Absorbent article

Abstract

This absorbent article has a liquid-impermeable back sheet and a skin-side structure part disposed on the skin side of the back sheet. The skin-side structure part includes an absorber part directly disposed on the skin side of the back sheet, and a liquid-permeable top sheet disposed on the skin side of the absorber part, and has a non-fixed region where the back sheet and the skin-side structure part are not fixed. In the non-fixed region, the back sheet and the skin-side structure part can slide relative to each other.

Description

Absorbent articles

[0001] This disclosure relates to absorbent articles.

[0002] Traditionally, absorbent products such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, and incontinence pads have been known to have an impermeable backsheet, an absorbent core, and a permeable topsheet, in that order. Because absorbent products are worn in close contact with delicate areas of the skin, many wearers are concerned about friction between the absorbent product and their skin.

[0003] As a means of preventing chafing and improving wearing comfort, it is known to use a top sheet with an uneven surface (for example, Patent Document 1). Also known are absorbent articles in which a drug such as a skin care agent is applied to the skin-facing side of the top sheet (for example, Patent Document 2).

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-55841 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-19296

[0005] The technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 involve modifications to components that come into direct contact with the skin. While such technologies can reduce damage caused by friction between the skin-facing surface of an absorbent article and the skin, they do not improve the wearing comfort by preventing friction itself. Therefore, there is a need for a configuration that minimizes friction and improves wearing comfort by allowing the skin-facing surface of the absorbent article to conform as closely as possible to the skin.

[0006] In view of the above, one aspect of this disclosure aims to provide a technology that improves wearing comfort by enabling the skin-facing surface of an absorbent article to conform well to the wearer's skin.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is an absorbent article having an impermeable backsheet and a skin-side structure disposed on the skin side of the backsheet, wherein the skin-side structure includes an absorbent portion directly disposed on the skin side of the backsheet and a permeable topsheet disposed on the skin side of the absorbent portion, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure have a non-fixed region in which they are not fixed, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure are relatively slidable in the non-fixed region.

[0008] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a technology can be provided to improve the wearing comfort by enabling the skin-facing surface of an absorbent article to conform well to the wearer's skin.

[0009] This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from the skin side. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in Figure 1. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to the prior art, as seen from the skin side. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line I'-I' in Figure 4. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a modified example. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a modified example. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a modified example, with the absorbent portion exposed. This is a diagram for explaining the state of the absorbent article when worn, as described with reference to Figure 9. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to a modified example. This is a diagram for explaining a part of the manufacturing process of an absorbent article according to one embodiment. This is a graph showing the results of an example.

[0010] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, unless otherwise specified, the same or corresponding components may be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted. Also, the drawings are schematic in order to aid in understanding the invention, and some dimensions may be shown larger or smaller than they actually are. Furthermore, in cross-sectional views, two components may be shown separated to indicate that no other component is interposed between them.

[0011] The absorbent articles according to the embodiments of this disclosure may specifically be sanitary napkins, light incontinence pads, panty liners, diapers, etc., but are preferably used as sanitary napkins. In the following, this embodiment will be described based on the example of a sanitary napkin.

[0012] <Basic Structure of Absorbent Articles> Figure 1 shows a plan view of an absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from the side facing the skin when worn (skin side). Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1. In the cross-sectional views, the gray color indicates the joining or fixing of layers. That is, the gray area in the cross-sectional view indicates that the two members sandwiching the gray area are joined or fixed to each other. Two members laminated without an intervening gray area are in direct contact or can be in direct contact, but are not joined or fixed to each other.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the absorbent article 1 is made up of an impermeable backsheet 2, an absorbent portion 4, and a permeable topsheet 3, which are laminated in this order from the non-skin side to the skin side. When the wearer is wearing the absorbent article 1, the backsheet 2 side (non-skin side) is fixed to underwear such as shorts by a slip-prevention portion (described in detail later), and the topsheet 3 side (skin side) is in contact with the skin. In this specification, the portion of the backsheet 2 laminated on the skin side is called the skin-side structure 15. The skin-side structure 15 is a portion that includes at least the absorbent portion 4 and the topsheet 3, and may also include an intermediate sheet, as will be described later. Alternatively, the skin-side structure 15 may be the entire portion up to the surface that comes into contact with the wearer's skin. The skin-side structure 15 is arranged such that the absorbent portion 4 is directly superimposed on (in direct contact with) the backsheet 2. However, although the absorbent portion 4 of the skin-side structure 15 is mainly in contact with the backsheet 2, the topsheet 3, or another layer other than the absorbent portion 4 and the topsheet 3, such as the sidesheet 7, may also be in contact with the backsheet 2 around the absorbent portion 4. Within the skin-side structure 15, the components may or may not be fixed to each other, but the absorbent portion 4 and the topsheet 3 may be fixed together by adhesive or embossing as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0014] The absorbent article 1 may be provided with wings WG, WG extending from both sides. The wings WG, WG are parts that are folded back to the non-skin side of the underwear when worn to securely fix the absorbent article 1 to the underwear. The part excluding the wings WG, WG is called the main body of the absorbent article (also called the absorbent article body) bd. The absorbent article body bd has an elongated shape with a predetermined length in the front-to-back direction D1 and a predetermined width in the lateral direction D2 perpendicular to this front-to-back direction D1. The front-to-back direction (longitudinal direction) D1 of the absorbent article 1 corresponds to the front-to-back direction of the wearer's body when worn, and the lateral direction (short direction) D2 corresponds to the left-to-right direction of the wearer's body. The width of the absorbent article body may be approximately constant, but may vary along the front-to-back direction D1. Furthermore, although the absorbent article 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 has a shape and structure that is substantially symmetrical with respect to the center line (front-to-back center line) CL extending in the front-to-back direction, the structure of the absorbent article does not necessarily have to be symmetrical.

[0015] The portion Q facing the bodily fluid outlet shown in Figure 1 is the part that faces the wearer's bodily fluid outlet, such as the vaginal opening, when the device is worn, and is located on the center line CL in the anterior-posterior direction. The portion Q facing the bodily fluid outlet may be in the range of 10 mm to 50 mm in the anterior-posterior direction D1 and 10 mm to 30 mm in the width direction D2, but the size of the portion Q facing the bodily fluid outlet is not necessarily limited to the above range.

[0016] The absorbent article 1 has a central region C including a portion Q facing a bodily fluid drainage port, a front region F in front of the central region C, and a rear region R behind the central region C. The wings WG, WG described above may extend laterally from the central region C (outward in the lateral direction D2). The central region C may be the region corresponding to the crotch area of ​​the wearer's underwear when worn. The central region C may also be the region from one edge to the other in the anterior-posterior direction D1 of the wing WG at the position in the lateral direction D2 where the wing WG is connected to the absorbent article body bd (the base end of the wing WG).

[0017] The length (total length) of the absorbent article 1 in the front-to-back direction D1 is preferably 150 mm or more and 450 mm or less, more preferably 170 mm or more and 360 mm or less. The thickness of the portion of the absorbent article body bd containing the absorbent part 4 is measured at a location other than the area compressed in the thickness direction, and is preferably 0.3 mm or more and 30 mm or less, more preferably 1.0 mm or more and 15 mm or less. However, the absorbent article body bd may be partially bulged by bulging the absorbent part 4 in a part of the absorbent part 4, for example, the area opposite the body fluid outlet Q and the area near it, and in the center of the width direction D2 of the rear area.

[0018] One embodiment of this disclosure may be an absorbent article without wings wg, wg. In that case, assuming that wings wg, wg are formed, the region from one edge to the other in the front-rear direction D1 at the base end of the wings wg, wg in the lateral direction D2 can be defined as the central region C.

[0019] On the skin-facing side of the top sheet 3, side sheets 7, 7 are superimposed, extending in the front-to-back direction D1 along both sides of the absorbent portion 4. The side sheets 7, 7 extend to both sides and are joined to the back sheet 2, which also extends to both sides, to form wings wg, WG. The side sheets 7, 7 may extend inward in the width direction D2 to form gathers. The absorbent article 1 does not necessarily have side sheets 7, 7; in that case, the wings wg may be formed by joining the back sheet 2 and a sheet positioned on the non-skin side of the back sheet 2.

[0020] In the example shown in Figure 1, both the back sheet 2 and the top sheet 3 have the same length in the front-to-back direction D1, extending from the front end to the rear end of the absorbent article 1. On the other hand, the width of the top sheet 3 (length in the lateral direction D2) is smaller than the width of the back sheet 2. The absorbent portion 4 is provided sandwiched between the top sheet 3 and the back sheet 2 so as not to be exposed to the outside. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the absorbent portion 4 is arranged so as to fit within the back sheet 2 in a plan view, that is, so as not to protrude from the back sheet 2. The absorbent portion 4 is also configured and arranged so as to fit within the area where the top sheet 3 and side sheets 7, 7 are provided. For example, the absorbent portion 4 may protrude from the top sheet 3 at both ends in the width direction D2, but in that case, the protruding portions are covered by the side sheets 7, 7.

[0021] As the backsheet 2, a sheet material having at least water-impermeable properties, such as an olefin resin sheet of polyethylene or polypropylene, can be used. Laminated nonwoven fabrics, such as polyethylene sheets laminated with nonwoven fabric, or laminated nonwoven fabric sheets with a waterproof film interposed to ensure substantially liquid impermeability can be used. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing stuffiness, it is even more desirable to use a material that has moisture permeability. As such a water-impermeable and moisture-permeable sheet material, a microporous sheet obtained by melt-kneading an inorganic filler into an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, forming a sheet, and then stretching it in a uniaxial or biaxial direction can be used.

[0022] The top sheet 3 is a permeable sheet that allows bodily fluids such as menstrual blood, vaginal discharge, and urine to pass through quickly. Suitable materials for the top sheet 3 include perforated or non-perforated nonwoven fabrics and porous plastic sheets. Suitable materials for the nonwoven fabric include, for example, olefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, synthetic fibers such as polyester and polyamide, regenerated fibers such as rayon and cupro, and blends thereof, as well as natural fibers such as cotton, which can be used individually or in combination of two or more. Processing methods for the nonwoven fabric include the spunlace method, spunbond method, thermal bond method, meltblown method, and needle punch method. Of these processing methods, the spunlace method is preferred for producing flexible nonwoven fabrics, the spunbond method for producing nonwoven fabrics with good drape, and the thermal bond method for producing bulky and soft nonwoven fabrics. Furthermore, composite fibers such as core-sheath type fibers, side-by-side type fibers, and split type fibers, which use fibers with high melting points as a core and fibers with low melting points as a sheath, can be used.

[0023] As the side sheet 7, a water-repellent nonwoven fabric or a hydrophilic nonwoven fabric can be used. For example, to prevent menstrual blood or vaginal discharge from penetrating or to enhance the feel against the skin, it is preferable to use a water-repellent nonwoven fabric coated with a silicone-based or paraffin-based water-repellent agent. Also, to improve the absorbency of menstrual blood, etc. in the wing wg, it is preferable to use a hydrophilic nonwoven fabric as the nonwoven fabric material. As for the type of nonwoven fabric, an air-through nonwoven fabric that is soft, does not easily crease or wrinkle, and is resistant to folding is preferred.

[0024] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the absorbent body 4 can be configured to include an absorbent body 4a that substantially absorbs bodily fluids and a covering sheet 4b that encloses the absorbent body 4a.

[0025] The materials constituting the absorbent body 4a are not limited as long as they can absorb and retain bodily fluids, but it is preferable that they include cotton-like pulp and a superabsorbent polymer. As the superabsorbent polymer, superabsorbent polymer granules (SAP), superabsorbent polymer fibers (SAF), and combinations thereof can be used. As the pulp, examples include cellulose fibers such as chemical pulp and dissolved pulp obtained from wood, and artificial cellulose fibers such as rayon and acetate. Recycled pulp and recycled fibers can also be used. As raw materials for chemical pulp, hardwoods and softwoods can be used, but softwoods are preferably used due to their long fiber length. The absorbent body 4a can be manufactured by the fiber stacking or airlaid method. Furthermore, as the absorbent body 4a, a thin sheet consisting of a layer of superabsorbent polymer granules and / or superabsorbent polymer fibers sandwiched between sheets of nonwoven fabric or the like, a so-called SAP sheet, can also be used. When an SAP sheet is used, the encasing sheet 4b can be omitted.

[0026] Furthermore, synthetic fibers may be mixed into the absorbent body 4a. As synthetic fibers, polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, polyamides such as nylon, and copolymers thereof can be used, and two of these can also be mixed and used. In addition, composite fibers such as core-sheath fibers, side-by-side fibers, and split fibers, with a high-melting-point fiber as the core and a low-melting-point fiber as the sheath, can also be used. Furthermore, hydrophobic fibers can be surface-treated with a hydrophilizing agent to impart affinity to body fluids.

[0027] The structure in which the absorbent body 4a is wrapped by the covering sheet 4b prevents the fibrous or granular material contained in the absorbent body 4a from spilling out, and also prevents the entire absorbent part 4 from becoming distorted or cracked, thus improving the shape retention of the absorbent part 4. However, the covering sheet 4b is not necessarily required.

[0028] The material of the covering sheet 4b is not particularly limited, but may be nonwoven fabric, paper, etc. As for nonwoven fabrics, air-through nonwoven fabric, spunbond nonwoven fabric, flexible spunbond nonwoven fabric, etc. are used. As for paper, crepe paper is used. When the absorbent body 4a is wrapped by the covering sheet 4b, the back sheet 2 and the covering sheet 4b will be in direct contact within the absorbent article 1. Therefore, from the viewpoint of reducing friction between the back sheet 2 and the absorbent part 4, and consequently friction between the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure part 15 on the skin side of the back sheet 2, an air-through nonwoven fabric is preferred.

[0029] Furthermore, an intermediate sheet may be provided between the top sheet 3 and the absorbent portion 4 to facilitate the transfer and diffusion of bodily fluids that have reached the top sheet 3 toward the non-skin side and / or in the planar direction. However, the intermediate sheet 5 may be omitted. If an intermediate sheet is provided, the material of the intermediate sheet can be, for example, the same material as the top sheet 3 described above.

[0030] The non-skin side of the backsheet 2 of the absorbent article body bd is provided with an anti-slip portion 9b (hereinafter also referred to as the anti-slip portion for the main body). When the absorbent article 1 is worn, the anti-slip portion 9b can be attached to the underwear to prevent the absorbent article 1 from shifting away from the underwear.

[0031] The material constituting the anti-slip portion 9b is not particularly limited, as long as it can suppress the shifting of the absorbent article 1 against the underwear when it is attached to the underwear, and allows the absorbent article 1 to be easily removed from the underwear after use. The anti-slip portion 9b is preferably formed as an adhesive layer, and it is preferable to use a hot-melt type adhesive. The main components of the anti-slip portion 9b can be styrene polymers, tackifiers, plasticizers, or combinations thereof.

[0032] Examples of styrene-based polymers include styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-butylene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-isobutylene-styrene copolymers, and styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, and one or more of these can be used. Among these, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers are preferred due to their good thermal stability. In addition, tackifiers and plasticizers that are solid at room temperature can be used. Examples of tackifiers include C5 petroleum resins, C9 petroleum resins, dicyclopentadiene petroleum resins, rosin petroleum resins, polyterpene resins, and terpene phenol resins. Examples of plasticizers include monomer plasticizers such as triflethyl phosphate, dibutyl phthalate, and dioctyl phthalate, as well as polymer plasticizers such as vinyl polymers and polyesters.

[0033] The anti-slip portion 9b may be one, or there may be multiple portions as shown in Figure 1. Multiple anti-slip portions 9b may be arranged in a strip shape extending along the front-to-back direction D1, spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction D2. This allows for appropriate adhesive force to be applied along the front-to-back direction D1, and prevents the anti-slip portions 9b from sticking together during attachment, which would prevent the absorbent article 1 from being properly attached to the underwear. In the example shown in Figure 1, three anti-slip portions 9b are provided along the front-to-back direction D1, but the number of anti-slip portions 9b is not limited to three; there may be one, two, or four or more. However, it is preferable to have anti-slip portions 9b that overlap the front-to-back center line CL, as this allows for more stable fixing of the absorbent article body bd to the underwear.

[0034] Further, the displacement prevention portion 9b is partially provided with respect to the entire absorbent article body bd in plan view, but may be provided over the entire absorbent article body bd or the entire absorbent body portion 4 (over the entire surface). However, the outermost end of the displacement prevention portion 9b in the lateral direction D2 is separated from the outer end of the absorbent article body bd in the lateral direction D2. That is, the region where the displacement prevention portion 9b is not provided on the side portion of the absorbent article 1 is free from the underwear even when the absorbent article 1 is attached to the underwear, which contributes to improving the followability of the absorbent article 1 to the skin (to be described in detail later).

[0035] On the non-skin side of the wing wg, that is, on the non-skin side surface of the backsheet 2 constituting the wing wg, a wing displacement prevention portion 9w is provided. The wing displacement prevention portions 9w, 9w can firmly fix the wings wg, wg to the underwear during wearing. The wing displacement prevention portion 9w may also be made of the same material as the body displacement prevention portion 9b provided on the body bd as described above.

[0036] <Fixing of the backsheet and the skin-side structure portion> The absorbent article 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has a non-fixed region 25 in the absorbent article body bd where the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 directly disposed on the skin side of the backsheet 2 are not fixed. Here, first, the fixing of the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 in the absorbent article 1' according to the prior art will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the absorbent article 1' according to the prior art as viewed from the skin side, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I'-I' of FIG. 4.

[0037] The basic structure of the conventional absorbent article 1' is the same as that of the absorbent article 1 described above. However, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, in the absorbent article 1', the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are fixed to each other with adhesive 8 (shown in textured hatching or gray). More specifically, the back sheet 2 and the side sheet 7 are bonded together with side adhesive 8a, and in the absorbent article body bd, the back sheet 2 and the absorbent part 4 are bonded together over the entire surface (over the entire surface in the front-to-back direction D1 and the entire surface in the lateral direction D2) with body adhesive 8b. That is, in the body bd of the absorbent article 1', a fixed area 21 is formed over the entire surface of the body bd to which the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are fixed. For this reason, in the conventional absorbent article 1', the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15, which includes the absorbent part 4 and the top sheet 3, are fixed in the thickness direction, and the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 cannot slide relative to each other. Therefore, when the wearer moves their body while wearing absorbent item 1', the underwear also deforms with the movement, but the entire absorbent item 1' deforms in accordance with the deformation of the underwear. As a result, the skin-facing side of absorbent item 1' moves in a way that causes it to rub against the wearer's skin.

[0038] In contrast, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, in the absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the absorbent article body bd has an unfixed region 25 in which the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structural part 15 directly arranged on the skin side of the back sheet 2 are not fixed. In the cross-sectional view of Figure 2, the back sheet 2 and the absorbent part 4 are shown separated, but this is shown to indicate that there is no other member (including adhesive) interposed between the back sheet 2 and the absorbent part 4, and the back sheet 2 and the absorbent part 4 are in direct contact or can be in direct contact in the thickness direction.

[0039] The non-fixed region 25 is a region where the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 are not adhered by an adhesive means including the adhesive 8 or means other than the adhesive 8, and the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 are relatively slidable. More specifically, it includes a region where the backsheet 2 and the absorber portion 4 are not adhered and are relatively slidable. Also, within the non-fixed region 25, not only the absorber portion 4 but also the topsheet 3 may be slidable with respect to the backsheet 2, or a layer other than the absorber portion 4 and the topsheet 3, such as the side sheet 7, may be slidable with respect to the backsheet 2. Therefore, inside the absorbent article 1, it can move along the surface facing the skin-side structure portion 15 of the backsheet 2, and the backsheet 2 can move along the surface of the skin-side structure portion 15 facing the backsheet 2. As a result, the skin-side structure portion 15 can follow the skin well while remaining in close contact with the wearer's skin, and the backsheet 2 can follow the underwear. For this reason, regardless of the movement of the backsheet 2, the skin-side structure portion 15 can follow the skin well while remaining in close contact with the wearer's skin (high followability to the skin is obtained). Therefore, rubbing of the skin against the skin-side surface of the absorbent article 1 during wearing is itself reduced, and an excellent wearing feeling that could not be obtained only by devising the configuration of the topsheet 3 can be obtained.

[0040] In the non-fixed region 25, the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 are directly laminated, and no other member is interposed between them. Therefore, in the manufacture of the absorbent article 1 according to the present embodiment, the number of material items can be suppressed and the manufacturing process can also be reduced.

[0041] In the example shown in Figure 1, the non-fixed area 25 is formed over the entire lateral direction D2 of the absorbent portion 4. This allows the entire lateral direction D2 of the absorbent portion 4 to slide relative to the backsheet 2, further improving the skin conformity of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent article 1. Alternatively, the non-fixed area 25 may be formed over both ends of the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent article body bd. In that case, it is preferable that the edges of the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent article body bd are closed by applying adhesive to the edges or by applying a sealing process such as heat sealing, in the front region F and rear region R in the configuration with wings wg, and over the entire front-to-back direction D1 in the configuration without wings wg.

[0042] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is preferable that the outer end of the non-fixed region 25 in the lateral direction D2 and the outer end of the absorbent portion 4 in the lateral direction D2 are separated by a length k in the lateral direction D2. This separation provides play for the absorbent portion 4, making it easier for the absorbent portion 4 to move relative to the backsheet 2, thereby improving the skin-side structure portion 15's conformity to the skin. The length k in the lateral direction D2 between the outer end of the non-fixed region 25 in the lateral direction D2 and the outer end of the absorbent portion 4 in the lateral direction D2 is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and more preferably 1 mm or more and 3.5 mm or less.

[0043] Furthermore, if the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are relatively slidable, the non-fixed area 25 does not necessarily have to be formed over the entire length of the lateral direction D2. For example, the lateral adhesive 8a may be extended so that the edge of the absorbent part 4 in the lateral direction D2 extends beyond the center, thereby bonding the end of the absorbent part 4 in the lateral direction D2 to the backsheet 2 along the front-rear direction D1. In that case, the length of the lateral direction D2 to which the backsheet 2 and the absorbent part 4 are bonded is preferably 10 mm or less, more preferably 5 mm or less, and even more preferably 3 mm or less.

[0044] Furthermore, the non-fixed area 25 may be formed in the central area C, preferably extending across the entire central area C as shown in Figure 1, or more specifically, beyond the front and rear ends of the central area C. Since the difference in fit is particularly easily felt by the wearer in the crotch area, the formation of the non-fixed area 25 in the central area C facing the crotch area allows the wearer to more clearly feel the improvement in fit.

[0045] Areas other than the non-fixed area 25 are fixed areas 21 in which the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are bonded together by adhesive 8 or other adhesive means. In the examples shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fixed areas 21 are formed by bonding the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 to the front area F and the rear area R, respectively, with the main adhesive 8b. In the wings wg, wg as well, the fixed areas 21 are formed by bonding the back sheet 2 and the side sheet 7 together with the side adhesive 8a.

[0046] In this embodiment, the location where the fixed area 21 is formed may be at least one, preferably both, of the front area F and the rear area R. The smaller the area of ​​the fixed area 21, the larger the area of ​​the non-fixed area 25, which is preferable in that the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 can slide more easily (with less force) over a wider range, thus improving the skin-following ability of the skin-side structure 15 to the skin. However, the presence of the fixed area 21 is preferable in that it prevents the laminated structure of the absorbent article 1 from breaking and the absorbent article 1 from disintegrating when a large force is applied to the absorbent article 1, thereby improving the robustness of the absorbent article 1. When the fixed area 21 is formed in the front area F, the length of the fixed area 21 in the front-rear direction D1 from the front end of the front area F may be preferably 30% to 80%, more preferably 50% to 70%, of the length of the front-rear direction D1 of the front area F. Furthermore, even when the fixed region 21 is formed in the rear region R, the length D1 in the front-rear direction from the rear end of the rear region R may be preferably 30% to 85%, more preferably 40% to 70%, of the length D1 of the rear region R in the front-rear direction.

[0047] The area of ​​the non-fixed region 25 in the overlapping region between the backsheet 2 and the absorbent portion 4, that is, the area of ​​the non-fixed region 25 relative to the area of ​​the absorbent portion 4, is preferably 50% or more, more preferably 70% or more. Having the non-fixed region 25 be 50% or more of the absorbent portion 4 further improves the skin conformity of the absorbent article 1. The area of ​​the non-fixed region 25 in the main body bd, that is, the area of ​​the non-fixed region 25 relative to the area of ​​the main body bd, is also preferably 20% or more, more preferably 30% or more.

[0048] In this specification, "relatively slidable" means that the two members are able to slide relative to each other due to the force applied to the absorbent article when the user of the absorbent article handles it in the normal manner, and that this sliding is perceptible to the user of the absorbent article in the normal manner (i.e., by human senses such as sight and touch). Furthermore, the direction of sliding may be any direction perpendicular to the thickness of the absorbent article 1, and may include one or more directions inclined with respect to the front-to-back direction D1, the side-to-side direction D2, and the front-to-back direction D1 and / or the side-to-side direction D2 of the absorbent article 1. Therefore, even if there is a part within the fixed area 21 where the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are not adhered, if they cannot slide relative to each other, that part is not included in the "unfixed area". For example, if the fixed area 21 is formed by applying adhesive in a spiral pattern using a spiral gun or spiral coater, a closed area where adhesive is not attached is formed. However, since the areas within such closed areas where adhesive is not attached are not relatively slidable between the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15, these areas are not included in the non-fixed area 25. The same applies to a fixed area 21 formed by overlapping and applying multiple annular adhesives while shifting them in one direction.

[0049] As described above, the non-fixed area 25 is an area in which the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 can slide relative to each other, so it is preferable that it is an area having a certain degree of continuous area. For example, the non-fixed area 25 is preferably a continuous area in which the maximum length D1 in the front-to-back direction is 50 mm or more and the maximum length D2 in the lateral direction is 50 mm or more, and it is more preferable that it is a continuous area in which the maximum length D1 in the front-to-back direction is 60 mm or more and the maximum length D2 in the lateral direction is 60 mm or more. Furthermore, the non-fixed area 25 may be a continuous area in which the maximum length D1 in the front-to-back direction is greater than or equal to the length D1 in the front-to-back direction of the central area C and the maximum length D2 in the lateral direction is greater than or equal to the length D2 in the lateral direction of the absorbent part 4.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are pulled in opposite directions in the lateral direction D2, the relative distance d1 of movement between the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 in the lateral direction D2 may be 10 mm or more. This distance d1 depends on the overall size of the absorbent article 1, but is preferably 15 mm or more, more preferably 20 mm or more, and even more preferably 30 mm or more. The above distance d1 may be the distance measured by the force applied when the absorbent article is handled in a normal manner.

[0051] The displacement distance d1 can be measured, for example, by attaching the anti-slip portion 9b to the substrate, gripping the substrate and the skin-side structure portion 15 respectively, and pulling them in opposite directions along the lateral direction D2 until a predetermined maximum load is applied. In this case, it is preferable to cover the substrate with a fabric similar to that used for underwear. This type of test can also be performed using a tensile testing machine. The "predetermined maximum load" may be, for example, the load that can be applied to the absorbent article 1 when it is handled in a normal manner, and specifically, 0.5 to 0.6 N / cm. ２ This is to a certain extent and does not include loads that would break the structure of the absorbent article. More specifically, the travel distance d1 can be measured under the conditions of the embodiment described later. Note that the maximum value of the travel distance d1 is d1 ｍａｘ This can usually be the distance traveled at the point when the maximum load is applied in the above test.

[0052] Thus, the non-fixed region 25 is a region within the absorbent article 1 where the components can slide against each other, and is prone to deformation during attachment, affecting the conformability of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent article 1 to the skin. Furthermore, within the non-fixed region 25, the region extending from the outermost end of the lateral direction D2 of the anti-slip portion 9b to the outer end of the lateral direction D2 of the non-fixed region 25 (hereinafter also referred to as the easily deformable region) is the part where the absorbent article 1 is free from the underwear when the absorbent article 1 is actually attached to the underwear, and therefore particularly affects the conformability of the absorbent article 1 to the skin. This is because if the skin-facing structure 15 is pulled in one direction of the lateral direction D2 relative to the backsheet 2, the opposite end of the absorbent article in the lateral direction D2 can easily separate from the underwear, and this also makes the skin-facing structure 15 more easily pulled in the aforementioned direction of the lateral direction D2. In other words, the easily deformable region is a region where internal deformation is likely to occur and where positional shifts are also likely to occur.

[0053] In this embodiment, when the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 are pulled in opposite directions in the lateral direction D2, the maximum value of the relative movement distance d1 of both in the lateral direction D2 is d1. ｍａｘ This is equal to or greater than the length A of the easily deformable region extending from the outermost end of the lateral direction D2 of the anti-slip portion 9b to the outer end of the lateral direction D2 of the non-fixed region 25, i.e., d1 ｍａｘ It is preferable that ≥ A. In this embodiment, d1 ｍａｘ The relationship ≥A is obtained by the fact that the absorbent article 1 has an unfixed region 25 and that there is a region on the side of the unfixed region 25 (outside the lateral direction D2) where there is no shear prevention portion 9b. In other words, d1 ｍａｘ The condition ≥ A means that in the region where the absorbent article 1 is not attached to the underwear, from the outermost end of the lateral D2 of the anti-slip portion 9b to the edge of the lateral D2 of the main body bd, sufficient relative sliding occurs between the internal components in the lateral D2 direction. ｍａｘ In absorbent article 1 where ≥ A, sufficient relative sliding between the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 can be obtained by both the ease of movement of the part of the anti-slip portion 9b that is laterally outside from the outermost end in the lateral direction D2, and the movement of the members within the absorbent article 1, thereby further improving the skin conformity of the absorbent article 1.

[0054] The length A of the easily deformable region in the lateral direction D2 may be 10% to 90%, preferably 30% to 65%, and more preferably 40% to 55%, of the length from the front-to-back center line CL along the front-to-back direction D1 of the absorbent article 1 to the outer end of the lateral direction D2 of the non-fixed region 25. When length A is within the above range, the area in which the absorbent article 1 itself is free from the underwear when worn becomes larger, the conformity of the skin-side surface of the absorbent article 1 to the wearer's skin can be greatly improved, and the anti-slip portion 9b can be positioned to fully perform its function.

[0055] The length A in the lateral direction D2 of the easily deformable region described above is preferably 10 mm or more, more preferably 15 mm or more. Furthermore, the length A is preferably 10 mm or more in the central region C, more preferably over the entire central region C. Also, the length A is 10 mm or more over the entire front-rear direction D1 of the non-fixed region 25.

[0056] <Modifications> The following describes modifications of the absorbent article of this disclosure.

[0057] Figure 6 shows an absorbent article 1 according to a modified example. The example shown in Figure 6 has the same configuration as the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1, except that the arrangement of the anti-slip portion 9b is different. In the example shown in Figure 6 as well, there is an unfixed area 25 where the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 are not fixed, so the absorbent article conforms well to the skin and an absorbent article 1 with excellent wearing comfort is provided.

[0058] In the example shown in Figure 6, the anti-slip portion 9b includes one central anti-slip portion 9bm extending along the front-rear direction D1 so as to overlap with the front-rear centerline CL, and lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs positioned on both sides of the front-rear centerline CL, separated laterally D2 from the central anti-slip portion 9bm, but the lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs are intermittent in the middle of the front-rear direction D1. More specifically, the lateral anti-slip portions 9bs are intermittent over the area roughly corresponding to the central region C and in front of the rear region. As a result, in the example shown in Figure 6, the length A in the lateral direction D2 of the easily deformable region in the central region C is longer than in the example shown in Figure 1. This increases the area in the non-fixed region 25 that is free from the underwear and not attached to the absorbent article 1, making it easier for the backsheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 to move relatively when the absorbent article 1 is actually attached to the underwear. Therefore, the skin-side structural part 15 can conform better to the skin, resulting in a superior fit.

[0059] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs do not extend much into the central region C, but extend into both the front region F and the rear region R, respectively. This allows the absorbent article 1 to be securely fixed to the underwear in the front region F and the rear region R, and also improves the skin-facing structure portion 15's conformity to the skin in the central region C, which is opposite the skin in the crotch area where friction is easily felt.

[0060] Figure 7 shows an absorbent article 1 according to another modified example. The example shown in Figure 7 has the same configuration as the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1, except that the arrangement of the anti-slip portions 9b is different. In the example shown in Figure 7, the anti-slip portions 9b are formed in a strip shape along the lateral direction D2, spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction D1. Thus, the configuration of the anti-slip portions 9b can be determined according to the specific use of the absorbent article 1. In the example shown in Figure 7, the length A of the easily deformable region in the lateral direction D2 is smaller than in the example shown in Figure 1, and the portion of the absorbent article 1 that is free from the underwear is smaller. However, this example is preferable from the viewpoint of securely fixing the absorbent article 1 to the underwear. Also, in this example, an unfixed region 25 is formed, more specifically, the unfixed region 25 is formed over the entire lateral direction D2 of the absorbent portion 4 and from the rear of the front region to the front of the rear region R, so that the conformability of the skin-side structure portion 15 to the skin can be ensured.

[0061] Figure 8 shows another modified example of the absorbent article 1. The example shown in Figure 8 differs from the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in the arrangement of the anti-slip portion 9b, but the other configurations are the same. The example shown in Figure 8 is also the same in that it has an unfixed area 25 where the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure portion 15 are not fixed.

[0062] In Figure 8, the compression grooves (also called fit embossing) formed on the skin-side structural portion 15 of the absorbent article 1, which are recessed from the skin side to the non-skin side, are also shown in black. The compression grooves may be formed in a groove shape, or, as shown in Figure 8, they may be made up of dot-shaped compression areas arranged in a groove shape. The formation of compression grooves allows the absorbent article 1 to deform into a desired shape, and also allows bodily fluids such as menstrual blood and urine to be transferred in a desired direction on the surface and inside the skin-side structural portion 15. Furthermore, by forming compression grooves, the top sheet 3 and the absorbent portion 4 can be joined in the thickness direction without the use of adhesive.

[0063] The compression grooves may include a front compression groove Ef formed in the front region F, a central compression groove Ec mainly formed in the central region C, and a rear compression groove Er formed in the rear region. The rear compression groove Er may have a shape that includes a V-shaped portion with its apex facing forward, and the apex may be positioned on the front-to-rear centerline CL. When the absorbent article 1 deforms along the shape of the rear compression groove Er, it can fit well along the region of the buttocks where the crease near the anus is deep and the crease further posterior gradually becomes shallower.

[0064] The anti-slip portion 9b shown in Figure 8 is similar to the example shown in Figure 6 in that it includes a central anti-slip portion 9bm and lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs on both sides thereof. However, in the example shown in Figure 8, neither of the lateral anti-slip portions 9bs, 9bs is formed across the central region C and the rear region R. That is, the only anti-slip portion in the central region C and the rear region R is the central anti-slip portion 9bm. Therefore, as shown in Figure 8, the length A of the easily deformable region in the lateral direction D2 is similarly large in the central region C and the rear region R, and the easily deformable region can be widened from the central region C to the rear region R. For this reason, compared to the examples shown in Figures 1 and 6, when actually worn, the absorbent article 1 moves more easily in the lateral direction D2 even in the rear region R, and can respond well to the lateral movement D2 of the buttocks.

[0065] Furthermore, the central anti-slip portion 9bm overlaps with the apex of the V-shape of the rear compression groove Er, and the portion of the rear compression groove Er that extends diagonally rearward from the apex of the V-shape does not overlap with the anti-slip portion. Therefore, the deformation of the rear region R along the rear compression groove Er that conforms to the shape of the buttocks is not suppressed by the presence of the anti-slip portion, and the fit of the rear region R to the buttocks can be improved.

[0066] Figures 9 and 10 show absorbent articles 1 according to yet another modified example. However, Figure 9 is a plan view in which the top sheet 3 and side sheets 7 have been removed to expose the absorbent portion 4. The example shown in Figure 9 has the same configuration as the example shown in Figure 1, except for the absorbent portion 4. The absorbent portion 4 shown in Figure 9 has absorbent portion compression sections (also called core embossing) eb formed thereon. In the example shown in Figure 9, the absorbent portion compression sections eb are formed in a dotted shape, but they may also be formed in a continuous groove shape. The presence of the absorbent portion compression sections eb can increase the rigidity and shape retention of the absorbent portion 4.

[0067] As shown in Figure 9, the compressed portion eb of the absorbent body may be formed on the side of the absorbent body 4 (on both sides of the center line CL in the front-rear direction) so as to overlap with the non-fixed region 25, preferably overlapping with the easily deformable region. The easily deformable region is the non-fixed region 25 that is not fixed to the backsheet 2 and is a side region without a slip-preventing portion in a plan view. Therefore, if the length A is long, when the absorbent body 4 is attached, unintended and undesirable deformations such as twisting or unwanted bumps may occur. In contrast, by forming the compressed portion eb of the absorbent body in the easily deformable region, such undesirable deformations can be prevented.

[0068] Here, Figure 10 shows a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the state of use of the absorbent article 1 according to the example shown in Figure 9. Figure 10 shows the state in which the central region C of the main body bd of the absorbent article 1 is facing the wearer's body H (the wings are not shown). In the absorbent article 1, which has an absorbent portion 4 in which an absorbent portion compression portion eb is formed so as to overlap the easily deformable region, the absorbent portion 4 has a certain degree of rigidity, so the absorbent portion 4 can maintain a smooth surface without unnecessary bumps and irregularities, and can fit well to the wearer's body.

[0069] Figure 11 shows a cross-sectional view of the central region C of the absorbent article 1, which is an absorbent article 1 according to yet another modification, when attached to underwear PN. The example shown in Figure 11 has the same configuration as the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1, but the anti-slip portion 9b is not multiple, but rather one formed in the center in the lateral direction D2. Figure 11 also shows wing anti-slip portions 9w, 9w, similar to the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 11, by folding the wings wg, wg back to the non-skin side of the underwear PN and attaching them to the underwear PN with the wing anti-slip portions 9w, 9w, the wings wg, wg, and by extension the main body bd connected to the wings wg, wg, can be more securely fixed to the underwear. However, the wing anti-slip portion 9w may also overlap in a plan view with the easily deformable region (a region having a length A in the width direction D2). The easily deformable region is, as described above, a region without the main body anti-slip portion 9b and is a region that moves easily away from the underwear PN. Therefore, from the viewpoint of not hindering the movement of the easily deformable region, it is preferable that the overlap between the easily deformable region and the wing anti-slip portion 9w is small. For example, it is preferable that the ratio (B / A) of the length B in the lateral direction D2 of the portion where the wing anti-slip portion 9w overlaps with the easily deformable region to the length A in the lateral direction D2 of the easily deformable region is 0.25 or less.

[0070] Figure 12 illustrates a part of the process in the manufacturing method of an absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment. In Figure 12, an adhesive is applied to a long backsheet strip 2Z while it is being transported with its length direction being the transport direction Dt. For example, a hot melt adhesive is used as the adhesive. On the backsheet strip 2Z, the planned cutting contour (dotted line) of the absorbent article 1 is set. Then, a strip-shaped central adhesive 8bZ, corresponding to the main adhesive 8b of the final absorbent article 1, is applied intermittently to the center of the backsheet strip 2Z in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction Dt (the center of the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent article 1), so that a non-fixed region 25 is later formed. However, in this case, the application is carried out continuously over a range that spans the rear region R of one absorbent article and the front region F of another absorbent article adjacent to that absorbent article 1. Furthermore, on the outer side of the backsheet strip 2Z in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction Dt (outside the lateral direction D2 of the absorbent article 1), a strip-shaped side adhesive 8aZ corresponding to the side adhesive 8a of the final absorbent article 1 is continuously applied.

[0071] In Figure 12, the central strip adhesive 8bZ and the side strip adhesive 8aZ both indicate areas where adhesive is applied. The adhesive may be applied as a solid coating within these areas, or it may be applied in dots or lines. For example, it may be linear, curved, spiral, etc., extending along the transport direction Dt. A hot melt coater, more specifically a gravure coater, spray coater, spiral gun, bead gun, etc., can be used to apply the adhesive 8.

[0072] After applying the adhesive, the absorbent portion 4, the long top sheet strip which will become the top sheet 3, and the long side sheet strip which will become the side sheet 7 can be overlapped with the adhesive as needed, and after heat sealing or the like may be applied, they can be cut to obtain the absorbent article 1 (Figure 1, etc.). In Figure 12, the planned application position of the anti-slip portion 9b is shown by a dashed line. The anti-slip portion 9b can be provided, for example, by pre-applying it to the release sheet and placing the release sheet with the anti-slip portion applied to it at a predetermined position on the non-skin side of the back sheet strip 2Z. After that, the skin-side components (in this example, the absorbent portion 4, the top sheet strip, and the side sheet strips) can be laminated with the adhesive.

[0073] The absorbent article 1 described above was a product with wings, but the same effect can be obtained with a product without wings using the above configuration. However, the product with wings allows the back sheet 2 to be firmly fixed to the underwear, making it easier for the back sheet 2 and the skin-side structure 15 to slide relative to each other, thus improving the wearing comfort.

[0074] Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein is applicable to sanitary napkins, panty liners, incontinence pads, and diapers, but is particularly suitable for use with sanitary napkins. Since sanitary napkins are often used with the skin side in close contact with the genital area, friction between the absorbent material and the skin is more likely to occur due to the wearer's movements compared to other absorbent items. Therefore, by using the embodiment of the disclosed invention in sanitary napkins, a better wearing experience is more easily felt compared to conventional products.

[0075] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to examples.

[0076] <Preparation of absorbent material> (Example 1) As Example 1, a commercially available conventional product P (manufactured by Daio Paper Corporation, with wings, 23 cm) that does not have a non-fixed area was used. Conventional product P has the same arrangement of fixed areas and anti-slip parts as described with reference to Figures 4 and 5, and adhesive 8 is placed over the entire surface of the back sheet, fixing the back sheet and the structure on top of it (skin-side structure part), so that the back sheet and the skin-side structure part cannot slide relative to each other with the normal force of the user.

[0077] (Example 2) The basic structure is the same as the conventional product P in Example 1, and the arrangement of the anti-slip portion is also the same, but a sanitary napkin with a non-fixed area was prepared. The sanitary napkin in Example 2 had the same arrangement of fixed areas as described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In addition, the lateral length A (Figure 1) of the easily deformable area, which is the area extending from the outermost end of the lateral direction D2 of the anti-slip portion 9 to the outer end of the lateral direction D2 of the non-fixed area 25, was 17 mm.

[0078] <Measurement of Distance d1> A substrate made of acrylic plate with a metal cloth attached to its entire surface, sized so that the main body of the sanitary napkin would not protrude, was prepared. Each example of a sanitary napkin was attached to this substrate as if it were attached to underwear. In addition, one end of a 150 mm long, 70 mm wide hook tape was attached to the skin-facing side of the central area of ​​the sanitary napkin, so that the horizontal center aligned with the edge of one end. The area on the sanitary napkin where the hook tape was attached was 18.8 cm². ２ The hook tape used had the following adhesive strength: A 15 gsm general spunbond nonwoven fabric was attached to the above hook tape by passing it back and forth once with a 2 kg roller. A tensile test was performed under the conditions of a 50 mm gap between the chucks, a tensile speed of 1,000 mm / min, and stopping when the fabric was pulled 75 mm in the longitudinal direction. The maximum load was between 0.5 N and 2.0 N.

[0079] For the measurement, a tensile testing machine (manufactured by ORIENTEC, tensilon testing machine "RTC-1210A") was used. The other end of the hook tape was held by one chuck, and the portion where the substrate protruded laterally in a plan view from the sanitary napkin was held by the other chuck, and the test was conducted under the conditions of a chuck interval of 100 mm and a tensile speed of 1,000 mm / min. The test was carried out until the load limit of 0.533 N / cm ２ reached 10 N. The above load limit was assumed as the pressure normally applied to the sanitary napkin when the sanitary napkin was used in the normal form, and was taken as the average value of the sitting pressures (pressures applied in the thickness direction, measured by installing a pressure measuring device between the chair and the buttocks while sitting on the chair) obtained from 33 subjects.

[0080] Fig. 13 shows the results of the relationship between the moving distance (the increased distance of the distance between the chucks) and the load (N) for each example. As shown in Fig. 13(a), in Example 1 (conventional product P), the measurement ended when the maximum load was reached before the moving distance d1 was less than 10 mm. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 13(b), in Example 2 (this embodiment), the moving distance d1 was 10 mm or more and also 40 mm or more. In Example 2, the maximum value d1 of the moving distance d1 ｍａｘ was about 46 mm, which was a value of 17 mm or more for the lateral length of the easily deformable region. Therefore, it can be said that Example 2 has higher followability to the skin on the skin side of the absorbent article when a force that can be applied in the normal usage method of the absorbent article is applied, compared to Example 1 (conventional product).

[0081] As described above, the present disclosure has been described based on the embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited by these embodiments. Within the scope described in the claims, various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, combinations, etc. are possible, and these also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure. Also, the above-described components can be arbitrarily combined.

[0082] The specific aspects of the present disclosure are further appended below.

[0083] (Note 1) The embodiment of Note 1 is an absorbent article having an impermeable backsheet and a skin-side structure disposed on the skin side of the backsheet, wherein the skin-side structure includes an absorbent portion directly disposed on the skin side of the backsheet and a permeable topsheet disposed on the skin side of the absorbent portion, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure have a non-fixed region in which they are not fixed, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure are relatively slidable in the non-fixed region.

[0084] Absorbent items are used by attaching them to underwear with the backsheet side facing outwards. When the wearer's body moves, the underwear moves in accordance with that movement, and the absorbent item also moves in accordance with the movement of the underwear (including deformation and / or shifting). In this case, even though the absorbent item moves in accordance with the movement of the underwear, the skin in the crotch area to which the skin-facing side of the absorbent item is in contact does not move much, so friction is likely to occur between the skin-facing side (topsheet side) of the absorbent item and the skin in contact with that side. For this reason, especially when the absorbent item is worn for a long time or when there is vigorous movement, the feeling of wearing it may be impaired due to friction.

[0085] In contrast, the absorbent article according to the embodiment described in Appendix 1 above has an unfixed region where the back sheet and the skin-side structure are not fixed, and is configured so that the back sheet and the skin-side structure are relatively slidable. Therefore, one of the opposing back sheets and skin-side structures can move independently along the surface relative to the other. Thus, even if the back sheet moves in accordance with the movement of the underwear while the absorbent article is in close contact with the wearer's skin, the movement of the back sheet is not directly transmitted to the skin-side structure, preventing the absorbent article from rubbing against the skin. In other words, because the components inside the absorbent article are relatively slidable, even if the back sheet moves in accordance with the underwear, the skin-side surface of the absorbent article can follow the wearer's skin and maintain close contact with the skin, making it difficult for friction to occur between the absorbent article and the skin, thus improving the wearing comfort.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the backsheet and the skin-side structure are arranged in contact, eliminating the need to interpose an additional layer between them and the absorbent portion. As a result, the number of materials used in the manufacture of absorbent articles can be reduced, and the manufacturing process can be streamlined.

[0087] (Note 2) In the embodiment of Note 2, the absorbent article has a front-to-back direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of the body when worn, and a lateral direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction, and further has a central region including a portion facing a body fluid outlet that faces the body fluid outlet of the wearer when worn, a front region in front of the central region, and a rear region behind the central region, and the non-fixed region is formed in at least the central region and over the entire lateral direction of the absorbent portion.

[0088] According to the embodiment described in Appendix 2 above, the non-fixed area is formed over the entire lateral surface of the absorbent portion. This allows the backsheet and the skin-side structure to slide relative to each other over the entire lateral surface of the absorbent portion, increasing the ease with which the skin-side surface of the absorbent article conforms to the wearer's skin (hereinafter also referred to as conformability). Furthermore, since the non-fixed area is formed at least in the central region where the wearer is most likely to feel friction between the absorbent article and their skin, the wearer can more easily perceive the wearing comfort.

[0089] (Note 3) In the embodiment of Note 3, when the back sheet and the skin-side structure are pulled in opposite directions in the lateral direction, the relative lateral movement distance d1 between the back sheet and the skin-side structure in the lateral direction is 10 mm or more.

[0090] According to the embodiment described in Appendix 3 above, the relative lateral movement distance d1 of the back sheet and the skin-side structure when they are pulled laterally in opposite directions is set to be greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Therefore, this embodiment improves the conformability of the absorbent article to the wearer's skin and achieves further improvement in wearing comfort.

[0091] (Note 4) In the embodiment of Note 4, the non-skin side of the backsheet is provided with a slip-prevention portion for fixing the absorbent article to the underwear when worn, and the length in the lateral direction of the easily deformable region extending from the outermost lateral end of the slip-prevention portion to the outer lateral end of the non-fixed region is denoted as A, and the travel distance d1 is measured by attaching the slip-prevention portion to a substrate, gripping the substrate and the skin-side structure respectively, and pulling them in opposite directions along the lateral direction until a predetermined maximum load is applied, and the maximum value of the travel distance d1 is d1 ｍａｘ as, d1 ｍａｘ ≥ A.

[0092] According to the embodiment described in Appendix 4 above, since the absorbent article is provided with a slip-prevention portion, the absorbent article can be securely fixed to the underwear and prevented from slipping away from the underwear, thereby preventing leakage of bodily fluids, etc.

[0093] The portion of the anti-slip section that extends laterally from its outermost lateral end is not fixed to the underwear, and therefore the absorbent article itself is free from the underwear. As a result, if the skin-side structure is pulled in one lateral direction, the other lateral end of the absorbent article can easily separate from the underwear, and the skin-side structure becomes more easily pulled laterally. Furthermore, as described in Appendix 1, the back sheet and the skin-side structure are relatively slidable in the non-fixed area. Therefore, when the skin-side structure is pulled in one lateral direction as described above, deformation may occur inside the absorbent article at the other lateral end due to the relative sliding between the back sheet and the skin-side structure. This deformation also makes the skin-side structure more easily pulled laterally and more easily conforms to the wearer's skin. Therefore, in this embodiment, the region extending from the outermost lateral end of the anti-slip portion to the outer lateral end of the non-fixed region is referred to as the easily deformable region, as it is free from underwear and is easily subject to internal deformation, making it a region that moves and deforms easily.

[0094] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the maximum value d1 of the relative lateral movement distance d1 of the back sheet and the skin-side structure when they are pulled to opposite sides in the lateral direction. ｍａｘ The length of the easily deformable region in the lateral direction is greater than or equal to A (d1 ｍａｘ≥A). Here, in this specification, d1 ｍａｘ This is the maximum value of the displacement distance d1 measured by attaching the anti-slip part to the substrate, gripping the substrate and the skin-side structure part respectively, and pulling them in opposite directions along the lateral direction until a predetermined maximum load (a load that can be applied in a normal usage manner) is applied. ｍａｘ Because A is greater than or equal to A, not only is the outermost lateral end of the anti-slip portion itself more mobile, but sufficient deformation (relative movement between the backsheet and the skin-side structure) also occurs within the absorbent article, thus providing an absorbent article with sufficiently high conformability to the skin.

[0095] (Note 5) In the embodiment of Note 5, the length A is 10 mm or more in the central region.

[0096] According to the embodiment described in Appendix 5 above, since the length A of the easily deformable region is greater than or equal to a predetermined value in the central region, the lateral outer portion that is free from the underwear extends over a certain range in the central region, so that the skin-facing surface of the absorbent article conforms more easily to the skin.

[0097] (Note 6) In the embodiment of Note 6, the area of ​​the non-fixed area in the overlapping region of the backsheet and the absorbent portion is 50% or more of the area of ​​the overlapping region.

[0098] According to the embodiment described in Appendix 6 above, the area of ​​the non-fixed area relative to the area of ​​the overlapping area between the backsheet and the absorbent part is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, which allows the backsheet and the skin-side structure to slide relatively large, improving the conformability of the skin-side surface of the absorbent article to the skin.

[0099] (Note 7) In the embodiment of Note 7, the lateral outer end of the non-fixed region is separated from the lateral outer end of the absorbent portion.

[0100] According to the embodiment described in Appendix 7 above, in a plan view, there is a separation between the absorbent portion and the area where the backsheet and the sheet superimposed on the skin side of the backsheet are fixed, and it can be said that there is play on the lateral outward side of the absorbent portion. Therefore, the absorbent portion becomes more easily movable laterally within the absorbent article, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure become even more easily slid relative to each other.

[0101] (Note 8) In the embodiment of Note 8, the length A is 10% or more and 90% or less of the length from the center line along the front-rear direction to the outer end of the non-fixed area in the lateral direction.

[0102] According to the embodiment described in Appendix 8 above, when the lateral length A of the easily deformable region is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the portion of the absorbent article that is free from the underwear when the absorbent article is worn becomes larger, and the conformability of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article to the wearer's skin can be improved. Also, when the length A is less than or equal to the predetermined value, the anti-slip portion is positioned to some extent outside the lateral center, so that the absorbent article can be fixed to the underwear more securely.

[0103] (Note 9) The embodiment of Note 9 is such that the absorbent portion has a compressed absorbent portion that is compressed in the thickness direction, and the compressed absorbent portion is formed to overlap the easily deformable region.

[0104] In the embodiment described in Appendix 9 above, the compressed portion of the absorbent section is formed to overlap the easily deformable region, thereby increasing the rigidity of the absorbent section in the easily deformable region and making it less likely to lose its shape. Therefore, even when the easily deformable region moves away from the underwear while the absorbent item is being worn, it becomes easier to keep the entire easily deformable region in close contact with the skin.

[0105] (Note 10) In the embodiment of Note 10, the anti-slip portion is formed in a band shape along the front-rear direction, and the plurality of anti-slip portions include a central anti-slip portion located in the center in the lateral direction and lateral anti-slip portions located outside the central anti-slip portion in the lateral direction, and the lateral anti-slip portion is intermittent in the front-rear direction.

[0106] According to the embodiment described in appendix 10 above, the multiple strip-shaped anti-slip portions are formed along the front-to-back direction, allowing the absorbent article to be stably fixed to the underwear in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, since the lateral anti-slip portions among the multiple anti-slip portions are intermittently spaced across the central region, the length A of the easily deformable region can be increased, thereby improving the conformability of the skin-facing side of the absorbent article to the wearer's skin.

[0107] (Note 11) In the embodiment of Note 11, the lateral slip prevention portion is not formed in the central region and the rear region.

[0108] The rear region, which faces the buttocks, is a region where friction with the skin is relatively likely to occur. However, according to the embodiment described in Appendix 11 above, the lateral shear prevention portion is not formed in the rear region. Therefore, in the rear region, the back sheet and the skin-side structure are not fixed together, and the area where the absorbent material is free from the underwear can be made larger, thereby improving the skin-conforming properties of the skin-side surface of the absorbent material.

[0109] (Note 12) In the embodiment of Note 12, the garment has wings that extend outward from the central region in the lateral direction and are folded back to the non-skin side of the garment when worn, and the wings are provided with a wing anti-slip portion on the non-skin side when not folded back, and when the wings are folded back, the ratio of the lateral length B of the portion of the wing anti-slip portion that overlaps with the easily deformable region to the lateral length A of the easily deformable region (B / A) is 0.25 or less, or the wing anti-slip portion does not overlap with the easily deformable region.

[0110] According to the embodiment described in Appendix 12 above, the presence of wings and anti-slip portions for the wings ensures that the absorbent article is securely fixed to the underwear and prevents the absorbent article from shifting. Furthermore, by setting the ratio of the lateral length of the portion of the anti-slip portion for the wings that overlaps with the easily deformable region to the length A of the easily deformable region within a predetermined range, it is possible to prevent the anti-slip portion for the wings from restricting the free movement of the easily deformable region away from the underwear.

[0111] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-169798, filed on 30 September 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0112] 1 Absorbent article 2 Back sheet 3 Top sheet 4 Absorbent body 4a Absorbent body 4b Wrapping sheet 7 Side sheet 8 Adhesive 8a Side adhesive 8b Body adhesive 9b Anti-slip part for body (anti-slip part) 9bm Central anti-slip part 9bs Lateral anti-slip part 9w Anti-slip part for wing 15 Skin-side structure 21 Fixed area 25 Non-fixed area bd Absorbent article body C Central area CL Front-to-back center line D1 Front-to-back direction (longitudinal direction) D2 Lateral direction (short direction) Dt Conveying direction Ef, Ec, Er Compression groove (fit emboss) eb Absorbent body compression part (core emboss) F Front area Q Opposite part of body fluid outlet wg Wing

Claims

1. An absorbent article having an impermeable backsheet and a skin-side structure disposed on the skin side of the backsheet, wherein the skin-side structure includes an absorbent portion directly disposed on the skin side of the backsheet and a permeable topsheet disposed on the skin side of the absorbent portion, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure have a non-fixed region where they are not fixed, and the backsheet and the skin-side structure are relatively slidable within the non-fixed region.

2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent article has a front-to-back direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of the body when worn, and a lateral direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction, and further has a central region including a portion facing a body fluid outlet that faces the body fluid outlet of the wearer when worn, a front region in front of the central region, and a rear region behind the central region, and the non-fixed region is formed in at least the central region over the entire lateral direction of the absorbent portion.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 2, wherein when the back sheet and the skin-side structure are pulled in opposite directions in the lateral direction, the relative lateral movement distance d1 between the back sheet and the skin-side structure in the lateral direction is 10 mm or more.

4. The non-skin side of the backsheet is provided with a slip-prevention portion for securing the absorbent article to the underwear when worn, and the length of the easily deformable region extending from the outermost lateral end of the slip-prevention portion to the outer lateral end of the non-fixed region is denoted as A, and the travel distance d1 is measured by attaching the slip-prevention portion to a substrate, grasping the substrate and the skin-side structure respectively, and pulling them in opposite directions along the lateral direction until a predetermined maximum load is applied, and the maximum value of the travel distance d1 is d1 ｍａｘ as, d1 ｍａｘ The absorbent article according to claim 3, wherein ≥ A.

5. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the length A is 10 mm or more in at least the central region.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the area of ​​the non-fixed region in the overlapping region between the backsheet and the absorbent portion is 50% or more of the area of ​​the overlapping region.

7. The lateral outer end of the non-fixed region is separated from the lateral outer end of the absorbent portion, as described in claim 2 or 3.

8. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the length A is 10% or more and 90% or less of the length from the center line along the front-rear direction to the outer end of the non-fixed area in the lateral direction.

9. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the absorbent portion has a compressed absorbent portion that is compressed in the thickness direction, and the compressed absorbent portion is formed to overlap the easily deformable region.

10. The absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the anti-slip portion is formed in multiple strips along the front-rear direction, and the multiple anti-slip portions include a central anti-slip portion located in the center in the lateral direction and lateral anti-slip portions located outside the central anti-slip portion in the lateral direction, and the lateral anti-slip portion is intermittently present in the front-rear direction.

11. The absorbent article according to claim 10, wherein the lateral anti-slip portion is not formed in the central region and the rear region.

12. The absorbent article according to claim 4, having wings that extend outward from the central region in the lateral direction and are folded back to the non-skin side of the underwear when worn, wherein the wings are provided with a wing anti-slip portion on the non-skin side when not folded back, and when the wings are folded back, the ratio of the lateral length B of the portion in which the wing anti-slip portion overlaps with the easily deformable region to the lateral length A of the easily deformable region (B / A) is 0.25 or less, or the wing anti-slip portion does not overlap with the easily deformable region.

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