the absorbent main body 10 where the longitudinal elastic members 17 are located and where wrinkles are most likely to occur, wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 can be hidden. Therefore, the shorts-type napkin 1 of this embodiment is less likely to wrinkle due to the longitudinal elastic members 17, and wrinkles are less noticeable, giving it an appearance closer to that of underwear. This reduces the user's resistance to wearing the shorts-type napkin 1.

[0072] The longitudinal elastic members 17 shown in Fig. 6 are rubber threads, and four longitudinal elastic members 17 are provided, but the number of longitudinal elastic members 17 is not particularly limited. The longitudinal elastic members 17 may also be sheet-like elastic members (stretchable films, stretchable nonwoven fabrics, etc.). The positions of the longitudinal elastic members 17 in the left-right direction are also not particularly limited. However, it is preferable that the longitudinal elastic members 17 are provided at least in the center of the absorbent main body 10 in the left-right direction so that the absorbent main body 10 fits closely to the buttocks crease. The positions of the longitudinal elastic members 17 in the thickness direction (see Fig. 5) are also not particularly limited, as long as they are located closer to the skin than the absorbent core 11 so that the absorbent core 11 is pushed up.

[0073] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and extended state, it is preferable that the back outer member 30 has a buttocks cover 30B, extends longitudinally forward (on one side) of the side joint 2, and is located posterior (on the other side) of the center CL1 of the napkin 1 in the longitudinal direction.

[0074] By positioning the back-side outer member 30 long on the front side (crotch side), the wearer's buttocks can be securely covered, and the appearance of the shorts-type napkin 1 becomes closer to that of underwear. Also, the longitudinal elastic members 17 allow the back-side outer member 30 to cover a wide area in the longitudinal direction (up and down) of the absorbent main body 10 where wrinkles have occurred, making the wrinkles less noticeable. In particular, in the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the non-jointed portions 50 allow the back-side outer member 30 to be partially raised relative to the absorbent main body 10, making wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 even less noticeable, and the appearance of the shorts-type napkin 1 becomes closer to that of underwear. However, the shorts-type napkin 1 is folded in half at the center CL1 of the napkin 1 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, if the back-side outer member 30 extends to the front side beyond the center CL1, the lower end of the back-side outer member 30 will develop a crease inward (toward the absorbent main body 10). However, according to the above, such a crease is less likely to develop, and the back-side outer member 30 can be raised above the absorbent main body 10 at the non-jointed portion 50, making it possible to hide wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10.

[0075] More preferably, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and extended state, the front (one side) end 30fe of the back outer member 30 in the longitudinal direction is located forward of the center CL3 between the center CL1 of the napkin 1 in the longitudinal direction and the front end 2fe of the side joint portion 2.

[0076] By doing so, the back-side outer member 30 is positioned further forward (toward the crotch), and the area of ​​the absorbent main body 10 where wrinkles have occurred due to the vertical elastic members 17 can be covered by the back-side outer member 30 over a wide area in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction). As a result, wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 become less noticeable, and the appearance of the shorts-type napkin 1 becomes closer to that of underwear.

[0077] The back-side outer member 30 also has one or more transverse elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction. For example, the back-side outer member 30 illustrated in Fig. 4 has, as "transverse elastic members," a plurality of back-side waist elastic members 33 arranged in the left-right direction between a pair of side joints 2, and a plurality of inclined elastic members 35 arranged approximately along the lower outer edge of the back-side outer member 30. In Fig. 4, three rubber threads are illustrated as the inclined elastic members 35, but the number of inclined elastic members 35 is not particularly limited. Alternatively, one or more sheet-like elastic members (such as elastic nonwoven fabrics or elastic films) having a width may be provided as the inclined elastic members 35.

[0078] As shown in Figure 7, the non-joined portion 50 has an overlapping non-joined portion 50o that overlaps at least a portion (here, the entirety) of the longitudinal elastic member 17 (stretchable portion) in the left-right direction. Note that the diagonal lines within the joint portion 40 have been omitted in Figure 7 to avoid clutter. When the napkin 1 is unfolded and stretched, the rear (other) end 17be of the longitudinal elastic member 17 and the rear end 50oe of the overlapping non-joined portion 50o are preferably located rearward of the foremost (one side) longitudinal elastic member (the inclined elastic member 35f in Figure 7). In Figures 6 and 7, the front end 40Ce of the central joint portion 40C in the longitudinal direction coincides with the rear end 50oe of the overlapping non-joined portion 50o. It is also preferable that the longitudinal elastic member 17 and the overlapping non-joined portion 50o extend rearward of the foremost inclined elastic member 35f.

[0079] By doing so, the longitudinal elastic members 17 positioned further rearward can firmly fit the absorbent main body 10 to the wearer's buttocks, thereby suppressing leakage of excrement. Furthermore, by positioning the overlapping non-joined portion 50o further rearward, the contractile force of the longitudinal elastic members 17 is less likely to affect the back-side outer member 30 over a wide longitudinal area, making wrinkles less likely to occur. Furthermore, the longitudinal elastic members 17 can lift and cover the wrinkled portions of the absorbent main body 10 over a wide longitudinal area, making the wrinkles less noticeable. This gives the shorts-type napkin 1 an appearance closer to that of underwear. The other end 50oe of the overlapping non-joined portion 50o may extend further toward the other end 17be of the longitudinal elastic member 17, as shown in FIG. 6 , or may be coincident with the other end 17be of the longitudinal elastic member 17.

[0080] However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and the back-side waistline portion 30 may have the same planar shape (rectangular shape elongated in the left-right direction) as the ventral waistline portion 20 without having the buttocks-covering portion 30B or the inclined elastic member 35. In this case, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, the longitudinal elastic members 17 and the overlapping non-joined portions 50o may extend further rearward than the back-side waistline elastic member 33 located most anteriorly (on one side) in the longitudinal direction.

[0081] 6, the joint 40 has a side joint 40S located laterally outward of at least a portion (here, all four rubber threads) of the longitudinal elastic member 17 (stretchable portion). In this case, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, it is preferable that the longitudinal length L1 of the overlapping non-joined portion 50o is longer than the longitudinal length L2 from the front end 30fe (one side) of the back-side outer member 30 to the front end 40Se of the side joint 40S (L1>L2).

[0082] By increasing the longitudinal length L1 of the overlapping non-joined portion 50o, the contractile force of the vertical elastic member 17 is less likely to affect the back-side outer member 30 over a wide longitudinal range, making wrinkles less likely to occur. Furthermore, the vertical elastic member 17 allows the back-side outer member 30 to float and cover the wrinkled portion of the absorbent main body 10 over a wide longitudinal range, making the wrinkles less noticeable. On the other hand, by shortening the length L2 of the non-joined portion 50 on the left and right sides of part or all of the vertical elastic member 17, a long longitudinal side joint portion 40S can be provided. This ensures the bonding strength between the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 and prevents the absorbent main body 10 and the back-side outer member 30 from separating when pulling up the napkin 1 or during wear. Furthermore, it also prevents the back-side outer member 30 from rolling up significantly, which would otherwise expose wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10. Furthermore, wrinkles are less likely to occur in the portions of the absorbent main body 10 that are misaligned in the left-right direction with the vertical elastic members 17 than in the portions of the absorbent main body 10 where the vertical elastic members 17 are located. Therefore, even if the back-side outer member 30 is joined to the absorbent main body 10 by the side joining portions 40S over a long distance, wrinkles are less likely to be noticeable.

[0083] Furthermore, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, it is preferable to provide a joint (central joint 40C) having a shorter longitudinal length than the side joint 40S, closer to the center in the left-right direction than the side joint 40S. By doing so, the portion of the back-side outer member 30 that overlaps with at least a portion (here, the entirety) of the longitudinal elastic member 17 in the left-right direction is not joined to the absorbent main body 10 over a wide range in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, as described above, wrinkles due to the longitudinal elastic member 17 are less likely to occur and the wrinkles are less noticeable. Furthermore, by joining the left-right center of the absorbent main body 10 to the back-side outer member 30, separation of the absorbent main body 10 and the back-side outer member 30 can be further suppressed.

[0084] However, without being limited to the above, as shown in the modified example of Fig. 9A, the joint 40 where the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 are joined may not be provided on the left-right central side of the side joint 40S. By doing so, wrinkles caused by the longitudinal elastic members 17 are less likely to occur in the back-side outer member 30 over a wider range in the longitudinal direction, and wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 become less noticeable.

[0085] The overlapping non-joined portion 50o as described above may overlap in the left-right direction with at least a part of the vertical elastic member 17 (for example, some of the four rubber threads), but preferably overlaps in the left-right direction with all of the vertical elastic member 17. More preferably, the overlapping non-joined portion 50o extends outward in the left-right direction beyond the vertical elastic member 17. This more reliably prevents wrinkles caused by the vertical elastic member 17 from occurring in the back-side outer member 30, and also makes wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 less noticeable.

[0086] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 9A, when the napkin 1 is in an expanded and stretched state, it is preferable that all of the portions of the longitudinal elastic member 17 (stretchable portion) that overlap the back-side outer member 30 in the thickness direction are located in the non-jointed portion 50.

[0087] By doing so, the contraction force of the vertical elastic members 17 is less likely to reach the back-side outer member 30, making it more difficult for wrinkles to occur. In addition, the back-side outer member 30 can be raised and covered over the part of the absorbent main body 10 where the vertical elastic members 17 are located and where wrinkles are most likely to occur, making wrinkles less noticeable.

[0088] 7, among the transverse elastic members of the back-side outer member 30, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, those that overlap the side joint portions 2 in the longitudinal direction are referred to as back-side waistline elastic members 33 (waistline elastic members). The longitudinal distance between the back-side waistline elastic member 33f1 located at the longitudinally frontmost (one side) side and the back-side waistline elastic member 33f2 that is second from the longitudinal front is referred to as a first distance S1. At the longitudinal rear end of the back-side outer member 30, i.e., the waist end, the back-side waistline elastic members 33 whose distance S2 between adjacent back-side waistline elastic members 33 is shorter than half the first distance S1 are referred to as waist-side elastic members 33W. In this case, it is preferable that the length L3 from the rear end 30be of the back outer member 30 in the longitudinal direction to the frontmost waist elastic member 33Wf is longer than the length L2 from the front end 30fe of the back outer member 30 in the longitudinal direction to the front end 40Se of the side joint 40S (L3 > L2).

[0089] This ensures a sufficient vertical width L3 (longitudinal length) of the waist gathered portion, in which multiple waist-side elastic members 33wf are arranged at narrow intervals S2. Therefore, the back-side outer member 30 fits closely around the wearer's waist, preventing the napkin 1 from slipping down. Meanwhile, the side elastic members 40S, which are positioned further forward in the longitudinal direction, prevent the back-side outer member 30 from being rolled up significantly. Furthermore, shortening the length L2 allows for the provision of a longitudinally long side joint portion 40S. This ensures sufficient joint strength between the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10, preventing separation of the two components. Furthermore, since wrinkles are less likely to occur in the side portions of the absorbent main body 10 that are offset from the longitudinal elastic members 17 in the left-right direction than in the central portion of the absorbent main body 10 where the longitudinal elastic members 17 are located, wrinkles in the napkin 1 are less noticeable even if the length L2 of the non-joined portion 50 is short.

[0090] As shown in Fig. 3 , the back-side outer member 30 is provided with a cover sheet 34 that covers the upper end of the absorbent main body 10 from the skin side. The cover sheet 34 is joined to the skin side of the back-side skin side sheet 31 by a joint 42 (e.g., by application of adhesive). When the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and extended state, the longitudinal length of the joint 42 is shorter than the longitudinal length of the cover sheet 34. Therefore, the region from the front (one side) end of the joint 42 to the front end of the cover sheet 34 in the longitudinal direction forms a non-joined portion 52 between the cover sheet 34 and the back-side skin side sheet 31. The longitudinal length L52 of the non-joined portion 52 of the cover sheet 34 is preferably shorter than the longitudinal length L1 (see Fig. 6 ) of the overlapping non-joined portion 50o (L52<L1).

[0091] By increasing the length of the overlapping non-joined portion 50o, the contractile force of the vertical elastic members 17 is less likely to reach the back-side outer member 30 over a wide range in the longitudinal direction, making it less likely for wrinkles to form. Furthermore, wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 caused by the vertical elastic members 17 can be covered by the back-side outer member 30. Meanwhile, the cover sheet 34 abuts against the wearer's skin. Therefore, by shortening the length L52 of the non-joined portion 52, the end of the cover sheet 52 is less likely to roll up significantly when the cover sheet 34 rubs against the wearer's skin, making it less likely for the wearer to feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, peeling of the cover sheet 34 can be suppressed.

[0092] In the unfolded and stretched state of the napkin 1 shown in Fig. 8, the napkin 1 has, in a region where the ventral outer member 20 and the absorbent main body 10 overlap in the thickness direction, a ventral-side joint portion 41 where the ventral outer member 20 and the absorbent main body 10 are joined, and a ventral-side non-joined portion 51 where the ventral outer member 20 and the absorbent main body 10 are not joined. As the ventral-side joint portion 41, a ventral-side side joint portion 41S is provided at a position outward in the left-right direction from at least a portion of the longitudinal elastic members 17 (here, all four longitudinal elastic members 17). In this case, it is preferable that the longitudinal length L1 of the dorsal-side overlapping non-joined portion 50o be longer than the length L4 from the rear (other side) end 20be of the ventral outer member 20 to the rear end 41Se of the ventral-side side joint portion 41S in the longitudinal direction (L1>L4).

[0093] Because the length L1 of the overlapping non-joined portion 51o is long, the contractile force of the vertical elastic member 17 is less likely to affect the back-side outer member 30 over a wide longitudinal range, making wrinkles less likely to occur. Furthermore, the vertical elastic member 17 allows the back-side outer member 30 to float and cover the wrinkled portion of the absorbent main body 10 over a wide longitudinal range, making the wrinkles less noticeable. Meanwhile, because the longitudinal length L4 of the ventral side non-joined portion 51 is short, the length of the portion of the ventral side outer member 20 that rolls up can be shortened. Therefore, the wearer is less likely to feel uncomfortable when lifting their legs forward while walking, etc. Furthermore, the appearance of the ventral side napkin 1 is neater, making it more similar to underwear.

[0094] The ventral-side outer member 20 also has one or more ventral-side transverse elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction. The ventral-side outer member 20 shown in Fig. 4 has, as ventral-side transverse elastic members, a plurality of ventral-side waistline elastic members 23 arranged in the left-right direction between a pair of side joint portions 2. In this case, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, it is preferable that the longitudinal length L1 of the dorsal-side overlapping non-joined portion 51o is longer than the longitudinal length L5 from the rear (other side) end 23be of the ventral-side outer member 20 to the rearmost ventral-side waistline elastic member 23b1 (L1>L5).

[0095] Because the length L1 of the overlapping non-joined portion 51o is long, the contractile force of the vertical elastic members 17 is less likely to affect the back-side outer member 30 over a wide area in the longitudinal direction, making wrinkles less likely to occur. Furthermore, the vertical elastic members 17 can lift and cover the wrinkled areas of the absorbent main body 10 over a wide area in the longitudinal direction, making the wrinkles less noticeable. On the other hand, a short length L5 shortens the length of the ventral-side outer member 20 that rolls up on the left-right outer side of the absorbent main body 10. Therefore, the wearer is less likely to feel uncomfortable when lifting their legs forward while walking, etc. Furthermore, the appearance of the ventral-side napkin 1 is neater, making it more similar to underwear.

[0096] Furthermore, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, it is preferable that the length L2 from the front (one side) end 30fe of the dorsal outer member 30 in the longitudinal direction to the front end 40Se of the dorsal side joint 40S is longer than the length L4 from the rear (other side) end 20be of the ventral outer member 20 in the longitudinal direction to the rear end 41Se of the ventral side joint 41S (L2>L4).

[0097] By doing so, the front end (lower end) of the back-side outer member 30 can be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction longer (by the length L2) than both left-right side ends of the absorbent main body 10. Therefore, wrinkles caused by the vertical elastic members 17 are less likely to occur in the back-side outer member 30, and wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 can be covered by the back-side outer member 30. On the other hand, the vertical elastic members 17 do not reach the ventral-side outer member 20. Therefore, even if the length L4 is short and the ventral-side side joint portion 41S extends all the way to the rear, the vertical elastic members 17 are less likely to affect the occurrence of wrinkles, and the napkin 1 maintains an underwear-like appearance.

[0098] 8, the longitudinal length of the ventral-side central joint 41C is shorter than the longitudinal length of the ventral-side side joints 41S. In this case, the ventral-side joints 41 can be prevented from excessively increasing the rigidity of the napkin 1. However, since the longitudinal elastic members 17 do not reach the ventral-side outer member 20, and the ventral-side outer member 20 is less susceptible to the influence of the longitudinal elastic members 17 than the back-side outer member 30, the longitudinal length of the ventral-side central joint 41C may be as long as the ventral-side side joints 41S. In this case, the joining strength between the ventral-side outer member 20 and the absorbent main body 10 is increased, making the two members less likely to separate.

[0099] Furthermore, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, the ratio (A50 / A30) of the area (A40) of the back-side non-joined portion 50 to the total area (A30) of the portion where the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 overlap in the thickness direction is greater than the ratio (A51 / A30) of the area (A51) of the ventral-side non-joined portion 51 to the total area (A20) of the portion where the ventral-side outer member 20 and the absorbent main body 10 overlap in the thickness direction. This makes it difficult for wrinkles due to the vertical elastic members 17 to occur in the back-side waistline member 30, and wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 can be covered by the back-side waistline member 30. On the other hand, the joining strength between the ventral-side outer member 20 and the absorbent main body 10 is increased, making the two members less likely to separate.

[0100] When the joining strength between the ventral-side outer member 20 and the absorbent main body 10 is high, the absorbent main body 10 can be more easily brought into close contact with the wearer by the ventral-side outer member 20. In particular, as shown in Fig. 4, when the ventral-side waistline elastic members 23 are continuous between a pair of side joint portions 2, the absorbent main body 10 can be more easily brought into close contact with the wearer, thereby suppressing leakage of excrement. Furthermore, since wrinkles due to the longitudinal elastic members 17 are less likely to occur in the absorbent main body 10 on the ventral side, even when the ventral-side outer member 20 is in close contact with the absorbent main body 10, wrinkles in the napkin 1 are less noticeable.

[0101] The crotch-side elastic member is a transverse elastic member provided at the longitudinal front end (one side) of the back-side outer member 30, which is stretchable in the left-right direction. As illustrated in FIG. 7 , when the back-side outer member 30 has a buttocks-covering portion 30B, the inclined elastic member 35, which is a transverse elastic member provided in the buttocks-covering portion 30B, is the crotch-side elastic member. Although not shown, in the case of a back-side outer member 30 without a buttocks-covering portion 30B, the back-side waist elastic member 33, which is a transverse elastic member overlapping the absorbent core 11 in the longitudinal direction, is the crotch-side elastic member. When the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, the inclined elastic member 35, which is a crotch-side elastic member, is preferably positioned continuously from the left end to the right end of the absorbent main body 10 and intersects with the longitudinal elastic member 17 and the non-joined portion 50. In other words, it is preferable that the inclined elastic member 35 exhibit stretchability over the entire range in the left-right direction where it overlaps with the absorbent main body 10 in the thickness direction.

[0102] By doing so, the portion of the front end (crotch-side end) of the back-side outer member 30 in the longitudinal direction that overlaps with the absorbent main body 10 is uniformly shrunk by the inclined elastic member 35, making the appearance of the napkin 1 closer to that of underwear. Furthermore, in the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the region where the back-side outer member 30 and the longitudinal elastic members 17 overlap in the thickness direction is the non-jointed portion 50, and wrinkles caused by the longitudinal elastic members 17 are less likely to occur in the back-side outer member 30. This prevents the wrinkles caused by the longitudinal elastic members 17 and the wrinkles caused by the inclined elastic members 35 from overlapping and causing disorderly wrinkles. Therefore, the aesthetic appearance of the back-side outer member 30 is ensured.

[0103] More preferably, the inclined elastic member 35, which is the crotch-side elastic member, is positioned continuously between the pair of side joint portions 2. By doing so, the front end portion (crotch-side end portion) of the back-side outer member 30 in the longitudinal direction will contract uniformly across the entire area in the left-right direction, making the appearance of the napkin 1 more similar to that of underwear.

[0104] However, conversely to the above, as shown in Fig. 9B of a modified example, when the napkin 1 is in an unfolded and stretched state, the inclined elastic members 35, which are the crotch-side elastic members, may be positioned outward in the left-right direction from the longitudinal elastic members 17. In other words, the inclined elastic members 35 may exhibit stretchability at positions outward in the left-right direction from the longitudinal elastic members 17.

[0105] In this case, a portion of the front end (crotch side end) of the back-side exterior member 30 in the longitudinal direction, including the portion overlapping with the vertical elastic member 17, is flat without being affected by the inclined elastic member 35. Therefore, wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 caused by the vertical elastic member 17 can be widely covered in the left-right direction by the back-side exterior member 30, which is not affected by the inclined elastic member 35. Therefore, wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 become less noticeable.

[0106] 5A , the absorbent main body 10 has a back sheet 13 arranged on the side away from the skin of the absorbent core 12, and a sheet member 14 arranged on the side away from the skin of the back sheet 13. In this case, the bonding strength between the back-side exterior member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 is preferably higher than the bonding strength between the back sheet 13 and the sheet member 14.

[0107] By doing so, in the napkin 1 of this embodiment, a relatively large non-jointed portion 50 where the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 are not joined is provided to make wrinkles in the vertical elastic members 17 less noticeable, but an appropriate joining strength between the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 is ensured. Therefore, separation of the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 can be suppressed.

[0108] Comparison of bonding strength can be performed by a well-known method using a tensile tester (e.g., Instron Model 5965 or equivalent). From the target napkin 1, the entire overlapping portion of the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 in the thickness direction is cut out as a sample. Furthermore, if necessary, using a cold spray or the like, the entire overlapping portion of the backsheet 13 and the sheet member 14 in the thickness direction is also cut out as a sample. The width (W0) of each sample is measured in a direction perpendicular to the measurement direction (peel direction). Next, the sample is set in the tensile tester so that the components constituting the sample (the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10, or the backsheet 13 and the sheet member 14) are peeled along the measurement direction, with a predetermined direction (left-right or longitudinal direction) of the napkin 1 being the measurement direction. That is, one chuck clamps the edge of the back-side exterior member 30 or the back sheet 13 in the measurement direction, and the other chuck clamps the edge of the absorbent main body 10 or the sheet member 14 in the measurement direction. The chucks are then moved apart at a constant speed (e.g., 100 mm / min) until the components constituting the sample are completely peeled (separated). The load applied during this period is observed, and the maximum value (N) is obtained. The maximum measured value (N) for each sample is then converted from the measured width (W0) of each sample to a 25 mm width (measured value / W0 x 25 mm, unit: N / 25 mm) and compared as the bond strength.

[0109] 5B , the back-side exterior member 30 has a back-side skin-side sheet 31 and a back-side non-skin-side sheet 32 ​​arranged on the non-skin side of the back-side skin-side sheet 31. In this case, the bonding strength between the back-side skin-side sheet 31 and the back-side non-skin-side sheet 32 ​​is preferably higher than the bonding strength between the back sheet 13 and the sheet member 14.

[0110] The napkin 1 of this embodiment has a relatively large non-jointed portion 50 where the back-side outer member 30 and the absorbent main body 10 are not joined. Therefore, when in a lying position, the back-side skin-side sheet 31 and the back-side non-skin-side sheet 32 ​​that make up the back-side outer member 30 tend to move relative to the absorbent main body 10 and rub against the floor or bed. However, as described above, by ensuring an appropriate joining strength between the back-side skin-side sheet 31 and the back-side non-skin-side sheet 32, separation of the back-side skin-side sheet 31 and the back-side non-skin-side sheet 32 ​​can be prevented.

[0111] Comparison of bond strength can be performed using a tensile tester, as described above. A sample is prepared by cutting out the entire back-side outer member 30 (the portion laterally inward of the pair of side bond portions 2) from the target napkin 1. Note that, unlike in FIG. 5B , if the waist-side end of the back-side skin-side sheet 31 or the back-side non-skin-side sheet 32 ​​is folded back, the folded portion is not included in the sample. The backsheet 13 and sheet member 14 samples are similar to those described above. Then, the width (W0) of each sample is measured in a direction perpendicular to the measurement direction (peel direction). Next, the sample is set in a tensile tester so that the components constituting the sample are peeled along the measurement direction, with a predetermined direction (lateral or longitudinal) of the napkin 1 as the measurement direction. That is, the end of the back-side skin-side sheet 31 or the backsheet 13 in the measurement direction is clamped with one chuck, and the end of the back-side non-skin-side sheet 32 ​​or the sheet member 14 in the measurement direction is clamped with the other chuck. The chucks are then separated at a constant speed (e.g., 100 mm / min) until the components constituting the sample are completely peeled (separated). The load applied during this period is observed, and the maximum value (N) is obtained. The maximum measured value (N) for each sample is then converted from the measured width (W0) of each sample to a 25 mm width (measured value / W0 x 25 mm, unit: N / 25 mm) and compared as the bonding strength.

[0112] Furthermore, when the back-side outer member 30 extends longitudinally forward (on one side) of the side joint 2 and has a buttocks-covering portion 30B, it is preferable that the following be true. As shown in Fig. 4, when the napkin 1 is unfolded and stretched, the region where the inclined elastic member 35, which is a transverse elastic member located longitudinally forward of the side joint 2, intersects with the vertical elastic member 17 is defined as the intersection region 30C. The left-right length L6 of the intersection region 30C is preferably longer than the longitudinal length L7 of the intersection region 30C (L6 > L7). In the case of the back-side outer member 30 illustrated in Fig. 4, the region surrounded by the left-most and right-most vertical elastic members 17 of the four vertical elastic members 17 and the rearmost and frontmost inclined elastic members 35 of the three inclined elastic members 35 is the intersection region 30C.

[0113] In the above case, the longitudinal elastic members 17 are widely arranged in the left-right direction in the absorbent main body 10, so that the longitudinal elastic members 17 can firmly push the absorbent main body 10 up against the skin. The absorbent main body 10 is pushed up against the skin and fits closely to the wearer's buttocks, thereby suppressing leakage of excrement. Furthermore, as the absorbent main body 10 fits closely to the buttocks while the napkin 1 is being worn, wrinkles in the absorbent main body 10 become less visible, and the appearance of the napkin 1 becomes more similar to that of underwear.

[0114] Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating a menstrual blood drip test. Furthermore, when the shorts-type napkin 1 of this embodiment is subjected to a menstrual blood drip test in which artificial menstrual blood is dripped onto the longitudinal and lateral central region R1 of the absorbent core 11 in the unfolded and extended state (Fig. 10), it is preferable that the thickness of the central region R1 of the shorts-type napkin 1 after the menstrual blood drip test be smaller than the thickness of the central region R1 of the shorts-type napkin 1 before the menstrual blood drip test.

[0115] In the menstrual blood dripping test, assuming a situation in which the napkin 1 is actually used, artificial menstrual blood is dripped onto the longitudinal and lateral central portion R1 of the absorbent core 11, which is in contact with the wearer's excretory opening (vaginal opening). The amount of artificial menstrual blood dripped was set to 10 ml, which is the average amount of artificial menstrual blood discharged into the napkin 1 as a result of research by the applicant.

[0116] Unlike this embodiment, napkins in which the thickness of the central region R1 increases after the menstrual blood drop test are more likely to develop unevenness on the skin-side surface after absorbing menstrual blood. This is thought to be because, compared to when the spaces between the water-retentive fibers become smaller and the thickness becomes thinner due to menstrual blood absorption, when the thickness increases due to the water-retentive fibers widening and the superabsorbent polymer expanding due to menstrual blood absorption, the way the thickness changes (the way it expands) is more likely to vary due to various causes (such as the distribution of the constituent materials of the absorbent core 11 and the degree of diffusion of menstrual blood). It is also thought that as the thickness increases, unevenness (thickness differences) also increases.

[0117] In contrast, with the napkin 1 of this embodiment, swelling of the center region R1 after the menstrual blood drop test is suppressed, resulting in a thinner thickness. As a result, even after absorbing menstrual blood, it is possible to avoid the formation of irregularities on the skin-side surface of the napkin 1 at the position where it contacts the excretory opening and its surrounding area. This makes it easier for the napkin 1 to maintain a tight fit around the wearer's excretory opening and its surrounding area. As a result, leakage of menstrual blood through gaps that form between the napkin and the wearer can be suppressed.

[0118] The method for the "menstrual blood drip test" will now be described. (1) First, the side seam 2 of the shorts-type napkin 1 to be measured is torn, and the napkin 1 is unfolded and stretched, with the skin side facing up (see FIG. 10). (2) Next, a center position P1 is determined, which is the intersection of a line dividing the absorbent core 11 in half longitudinally at its maximum length and a line dividing the absorbent core 11 in half transversely at its maximum width. A circular region R1 having a diameter of 8 cm and centered at this center position P1 is determined as the longitudinal and transverse central region R1 of the absorbent core 11. (3) Next, the thickness of the entire napkin 1 is measured at five locations within the central region R1, and the average thickness of the five locations is calculated. This average value is the thickness of the central region R1 of the shorts-type napkin 1 before the menstrual blood drip test. (4) Next, a cylindrical jig 60 (outer diameter 8 cm, inner diameter 7 cm, thickness (outer radius - inner radius) 0.5 cm, weight 200 g) is placed in the central portion R1. 10 ml of artificial menstrual blood is dripped onto the inside of the jig 60, and after the artificial menstrual blood has permeated the absorbent body, the jig 60 is removed and the napkin 1 is left for one hour. (5) After the artificial menstrual blood has been dripped and left for one hour, the thickness of the entire napkin 1 is measured at five points within the inner (hollow) region of the central portion R1 where the jig 60 was placed, and the average thickness of the five points is calculated. This average value is the thickness of the central portion R1 of the shorts-type napkin 1 after the menstrual blood drip test. It is then compared with the thickness before the test.

[0119] The thickness of the napkin 1 is measured using, for example, a spring-loaded thickness gauge (Peacock JB) manufactured by Ozaki Seisakusho Co., Ltd., or an equivalent device (the pressure used during measurement is determined by the jig of the gauge). If the napkin 1 has compressed portions (embossed) that are partially compressed in the planar direction, the thickness of the uncompressed portions is measured. The artificial menstrual blood is prepared by adding 80 g of glycerin, 8 g of sodium carboxymethylcellulose, 10 g of sodium chloride, 4 g of sodium bicarbonate, 8 g of Red No. 102, 2 g of Red No. 2, and 2 g of Yellow No. 5 to 1 L of ion-exchanged water and thoroughly stirring the mixture.

[0120]

[0121] Shorts-type napkin samples (Examples A to D, Comparative Example A) were actually prepared and subjected to a menstrual blood drip test. Table 1 shows the results of the menstrual blood drip test for the shorts-type napkin 1 of this embodiment (Examples A to D) and Comparative Example A. As shown in Table 1, the absorbent core 11 of each sample was constructed as follows. Example A used pulp fibers (basis weight 145 g / m ２ ) did not contain SAP (super absorbent polymer), and Example B contained pulp fiber (basis weight 145 g / m ２ ) with a total SAP weight of 1.3 g and a basis weight of 20.4 g / m ２ In Example C, pulp fibers (basis weight 145 g / m ２ ) with a total SAP weight of 1.95 g and a basis weight of 30.6 g / m ２ In Example D, pulp fibers (basis weight 145 g / m ２ ) with a total SAP weight of 2.6 g and a basis weight of 40.8 g / m ２ Comparative Example A contains pulp fibers (basis weight 145 g / m ２ ) with a total SAP weight of 8.5 g and a basis weight of 133.4 g / m ２ The top sheet 11 was made of a hydrophilic air-through nonwoven fabric (basis weight 25 g / m ２ ), the core wrap sheet 15 is made of tissue (basis weight 15 g / m ２ ), and the back sheet 13 is made of a breathable resin film (basis weight 20 g / m ２ ), and the side sheets are made of hydrophobic SMS nonwoven fabric (basis weight 15 g / m ２ ) was used.

[0122] The results in Table 1 show that the thickness after the menstrual blood dropping test was smaller than the thickness before the test in Examples A to D. It was also found that as the basis weight of the SAP contained in the absorbent core 11 decreases, the rate at which the thickness decreases also tends to increase (the value of (thickness after dropping) / (thickness before dropping) becomes smaller).

[0123]

[0124] Table 2 shows the results of the reference test of the menstrual blood drop test. As a reference test, an absorbent core (pulp fiber, basis weight 145 g / m) containing no SAP was used. ２Shorts-type napkins having the absorbent core of Reference Example A were manufactured and subjected to a menstrual blood drip test. The absorbent core of Reference Example A was manufactured by flat pressing (a process of uniformly compressing the entire surface of the absorbent core). The absorbent core of Reference Example B was an absorbent core that was not flat pressed, but was left as it was after the pulp fibers layered in the mold were released.

[0125] From the results in Table 2, in Reference Example A, in which the absorbent core was flat-pressed, the thickness after the menstrual blood drop test was greater than the thickness before the test. On the other hand, in Reference Example B, in which the absorbent core was not flat-pressed, the thickness after the menstrual blood drop test was smaller than the thickness before the test. Therefore, it was found that the pressure applied in the thickness direction during the production of the absorbent core also affects the thickness of the absorbent core (napkin 1) after absorbing menstrual blood.

[0126] From the above results, it is possible to manufacture a napkin 1 of this embodiment in which swelling of the central region R1 of the napkin 1 after absorbing menstrual blood is suppressed by adjusting the amount of SAP contained in the absorbent core 11 and the strength of the pressure applied during the manufacturing of the absorbent core 11.

[0127] ===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.

[0128] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Shorts-type napkin, 2 Side joint portion, 3 Leakage barrier portion, 10 Absorbent body, 11 Absorbent core, 12 Top sheet, 13 Back sheet, 14 Sheet member, 15 Core wrap sheet, 16 Leakage barrier elastic member, 17 Vertical elastic member, 18 Leg-hole elastic member, 20 Abdominal outer member, 21 Abdominal skin-side sheet, 22 Abdominal non-skin-side sheet, 23 Abdominal waist elastic member (abdominal transverse elastic member), 30 Dorsal outer member, 31 Dorsal skin-side sheet, 32 Dorsal non-skin-side sheet, 33 Dorsal waist elastic member (transverse elastic member), 33W Waist-side elastic member, 35 Oblique elastic member (transverse elastic member, crotch-side elastic member), 40 Joint portion, 40S Side joint portion, 40C Central joint portion, 41 Ventral joint portion, 41S ventral side joint portion, 50 non-joined portion, 50o overlapping non-joined portion, 51 ventral non-joined portion, 60 jig,

Claims

1. A pants-type absorbent article having an absorbent main body with an absorbent core, a ventral exterior member, and a rear-side exterior member constructed as a separate member from the ventral-side exterior member, wherein in an unfolded and stretched state, the article has a longitudinal direction, a left-right direction, and a thickness direction which are perpendicular to one another, an end of the absorbent main body on one side in the longitudinal direction is joined to the ventral exterior member, and an end of the absorbent main body on the other side in the longitudinal direction is joined to the rear-side exterior member, and at a portion where the rear-side exterior member and the absorbent main body overlap in the thickness direction, the article has a joined portion where the rear-side exterior member and the absorbent main body are joined, and a non-joined portion where the rear-side exterior member and the absorbent main body are not joined, in the longitudinal direction, the position of the end of one side of the non-joined portion is the same as the position of the end of one side of the rear-side exterior member, and the absorbent main body has a longitudinal elastic member that is stretchable in the longitudinal direction on the non-skin side of the absorbent core in the thickness direction, a pants-type absorbent article, characterized in that the one end of the longitudinal elastic member in the longitudinal direction is located on the other side of the ventral-side outer member, and the other end of the longitudinal elastic member in the longitudinal direction is located across the one end of the non-joined portion.

2. A pants-type absorbent article as described in claim 1, wherein the rear outer member has one or more horizontal elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, the non-joined portion has an overlapping non-joined portion that overlaps with at least a part of the vertical elastic member in the left-right direction, and in the unfolded and stretched state, the other end of the vertical elastic member in the longitudinal direction and the other end of the overlapping non-joined portion are located on the other side of the horizontal elastic member that is located furthest to one side in the longitudinal direction.

3. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ventral outer member and the rear outer member are joined in an annular shape by a pair of side joints, and in the unfolded and stretched state, the rear outer member extends further to one side in the longitudinal direction than the side joints and is located further to the other side than the centre of the pants-type absorbent article in the longitudinal direction.

4. A pants-type absorbent article as described in claim 3, characterized in that, in an unfolded and stretched state, the end on one side of the rear exterior member in the longitudinal direction is located on the one side of the center between the center of the pants-type absorbent article in the longitudinal direction and the end on one side of the side joint portion.

5. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in an unfolded and stretched state, the non-joined portion has an overlapping non-joined portion that overlaps with at least a portion of the longitudinal elastic member in the left-right direction, the joined portion has a side joined portion located outside in the left-right direction of at least a portion of the longitudinal elastic member, and the longitudinal length of the overlapping non-joined portion is longer than the length in the longitudinal direction from the end on one side of the back outer member to the end on one side of the side joined portion.

6. A pants-type absorbent article as described in claim 5, characterized in that, in the unfolded and stretched state, the joint is not provided closer to the center in the left-right direction than the side joint, or the joint is provided with a length in the longitudinal direction shorter than that of the side joint.

7. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ventral outer member and the rear outer member are joined in an annular shape by a pair of side joints, the rear outer member has a plurality of transverse elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, and in an unfolded and stretched state, the transverse elastic members that overlap with the side joints in the longitudinal direction are waist elastic members, the longitudinal distance between the waist elastic member located furthest to one side in the longitudinal direction and the waist elastic member second from the one side is defined as a first distance, and when the waist elastic members whose distance between adjacent waist elastic members at the other longitudinal end of the rear outer member is shorter than half the first distance are defined as waist elastic members, the length from the other longitudinal end of the rear outer member to the waist elastic member located furthest to one side in the longitudinal direction is longer than the length from the one longitudinal end of the side joint.

8. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the unfolded and stretched state, the non-joined portion has an overlapping non-joined portion that overlaps with at least a part of the longitudinal elastic member in the left-right direction, a ventral side joint portion where the ventral outer member and the absorbent main body are joined is provided outside in the left-right direction of at least a part of the longitudinal elastic member, and the longitudinal length of the overlapping non-joined portion is longer than the length in the longitudinal direction from the other end of the ventral outer member to the other end of the ventral side joint portion.

9. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ventral outer member has one or more ventral transverse elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, the non-joined portion has an overlapping non-joined portion that overlaps with at least a part of the longitudinal elastic member in the left-right direction, and in the unfolded and stretched state, the longitudinal length of the overlapping non-joined portion is longer than the length from the other end of the ventral outer member in the longitudinal direction to the ventral transverse elastic member that is located furthest to the other side.

10. A pants-type absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the unfolded and stretched state, all of the portions of the longitudinal elastic member that overlap the rear outer member in the thickness direction are located in the non-jointed portions.

11. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the rear outer member has one or more horizontal elastic members stretchable in the left-right direction, and when the horizontal elastic member provided at one end of the longitudinal direction of the rear outer member is used as a crotch-side elastic member, in the unfolded and stretched state, the crotch-side elastic member is positioned continuously from the left end to the right end of the absorbent main body, and intersects with the vertical elastic member and the non-jointed portion.

12. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the rear outer member has one or more horizontal elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, and when the horizontal elastic member provided at the end of one side in the longitudinal direction of the rear outer member is used as a crotch-side elastic member, in the unfolded and stretched state, the crotch-side elastic member is positioned outside the vertical elastic member in the left-right direction.

13. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the pants-type absorbent article is a shorts-type napkin, and wherein when a menstrual blood drop test is conducted in which artificial menstrual blood is dropped into the center of the absorbent core in the longitudinal direction and the left-right direction, the thickness of the center of the shorts-type napkin after the menstrual blood drop test is smaller than the thickness of the center of the shorts-type napkin before the menstrual blood drop test is conducted.

14. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the absorbent main body has a back sheet arranged on the side away from the skin of the absorbent core, and a sheet member arranged on the side away from the skin of the back sheet, and the bonding strength between the back side outer member and the absorbent main body is higher than the bonding strength between the back sheet and the sheet member.

15. A pants-type absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent main body has a back sheet arranged on the non-skin side of the absorbent core and a sheet member arranged on the non-skin side of the back sheet, the back side outer member has a back side skin side sheet and a back side non-skin side sheet arranged on the non-skin side of the back side skin side sheet, and the bonding strength between the back side skin side sheet and the back side non-skin side sheet is higher than the bonding strength between the back sheet and the sheet member.

16. A pants-type absorbent article as described in claim 3, wherein the rear outer member has one or more horizontal elastic members that stretch in the left-right direction, and in the unfolded and stretched state, the left-right length of the intersection region where the horizontal elastic member located on one side of the side joint in the longitudinal direction intersects with the vertical elastic member is longer than the longitudinal length of the intersection region.

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