Absorbent article

Abstract

An absorbent article according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a main body, a pair of wings, and a pair of hip guards. The absorbent article comprises: front adhesive portions and rear adhesive portions disposed on the main body; wing adhesive portions disposed on the wings; and hip guard adhesive portions disposed on the hip guards. The front adhesive portions extend continuously in a longitudinal direction. The rear adhesive portions are located behind the front adhesive portions, with a separation portion in between where no adhesive portion is disposed. Front-end portions of the rear adhesive portions are disposed on or behind an imaginary line parallel to a lateral direction passing through front-end portions of the hip guard adhesive portions. A rear portion of the absorbent article has a first region in which the length in the lateral direction increases proceeding from front to rear and a second region which is located behind the first region and in which the length in the lateral direction decreases proceeding rearward from the area of maximum length in the lateral direction. The separation portion overlaps with the first region, and the position of front-end portions of the hip guard adhesive portions in the longitudinal direction is behind rear-end portions of the front adhesive portions.

Description

absorbent articles

[0001] The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins.

[0002] Generally, the back surface of a sanitary napkin is provided with a stopper (also called an adhesive part) for fixing the sanitary napkin to underwear.

[0003] Patent Documents 1 to 3 describe absorbent articles having a main body, wings, and hip guards, with a plurality of adhesive portions extending in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article arranged at intervals along the longitudinal direction on the back side of the main body. Patent Document 1 describes that a plurality of adhesive portions covered with a rear release liner are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the article and spaced apart in the width direction, and that the front end of the adhesive portion arranged at the center in the width direction is positioned forward of the front end of the adhesive portion arranged on the outer side in the width direction so that the rear release liner can be smoothly released from the front side of the absorbent article. Patent Document 2 describes that a low basis weight portion is provided between two adjacent adhesive portions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction to prevent the adhesive portions from separating from the underwear. Patent Document 3 describes that a low basis weight portion is provided to reduce rigidity so as to prevent discomfort to the wearer when lying down, and the low basis weight portion is arranged between two adjacent adhesive portions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.

[0004] JP 2014-171559 A JP 2017-176449 A International Publication No. 2016 / 103774

[0005] An absorbent article according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a main body, a pair of wings, and a pair of hip guards. The main body extends in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of a wearer and is divided into a front region, a middle region, and a rear region. The main body includes a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet. The pair of wings extend outward from the middle region in a lateral direction corresponding to the left-to-right direction of the wearer. The pair of hip guards extend outward in the lateral direction from the rear region. The absorbent article comprises a front adhesive portion, a rear adhesive portion, wing adhesive portions, and a hip guard adhesive portion. The front adhesive portion is disposed on the underwear-contacting surface of the main body and extends continuously in the longitudinal direction. The rear adhesive portion is disposed on the underwear-contacting surface of the main body and is located behind the front adhesive portion with a separation portion where no adhesive portion is disposed therebetween. The wing adhesive portion is disposed on the underwear-contacting surface of the wing. The hip guard adhesive portion is disposed on the underwear-contacting surface of the hip guard. The absorbent article has constricted portions between the wings and the hip guard, where both longitudinal edges are constricted laterally inward. When an imaginary line parallel to the horizontal direction is drawn passing through the front end of the hip guard adhesive portion, the front end of the rear adhesive portion is located on or behind the imaginary line. The rear portion of the absorbent article, which overlaps the rear region in the vertical direction, has a first region whose horizontal length increases from the front to the rear, and a second region located behind the first region and whose horizontal length decreases rearward from its maximum point. The separation portion overlaps the first region, and the front end of the hip guard adhesive portion is located rearward of the rear end of the front adhesive portion in the vertical direction.

[0006] 1 is a plan view showing an absorbent article according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a package wrapped with an exterior sheet is opened and stretched out on a plane, as viewed from the skin side. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the absorbent article as viewed from the non-skin side. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an absorbent core constituting a part of the absorbent article. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent article taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent article taken along line V-V in FIG. 1. (A) is a partially enlarged plan view of the absorbent article as viewed from the non-skin side, and (B) to (D) are partially enlarged plan views of absorbent articles according to modified examples as viewed from the non-skin side. (A) to (D) are partially enlarged plan views of absorbent articles according to modified examples as viewed from the non-skin side. FIG. 3 is a plan view of an absorbent article illustrating the forces applied to the absorbent article by the wearer's walking motion. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the state of a wearer walking while wearing an absorbent article according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view of an absorbent article having three-dimensional gathers according to another embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the skin side. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0007] Although absorbent articles with wings and hip guards are generally used at night, such as when sleeping, they are increasingly being used in situations where it is not possible to change the absorbent article during the day on busy days, in the hope of preventing leakage from the buttocks. However, in such situations, when worn, the underwear fabric can be significantly deformed by the wearer's movements, such as walking, causing the adhesive portions on the wings and hip guards to peel off from the underwear, deforming the absorbent article, and causing the edges of the absorbent article to come into contact with the wearer's groin or buttocks, causing discomfort when worn.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article that is comfortable to wear even when worn for a long period of time.

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, mutually orthogonal coordinate axes, that is, X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, are appropriately shown. In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for components that have already been mentioned, and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0010] <Overall configuration of absorbent article>

[0011] An absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured as a sanitary napkin and will be referred to hereinafter as the napkin 1. The napkin 1 has a longitudinal direction X corresponding to the front-to-back direction of the wearer and a transverse direction Y corresponding to the left-to-right direction of the wearer and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. Furthermore, the napkin 1 has a thickness direction Z perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y. In this specification, with respect to the thickness direction Z, the side closest to the wearer's skin may be referred to as the upper or skin side, and the side closest to the underwear may be referred to as the lower or non-skin side. In this specification, the term "plan view" refers to a plan view seen from the thickness direction Z. In this specification, the term "inward in the transverse direction Y" refers to a side closer to the transverse direction Y toward the longitudinal center line CL that bisects the transverse direction Y of the napkin 1, and the term "outward in the transverse direction Y" refers to a side farther away from the longitudinal center line CL in the transverse direction Y. "Inward in the longitudinal direction X" means approaching the longitudinal direction X toward the horizontal centerline that bisects the longitudinal direction X of the napkin 1, and "outward in the longitudinal direction X" means moving away in the longitudinal direction X toward the horizontal centerline that bisects the longitudinal direction X of the napkin 1. In this specification, the "front end" refers to the forward-most portion in the longitudinal direction X, i.e., the front end, and the "rear end" refers to the rear-most portion in the longitudinal direction X, i.e., the rear end. The napkin 1 may be used while sleeping, and may have a length of 290 mm or more along the longitudinal direction X. The napkin 1 has a maximum length in the longitudinal direction X (total length) of 300 mm and a maximum length in the horizontal direction (total width) of 160 mm.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the absorbent article 1 includes a main body M, a pair of wings W, and a pair of hip guards H.

[0013] The main body M extends in a strip-like shape along the longitudinal direction X and is fixed to the inner surface of the wearer's underwear when worn. The main body M is divided along the longitudinal direction X into a front region M1, a middle region M2, and a rear region M3. The middle region M2 includes an excretory area-facing region that faces the wearer's excretory area when worn. The excretory area-facing region is located at the center of the middle region M2 in the lateral direction Y. In the case where the absorbent article is a napkin 1, the excretory area is the vaginal opening. The middle region M2 is a region where wings W are provided. The front region M1 is a region located in front of the middle region M2 (toward the wearer's abdomen) and faces the front of the wearer's excretory area when worn. The rear region M3 is a region located behind the middle region M2 (toward the wearer's back) and faces the rear of the wearer's excretory area when worn. The rear region M3 is a region where hip guards H are provided. The term "when worn" as used herein means a state in which the normal, proper wearing position (the expected wearing position of the napkin 1) is maintained, and does not include a state in which the napkin 1 is shifted from that wearing position.

[0014] The main body M extends along the longitudinal direction X and is placed on the inner surface of the wearer's underwear. The main body M has the function of absorbing liquids (hereinafter also referred to as "liquid") such as menstrual blood of the wearer.

[0015] The pair of wings W extend outward in the lateral direction Y from the middle region M2 of the main body M. The wings W extend outward in the lateral direction from the underwear between the wearer's crotch, then fold inward and fasten to the outer surface of the underwear. This prevents the middle region M2 of the main body M from slipping out of the crotch area of ​​the wearer.

[0016] The wings W are provided over the entire length in the vertical direction X in the middle region M2 of the main body M. In the napkin 1 according to this embodiment, the position of the middle region M2 in the main body M corresponds to the position of the wings W, and the middle region M2 is defined as the portion of the main body M where the wings W are provided. The front and rear ends of the wings W are the starting points for extension in the horizontal direction Y at the front and rear, respectively.

[0017] The pair of hip guards H extend outward in the horizontal direction Y from the rear region M3 of the main body M and partially encase the buttocks inside the wearer's underwear. The hip guards H are located rearward of the wings W. In the napkin 1 according to this embodiment, the hip guards H are provided over the entire length of the rear region M3 in the vertical direction X, the position of the rear region M3 on the main body M corresponds to the position of the hip guards H, and the rear region M3 is defined as the portion of the main body M where the hip guards H are provided.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, the napkin 1 has constricted portions 11 between the wings W and the hip guards H, where the left and right side edges 1S along the longitudinal direction X are constricted inward in the lateral direction Y. In the napkin 1 according to this embodiment, the front end of the hip guards H coincides with the rear end of the wings W.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 2 , the portion of the napkin 1 overlapping with the rear region M3 in the longitudinal direction X is referred to as the rear portion 80. The rear portion 80 includes the rear region M3 of the main body M and a pair of hip guards H. The rear portion 80 has a first region 21 and a second region 22. In the rear portion 80, the first region 21 is a region in which the length (width) of the napkin 1 in the lateral direction Y gradually increases from the front to the rear. In the napkin 1, the width of the napkin 1 gradually increases from the front end 81 of the rear portion 80 (corresponding to the boundary between the middle region M2 and the rear region M3) toward the rear. The second region 22 is located rearward of the first region 21 and is a region in which the width of the napkin 1 gradually decreases toward the rear from the point where the width is maximum. As shown in FIG. 2 , in the napkin 1, the width of the rear portion 80 is greatest at the boundary between the first region 21 and the second region 22 (in other words, the width of the pair of hip guards H is greatest).

[0020] In the present embodiment, the rear portion 80 has a shape in which the second region 22 is located immediately behind the first region 21. However, a third region in which the width of the napkin 1 does not change from the front to the rear may be provided between the first region 21 and the second region 22. In this case, the third region is the portion of the rear portion 80 where the width is greatest.

[0021] 1, 2, 4, and 5, the napkin 1 comprises a topsheet 2, an absorbent body 4, a backsheet 3, and a pair of sidesheets 5. In the main body M, the napkin 1 has a configuration in which the backsheet 3, the absorbent body 4, and the topsheet 2 are laminated in the thickness direction Z. These components are appropriately joined and integrated, for example, by bonding with an adhesive or heat sealing, or by compression processing using the round compressed grooves 6 and the first horizontal compressed grooves 12.

[0022] The top sheet 2 is disposed above the absorbent body 4 in the thickness direction Z. A pair of side sheets 5 extend in the longitudinal direction X and are disposed on both left and right sides of the top sheet 2. The side sheets 5 are provided over both left and right sides of the main body M, the wings W, and the hip guards H. The side sheets 5 are joined to the top sheet 2, for example, by an adhesive 9. The back sheet 3 is disposed below the absorbent body 4 in the thickness direction Z. The back sheet 3 is provided over the entire main body M, the wings W, and the hip guards H. Both the top sheet 2 and the side sheets 5 are located on the back sheet 3. The back sheet 3 is joined to the top sheet 2 and the side sheets 5, for example, at its periphery, by an adhesive, heat sealing, etc.

[0023] The topsheet 2 is made of a highly liquid-permeable sheet material so that it can efficiently absorb liquids, such as menstrual blood, from the top surface into the interior. On the other hand, the backsheet 3 and sidesheets 5 are made of a less liquid-permeable sheet material so that liquids absorbed through the topsheet 2 are less likely to leak out. The topsheet 2, backsheet 3, and sidesheets 5 can be made of materials similar to those conventionally used in the relevant technical field, without any particular restrictions. For example, the topsheet 2 can be made of a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric or a perforated film. The backsheet 3 can be made of a liquid-impermeable film made of synthetic resin, or a water-repellent nonwoven fabric with high water pressure resistance, such as a spunbond-meltblown-spunbond laminated nonwoven fabric. The sidesheet 5 can be made of a water-repellent nonwoven fabric with high water pressure resistance, such as a spunbond-meltblown-spunbond laminated nonwoven fabric.

[0024] The backsheet 3 is provided with adhesive portions 31-34 that secure the main body M, wings W, and hip guards H to the underwear. The non-skin side of the napkin 1 on which the adhesive portions 31-34 are provided is referred to as the underwear-contacting surface 3a. As shown in FIG. 5, the wings W are formed by laminating the side sheets 5 and the backsheet 3 in the thickness direction Z, and the underwear-contacting surface of the wings W corresponds to the non-skin side of the backsheet 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the hip guard H is formed by laminating the side sheets 5 and the backsheet 3 in the thickness direction Z, and the underwear-contacting surface of the hip guard H corresponds to the non-skin side of the backsheet 3. The underwear-contacting surface of the main body M corresponds to the non-skin side of the backsheet 3. The adhesive portions 31-34 will be described later.

[0025] The absorbent body 4 extends in the longitudinal direction X and is disposed between the topsheet 2 and the backsheet 3. The absorbent body 4 absorbs liquid from the surface facing the topsheet 2 and diffuses the liquid internally to retain it. The absorbent body 4 may be any material similar to those conventionally used in the art, without particular limitation. In the napkin 1, the absorbent body 4 includes an absorbent core 7 and a core wrap sheet 8. The absorbent core 7 may be formed of, for example, a fiber aggregate composed of hydrophilic fibers such as pulp fibers, or may have a structure in which a water-absorbent polymer is retained in the fiber aggregate. The absorbent core 7 will be described later. The core wrap sheet 8 covers the absorbent core 7 and has the function of, for example, maintaining the shape of the absorbent core 7. The core wrap sheet 8 may be formed of, for example, thin, soft tissue-like paper or a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric.

[0026] <Detailed configuration of absorbent article>

[0027] In this embodiment, the napkin 1 can be made comfortable to wear by defining the positional relationship between the front adhesive portion 31, the rear adhesive portion 32, and the hip guard adhesive portion 34. This will be described in detail below.

[0028] 2, the napkin 1 is provided with a pair of front adhesive portions 31 arranged on the underwear-contacting surface 3a and spaced apart in the lateral direction Y, a pair of rear adhesive portions 32 arranged on the underwear-contacting surface 3a and spaced apart in the lateral direction Y, a pair of wing adhesive portions 33, and a pair of hip guard adhesive portions 34. These adhesive portions are formed by applying an adhesive such as a hot-melt adhesive to the underwear-contacting surface 3a of the backsheet 3.

[0029] (Front Adhesive Portion and Rear Adhesive Portion) The pair of front adhesive portions 31 and the pair of rear adhesive portions 32 function to secure the main body M to the inner surface of the wearer's underwear. In a plan view of the napkin 1, the front adhesive portions 31 and the rear adhesive portions 32 are present in the region where the absorbent body 4 is present. The front adhesive portions 31 extend continuously in the longitudinal direction X over part of the front region M1, the middle region M2, and part of the rear region M3. The front adhesive portions 31 are provided in a left-right pair, one on each side of the longitudinal centerline CL. The rear adhesive portion 32 extends continuously in the longitudinal direction X toward the rear of the rear region M3. The rear adhesive portions 32 are provided in a left-right pair, one on each side of the longitudinal centerline CL. On the underwear contacting surface 3a, the pair of rear adhesive portions 32 are arranged rearward of the pair of front adhesive portions 31 in the longitudinal direction X, with a separation portion 35 interposed therebetween. The separation portion 35 is a portion where no adhesive portion exists between the pair of front adhesive portions 31 and the pair of rear adhesive portions 32. In other words, the front adhesive portions 31 and the rear adhesive portions 32 are separated in the vertical direction X. Both the front adhesive portions 31 and the rear adhesive portions 32 have a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction X. In the napkin 1, the range of the separation portion 35 is a rectangular portion having four vertices: a vertex located on the rear outer side in the horizontal direction Y of each of the pair of rectangular front adhesive portions 31, and a vertex located on the front outer side in the horizontal direction Y of each of the pair of rectangular rear adhesive portions 32. When worn, the separation portion 35 is located in the vicinity of the wearer's anus.

[0030] (Wing adhesive portion) A pair of wing adhesive portions 33 is disposed on each of a pair of wings W. The wing adhesive portions 33 have the function of fixing the folded wing W to the outer surface of the wearer's underwear. The wing adhesive portion 33 is divided into three in the horizontal direction Y, and is configured by three vertical adhesive portions 330 extending in the vertical direction X and provided intermittently in the horizontal direction Y. All three vertical adhesive portions 330 have a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction X. The wing adhesive portion 33, which is an assembly of the three vertical adhesive portions 330, has an overall rectangular shape.

[0031] (Hip guard adhesive portion) As shown in Figures 2 and 6(A), a pair of hip guard adhesive portions 34 are arranged on each of a pair of hip guards H. The hip guard adhesive portions 34 have the function of fixing the hip guards H to the inner surface of the wearer's underwear. The hip guard adhesive portion 34 is divided into three portions in the horizontal direction, and is configured by three vertical adhesive portions 340 extending in the vertical direction X and provided intermittently in the horizontal direction Y. All three vertical adhesive portions 340 are long in the vertical direction X and have a rectangular shape with the same dimensions in both the vertical direction X and the horizontal direction Y. The dimensions of the three vertical adhesive portions 340 do not need to be the same, but it is preferable that they are approximately the same. "Approximately the same" means that the difference in the average dimension of each vertical adhesive portion 340 is within 10%.

[0032] In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the three vertical adhesive portions 340 are arranged so that their front ends are gradually shifted rearward toward the inside in the lateral direction Y. The overall shape of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 can be considered to be a substantially trapezoid. Note that in the napkin 1, the three vertical adhesive portions 340 are arranged so that their rear ends are gradually shifted rearward toward the inside in the lateral direction Y, so the overall shape of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 can be considered to be a substantially parallelogram. The front edge 341 (the edge corresponding to the front side of the trapezoid or parallelogram) is inclined with respect to the lateral direction Y. More specifically, the front edge 341 is inclined obliquely rearward toward the inside in the lateral direction Y of the napkin 1.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2 , the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is disposed at the portion of the rear portion 80 of the napkin 1 where the width is greatest (in other words, where the width of the pair of hip guard adhesive portions 34 is greatest). In the napkin 1, the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is disposed continuously in the longitudinal direction X from the first region 21 to the second region 22, and is located in both the first region 21 and the second region 22. In other words, the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is disposed on the hip guard H so as to pass through the portion of the rear portion 80 where the width is greatest and extend continuously forward and backward from the portion. Typically, the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is disposed so that its approximate center in the longitudinal direction X is located at the portion of the rear portion 80 where the width is greatest (in this embodiment, the boundary between the first region 21 and the second region 22). Here, the center of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 in the longitudinal direction X refers to the center of the length in the longitudinal direction X of a straight line connecting the frontmost end and the rearmost end of the hip guard adhesive portion 34. Therefore, when the front edge 341 of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is inclined as shown in Figure 2, this corresponds to the center in the longitudinal direction X of the straight line connecting the foremost end of the front edge 341 and the rearmost end of the rear edge (the edge corresponding to the rear side of the generally trapezoidal or generally parallelogrammatic hip guard adhesive portion) that is the rearmost end. This configuration effectively prevents the left and right side edges HS of the hip guard H from rolling up when worn. When the pair of hip guard adhesive portions 34 has a third region between the first region 21 and the second region 22 whose width does not change along the longitudinal direction X, the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is typically positioned so that the center of the third region in the longitudinal direction X coincides with approximately the center of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 in the longitudinal direction X. Here, "approximately the center" means a point (center) that divides the length of the area (hip guard adhesive portion 34, third region) in the vertical direction X in half, or it may be shifted forward or backward from the center in the vertical direction X within a range that still achieves the above-mentioned effects, in which case the shift amount is preferably 5 mm or less.

[0034] The shapes of the wing adhesive portions 33 and the hip guard adhesive portions 34 are not limited to those described above. For example, the wing adhesive portions 33 and the hip guard adhesive portions 34 may not be divided, or may be divided into two or four or more portions.

[0035] 2 and 6(A), the napkin 1 has a separation portion 35 in which no adhesive portion is present between the front adhesive portion 31 and the rear adhesive portion 32 in the longitudinal direction X. In a plan view, the separation portion 35 overlaps the first region 21. In the longitudinal direction X, the position of the front end portion 34a of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is rearward of the rear end portion 31a of the front adhesive portion 31.

[0036] By positioning the front adhesive portion 31, the rear adhesive portion 32, and the hip guard adhesive portion 34 as described above, an adhesive-free region 36 is provided in the first region 21 across the entire width in the horizontal direction Y. In the rear portion 80, adhesive-present regions where adhesive portions are present are located to the front and rear of the adhesive-free region 36. In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the length of the adhesive-free region 36 in the vertical direction X is shorter than that of the separation region 35, and the adhesive-free region 36 includes a portion of the separation region 35. In the rear portion 80, the adhesive-free region 36 is located in front of the hip guard adhesive portion 34. Referring to FIG. 2 , a cross-shaped adhesive-free region is present in a region surrounding the outer edges of the pair of front adhesive portions 31 and the pair of rear adhesive portions 32 (a region surrounded by connecting the outer vertices of the rectangular adhesive portions 31 and 32 in the vertical direction X and outside the horizontal direction Y). The separation region 35 roughly corresponds to the horizontal line portion of the cross of the cross-shaped adhesive-free region.

[0037] When the wearer wears the napkin, the underwear worn by the wearer is significantly deformed by the wearer's movements such as walking, etc. As shown in Figure 8, the first region 21 of the napkin 1 corresponds to a part of the underwear that is particularly deformed by movements such as walking, and during movement, a twisting force 65 directed diagonally backward from the middle region M2 is likely to be applied to the first region 21 in response to the deformation of the underwear.

[0038] As shown in Figure 9, in the napkin 1 of this embodiment, a separation portion 35 where no adhesive portion exists is provided in the first region 21, which is susceptible to a large twisting force 65 acting diagonally backward from the above-mentioned middle region M2, and an adhesive-free region 36 where no adhesive portion exists across the entire width in the lateral direction Y. Since the adhesive-free regions of the napkin 1 (the separation portion 35 and adhesive-free region 36) are not fixed to the underwear, as shown in the region surrounded by a circle 91 in Figure 9, in the adhesive-free regions, deformation of the underwear 90 caused by movements such as walking by the wearer P is less likely to be transmitted to the napkin 1, making it less likely that deformation following the deformation of the underwear 90 will occur, thereby reducing the force applied to the wing adhesive portions 33 and hip guard adhesive portions 34 due to deformation of the napkin 1. This prevents peeling of the wing adhesive portions 33 and hip guard adhesive portions 34, and ultimately prevents the wings W and hip guard H from rolling up. The napkin 1 can prevent the wing adhesive parts 33 and hip guard adhesive parts 34 from peeling off due to the wearer's vigorous movements, for example, and the napkin 1 from being unintentionally deformed, causing the edge parts of the napkin 1 to come into contact with the groin or buttocks and causing discomfort when worn, and can also suppress leakage of liquid due to undesirable deformation of the napkin 1.

[0039] As shown in Figure 6 (A), an imaginary line 67 is drawn that passes through the front end 34a of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 and is parallel to the lateral direction Y. In the napkin 1, the rear adhesive portion 32 is disposed so that its front end 32a is located on the imaginary line 67 or is located behind the imaginary line 67. In the example of the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 is located behind the imaginary line 67.

[0040] In the napkin 1, the areas with adhesive portions have higher rigidity than the areas without adhesive portions, and the boundary between the areas with and without adhesive portions is more likely to bend due to the difference in rigidity. In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 is positioned rearward of the imaginary line 67, so that, when worn, the napkin 1 is more likely to deform along a curve 66 that is convex rearward in plan view near the boundary between the adhesive-free area 36 and the area behind it, as shown in Figure 6 (A). This allows the napkin 1 to deform to conform to the shape of the buttocks, enveloping them from the front, back, left and right, and right and left. This reduces the likelihood of gaps between the hip guard H and the buttocks, improving fit and effectively suppressing leakage.

[0041] As described above, the presence of the adhesive-free region 36 in front of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 makes the region of the napkin 1 corresponding to the adhesive-free region 36 less likely to deform in response to deformation of the underwear when the wearer moves, and makes it less likely for the hip guard adhesive portion 34 to peel off. Therefore, the napkin 1 can effectively maintain a state in which a gap is less likely to form between the hip guard H and the buttocks, which is achieved by positioning the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 rearward of the imaginary line 67.

[0042] In this way, even when worn for a long time, the napkin 1 is comfortable to wear and is unlikely to cause the wearer to feel uncomfortable due to peeling of the wing adhesive parts 33 and hip guard adhesive parts 34 or discomfort due to leakage.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 2, the length in the longitudinal direction X of the rear adhesive portion 32 may be longer than the length in the longitudinal direction X of the hip guard adhesive portion 34, and the position in the longitudinal direction X of the rear end 32b of the rear adhesive portion 32 may be located rearward of the rear end 34b of the hip guard adhesive portion 34. With this configuration, when worn, the rear edge 1a or the vicinity thereof, which is the rear edge of the napkin 1, deforms along a curve 66 that is convex rearward in plan view as shown in Fig. 6(A) described below due to the difference in rigidity between the area with the adhesive portion and the area without the adhesive portion, making it easier for the napkin 1 to conform to the curved surface of the buttocks, and preventing the rear edge 1a of the napkin 1 from rolling up.

[0044] 2, the front adhesive portion 31 may be located at the constricted portion 11. With this configuration, the presence of the adhesive portion can increase the rigidity of the napkin 1 near the constricted portion 11, making it difficult for the absorbent body 4 near the constricted portion 11 to deform, and ensuring a satisfactory amount of liquid that can be absorbed.

[0045] Furthermore, the front adhesive portion 31 may be arranged to extend continuously from the front region M1 through the middle region M2 and into the rear region M3, and as shown in Figure 2, the position of the separation portion 35 in the longitudinal direction X may be closer to the hip guard adhesive portion 34 than to the wing adhesive portion 33. This configuration suppresses deformation of the absorbent core 4 to ensure a satisfactory amount of liquid absorption, while effectively suppressing peeling of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 by locating the adhesive-free region 36 near the hip guard adhesive portion 34. The above phrase "the separation portion 35 is closer to the hip guard adhesive portion 34 than to the wing adhesive portion 33" means that the length in the longitudinal direction X between the rear end 31a of the front adhesive portion 31, which defines the position of the front end of the separation portion 35, and the front end 34a of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is shorter than the length in the longitudinal direction X between the rear end 31a of the front adhesive portion 31 and the rear end 33a of the wing adhesive portion 33.

[0046] Furthermore, napkins with a relatively long overall length (over 290 mm) like the napkin 1 of this embodiment are generally suitable for use when sleeping, when it is easy to lie on one's back. When the wearer lies on their back while wearing the napkin 1, the area near the separation portion 35 is in a position where the wearer's body pressure is likely to be applied. Since the adhesive portion is not present in such a position where body pressure is likely to be applied, the adhesive portion is less likely to remain on the underwear when the napkin is removed from the underwear, making the napkin easier to handle.

[0047] [Positional Relationship Between Folding Portion and Separation Portion] As shown in Fig. 1 , the napkin 1 is typically folded together with an exterior sheet 13 disposed on the backsheet 3 side of the napkin 1 to form a compact package convenient for storage and portability. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1 , a laminate is formed by placing the napkin 1 on the exterior sheet 13. Then, the pair of wings W and the pair of hip guards H are folded toward the topsheet 2 along both sides of the main body M in the longitudinal direction X, and the laminate is folded in the longitudinal direction X with the topsheet 2 facing inward to form the package. In the package, the tab tape T, which is partially fixed to the exterior sheet 13 and partially protrudes, is releasably adhered to the outer surface of the exterior sheet 13, thereby maintaining the shape of the package. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 , the napkin 1 is folded in three and has folding portions L1 and L2 extending along the transverse direction Y formed by the folding. The laminate may include additional components other than the exterior sheet and napkins, as needed. For example, the laminate may include a release sheet for covering the wing adhesive portion 33 and the hip guard adhesive portion 34 on the napkin.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2 , the folded portions L1 and L2 are preferably not located in the separation portion 35. The absence of adhesive portions in the area of ​​the main body M corresponding to the separation portion 35 results in a lower rigidity than the area where the adhesive portions are present. By not providing the folded portions L1 and L2 in the separation portion 35, the decrease in rigidity of the main body M due to folding is suppressed, undesirable deformation such as sagging of the main body M is less likely to occur, and undesirable deformation of the main body M is less likely to extend to the wing adhesive portions 33 and the hip guard adhesive portions 34, further suppressing peeling of the wing adhesive portions 33 and the hip guard adhesive portions 34. Also, as shown in FIG. 2 , the absorbent body 4 is provided with a front high basis weight region 72 and a rear high basis weight region 71. However, from the viewpoint of suppressing undesirable deformation of the high basis weight region and ensuring good liquid absorption in the high basis weight region, it is preferable that the folded portions L1 and L2 do not overlap the high basis weight region. The high basis weight region will be described later.

[0049] [Shape of Hip Guard Adhesive Portion] In the napkin 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6(A), the hip guard adhesive portion 34 has a shape in which the front edge 341 thereof is generally inclined obliquely backward and inward in the lateral direction Y.

[0050] In addition to positioning the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 rearward of the imaginary line 67, the front edge 341 of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is shaped to slope diagonally rearward inward in the lateral direction Y, which makes it easier for the boundary between the adhesive-free region 36 of the napkin 1 and its rear portion to be guided to deform along the rearward convex curve 66, as shown in Figure 6(A). This makes it less likely for gaps to form between the hip guard H and the buttocks, and more effectively prevents leakage.

[0051] In the napkin 1, as shown in FIG. 6(A), the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is configured as a collection of three vertical adhesive portions 340, and the positions of the front ends of the three vertical adhesive portions 340 are sequentially shifted rearward toward the inside in the lateral direction Y, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0052] 6(B), the positions of the front ends of the three vertical adhesive portions 340 constituting the hip guard adhesive portion 34A in the vertical direction X may all be the same, and the front edge of the hip guard adhesive portion 34A may be generally parallel to the horizontal direction Y. In the napkin 1A, the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 is located rearward of an imaginary line 67 passing through the front end 34Aa of the hip guard adhesive portion 34A.

[0053] 6(C), the front ends of the three vertical adhesive portions 340 constituting the hip guard adhesive portion 34B may be configured to be sequentially shifted forward toward the inside in the lateral direction Y, so that the front and rear edges of the hip guard adhesive portion 34B are generally inclined diagonally forward toward the inside in the lateral direction Y. With this configuration, the vertical adhesive portion 340 located furthest outward in the lateral direction Y is positioned toward the rear of the napkin 1 as a whole, thereby preventing the rear edge 1a of the napkin 1 from rolling up near both sides in the lateral direction Y (near the rear corners of the napkin 1). In the napkin 1B, the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 is positioned rearward of an imaginary line 67 passing through the front end 34Ba of the hip guard adhesive portion 34B.

[0054] 6(D) and 7(A), the hip guard adhesive portion may be configured as a single hip guard adhesive portion 34C, 34D rather than as a collection of multiple vertical adhesive portions, and the shape may be a parallelogram or a rectangle, and is not particularly limited. In the napkin 1C, the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 is located rearward of the imaginary line 67 passing through the front end 34Ca of the hip guard adhesive portion 34C. In the napkin 1D, the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 is located rearward of the imaginary line 67 passing through the front end 34Da of the hip guard adhesive portion 34D.

[0055] Like the napkin 1, the napkins 1A to 1D are arranged so that the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 is located rearward of the imaginary line 67. As a result, when worn, the area near the boundary between the adhesive-free region 36 of the napkin and its rear portion can easily deform along a curve 66 that is convex rearward in a plan view, allowing the napkin 1 to deform so as to wrap around the buttocks in accordance with the shape of the buttocks, making it less likely that a gap will form between the buttocks and the hip guard H.

[0056] In the napkin 1, an example was given in which the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 was located rearward of the imaginary line 67. As in napkins 1E to 1G shown in Figures 7(B) to 7(D), the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 may be located on an imaginary line 67 that is parallel to the horizontal direction Y and passes through the front ends 34Aa, 34a, 34Ba of the hip guard adhesive portions 34A, 34, 34B, respectively. In the examples of napkins 1E to 1G, the ranges of the separation portion 35 and the adhesive-free region 36 in the vertical direction X are the same. It is sufficient that the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 is not located forward of the imaginary line 67.

[0057] In the examples of napkins 1E to 1G, by positioning the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 on the imaginary line 67, the napkin 1 can be more easily deformed to fit the shape of the buttocks and encase them, compared to when the front end 32a is located forward of the imaginary line 67, and this makes it less likely that a gap will form between the buttocks and the hip guard H. From the perspective of further reducing the likelihood of a gap forming between the buttocks and the hip guard H, it is preferable that the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32 be located rearward of the imaginary line 67, as shown in Figures 6(A) to 6(D) and 7(A).

[0058] Furthermore, in the napkins 1A to 1G, as in the napkin 1, the vertical width of the rear adhesive portion 32 is longer than the vertical width of the hip guard adhesive portions 34A to 34D, and the position of the rear end portion 32b of the rear adhesive portion 32 in the vertical direction X is positioned rearward of the rear ends 34Ab, 34Bb, 34Cb, and 34Db of the hip guard adhesive portions 34A to 34D. This allows the vicinity of the rear edge 1a of the napkin 1 to easily conform to the shape of the buttocks, and prevents the rear edge 1a from rolling up.

[0059] [Round compressed grooves, first horizontal compressed grooves] As shown in Figure 1, the topsheet 2 may have round compressed grooves 6 and first horizontal compressed grooves 12 formed therein. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the round compressed grooves 6 and first horizontal compressed grooves 12 are configured as linear grooves formed by integrally compressing the topsheet 2 through the absorbent core 4 and recessing them toward the backsheet 3. As shown in Figure 1, the round compressed grooves 6 and first horizontal compressed grooves 12 are formed in areas on the skin-facing side (upper surface) of the topsheet 2 that are not covered by the sidesheet 5. The round compressed groove 6 is configured to go around the main body M. Note that the term "linear groove" includes both a form in which the compressed groove extends continuously to form a line, and a form in which a plurality of compressed portions are arranged intermittently and can be regarded as a single linear groove as a whole. In the linear grooves, "extending in the longitudinal direction X" or "extending in the transverse direction Y" means that the linear grooves extend in the longitudinal direction X or the transverse direction Y as a whole, and also include a state in which the linear grooves are partially curved. The compressed grooves are compacted by compression, and are high-rigidity regions that are higher in rigidity than regions that are not compressed.

[0060] As shown in Figure 1, the round compressed groove 6 has a pair of left and right vertical compressed grooves 61 extending in the vertical direction X, and a front horizontal compressed groove 62 and a rear horizontal compressed groove 63 extending in the horizontal direction Y. The pair of vertical compressed grooves 61 are provided over substantially the entire length of the main body M, from the front region M1 of the main body M, through the middle region M2, to the rear region M3. The front horizontal compressed groove 62 connects the front ends of the pair of vertical compressed grooves 61, and the rear horizontal compressed groove 63 connects the rear ends of the pair of vertical compressed grooves 61.

[0061] The first horizontal compressed groove 12 extends in the horizontal direction Y in the rear region M3. The first horizontal compressed groove 12 is located rearward of the front high basis weight region 72 provided in the absorbent core 7, and has an arc shape that convex rearward in plan view and that roughly follows the shape of the rear edge of the front high basis weight region 72. The first horizontal compressed groove 12 is shaped to connect to the pair of vertical compressed grooves 61 near the center in the vertical direction X.

[0062] 2 and 4, the absorbent body 4 may have compressed grooves in the spaced apart portions 35 in a plan view, which are compressed to form high-rigidity regions. The spaced apart portions 35 of the main body M have a lower rigidity than the regions with adhesive portions because they do not have adhesive portions, but the rigidity can be increased by providing compressed grooves that form high-rigidity regions. This makes it less likely that undesirable deformation such as crease will occur in the spaced apart portions 35 of the main body M even when an external force is applied to the napkin 1 due to the wearer's vigorous movements, thereby reducing the impact of such undesirable deformation on the wing adhesive portions 33 and the hip guard adhesive portions 34, and further preventing peeling of the wing adhesive portions 33 and the hip guard adhesive portions 34.

[0063] The compressed grooves provided in the separation portion 35 of the main body M may be a pair of left and right vertical compressed grooves 61 extending in the vertical direction, as shown in Fig. 2. In the region of the napkin 1 corresponding to the separation portion 35, the vertical compressed grooves 61 extend over the entire length of the separation portion 35 in the vertical direction X, substantially overlap in plan view with vertical groove portions 10x provided in the absorbent core 7 described below, and are located on both left and right edges of the separation portion 35. By providing a pair of vertical compressed grooves 61, even if undesirable deformation occurs in the region of the napkin 1 corresponding to the separation portion 35, the force of the undesirable deformation is less likely to reach the hip guard adhesive portion 34, which is located outward in the horizontal direction Y from the pair of vertical compressed grooves 61, and peeling of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 can be further suppressed.

[0064] [Absorbent Core] As shown in Figure 3, the absorbent core 7 has a rear high-basis weight region 71 as a first high-rigidity region, a front high-basis weight region 72 as a second high-rigidity region, and a low-basis weight region 73 as a low-rigidity region. The low-rigidity region is a region in which the basis weight of the constituent fibers of the absorbent body 4 is lower than that of the first and second high-rigidity regions, resulting in lower rigidity. The low-basis weight region 73 is provided across the front region M1, middle region M2, and rear region M3 of the napkin 1, and is positioned so as to surround each of the rear high-basis weight region 71 and the front high-basis weight region 72. The front high-basis weight region 72 is provided across part of the front region M1, the middle region M2, and part of the rear region M3. The front high-basis weight region 72 has a central portion 721 having a vertically elongated rounded-corner rectangular shape in plan view that is elongated in the longitudinal direction X, and side portions 722 that bulge outward in the transverse direction Y from both side edges of the central portion 721 along the longitudinal direction X. The front high basis weight region 72 is a region in which the basis weight of the constituent fibers is higher than that of the surrounding area. The rear high basis weight region 71 is provided in the rear region M3. As shown in Figure 3, the absorbent core 7 has a gap 75 in the low rigidity region where only the low basis weight region 73 and the groove 10 are present, between the region in which the rear high basis weight region 71 is located and the region in which the front high basis weight region 72 is located in the longitudinal direction X. When worn, the front high basis weight region 72 is positioned opposite the excretory area (vaginal opening), and the rear high basis weight region 71 is positioned opposite the intergluteal cleft. The gap 75 in the low rigidity region allows the napkin 1 to easily deform along the shape of the body to wrap around the buttocks in the longitudinal direction.

[0065] The absorbent core 7 has a plurality of longitudinal grooves 10x, a plurality of lateral grooves 10y, a plurality of front high basis weight blocks 72a, a plurality of rear high basis weight blocks 71a, and a plurality of low basis weight blocks 73a, each of which is defined by a front circumferential groove 10a and a rear circumferential groove 10b. When there is no need to distinguish between the longitudinal grooves 10x, the lateral grooves 10y, the front circumferential grooves 10a, and the rear circumferential grooves 10b, they are referred to as grooves 10. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the grooves 10 are formed, for example, as recesses extending downward from the upper surface of the absorbent core 7 in the thickness direction Z. The grooves 10 have a lower basis weight of the constituent fibers of the absorbent core 7 (constituent fibers of the absorbent body 4) than the blocks 71a, 72a, and 73a, and are typically thinner. This allows the absorbent core 7 to flexibly deform from the grooves 10, which act as the starting point of deformation.

[0066] The "low basis weight" of the grooves 10 is a concept that includes not only a configuration in which the constituent fibers of the absorbent core 7 are present, but also a configuration in which the constituent fibers are absent. The configuration in which the constituent fibers are present in the grooves 10 is more preferable because the block-shaped portions of the absorbent core 7 located on both sides thereof are connected via the grooves, thereby imparting flexibility while suppressing deformation and breakage of the absorbent core 7.

[0067] The rear high basis weight region 71 is formed by a plurality of (two in this embodiment) rear high basis weight blocks 71 a, and its planar outer shape is defined by the rear circumferential groove 10 b. The front high basis weight region 72 is formed by a plurality of (fourteen in this embodiment) front high basis weight blocks 72 a, and its planar outer shape is defined by the front circumferential groove 10 a. The low basis weight region 73 is formed by a plurality of (fifty-four in this embodiment) low basis weight blocks 73 a.

[0068] The rear high basis weight block 71a and the front high basis weight block 72a are regions in which the constituent fibers of the absorbent body 4 have a higher basis weight and higher rigidity than the low basis weight block 73a. In the absorbent core 7, the high-rigidity front high basis weight region 72 is provided facing the excretory area, making the middle region M2 of the main body M less susceptible to unintended deformation and maintaining good liquid absorption of liquid from the excretory area. Furthermore, by providing the front high basis weight region 72 with a higher basis weight, the amount of liquid that can be absorbed can be increased. Furthermore, by providing the high-rigidity rear high basis weight region 71 facing the intergluteal cleft, the rear region M3 of the main body M is less susceptible to unintended deformation and maintaining good liquid absorption of liquid flowing toward the rear of the napkin 1. Furthermore, by providing the rear high basis weight region 71 with a higher basis weight, the amount of liquid that can be absorbed can be increased. 4 and 5, the rear high basis weight block 71a and the front high basis weight block 72a are typically thicker than the low basis weight block 73a and protrude upward, thereby improving the fit of the napkin 1 around the excretory area and the buttocks cleft and effectively suppressing liquid leakage.

[0069] In Figure 3, the rear high basis weight block 71a and the front high basis weight block 72a, which have relatively high basis weights, are shown with dense dots, the low basis weight block 73a, which has a low basis weight, is shown with sparse dots, and the groove portion 10, which has an even lower basis weight, is shown as a solid color without any pattern such as dots.

[0070] (Positional relationship between the rear high basis weight region of the absorbent core and the separation portion) In order to suppress undesirable deformation of the region corresponding to the separation portion 35 of the napkin 1, it is preferable to have the constituent fibers of the absorbent core 7 present in the region corresponding to the separation portion 35 of the napkin 1, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, to increase the rigidity of the absorbent body 4.

[0071] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of further suppressing undesirable deformation of the region of the napkin 1 corresponding to the separation portion 35, it is preferable that the absorbent body 4 has a high-rigidity region with relatively high rigidity in the separation portion 35, and has a region around it with lower rigidity than the high-rigidity region. In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the high-rigidity region is constituted by a rear high-basis weight region 71 with a high basis weight. In the absorbent body 4, the regions before and after the rear high-basis weight region 71 are low-rigidity regions with lower rigidity than the rear high-basis weight region 71, where the low-basis weight region 73 consisting of the low-basis weight blocks 73a and the groove portion 10 are present.

[0072] In the napkin 1, the area corresponding to the separation portion 35 has low rigidity due to the absence of an adhesive portion, but the rigidity can be increased by providing the rear high basis weight area 71.

[0073] In this way, the napkin 1 is provided with a configuration in the separation portion 35 of the absorbent body 4 that provides high-rigidity regions to the absorbent body 4, such as the rear high basis weight region 71 and the vertical compressed grooves 61. This configuration makes it less likely for undesirable deformation to occur in the region of the napkin 1 that corresponds to the separation portion 35, and reduces the influence of this undesirable deformation on the wing adhesive portions 33 and the hip guard adhesive portions 34, thereby further suppressing peeling of the wing adhesive portions 33 and the hip guard adhesive portions 34. This reduces the discomfort felt when wearing the napkin 1 due to unintended peeling of the wing adhesive portions 33 and the hip guard adhesive portions 34, and makes it possible to obtain a napkin 1 that is comfortable to wear.

[0074] In plan view, the rear high basis weight region 71, which provides a high stiffness region to the absorbent body 4, preferably does not overlap or only partially overlaps with the front adhesive region 31 and the rear adhesive region 32 in the lateral direction Y in the separation region 35. In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the rear high basis weight region 71 does not overlap with the front adhesive region 31 and the rear adhesive region 32 in the lateral direction Y. The rear high basis weight region 71 is located between the region where no adhesive portion exists between the pair of rear adhesive regions 32 and the region where no adhesive portion exists between the pair of front adhesive regions 31, and is located near the center in the lateral direction Y of the napkin 1. The rear high basis weight region 71 is located at the cross intersection of the cross-shaped adhesive-free regions formed by the pair of front adhesive regions 31 and the pair of rear adhesive regions 32.

[0075] Here, in the napkin 1, the cross-shaped adhesive-free region formed by the pair of front adhesive regions 31 and the pair of rear adhesive regions 32 has lower rigidity than the region where adhesive regions are present, and is therefore more susceptible to deformation. In the napkin 1, the cross-shaped adhesive-free region is susceptible to deformation of both the region corresponding to the horizontal line portion of the cross and the region corresponding to the vertical line portion of the cross, and is therefore particularly susceptible to undesirable deformation such as creases.

[0076] In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the rear high basis weight region 71 is disposed at the cross intersection where undesirable deformation of the cross-shaped adhesive-free region is particularly likely to occur, thereby effectively suppressing undesirable deformation in the region corresponding to the separation portion 35 of the main body M. This reduces the force acting on the wing adhesive portions 33 and hip guard adhesive portions 34, further preventing the wing adhesive portions 33 and hip guard adhesive portions 34 from peeling off.

[0077] In addition, in the absorbent body 4, the rear high basis weight region 71 is located near the center in the lateral direction Y, and on both sides of it are located low rigidity low basis weight regions 73 and hip guards H, making it easier to deform the napkin 1 so as to wrap around the left and right bulges of the buttocks from the left and right directions.

[0078] [Example dimensions of adhesive portions] The dimensions of each adhesive portion can be set as appropriate depending on the overall length of the napkin 1, but the numerical ranges described below are preferred for napkins with an overall length of 290 mm to 450 mm. In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the maximum width of the pair of wings W and the maximum width of the pair of hip guards H are the same, and these correspond to the width of the napkin 1. Hereinafter, the length in the vertical direction X will be referred to as the "vertical width," and the length in the horizontal direction Y will be referred to as the "horizontal width."

[0079] The vertical width of the front adhesive portion 31 is preferably 150 mm to 210 mm, and the horizontal width is preferably 10 mm to 30 mm. The distance between the pair of front adhesive portions 31 in the horizontal direction Y is preferably 5 mm to 20 mm, and is 10 mm in the case of the napkin 1. The rear end 31a of the front adhesive portion 31, which defines the front position of the separation portion 35, is preferably located 30 mm to 125 mm rearward from the excretion point. The excretion point is defined as the center of the length of the wing W in the vertical direction X. The vertical width of the front adhesive portion 31 located in the rear region M3 is preferably 10 mm to 85 mm, and is 40 mm in the case of the napkin 1, in order to ensure a good liquid absorption capacity and to position the separation portion 35 near the anus.

[0080] The distance in the vertical direction X between the rear end 31a of the front adhesive portion 31 and the front end 32a of the rear adhesive portion 32, i.e., the vertical width of the separation portion 35, is 25 mm or more and 35 mm or less, and is 30 mm in the case of the napkin 1, from the viewpoint of effectively reducing the force acting on the hip guard adhesive portion 34 due to the deformation of the napkin 1 that follows the deformation of the underwear during the wearer's movements.

[0081] The vertical width of the rear adhesive portion 32 is preferably 10 mm to 45 mm, and is 27 mm in the case of the napkin 1, and the horizontal width is preferably 10 mm to 30 mm, and is 20 mm in the case of the napkin 1. The distance between the pair of rear adhesive portions 32 in the horizontal direction Y is preferably 5 mm to 20 mm, and is 10 mm in the case of the napkin 1.

[0082] The vertical width of the vertical adhesive portions 330 constituting the wing adhesive portion 33 is preferably 30 mm to 50 mm, and the horizontal width is 2 mm to 10 mm. The spacing between adjacent vertical adhesive portions 330 in the horizontal direction Y is preferably 0.1 mm to 2 mm. The overall horizontal width of the wing adhesive portion 33 is preferably 12 mm to 25 mm.

[0083] The vertical width of each of the vertical adhesive portions 340 constituting the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is preferably 15 mm to 40 mm, and the horizontal width is preferably 2 mm to 10 mm. The spacing between adjacent vertical adhesive portions 340 in the horizontal direction Y is preferably 0.1 mm to 2 mm. The overall length of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 in the horizontal direction Y is preferably 12 mm to 25 mm. Note that, when the front and / or rear ends of the vertical adhesive portions 340 constituting the hip guard adhesive portion 34 are offset in the vertical direction X as shown in Figure 2, the overall vertical width of the hip guard adhesive portion 34, i.e., the vertical length from the front end of the forward-most vertical adhesive portion 340 to the rear end of the rear-most vertical adhesive portion 340, is preferably 17 mm to 50 mm, from the viewpoint of preventing sagging of the hip guard when the absorbent article is worn for an extended period of time.

[0084] The distance in the vertical direction X between the rear end 32b of the rear adhesive portion 32 and the rear end 34b of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is preferably 1 mm or more and 20 mm or less, and more preferably 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less. The position in the vertical direction X of the rear end 34b of the hip guard adhesive portion 34 is forward of the rear end 32b of the rear adhesive portion 32.

[0085] <Other Embodiments>

[0086] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0087] 10 , the positional relationships of the front adhesive portion 31, rear adhesive portion 32, and hip guard adhesive portion 34 of the napkin of the above embodiment may be applied to a napkin 1H further including three-dimensional gathers G. That is, in the napkin 1H, the pair of front adhesive portions 31 and the pair of rear adhesive portions 32 may be spaced apart in the vertical direction X, and a spaced portion 35 where no adhesive portion is disposed may be provided between the pair of front adhesive portions 31 and the pair of rear adhesive portions 32, so that when an imaginary line parallel to the horizontal direction Y passing through the front end of the hip guard adhesive portion 34H is drawn, the front end of the rear adhesive portion 32 may be positioned on or behind the imaginary line. This makes it possible to obtain a napkin that is comfortable to wear, similar to the above embodiment.

[0088] As shown in Fig. 10, the napkin 1H includes a main body M, a pair of wings W, a pair of hip guards H, and a pair of upright gathers G. In the napkin 1H, the hip guard adhesive portion 34H has a rectangular shape.

[0089] The three-dimensional gathers G are provided on the sides of the main body M in the horizontal direction Y, and are arranged in pairs on the left and right so as to extend in the vertical direction X. The three-dimensional gathers G stand up in the thickness direction Z while being worn, and have the function of preventing leakage of liquid in the horizontal direction Y. Note that "standing up in the thickness direction" means standing up toward the wearer.

[0090] The three-dimensional gathers G are arranged over the entire length of the main body M. The three-dimensional gathers G are configured so that at least a portion of them can stand up when contracted in the vertical direction X. The three-dimensional gathers G are formed by folding back the inner side in the horizontal direction Y of the side sheets 5 arranged on the sides of the main body M in the horizontal direction Y to the outer side in the horizontal direction Y. Note that the sheet member forming the three-dimensional gathers G is not limited to the side sheets 5, and may be a sheet member separate from the side sheets 5.

[0091] The three-dimensional gather G has a standing region G1, a front fixing region G2, and a rear fixing region G3. The standing region G1 is configured to be able to stand in the thickness direction of the main body M. The standing region G1 is a portion of the folded portion of the side sheet 5 that is not joined to the main body M. The standing region G1 is arranged across the middle region M2 and extends to parts of the front region M1 and the rear region M3. The front fixing region G2 and the rear fixing region G3 are non-standing portions. The front fixing region G2 and the rear fixing region G3 are arranged on the longitudinal edge sides of the front region M1 and the rear region M3 and are portions of the folded portion of the side sheet 5 that are joined to the main body M and are prevented from standing in the thickness direction Z. In Figure 10, the front fixing region G2 and the rear fixing region G3 are indicated by dots.

[0092] The three-dimensional gathers G are formed by disposing elastic members 14 stretchable in the longitudinal direction X on a sheet member. The elastic members 14 are, for example, thread-like or strip-like elastic members, and a plurality of elastic members 14 are provided in the napkin 1H. In the napkin 1H, the elastic members 14 are disposed throughout the three-dimensional gathers G in the standing region G1, the front fastening region G2, and the back fastening region G3, but they need only be disposed in at least the standing region G1. The elastic members 14 are attached in a stretched state in the longitudinal direction X to the side sheet 5 stretched in the XY plane. As a result, when worn, contraction of the standing region G1 causes the main body M to curve in the longitudinal direction X, causing the standing region G1 to stand up from the main body M toward the skin. In the three-dimensional gathers G, the rear end G1a and front end G1b of the standing region G1 are portions where the stretching force of the gathers is particularly strong.

[0093] 10, in the napkin 1H, in a plan view, the front adhesive portion 31 and the rear adhesive portion 32 are located within the region sandwiched between a pair of three-dimensional gathers G, and the rear end G1a and the front end G1b of the standing region G1 do not overlap the adhesive portions in a plan view. In the napkin 1H, because the three-dimensional gathers G do not overlap the adhesive portions in a plan view, the region of the napkin 1H corresponding to the three-dimensional gathers G is not fixed to the underwear when worn, and the standing region G1 is likely to stand up from the main body M toward the skin.

[0094] In a napkin having three-dimensional gathers G, it is preferable to configure the rear end G1a, which is the part of the three-dimensional gathers G where the contractile force is particularly strong, so as not to overlap the adhesive part in a plan view, to provide a separation part 35 in the rear part 80, and to configure the rear end G1a of the standing region G1 to be located within the region overlapping with the separation part 35 of the main body M in the longitudinal direction X, or to be located inside this region in the longitudinal direction X. In the napkin 1H shown in Fig. 10, the rear end G1a is located within the region overlapping with the separation part 35 of the main body M in the longitudinal direction X.

[0095] With the above configuration, the area of ​​the napkin 1H corresponding to the separation portion 35 is not fixed to the underwear, making it easier for the contractile force of the three-dimensional gathers G to pull the absorbent body 4 closer, improving the ability of the standing region G1 to stand up. When worn, a portion of the standing region G1 overlaps the wearer's buttocks. With the above configuration, the napkin 1H can maintain a stable standing state of the standing region G1, and the three-dimensional gathers G can easily fill in any gaps that occur between the napkin and the wearer's body, improving the leakage prevention effect.

[0096] Furthermore, the absorbent article to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to sanitary napkins. Specifically, the present invention can be applied to pad-type absorbent articles similar to sanitary napkins, such as urine absorption pads and panty liners.

[0097] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H... absorbent article 2... top sheet 3... back sheet 3a... underwear contact surface 4... absorbent body 11... constricted portion 21... first region 22... second region 31... front adhesive portion 31a... rear end portion of front adhesive portion 32... rear adhesive portion 32a... front end portion of rear adhesive portion 33... wing adhesive portion 34... hip guard adhesive portion 34a... front end portion of hip guard adhesive portion 35... separation portion 67... imaginary straight line 80... rear portion M... main body M1... front region M2... middle region M3... rear region H... hip guard W... wing X... longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction) Y... horizontal direction (left-to-right direction)

[0098] According to the absorbent article of the present invention, it is possible to provide an absorbent article that is comfortable to wear even when worn for a long period of time.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising: a main body extending in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of a wearer and divided into a front region, a middle region, and a rear region, the main body having a top sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet; a pair of wings extending outward from the middle region in a lateral direction corresponding to the left-to-right direction of the wearer; and a pair of hip guards extending outward in the lateral direction from the rear region, wherein the absorbent article comprises: a front adhesive portion extending continuously in the longitudinal direction and disposed on the underwear contacting surface of the main body; and a rear adhesive portion located behind the front adhesive portion with a spaced portion where no adhesive portion is disposed therebetween; wing adhesive portions disposed on the underwear contacting surface of the wings; and a hip guard adhesive portion disposed on the underwear contacting surface of the hip guard; and between the wings and the hip guards, both side edges along the longitudinal direction have constricted portions that are constricted inward in the lateral direction, and when an imaginary line parallel to the lateral direction is drawn passing through the front end of the hip guard adhesive portion, the front end of the rear adhesive portion is located on or rearward of the imaginary line, The rear portion of the absorbent article that overlaps the rear region in the vertical direction has a first region whose horizontal length increases from the front to the rear, and a second region that is located rearward of the first region and whose horizontal length decreases rearward from a point where the horizontal length is maximum, and the separation portion overlaps the first region, and the position in the vertical direction of the front end of the hip guard adhesive portion is rearward of the rear end of the front adhesive portion.

2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the front adhesive portion is located in a portion that overlaps with the waistband portion in the longitudinal direction.

3. An absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hip guard adhesive portion is disposed across from the first region to the second region.

4. An absorbent article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the longitudinal length of the rear adhesive portion is longer than the longitudinal length of the hip guard adhesive portion, and the longitudinal position of the rear end of the rear adhesive portion is rearward of the rear end of the hip guard adhesive portion.

5. An absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising compressed grooves formed by integrally compressing the top sheet and the absorbent body, the compressed grooves being present in the separated portions in a plan view.

6. An absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, which is folded at a folding portion extending in the horizontal direction and packaged in an exterior sheet, and said folding portion is not located in said separating portion.

7. An absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front edge of the hip guard adhesive portion is inclined with respect to the lateral direction.

Images