Absorbent article

Abstract

An absorbent article according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided with a body part that includes a topsheet arranged on a skin-facing side of a wearer, a backsheet arranged on a non-skin-facing side on the opposite side from the skin-facing side, and an absorber arranged between the topsheet and the backsheet, the body part extending in the longitudinal direction between a back edge and a front edge. The body part comprises a first fold line that is formed between a centerline of the body part in the longitudinal direction and the back edge and extends in the transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a second fold line that is arranged between the centerline of the body part in the longitudinal direction and the front edge and extends in the transverse direction. At least part of the first fold line and the second fold line is a fold mark formed by folding the body part into a valley fold as seen from the skin-facing side. A guiding mark for guiding through a location at which part of the wearer's body should be arranged in the longitudinal direction is formed in the body part so as to be visible from the skin-facing side. At least part of the guiding mark is arranged between the first fold line and the second fold line.

Description

Absorbent article

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

[0002] A general tape-type absorbent article includes a main body portion including a surface sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the surface sheet and the back sheet, and a pair of fastening tabs extending outside the main body portion. When wearing this type of absorbent article, the wearer is laid on the unfolded absorbent article face up, the absorbent article is pulled up to the ventral side through the wearer's crotch, and the pair of fastening tabs are locked to the locking portion disposed on the ventral side of the main body portion.

[0003] If the position where the wearer is laid when wearing the absorbent article is incorrect, the positions of both longitudinal ends of the absorbent article in the vertical direction of the body will not align, so the pair of fastening tabs cannot be locked to the locking portion at the correct position. If the position of the absorbent article is displaced in the longitudinal direction, gaps are likely to form around the wearer's legs and waist, causing urine leakage. To solve such problems, Patent Documents 1 to 3 below disclose diapers with marks for guiding the wearer's buttocks position displayed on the surface sheet.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-230716 Korean Patent Publication No. 2017-0001847 International Publication No. 2024 / 005031

[0005] In nursing or medical settings, when administering absorbent materials to disabled adult care recipients, the recipient is sometimes placed in a lateral position before the absorbent material is applied. In this case, the absorbent material is spread out and placed under the recipient's waist after they are in a lateral position, and then the recipient is turned back onto their back so that their buttocks rest on the absorbent material. The absorbent material is then pulled up towards the abdomen through the recipient's crotch, and the pair of fastening tabs are attached to the diaper's tape. However, in the lateral position, there is a distance between the recipient's buttocks and the absorbent material, making it difficult to accurately position the recipient's buttocks on the absorbent material, even if the absorbent material has markings to guide the wearer's buttock position, as described in Patent Documents 1-3. If accurate positioning is not possible, the absorbent material must be readjusted, which increases the burden on both the caregiver and the wearer.

[0006] Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide an absorbent article that is easy to attach.

[0007] An absorbent article according to one embodiment includes a surface sheet placed on the skin side of the wearer, a back sheet placed on the non-skin side opposite to the skin side, and an absorbent material placed between the surface sheet and the back sheet, and comprises a main body portion extending longitudinally between the dorsal edge and the ventral edge, the main body portion having a first fold line formed between the center line of the main body portion in the longitudinal direction and the dorsal edge and extending transversely perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a second fold line placed between the center line of the main body portion in the longitudinal direction and the ventral edge and extending transversely, at least a portion of the first fold line and the second fold line being creases formed by folding the main body portion in a valley fold when viewed from the skin side, and guide marks for guiding the position where a part of the wearer's body should be placed in the longitudinal direction being formed on the main body portion so as to be visible from the skin side, at least a portion of the guide marks being placed between the first fold line and the second fold line.

[0008] In the absorbent article according to the above embodiment, guide marks are formed in the area between the first and second fold lines of a valley fold when viewed from the skin side. Because the first and second fold lines are formed on the main body, a restoring force is generated in the main body that tries to return to the shape folded in a valley fold starting from the first and second fold lines. As a result, when the absorbent article is unfolded, the area between the first and second fold lines on the main body deforms so that it bulges upward. This deformation reduces the distance between the wearer's buttocks and this area when lying on one's side. In other words, the distance between a part of the wearer's body and the guide marks can be reduced, making it easier to align the part of the wearer's body with the guide marks. As a result, the absorbent article can be put on more easily.

[0009] In one embodiment, the main body includes an expandable member that extends vertically and provides vertical expandability to the main body, and the first and second fold lines may extend horizontally so as to traverse the expandable member. In this embodiment, the contraction force of the expandable member promotes deformation of the area between the first and second fold lines of the main body, thereby reducing the distance between a part of the wearer's body and the guide mark. As a result, alignment between a part of the wearer's body and the guide mark can be made easier.

[0010] In one embodiment, the guide mark may be colored in a different color from the surface sheet. By coloring the guide mark in a different color from the surface sheet, the visibility of the guide mark can be improved.

[0011] In one embodiment, the guide mark may be printed on the surface sheet. Printing the guide mark on the surface sheet can improve the visibility of the guide mark.

[0012] In one embodiment, the main body further includes a cushion sheet placed between the surface sheet and the absorbent, and the guide mark may be formed on the cushion sheet. By forming the guide mark on the cushion sheet placed between the surface sheet and the absorbent, the guide mark can be seen from the skin side through the surface sheet.

[0013] In one embodiment, the cushion sheet may have a different color from the surface sheet, and the guide mark may have a different color from the cushion sheet. By making the guide mark a different color from the cushion sheet, the visibility of the guide mark can be improved.

[0014] In one embodiment, the rigidity of the region between the first fold line and the second fold line in the absorber may be higher than that of the region located between the first fold line and the dorsal edge of the absorber. In this embodiment, a deformation starting point is formed at the boundary between the relatively rigid region and the relatively less rigid region, promoting deformation such that the region between the first fold line and the second fold line of the main body bulges upward. As a result, it becomes easier to align a part of the wearer's body with the guide mark.

[0015] In one embodiment, the area of ​​the portion located between the first fold line and the second fold line may be 50% or more of the total area of ​​the guide mark.

[0016] In one embodiment, the main body is provided between the center line of the main body in the vertical direction and the back edge, and includes a pair of back flap portions that extend outward in the horizontal direction. Each of the pair of back flap portions includes a side edge in the horizontal direction, and each of the side edges of the pair of back flap portions has a widened portion that widens outward in the horizontal direction as it approaches the back edge, and a straight portion that connects the widened portion and the back edge. The guide mark may be positioned between the widened portions of the pair of back flap portions when viewed from the skin side. In this embodiment, when worn, the pair of back flap portions are pulled in the direction of the wearer's waist, so that lateral tension is applied to the main body near the guide mark, and wrinkles that have formed on the main body near the guide mark are stretched out. Therefore, the reduction in the visibility of the guide mark due to wrinkles can be suppressed.

[0017] In one embodiment, the device further comprises one or more pairs of fastening tabs connected to a pair of back flaps and capable of engaging with the back sheet from the non-skin side, wherein in the longitudinal direction, at least one of the pairs of fastening tabs may be positioned closer to the back edge than the guide mark.

[0018] In one embodiment, the device includes a vertically expandable / contractible member, and further comprises a pair of leak-proof gathers that can stand up in response to the contraction of the expandable / contractible member, wherein the first and second fold lines may extend laterally across the expandable / contractible member of the pair of leak-proof gathers. In this embodiment, the contraction force of the expandable / contractible member promotes deformation of the main body such that the area between the first and second fold lines bulges, thereby reducing the distance between a part of the wearer's body and the guide mark. As a result, alignment between a part of the wearer's body and the guide mark can be made easier.

[0019] In one embodiment, the absorbent material includes an absorbent core having absorbent properties, the absorbent core having a channel portion with a lower basis weight than the rest of the absorbent core, the channel portion being formed between the guide mark and the ventral edge and extending longitudinally along the transverse centerline. In this embodiment, the crotch portion of the main body can be folded in a V-shape in cross-section along the channel portion with the relatively lower basis weight, allowing it to pass between the wearer's legs. This makes it easier to put on the absorbent article.

[0020] In one embodiment, the absorbent body includes an absorbent core having absorbent properties, and the width of the absorbent core along the first fold line may be greater than the width of the absorbent core along the second fold line. In this embodiment, by increasing the width of the absorbent body along the first fold line, the restoring force originating from the first fold line becomes relatively larger, so that the main body can be deformed such that the area on the back side of the main body where the guide mark is located bulges out.

[0021] In one embodiment, the main body has a pair of third fold lines formed outside the guide marks in the horizontal direction and extending in the vertical direction, and the pair of third fold lines may be fold marks formed by folding the main body in a valley fold when viewed from the skin side. When a pair of third fold lines are formed on the main body, a restoring force is generated in the main body that tries to return to the shape of a valley fold starting from the pair of third fold lines, so when the absorbent article is unfolded, the area between the pair of third fold lines on the main body deforms so that it bulges upward. As the main body deforms in this way, the distance between the wearer's body and the guide marks positioned between the pair of third fold lines is reduced when the wearer is lying on their side. Therefore, it becomes easier to align a part of the wearer's body with the guide marks.

[0022] In one embodiment, each of the first and second fold lines may include a valley fold portion located between a pair of third fold lines in the lateral direction and a mountain fold portion located outside the pair of third fold lines in the lateral direction.

[0023] In one embodiment, the guide mark may have a shape resembling the buttocks in order to guide the wearer to the correct position for their buttocks. By making the guide mark in the shape of the buttocks, the user can be encouraged to position their buttocks in line with the guide mark.

[0024] According to various aspects and embodiments of this disclosure, it is possible to provide absorbent articles that are easy to attach.

[0025] This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to one embodiment, viewed from the skin side. This is a plan view of the absorbent article shown in Figure 1, viewed from the non-skin side. This is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent article shown in Figure 1 along line A-A. This is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent article shown in Figure 1 along line B-B. This is a plan view of the absorbent core. This is a magnified view of the area around the guide mark. This is a schematic diagram of a deformed absorbent article. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to another embodiment, viewed from the skin side. This is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent article shown in Figure 8 along line C-C. This is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent article shown in Figure 8 along line D-D. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to yet another embodiment. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to yet another embodiment. This is a plan view showing an absorbent article comprising a pair of folded panel sheets. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to yet another embodiment. This is a plan view of an absorbent article according to yet another embodiment. This is a diagram showing a modified example of the guide mark.

[0026] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same or equivalent elements will be denoted by the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will not be repeated. The dimensional ratios in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to those described.

[0027] Figure 1 is a plan view of an absorbent article 1 according to one embodiment, as seen from the skin side. Figure 2 is a plan view of the absorbent article 1 as seen from the non-skin side. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the absorbent article 1 along the line A-A shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the absorbent article 1 along the line B-B shown in Figure 1. Figures 1 and 2 show the absorbent article 1 in an unfolded state, stretched to a state where no wrinkles are formed. In the cross-sectional views shown in Figures 3 and 4, for the sake of explanation, each component is shown spaced apart in the thickness direction, but in the actual product they are in contact in the thickness direction. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the positional relationship in the unfolded state will be described.

[0028] The absorbent item 1 shown in Figures 1 to 4 is a tape-type disposable diaper. The absorbent item 1 may be a child's diaper or an adult's diaper. In the following description, the person wearing the absorbent item 1 will be referred to as the "wearer," and the person who puts the absorbent item 1 on the wearer will be referred to as the "user." Typically, the wearer is a child or a person receiving care, and the user is a parent or caregiver.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, the absorbent article 1 extends in the transverse direction X, which is aligned with the wearer's waist, and in the longitudinal direction Y, which connects the wearer's ventral side to their back. The transverse direction X corresponds to the width direction of the absorbent article 1, and the longitudinal direction Y corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article 1. The transverse direction X and the longitudinal direction Y are perpendicular to each other. The thickness direction Z is perpendicular to the transverse direction X and the longitudinal direction Y, and includes a skin-facing side Z1 that faces the wearer's skin when worn, and a non-skin-facing side Z2 that faces away from the wearer's skin when worn. The absorbent article 1 is worn so as to cover the wearer's abdomen, crotch, and back.

[0030] The absorbent article 1 comprises a main body 2. The main body 2 has a ventral edge 2F located on one side in the longitudinal direction Y, and a dorsal edge 2R located on the other side in the longitudinal direction Y. When worn, the ventral edge 2F is positioned on the ventral side in the direction of the wearer's waist, and the dorsal edge 2R is positioned on the dorsal side in the direction of the wearer's waist. The distance in the longitudinal direction Y between the ventral edge 2F and the dorsal edge 2R is the total length (maximum length) of the main body 2. In the following description, the direction from the dorsal edge 2R towards the ventral edge 2F is sometimes referred to as the ventral side, and the direction from the ventral edge 2F towards the dorsal edge 2R is sometimes referred to as the dorsal side.

[0031] The main body 2 has a dorsal region 51 located on the back, a ventral region 53 located on the front, and a crotch region 52 located between the dorsal region 51 and the ventral region 53 in the longitudinal direction Y. The dorsal region 51 covers the wearer's back when worn, and the ventral region 53 covers the wearer's abdomen when worn. The dorsal region 51, the crotch region 52, and the ventral region 53 are arranged in this order from the back.

[0032] The back region 51 of the main body 2 is provided with a pair of back flaps 15 that protrude outward in the lateral direction X. The pair of back flaps 15 are positioned along the wearer's waist when worn. Each of the pair of back flaps 15 has a side edge 15a in the lateral direction X. The maximum width W1 between the side edges 15a of the pair of back flaps 15 in the lateral direction X is greater than the width W2 of the crotch region 52 in the lateral direction X. The maximum width W1 between the side edges 15a of the pair of back flaps 15 corresponds to the maximum width of the main body 2.

[0033] The side edges 15a of the pair of back flap portions 15 have a widened portion 15c and a straight portion 15s. The widened portion 15c curves outward in the lateral direction X as it approaches the back, and connects the side edge of the crotch area 52 to the straight portion 15s. The widened portion 15c may also spread linearly outward in the lateral direction X as it approaches the back, along a direction inclined in the longitudinal direction Y. The straight portion 15s extends linearly along the longitudinal direction Y between the widened portion 15c and the back edge 2R. The width between the straight portions 15s in the lateral direction X corresponds to the maximum width W1 between the side edges 15a of the pair of back flap portions 15.

[0034] In one embodiment, the absorbent article 1 comprises a pair of panel sheets 16 joined to a pair of back flap portions 15. Each of the pair of panel sheets 16 is made of nonwoven fabric and has a substantially rectangular or substantially trapezoidal planar shape. The pair of panel sheets 16 are joined to the pair of back flap portions 15 by hot melt adhesive (HMA), sonic processing, embossing, etc. When viewed from the skin side Z1, the pair of panel sheets 16 extend outward in the lateral direction X from the straight portion 15s of the pair of back flap portions 15. The pair of panel sheets 16 are positioned along the wearer's waist when worn. The pair of panel sheets 16 may be stretchable.

[0035] In one embodiment, the absorbent article 1 comprises one or more pairs of fastening tabs. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the absorbent article 1 comprises a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B. The pair of first fastening tabs 90A and the pair of second fastening tabs 90B are provided on a pair of panel sheets 16, respectively. The pair of first fastening tabs 90A are positioned on the back side of the pair of second fastening tabs 90B. At least one of the pair of first fastening tabs 90A and the pair of second fastening tabs 90B is positioned on the back side of the guide mark 60, which will be described later.

[0036] A pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B extend outward in the lateral direction X from the outer edge of a pair of panel sheets 16. Each of the pair of first fastening tabs 90A and the pair of second fastening tabs 90B has a base sheet 91 joined to the panel sheet 16 and a joining portion 92 provided on the base sheet 91. The joining portion 92 is located on the skin-side Z1 surface of the base sheet 91. The joining portion 92 is, for example, a mechanical fastener and is configured to be engageable with the back sheet 20 of the main body 2 from the non-skin-side Z2 side.

[0037] The ventral region 53 of the main body 2 is provided with a pair of ventral flap portions 17 that protrude outward in the lateral direction X. The pair of ventral flap portions 17 are positioned along the wearer's waist when worn. Each of the pair of ventral flap portions 17 has a lateral edge 17a in the lateral direction X. The maximum width W3 between the lateral edges 17a of the pair of ventral flap portions 17 in the lateral direction X is greater than the width W2 of the crotch region 52 in the lateral direction X. As described above, the main body 2 has a constricted shape between a pair of dorsal flap portions 15 and a pair of ventral flap portions 17.

[0038] The side edges 17a of the pair of ventral flap portions 17 have a widened portion 17c and a straight portion 17s. The widened portion 17c widens outward in the transverse direction X as it approaches the ventral side, connecting the side edge of the crotch region 52 with the straight portion 17s. The straight portion 17s extends linearly along the longitudinal direction Y between the widened portion 17c and the ventral edge 2F. The width between the straight portions 17s in the transverse direction X corresponds to the maximum width W3 between the side edges 17a of the pair of ventral flap portions 17. The length of the straight portion 15s of the pair of dorsal flap portions 15 along the longitudinal direction Y may be longer than the length of the straight portion 17s of the pair of ventral flap portions 17 along the longitudinal direction Y.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the main body 2 includes a surface sheet 10, a back sheet 20, and an absorbent body 30. The surface sheet 10 constitutes the surface of the main body 2 that comes into contact with the wearer and is positioned on the skin side Z1. The surface sheet 10 is made of a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric that allows the wearer's urine to pass through to the absorbent body 30. Examples of nonwoven fabrics that make up the surface sheet 10 include air-through nonwoven fabric, spunbond nonwoven fabric, or point-bond nonwoven fabric.

[0040] The backing sheet 20 constitutes the outer surface of the main body 2 when worn and is positioned on the non-skin side Z2. The backing sheet 20 includes a liquid-impermeable backing film 21 and a backing nonwoven fabric 22 located on the non-skin side Z2 than the backing film 21. As shown in Figure 3, the width of the backing film 21 in the lateral direction X is shorter than the width of the backing nonwoven fabric 22 in the lateral direction X, and the backing nonwoven fabric 22 may extend beyond the backing film 21 on both sides in the lateral direction X. The backing nonwoven fabric 22 constitutes the outermost layer of the absorbent article 1.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the absorbent body 30 includes an absorbent core 31 containing pulp and a superabsorbent polymer (SAP), and a core wrap 32 covering the surface of the absorbent core 31. As the pulp of the absorbent core 31, for example, chemical pulp, cellulose fibers such as rayon and acetate are used. As the SAP, for example, particulate or fibrous polymers based on starch, acrylic acid, or amino acids are used. The core wrap 32 covers the upper surface of the absorbent core 31 facing the surface sheet 10, and the lower surface of the absorbent core 31 facing the back sheet 20. The absorbent core 31 is provided so as to span the dorsal region 51, the crotch region 52, and the ventral region 53.

[0042] Figure 5 is a plan view of the absorbent core 31 as seen from the skin side Z1. As shown in Figure 5, in one embodiment, the absorbent core 31 includes a dorsal portion 33 located in the dorsal region 51, a crotch portion 34 located in the crotch region 52, and a ventral portion 35 located in the ventral region 53. That is, the dorsal portion 33 is located dorsally to the center line CL1 of the main body portion 2 in the longitudinal direction Y, and the ventral portion 35 is located ventrally to the center line CL1 of the main body portion 2 in the longitudinal direction Y. The crotch portion 34 includes a first portion 34a and a second portion 34b. The first portion 34a is located between the dorsal portion 33 and the second portion 34b. The second portion 34b is located between the first portion 34a and the ventral portion 35.

[0043] The width w1 of the dorsal part 33 in the transverse direction X is larger than the width w3 of the first part 34a in the transverse direction X. The width w2 of the ventral part 35 in the transverse direction X is larger than the width w3 of the first part 34a in the transverse direction X. The width w3 of the first part 34a in the transverse direction X is larger than the width w4 of the second part 34b in the transverse direction X. That is, the absorbent core 31 is locally constricted in the transverse direction X in the crotch part 34. The width of the absorbent core 31 changes stepwise in the longitudinal direction Y. That is, the width of the absorbent core 31 is narrowed as it approaches the first part 34a in the region between the dorsal part 33 and the first part 34a, and is narrowed as it approaches the second part 34b in the region between the first part 34a and the second part 34b. Also, the width of the absorbent core 31 is widened as it approaches the ventral part 35 in the region between the second part 34b and the ventral part 35. The width w1 of the dorsal part 33 or the width w2 of the ventral part 35 is the maximum width of the absorbent core 31.

[0044] Also, the width w5 in the transverse direction X of the dorsal edge 31R, which is the dorsal edge of the absorbent core 31, is smaller than the width w1 of the dorsal part 33. The width w6 in the transverse direction X of the ventral edge 31F, which is the ventral edge of the absorbent core 31, is smaller than the width w2 of the ventral part 35. The width of the absorbent core 31 is narrowed as it approaches the dorsal edge 31R in the region between the dorsal part 33 and the dorsal edge 31R, and is narrowed as it approaches the ventral edge 31F in the region between the ventral part 35 and the ventral edge 31F.

[0045] Note that the width of the absorbent core 31 may change continuously in the longitudinal direction Y. For example, the absorbent core 31 may be widest in the dorsal region 51 and the ventral region 53 and have a constricted gourd-shaped planar shape in the crotch region 52.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 5, one or more channel portions 38 may be formed in the absorbent core 31. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, three channel portions 38 are formed in the absorbent core 31. The three channel portions 38 linearly extend parallel to each other along the vertical direction Y. Note that the three channel portions 38 may be curved with respect to the vertical direction Y. The basis weight of the channel portion 38 is set lower than the basis weight of other portions of the absorbent core 31. Therefore, the density of pulp fibers and SAP present in the channel portion 38 is lower than the density of pulp fibers and superabsorbent polymer present in other portions of the absorbent core 31. In one embodiment, the channel portion 38 may be a slit with a basis weight of zero.

[0047] Of the three channel portions 38, the central channel portion 38 extends in the vertical direction Y along the center line CL2 of the main body portion 2 in the lateral direction X. That is, the central channel portion 38 is disposed on the center line CL2 of the main body portion 2 when viewed from the skin side Z1. The two outer channel portions 38 of the three channel portions 38 are disposed on both outer sides of the center line CL2 of the main body portion 2 in the lateral direction X. In the absorbent article 1 shown in FIG. 1, the three channel portions 38 are disposed on the ventral side with respect to a guide mark 60 described later.

[0048] Since the basis weight of the channel portion 38 is lower than the basis weight of other portions of the absorbent core 31, the channel portion 38 has lower rigidity than other portions of the absorbent core 31. Therefore, when the absorbent core 31 contacts the wearer's foot when the wearer wears the absorbent article 1, the main body portion 2 easily bends into a V-shaped cross section starting from the channel portion 38 of the absorbent core 31. Therefore, the absorbent article 1 can be easily passed between the wearer's feet.

[0049] In one embodiment, the absorber 30 may include a low basis weight region 30l and a high basis weight region 30h. As shown in FIG. 4, the low basis weight region 30l and the high basis weight region 30h are disposed at positions shifted from each other in the vertical direction Y. Specifically, the high basis weight region 30h is disposed on the center line CL1 of the absorber 30 in the vertical direction Y, and the low basis weight region 30l is disposed on the ventral side and the dorsal side with respect to the high basis weight region 30h.

[0050] The basis weight of the absorber 30 in the high basis weight region 30h is greater than the basis weight of the absorber 30 in the low basis weight region 30l. For example, the amount of SAP per unit area in the high basis weight region 30h is greater than the amount of SAP per unit area in the low basis weight region 30l. More specifically, each of the high basis weight region 30h and the low basis weight region 30l has one or more absorbent layers 36 containing SAP, and the number of absorbent layers 36 in the high basis weight region 30h may be greater than the number of absorbent layers 36 in the low basis weight region 30l. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the high basis weight region 30h has two absorbent layers 36, and the low basis weight region 30l has one absorbent layer 36. Therefore, the water retention capacity per unit area of ​​the high basis weight region 30h is greater than the water retention capacity per unit area of ​​the low basis weight region 30l. Note that the basis weight of the high basis weight region 30h in the lateral direction X may be substantially uniform.

[0051] In one embodiment, the absorbent article 1 includes a pair of upright leak-proof gathers 80 positioned on the skin-facing side of the surface sheet 10. The leak-proof gathers 80 stand upright on the outside of the absorbent body 30 in the lateral direction X, preventing urine excreted in the absorbent body 30 from leaking in the lateral direction X. In one embodiment, each of the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 includes a side sheet 12 and an expandable member 13. The pair of side sheets 12 are formed of, for example, a nonwoven fabric having water-repellent or hydrophobic properties. The pair of side sheets 12 are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction X and extend over the entire lengthwise Y area of ​​the main body 2 between the ventral edge 2F and the dorsal edge 2R. As shown in Figure 3, the outer edge of the side sheet 12 in the lateral direction X coincides with the outer edge of the backing nonwoven fabric 22 in the lateral direction X, and together with one of the outer edges of the backing nonwoven fabric 22, constitutes the side edge of the main body 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the inner portion of each side sheet 12 in the lateral direction X is folded back to the non-skin side Z2. Between the folded side sheets 12, an expandable member 13 is positioned, which is extended in the vertical direction Y. The expandable member 13 is, for example, a rubber thread that provides the main body 2 with expandability in the vertical direction Y.

[0052] Each of the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 includes an upright portion 81 that stands upright due to the contraction of the expandable member 13, a lateral fixing portion 82 that serves as the pivot point for the upright portion 81 in the lateral direction X, and a vertical fixing portion 83 that serves as the pivot point for the upright portion 81 in the vertical direction Y. The upright portion 81, the lateral fixing portion 82, and the vertical fixing portion 83 are made of side sheets 12. The upright portion 81 is the portion of the side sheet 12 that is not joined to the surface sheet 10, and the expandable member 13 is positioned in an extended state on the upright portion 81.

[0053] The lateral fixing portion 82 is the part of the side sheet 12 that is fixed to the surface sheet 10 with hot melt adhesive or the like, and serves as the pivot point for the upright portion 81 in the lateral direction X. The lateral fixing portion 82 is formed over the entire area of ​​the main body portion 2 in the vertical direction Y, at a position outside the lateral direction X of the upright portion 81.

[0054] The vertical fixing portion 83 is the portion of the side sheet 12 that is joined to the surface sheet 10 with hot melt adhesive or the like, and serves as the pivot point for the upright portion 81 in the vertical direction Y. In one embodiment, the vertical fixing portion 83 includes a ventral fixing portion 83F and a dorsal fixing portion 83R. The ventral fixing portion 83F is located inward in the lateral direction X from the horizontal fixing portion 82 and is formed in a position ventral to the center line CL1 of the main body portion 2 in the vertical direction Y. The ventral fixing portion 83F serves as the ventral pivot point for the upright portion 81. The dorsal fixing portion 83R is located inward in the lateral direction X from the horizontal fixing portion 82 and is formed in a position dorsal to the center line CL1 of the main body portion 2 in the vertical direction Y. The dorsal fixing portion 83R serves as the dorsal pivot point for the upright portion 81.

[0055] The upright portion 81 is positioned between the ventral fixing portion 83F and the dorsal fixing portion 83R, and is located inward in the lateral direction X relative to the lateral fixing portion 82. An expandable / contractible member 13, which is extended in the vertical direction Y, is connected to the upright portion 81, and when the expandable / contractible member 13 contracts in the vertical direction Y, the main body portion 2 deforms in a closing direction. Due to this deformation, the upright portion 81 stands upright between the ventral fixing portion 83F and the dorsal fixing portion 83R, with the lateral fixing portion 82 as the starting point. In this way, the upright portion 81 stands upright in a position that sandwiches the absorbent material 30 from the lateral direction X, thereby preventing urine leakage.

[0056] As shown in Figure 1, the absorbent article 1 may further comprise one or more leg-circumference stretchable members 40 that are expandable in the longitudinal direction Y. The leg-circumference stretchable members 40 include a pair of leg-circumference stretchable members 40 positioned outward in the lateral direction X relative to the stretchable member 13. The dorsal end of the leg-circumference stretchable member 40 is positioned in the dorsal region 51, and the ventral end of the leg-circumference stretchable member 40 is positioned in the ventral region 53. The leg-circumference stretchable member 40 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or spandex that is contractible in the longitudinal direction, and is positioned along the side edge of the main body 2 between the surface sheet 10 and the back sheet 20 of the main body 2. When the absorbent article 1 is worn, the leg-circumference stretchable members 40 contract in the longitudinal direction Y, causing the side edge of the main body 2 to fit around the wearer's legs. That is, the leg-circumference stretchable members 40 constitute leg gathers that expand and contract along the wearer's legs. The absorbent article 1 may comprise multiple leg-circumference stretchable members 40. As shown in Figure 1, the multiple leg extension members 40 are arranged in the lateral direction X on the outside of the extension member 13 and extend in the vertical direction Y parallel to each other.

[0057] In one embodiment, when viewed from the skin side Z1, the leg-lengthening member 40 partially overlaps the absorbent body 30. Specifically, the pair of leg-lengthening members 40 may overlap the dorsal portion 33 of the absorbent body 30 when viewed from the skin side Z1.

[0058] The absorbent article 1 is contained within the packaging in a state where it is folded into thirds in the vertical direction Y along the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2. Therefore, when the folded absorbent article 1 is removed from the packaging, creases are formed on the main body 2 along the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2. These creases are linear wrinkles formed along the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2. In particular, at least a portion of the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 is formed by folding the main body 2 in a valley fold when viewed from the skin side Z1. For example, the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 are formed at positions that divide the absorbent article 1 into three equal parts in the vertical direction Y.

[0059] The first fold line FL1 is formed between the center line CL1 of the main body 2 in the vertical direction Y and the dorsal edge 2R, and extends in the transverse direction X so as to traverse the absorbent 30. The second fold line FL2 is formed between the center line CL1 of the main body 2 in the vertical direction Y and the ventral edge 2F, and extends in the transverse direction X so as to traverse the absorbent 30. In particular, the first fold line FL1 traverses the dorsal portion 33 of the absorbent core 31 when viewed from the skin side Z1. On the other hand, the second fold line FL2 traverses the region between the dorsal portion 33 and the ventral portion 35 of the absorbent core 31 when viewed from the skin side Z1. Therefore, the width of the absorbent core 31 along the first fold line FL1 is greater than the width of the absorbent core 31 along the second fold line FL2. On the first fold line FL1, the pulp and polymer absorbent within the absorbent core 31 may become unevenly distributed due to the folding, causing a localized decrease in the basis weight of the absorbent core 31. In contrast, by relatively increasing the width of the absorbent core 31 on the first fold line FL1, the water absorption of the absorbent core 31 on the first fold line FL1 can be ensured.

[0060] The first fold line FL1 is positioned ventrally relative to the pair of first fastening tabs 90A and the pair of second fastening tabs 90B. The second fold line FL2 is positioned between the pair of dorsal flap portions 15 and the pair of ventral flap portions 17 in the longitudinal direction Y. The first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 cross the expandable member 13 and the leg-around expandable member 40 of the pair of leak-proof gathers 80.

[0061] In one embodiment, a pair of third fold lines FL3 may be formed on the main body portion 2. The pair of third fold lines FL3 are spaced apart from each other across the center line CL2 of the main body portion 2 in the lateral direction X, and extend in the vertical direction Y. The pair of third fold lines FL3 are fold marks formed by folding the main body portion 2 in a valley fold when viewed from the skin side Z1. The pair of third fold lines FL3 are located outside the guide mark 60, which will be described later, in the lateral direction X.

[0062] Viewed from the skin side Z1, the portion of the first fold line FL1 between the pair of third fold lines FL3 is a valley fold, and the portion of the first fold line FL1 outside the pair of third fold lines FL3 in the lateral direction X may be a mountain fold. Similarly, viewed from the skin side Z1, the portion of the second fold line FL2 between the pair of third fold lines FL3 is a valley fold, and the portion of the second fold line FL2 outside the pair of third fold lines FL3 in the lateral direction X may be a mountain fold. That is, each of the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 includes a valley fold portion located between the pair of third fold lines FL3 in the lateral direction X and a mountain fold portion located outside the pair of third fold lines FL3 in the lateral direction X. The first fold line FL1, the second fold line FL2, and the pair of third fold lines FL3 described above are formed by folding the pair of dorsal flap portions 15 and the pair of ventral flap portions 17 of the main body 2 inward along the pair of third fold lines FL3, and then folding the main body 2 in three vertical folds in the Y direction along the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2.

[0063] The region R between the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 of the main body 2 partially overlaps with the high basis weight region 30h when viewed from the skin side Z1. The region dorsal to the first fold line FL1 of the main body 2, and the region ventral to the second fold line FL2 of the main body 2, partially overlap with the low basis weight region 30l. In other words, part or all of the portion of the absorber 30 that overlaps with region R is the high basis weight region 30h, and part or all of the portion of the absorber 30 that does not overlap with region R is the low basis weight region 30l. As described above, since the region R between the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 of the main body 2 overlaps with the high basis weight region 30h when viewed from the skin side Z1, the rigidity of this region R is higher than that of the region between the first fold line FL1 and the dorsal edge 2R of the main body 2, and the region between the second fold line FL2 and the ventral edge 2F of the main body 2.

[0064] As shown in Figure 1, the main body 2 has guide marks 60 formed on it so that they are visible from the skin side Z1, which guide the wearer to the position where a part of their body should be placed in the vertical direction Y. In one embodiment, the guide marks 60 guide the wearer to the position where their buttocks should be placed in the vertical direction Y. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the guide marks 60 have a roughly W-shape that mimics the buttocks in order to make the user recognize that it is the position where the wearer's buttocks should be placed.

[0065] The guide mark 60 is positioned on the skin-facing side Z1 relative to the absorbent material 30. For example, the guide mark 60 is printed on the surface sheet 10 so that it is visible from the skin-facing side Z1. The guide mark 60 may be colored in a different color from the surface sheet 10. For example, the guide mark 60 may be printed in blue or green. More specifically, the guide mark 60 may be printed in a color that falls within the range of 5GY to 10RP on the Munsell color circle. The guide mark 60 can be colored using, for example, ink, colored hot-melt adhesive, pressure-sensitive paper, or thermosensitive paper.

[0066] Figure 6 is a magnified view of the area around the guide mark 60. As shown in Figure 6, the guide mark 60 includes two curved sections 61 that curve smoothly so as to be convex on the ventral side. Each of the two curved sections 61 has one end 62 and the other end 63, and extends in a substantially semi-circular arc between the one end 62 and the other end 63. The one end 62 of the two curved sections 61 are connected to each other by a connecting section 65. The connecting section 65 is located on the center line CL2 of the main body 2 in the lateral direction X. The other end 63 of the two curved sections 61 is located outside the connecting section 65 in the lateral direction X. Also, the other end 63 of the two curved sections 61 is located behind the connecting section 65 in the vertical direction Y. The other end 63 of the two curved sections 61 has a rounded contour. However, the other end 63 of the two curved sections 61 may have an angular contour. Since the guide mark 60 having the shape described above is formed on the main body 2, the user of the absorbent article 1 will associate the shape of the guide mark 60 with the shape of the buttocks and recognize that the wearer's buttocks should be positioned in accordance with the guide mark 60.

[0067] Furthermore, the guide mark 60 has a width W4 in the horizontal direction X and a width L1 in the vertical direction Y. The width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the horizontal direction X corresponds to the distance in the horizontal direction X between the other ends 63 of the two curved sections 61. The width L1 of the guide mark 60 in the vertical direction Y corresponds to the distance in the vertical direction Y between the lowest point 64 and the other end 63 of the two curved sections 61, when the lowest point 64 is defined as the part of the two curved sections 61 that protrudes the most ventral side. The width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the horizontal direction X is greater than the width L1 of the guide mark 60 in the vertical direction Y. Therefore, the guide mark 60 has a horizontally elongated shape that is longer in the horizontal direction X.

[0068] As shown in Figure 1, the three channel portions 38 extend in the longitudinal direction Y between the guide mark 60 and the ventral edge 2F. The width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X is greater than the distance d1 between the two outermost channel portions 38 in the lateral direction X. Also, the width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X is less than the distance d2 between the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 in the non-upright state. However, the width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X may be greater than the distance d2 between the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 in the non-upright state. In this case, when the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 are in the non-upright state, the other ends 63 of the two curved portions 61 of the guide mark 60 are covered by the pair of leak-proof gathers 80, and when the pair of leak-proof gathers 80 are in the upright state, the entire guide mark 60, including the other ends 63 of the two curved portions 61, is exposed to the skin side Z1.

[0069] As shown in Figure 6, the two curved sections 61 have a substantially constant line width t1 from one end 62 to the other end 63. The line width t1 of the two curved sections 61 may be 10% or more and 50% or less of the width W4 of the guide mark 60 in the lateral direction X. For example, the line width t1 of the two curved sections 61 is 2 cm or more. By making the line width t1 2 cm or more, the visibility of the guide mark 60 can be improved.

[0070] The guide mark 60 is positioned to overlap the absorbent material 30 when viewed from the skin side Z1. More specifically, when viewed from the skin side Z1, at least a portion of the guide mark 60 is located in the region R between the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2. For example, the ratio of the area of ​​the portion located in the region R between the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 to the total area of ​​the guide mark 60 may be 30% or more, 50% or more, or 80% or more. Alternatively, the entire guide mark 60 may be located in the region R between the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2.

[0071] As described above, the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 are creases formed as valley folds when viewed from the skin side Z1. Therefore, when the absorbent article 1 is unfolded, a restoring force F acts on the main body 2, causing it to return to its folded shape with the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 as the starting points (see Figure 7). That is, when viewed from the skin side Z1, a force acts on the portions of the main body 2 on both sides of the first fold line FL1 in the vertical direction Y, causing the first fold line FL1 to bend inward, and a force acts on the portions of the main body 2 on both sides of the second fold line FL2 in the vertical direction Y, causing the second fold line FL2 to bend inward. As a result, as shown in Figure 7, the main body 2 bends with the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 inward, and the region R between the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 of the main body 2 deforms so that it bulges upward (towards the skin side Z1).

[0072] In nursing or medical settings, when an absorbent item 1 is fitted to a disabled adult receiving care, the wearer may be placed in a lateral position before the absorbent item 1 is fitted. In this case, the absorbent item 1 is spread out and placed under the wearer's waist after the wearer is placed in a lateral position, and the wearer is then turned back onto their back so that their buttocks rest on the absorbent item. The absorbent item is then pulled up towards the wearer's abdomen through their crotch, and the pair of first fastening tabs 90A and second fastening tabs 90B are fastened to the locking parts. At this time, if the distance between the wearer's buttocks in the lateral position and the guide marks 60 formed on the main body 2 is large, it may be difficult to accurately position the wearer's buttocks with the guide marks 60.

[0073] In contrast, as shown in Figure 7, the region R between the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2 of the main body 2 deforms to bulge upward (towards the skin side Z1), thereby reducing the distance D between the wearer's buttocks 100 and region R when the wearer is lying on their side. That is, the distance D between the wearer's buttocks 100 and the guide mark 60 can be reduced, making it easier to align the wearer's buttocks 100 with the guide mark 60. As a result, it becomes easier to attach the absorbent article 1.

[0074] Similarly, when the absorbent article 1 is unfolded, a restoring force is generated in the main body 2 that causes it to return to its folded shape starting from the pair of third fold lines FL3. As a result, the main body 2 folds inward with the pair of third fold lines FL3, and the area between the main body 2 and the pair of third fold lines FL3 deforms so that it bulges upward. Since the guide mark 60 is positioned between the pair of third fold lines FL3 when viewed from the skin side Z1, the deformation of the area between the pair of third fold lines FL3 so that it bulges upward can further reduce the distance D between the wearer's buttocks 100 and the guide mark 60. Therefore, it becomes easier to align the wearer's buttocks 100 with the guide mark 60.

[0075] In one embodiment, a portion of the guide mark 60 may be positioned on the first fold line FL1. Alternatively, the guide mark 60 may be positioned between the widened portions 15c of the pair of back flap portions 15 when viewed from the skin side Z1. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the guide mark 60 may be provided on the back portion 33 of the absorbent core 31 between the widened portions 15c of the pair of back flap portions 15. The width of the absorbent body 30 in the lateral direction X at the position overlapping with the guide mark 60 is greater than the width of the ventral edge 31F and the back edge 31R of the absorbent body 30 in the lateral direction X. Since the back portion 33 is the region with the maximum width of the absorbent core 31, the positioning of the guide mark 60 on the back portion 33 allows for effective absorption of urine excreted by the wearer at the back portion 33. Also, when viewed from the skin side Z1, the guide mark 60 is positioned between the region where the pair of leg-around stretchable members 40 and the absorbent body 30 overlap.

[0076] In one embodiment, when viewed from the skin side Z1, the guide mark 60 is positioned to overlap with the high-basis-weight region 30h. In this case, urine excreted by the wearer can be effectively absorbed in the high-basis-weight region 30h. Alternatively, when viewed from the skin side Z1, the guide mark 60 may be positioned on the extension of one or more channel portions 38. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the guide mark 60 is positioned on the extension of three channel portions 38.

[0077] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the main body 2 may have a central guide mark 70 formed on it so as to be visible from the skin side Z1 for guiding the position where a part of the wearer's body should be placed in the lateral direction X. The central guide mark 70 includes a ventral central guide mark 71 positioned between the guide mark 60 and the ventral edge 2F in the vertical direction Y, and a dorsal central guide mark 72 positioned between the guide mark 60 and the dorsal edge 2R in the vertical direction Y.

[0078] The ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 are positioned on the skin side Z1 relative to the absorbent material 30. For example, the ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 are printed on the surface sheet 10 so that they are visible from the skin side Z1. The ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 may be colored in a different color from the surface sheet 10. For example, the ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 are printed in blue or green. More specifically, the ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 are printed in a color that falls within the range of 5GY to 10RP on the Munsell color circle, for example.

[0079] The guide mark 60, the ventral central guide mark 71, and the dorsal central guide mark 72 may be printed on the main body 2 with ink. In this case, the amount of ink per unit area of ​​the guide mark 60 may be greater than the amount of ink per unit area of ​​the ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72. For example, if the guide mark 60, the ventral central guide mark 71, and the dorsal central guide mark 72 are represented by a collection of minute ink dots, the density of ink dots in the guide mark 60 may be higher than the density of dots in the ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72. By relatively increasing the amount of ink per unit area of ​​the guide mark 60, the guide mark 60 will appear darker, thereby improving the visibility of the guide mark 60. Note that the guide mark 60 and the central guide mark 70 may have different hues, brightness, or saturation. The identifiability of the guiding mark 60 and the central guiding mark 70 is improved by having different hues, brightness, or saturations from each other.

[0080] The ventral central guide mark 71 extends linearly along the centerline CL2 of the main body in the transverse direction X between the guide mark 60 and the ventral edge 2F. The ventral central guide mark 71 has a dorsal end 71r and a ventral end 71f, and extends in the longitudinal direction Y between the dorsal end 71r and the ventral end 71f so as to overlap with the centerline CL2 of the main body 2 when viewed from the skin side Z1. As shown in Figure 6, the dorsal end 71r of the ventral central guide mark 71 is positioned to overlap with the absorbent 30 when viewed from the skin side Z1, and is spaced apart from the connecting portion 65 of the guide mark 60. In other words, the guide mark 60 and the ventral central guide mark 71 are not connected to each other.

[0081] The ventral end 71f of the ventral central guide mark 71 is positioned on the ventral edge 2F side of the center line CL1 in the vertical direction Y of the main body 2. For example, the ventral end 71f is positioned on the ventral edge 2F. When viewed from the skin side Z1, the ventral central guide mark 71 overlaps at least partially with the central channel portion 38 of the multiple channel portions 38. The dorsal end 71r and the ventral end 71f have rounded contours. However, the dorsal end 71r and the ventral end 71f may have angular contours. The contour shapes of the dorsal end 71r and the ventral end 71f may differ from the contour shapes of the other ends 63 of the two curved portions 61. The ventral central guide mark 71 has a substantially constant line width t2 between the dorsal end 71r and the ventral end 71f. The line widths t1 of the two curved portions 61 of the guide mark 60 may be thicker than the line width t2 of the ventral central guide mark 71. By making the line width t1 of the two curved sections 61 relatively thicker, the visibility of the guide mark 60 is improved.

[0082] The dorsal central guide mark 72 extends linearly along the centerline CL2 of the main body in the lateral direction X between the guide mark 60 and the dorsal edge 2R. The dorsal central guide mark 72 has a dorsal end 72r and a ventral end 72f, and extends in the vertical direction Y between the dorsal end 72r and the ventral end 72f so as to overlap with the centerline CL2 of the main body 2 when viewed from the skin side Z1. The dorsal end 72r of the dorsal central guide mark 72 is positioned on the dorsal edge 2R. The ventral end 72f of the dorsal central guide mark 72 is positioned to overlap with the absorbent 30 when viewed from the skin side Z1, and is spaced apart from the connecting portion 65 of the guide mark 60. In other words, the guide mark 60 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 are not connected to each other.

[0083] The dorsal end 72r and the ventral end 72f have rounded contours. However, the dorsal end 72r and the ventral end 72f may have angular contours. The contour shapes of the dorsal end 72r and the ventral end 72f may differ from the contour shapes of the other ends 63 of the two curved sections 61. The dorsal central guide mark 72 has a substantially constant line width t3 between the dorsal end 72r and the ventral end 72f. The line widths t1 of the two curved sections 61 of the guide mark 60 may be thicker than the line width t3 of the dorsal central guide mark 72. By making the line widths t1 of the two curved sections 61 relatively thicker, the visibility of the guide mark 60 is improved.

[0084] As described above, the central guide mark 70 is a mark for guiding the central position of the absorbent article 1 in the lateral direction X. As shown in Figure 1, the ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 may be dashed, dotted, or chained lines. The fact that the ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 are dashed, dotted, or chained lines makes it easier for the user to recognize that the ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 indicate the center of the absorbent article 1.

[0085] Furthermore, if the guide mark 60 and the central guide mark 70 are connected when viewed from the skin side Z1, the guide mark 60 may not appear to be shaped like the buttocks, and the user may not recognize that the guide mark 60 is guiding the position where the buttocks should be placed. In contrast, as shown in Figure 1, by making the guide mark 60 and the central guide mark 70 unconnected, the user can easily recognize that the guide mark 60 is the position where the buttocks should be placed.

[0086] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, an outer central guide mark 73 extending along the center line CL2 in the transverse direction X may be formed on the outer surface of the back sheet 20 so as to be visible from the non-skin side Z2. The outer central guide mark 73 is printed on the back film 21, for example, and is visible from the non-skin side Z2 through the back nonwoven fabric 22. The outer central guide mark 73 extends linearly along the center line CL2 over the entire area of ​​the main body 2 in the longitudinal direction Y. The width of the outer central guide mark 73 in the transverse direction may be greater than the line width t2 of the ventral central guide mark 71 and the line width t3 of the dorsal central guide mark 72 in the transverse direction X.

[0087] As described above, the main body 2 has a ventral central guide mark 71 and a dorsal central guide mark 72 that extend along the lateral X-axis centerline CL2. By aligning the ventral central guide mark 71 and the dorsal central guide mark 72 with the wearer's midline and attaching the absorbent article 1, lateral displacement of the absorbent article 1 can be suppressed. Therefore, the absorbent article 1 can be easily attached to the correct position. In addition, since an outer central guide mark 73 is formed on the outer surface of the back nonwoven fabric 22, the lateral X-axis centerline CL1 of the main body 2 can be recognized from the non-skin side Z2 as well. Therefore, when attaching the absorbent article 1, if the ventral region 53 is placed against the wearer's abdomen, aligning the outer central guide mark 73 with the wearer's midline and attaching the absorbent article 1 can more effectively suppress lateral displacement of the absorbent article 1.

[0088] Next, an absorbent article according to another embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a plan view of the absorbent article 1A according to another embodiment, as seen from the skin side Z1. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent article 1A shown in Figure 8 along the line C-C. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent article 1A shown in Figure 8 along the line D-D. The absorbent article 1A differs from the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in that guide marks 60 are formed on the cushion sheet 55, which will be described later. In the following description, the differences from the absorbent article 1 will be mainly explained, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0089] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the main body 2 of the absorbent article 1A further includes a cushion sheet 55 disposed between the surface sheet 10 and the absorbent 30. The cushion sheet 55 is made of, for example, a resin-made opening film, an SAP sheet, a nonwoven fabric, tissue, or a laminate thereof. The opening film is made of a resin film having a number of openings penetrating in the thickness direction. Typically, polyethylene or polypropylene is used as the material for the resin film. The SAP sheet is a sheet material having one or more absorbent layers in which SAP is sandwiched between nonwoven fabrics.

[0090] In one embodiment, the cushion sheet 55 may be colored in a different color from the surface sheet 10. The coloring of the cushion sheet 55 allows it to be easily seen through the surface sheet 10. For example, the cushion sheet 55 may be colored blue or green.

[0091] As shown in Figure 8, the guide mark 60 is formed on the cushion sheet 55. For example, the guide mark 60 is printed on the skin-facing side Z1 or the non-skin-facing side Z2 of the cushion sheet 55. The guide mark 60 may have a different color from the cushion sheet 55. For example, if the cushion sheet 55 is colored blue or green, the guide mark 60 may be white. The colors of the surface sheet 10, the cushion sheet 55, and the guide mark 60 may be different from each other.

[0092] Note that the guide mark 60 does not necessarily have to be formed on the cushion sheet 55. In this case, the guide mark 60 is provided so as to overlap the cushion sheet 55 when viewed from the skin side Z1. For example, it is printed on the surface sheet 10 at a position that overlaps the cushion sheet 55 when viewed from the skin side Z1. Typically, the guide mark 60 is formed so that its entirety overlaps the cushion sheet 55 when viewed from the skin side Z1.

[0093] The cushion sheet 55 is provided locally near the guide mark 60. Specifically, the cushion sheet 55 is provided on the dorsal side with respect to the center line CL1 in the vertical direction Y, and its entirety overlaps the absorbent body 30 when viewed from the skin side Z1. For example, the cushion sheet 55 has a rectangular or square planar shape, the ventral end 55f of the cushion sheet 55 is positioned on the dorsal side with respect to the center line CL1 in the vertical direction Y, and the dorsal end 55r of the cushion sheet 55 is positioned ventrally to the ventral edge 31F of the absorbent body 30. The first fold line FL1 may be formed between the ventral end 55f and the dorsal end 55r of the cushion sheet 55. The ventral end 55f of the cushion sheet 55 may be provided on the dorsal side to the dorsal ends of the plurality of channel portions 38. Both side edges 55s of the cushion sheet 55 in the lateral direction X are positioned laterally inward with respect to the lateral fixing portions 82 of the pair of leak-proof gathers 80.

[0094] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the cushion sheet 55 is positioned to overlap the high-basis-weight region 30h when viewed from the skin side Z1. This prevents urine absorbed in the high-basis-weight region 30h from flowing back to the skin side Z1.

[0095] In absorbent article 1A, a guide mark 60 is provided in the area R between the first fold line FL1 and the second fold line FL2, making it easy to align the wearer's buttocks with the guide mark 60. As a result, the absorbent article 1 can be easily attached. In addition, in absorbent article 1A, a cushion sheet 55 is provided between the surface sheet 10 and the absorbent body 30, so that the urine absorbed by the absorbent body 30 is blocked by the cushion sheet 55 and prevented from flowing back to the skin side Z1. Since the cushion sheet 55 is positioned to overlap with the guide mark 60 where the wearer's buttocks are placed, it is possible to prevent urine that flows back from the absorbent body 30 from adhering to the wearer's buttocks.

[0096] Figure 11 is a plan view of an absorbent article 1B according to yet another embodiment, as seen from the skin side Z1. The absorbent article 1B shown in Figure 11 differs from the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in that it does not have a pair of panel sheets 16, and instead a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B are joined to a pair of back flap portions 15. In the absorbent article 1B, the guide mark 60 is positioned between the straight portions 15s of the pair of back flap portions 15, as seen from the skin side Z1.

[0097] Figure 12 is a plan view of an absorbent article 1C according to yet another embodiment, as seen from the skin side Z1. The main body 2 of the absorbent article 1C shown in Figure 12 does not have a pair of dorsal flap portions 15 and a pair of ventral flap portions 17, and differs from the absorbent article 1 shown in Figure 1 in that the width of the main body 2 in the lateral direction X is constant at each position in the vertical direction Y. As shown in Figure 12, the absorbent article 1C includes a pair of panel sheets 16 joined to the main body 2. The pair of panel sheets 16 extend outward from the main body 2 in the lateral direction X when viewed from the skin side Z1. The pair of panel sheets 16 are positioned along the wearer's waist when worn. In the absorbent article 1C, the guide mark 60 is positioned between the pair of panel sheets 16 and overlaps the absorbent body 30 when viewed from the skin side Z1. As shown in Figure 12, the pair of panel sheets 16 are provided with a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B.

[0098] Each of the pair of panel sheets 16 may have a dividing line 16d formed on it for dividing each panel sheet 16 in the longitudinal direction Y. The dividing line 16d is, for example, a perforation and is formed in the longitudinal direction Y between a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B. When each panel sheet 16 is cut along the dividing line 16d, each panel sheet 16 is divided into a ventral portion and a dorsal portion.

[0099] In one embodiment, when the folded absorbent article 1C is removed from the packaging, each of the pair of panel sheets 16 may be temporarily fixed in a folded state along a fold line extending in the vertical direction Y. For example, as shown in Figure 13, the pair of panel sheets 16 are folded inward once or more times along one or more fold lines extending in the vertical direction Y, with a pair of first fastening tabs 90A and a pair of second fastening tabs 90B folded inward along the side edges of the pair of panel sheets 16. The folded pair of panel sheets 16 and the surface sheet 10 are then temporarily fixed together. Temporary fixing means that they are weakly joined so that they do not separate during transport but can be separated by force applied by the user during use. For example, temporary fixing can be done with adhesive, embossing, or sonic processing. By temporarily fixing the folded pair of panel sheets 16 and the surface sheet 10, the pair of panel sheets 16 are fixed in a folded state during transport.

[0100] Although various embodiments of absorbent articles 1, 1A, 1B, and 1C have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modified forms can be constructed without changing the gist of the invention. In other words, it should be noted that the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0101] For example, in the above embodiment, the guide mark 60 has a shape that mimics the buttocks in order to guide the wearer's buttocks to the position where they should be placed. However, the guide mark 60 is not limited to a shape that mimics the buttocks as long as it can guide the wearer's body part to the position where it should be placed in the vertical direction. For example, the guide mark 60 may guide the wearer's urinary opening or groin to the position where they should be placed. For example, Figure 14 shows an example of a guide mark 60 for guiding the wearer's urinary opening to the position where they should be placed. Figure 15 shows an example of a guide mark 60 for guiding the wearer's groin to the position where they should be placed.

[0102] Furthermore, the shape of the guide mark 60 that indicates the position where the wearer's buttocks should be placed is not limited to the example shown in Figure 6. For example, the guide mark 60 may have a pattern, design, or geometric shape as shown in Figures 16(a) to (f). It should be noted that the various embodiments described above can be combined in a consistent manner.

[0103] The absorbent articles 1, 1A, 1B, and 1C do not necessarily have fastening tabs. For example, the absorbent articles 1, 1A, 1B, and 1C may be disposable absorbent pads that are replaceable and attached to the skin-facing side of a cloth or non-woven diaper cover having a pair of fastening tabs.

[0104] The present invention will be described with reference to the following clauses. The present invention may also include any combination of the following clauses, even without a specific enumeration.

[0105] [1] An absorbent article comprising a surface sheet positioned on the skin side of the wearer, a back sheet positioned on the non-skin side opposite to the skin side, and an absorbent material positioned between the surface sheet and the back sheet, the absorbent article comprising a main body portion extending longitudinally between a dorsal edge and a ventral edge, the main body portion having a first fold line formed between the center line of the main body portion in the longitudinal direction and the dorsal edge and extending transversely perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a second fold line positioned between the center line of the main body portion in the longitudinal direction and the ventral edge and extending transversely, at least a portion of the first fold line and the second fold line being fold marks formed by folding the main body portion in a valley fold as viewed from the skin side, the main body portion having guide marks formed so as to be visible from the skin side for guiding the position where a part of the wearer's body should be positioned in the longitudinal direction, and at least a portion of the guide marks being positioned between the first fold line and the second fold line.

[0106] [2] The absorbent article according to [1], wherein the main body includes an expandable member that extends in the vertical direction and provides the main body with expandability in the vertical direction, and the first fold line and the second fold line extend in the horizontal direction so as to traverse the expandable member.

[0107] [3] The absorbent article described in [1] or [2], wherein the guide mark is colored in a different color from the surface sheet.

[0108] [4] The guide mark is printed on the surface sheet and is an absorbent article as described in any one of items [1] to [3].

[0109] [5] The main body further includes a cushion sheet disposed between the surface sheet and the absorbent, and the guide mark is formed on the cushion sheet, the absorbent article according to any one of [1] to [4].

[0110] [6] The absorbent article according to [5], wherein the cushion sheet has a different color from the surface sheet, and the guide mark has a different color from the cushion sheet.

[0111] [7] The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the rigidity of the region between the first fold line and the second fold line in the absorbent is higher than the rigidity of the region located between the first fold line and the back edge in the absorbent.

[0112] [8] An absorbent article according to any one of items [1] to [7], wherein the area of ​​the portion located between the first fold line and the second fold line is 50% or more of the total area of ​​the guide mark.

[0113] [9] The main body portion includes a pair of back flap portions that are provided between the center line of the main body portion in the vertical direction and the back edge and that protrude outward in the horizontal direction, each of the pair of back flap portions includes a side edge in the horizontal direction, each of the side edges of the pair of back flap portions has a widened portion that widens outward in the horizontal direction as it approaches the back edge and a straight portion that connects the widened portion and the back edge, and the guide mark is positioned between the widened portions of the pair of back flap portions when viewed from the skin side, as described in any one of [1] to [8].

[0114]

[10] The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to [9], further comprising one or more pairs of fastening tabs connected to the pair of dorsal flap portions and capable of engaging with the back sheet from the non-skin side, wherein in the longitudinal direction, at least one of the pairs of fastening tabs is positioned closer to the dorsal edge than the guide mark.

[0115]

[11] The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to

[10] , further comprising a longitudinally expandable member, a pair of leak-proof gathers that can stand upright in accordance with the contraction of the expandable member, the first fold line and the second fold line extending in the transverse direction so as to traverse the expandable member of the pair of leak-proof gathers.

[0116]

[12] The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to

[11] , wherein the absorbent body comprises an absorbent core having absorbency, the absorbent core having a channel portion having a lower basis weight than the rest of the absorbent core, the channel portion being formed between the guide mark and the ventral edge and extending in the longitudinal direction along the center line of the main body in the transverse direction.

[0117]

[13] The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to

[12] , wherein the absorbent body includes an absorbent core having absorbency, and the width of the absorbent core along the first fold line is greater than the width of the absorbent core along the second fold line.

[0118]

[14] The absorbent article according to any one of [1] to

[13] , wherein the main body portion has a pair of third fold lines formed outside the guide mark in the lateral direction and extending in the vertical direction, and the pair of third fold lines are fold marks formed by folding the main body portion in a valley fold when viewed from the skin side.

[0119]

[15] The absorbent article according to

[14] , wherein each of the first fold line and the second fold line includes a valley fold portion located between the pair of third fold lines in the lateral direction and a mountain fold portion located outside the pair of third fold lines in the lateral direction.

[0120]

[16] The absorbent article according to any one of items [1] to

[15] , wherein the guide mark has a shape that resembles the buttocks in order to guide the wearer's buttocks to the position where the buttocks should be placed.

[0121] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C... Absorbent article, 2... Main body, 2F... Ventral edge, 2R... Dorsal edge, 10... Surface sheet, 13... Expandable member, 15... Dorsal flap, 15a... Side edge, 15c... Widening section, 15s... Straight section, 20... Back sheet, 30... Absorbent material, 31... Absorbent core, 38... Channel section, 55... Cushion sheet, 60... Guide mark, 80... Leak-proof gather, 100... Buttocks, CL1... Center line in the longitudinal direction, CL2... Center line in the transverse direction, FL1... First fold line, FL2... Second fold line, FL3... Third fold line, R... Area, X... Transverse direction, Y... Longitudinal direction, Z1... Skin side, Z2... Non-skin side.

Claims

1. An absorbent article comprising a surface sheet positioned on the skin side of the wearer, a back sheet positioned on the non-skin side opposite to the skin side, and an absorbent material positioned between the surface sheet and the back sheet, the absorbent article comprising a main body portion extending longitudinally between a dorsal edge and a ventral edge, the main body portion having a first fold line formed between the center line of the main body portion in the longitudinal direction and the dorsal edge and extending transversely perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a second fold line positioned between the center line of the main body portion in the longitudinal direction and the ventral edge and extending transversely, at least a portion of the first fold line and the second fold line being fold marks formed by folding the main body portion in a valley fold as viewed from the skin side, the main body portion having guide marks formed so as to be visible from the skin side for guiding the position where a part of the wearer's body should be positioned in the longitudinal direction, and at least a portion of the guide marks being positioned between the first fold line and the second fold line.

2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the main body includes an expandable member that extends in the vertical direction and provides the main body with expandability in the vertical direction, and the first fold line and the second fold line extend in the horizontal direction so as to traverse the expandable member.

3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the guide mark is colored in a different color from the surface sheet.

4. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the guide mark is printed on the surface sheet.

5. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the main body further includes a cushion sheet disposed between the surface sheet and the absorbent, and the guide mark is formed on the cushion sheet.

6. The absorbent article according to claim 5, wherein the cushion sheet has a different color from the surface sheet, and the guide mark has a different color from the cushion sheet.

7. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the rigidity of the region between the first fold line and the second fold line in the absorbent is higher than that of the region located between the first fold line and the dorsal edge in the absorbent.

8. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the area of ​​the portion located between the first fold line and the second fold line accounts for 50% or more of the total area of ​​the guide mark.

9. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the main body portion includes a pair of back flap portions that are provided between the center line of the main body portion in the vertical direction and the back edge and that protrude outward in the horizontal direction, each of the pair of back flap portions includes a side edge in the horizontal direction, each of the side edges of the pair of back flap portions has a widened portion that widens outward in the horizontal direction as it approaches the back edge and a straight portion that connects the widened portion and the back edge, and the guide mark is positioned between the widened portions of the pair of back flap portions when viewed from the skin side.

10. The absorbent article according to claim 9, further comprising one or more pairs of fastening tabs connected to the pair of dorsal flap portions and capable of engaging with the back sheet from the non-skin side, wherein in the longitudinal direction, at least one pair of the fastening tabs is positioned closer to the dorsal edge than the guide mark.

11. The absorbent article according to claim 1, further comprising a longitudinally expandable member, a pair of leak-proof gathers that can stand upright in response to the contraction of the longitudinally expandable member, wherein the first fold line and the second fold line extend in the transverse direction so as to traverse the longitudinally expandable member of the pair of leak-proof gathers.

12. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent body comprises an absorbent core having absorbency, the absorbent core having a channel portion having a lower basis weight than the rest of the absorbent core, the channel portion being formed between the guide mark and the ventral edge and extending in the longitudinal direction along the center line of the main body in the transverse direction.

13. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent body includes an absorbent core having absorbent properties, and the width of the absorbent core along the first fold line is greater than the width of the absorbent core along the second fold line.

14. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the main body portion has a pair of third fold lines formed outside the guide mark in the lateral direction and extending in the vertical direction, and the pair of third fold lines are fold marks formed by folding the main body portion in a valley fold when viewed from the skin side.

15. The absorbent article according to claim 14, wherein each of the first fold line and the second fold line includes a valley fold portion located between the pair of third fold lines in the lateral direction and a mountain fold portion located outside the pair of third fold lines in the lateral direction.

16. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the guide mark has a shape that mimics the buttocks in order to guide the wearer's buttocks to the position where they should be placed.

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