Absorbent article package

Abstract

The present invention provides an absorbent article package capable of imparting an effect of a volatile substance while maintaining the performance of an elastic member of a pants-type absorbent article. An absorbent article package (200) comprises a pants-type absorbent article (1) and a packaging material (150) for packaging the absorbent article. The absorbent article has an absorbent body (2) and a waist member (5) disposed on a non-skin side of the absorbent body. The absorbent article is provided with a volatile substance. The absorbent body includes: an absorbent core (31); a liquid-impermeable backsheet (20) disposed further toward the non-skin side than the absorbent core is; a crotch elastic member (27) disposed further toward the non-skin side than the absorbent core is; and a crotch adhesive (AR27) that bonds the crotch elastic member to a sheet in contact with the crotch elastic member. The amount of the crotch adhesive is greater than the amount of the volatile substance.

Description

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[0001] The present invention relates to an absorbent article package in which a pant-type absorbent article to which a volatile substance is applied is packaged with a packaging material.

[0002] Patent Document 1 and the like disclose a pant-type absorbent article to which a volatile substance is applied. The volatile substance in Patent Document 1 is applied to the outer surface or the inner surface of the waist region corresponding to the wearer's waist in the ventral part or the dorsal part, including the opening edge of the waist opening. Further, the pant-type absorbent article has a plurality of elastic members such as a body circumference elastic member and a leg circumference elastic member, and is configured to fit the body when worn.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-102612

[0004] Since the volatile substance is applied to the waist region of the body circumference member made of non-woven fabric in the absorbent article of Patent Document 1, the volatile substance easily escapes outside the absorbent article. Therefore, in order to obtain the effect of the volatile substance, it is conceivable to increase the amount of the volatile substance applied to the absorbent article. However, if the amount of the volatile substance is increased too much, the volatile component of the volatile substance may affect the adhesive for bonding the elastic member, and may affect the expansion and contraction performance of the elastic member.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an absorbent article package that can impart the effect of a volatile substance while maintaining the performance of the elastic member of a pant-type absorbent article.

[0006] An absorbent article package according to one aspect includes a pant-type absorbent article and a packaging material for packaging the absorbent article. The absorbent article has a front-back direction and a width direction that intersect each other, an absorbent body, and a body circumference member disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent body. A volatile substance is applied to the absorbent article. The absorbent body has an absorbent core, a liquid-impermeable back sheet disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent core, an under-leg elastic member disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent core, and an under-leg adhesive for adhering the under-leg elastic member to a sheet that abuts against the under-leg elastic member. The amount of the under-leg adhesive is larger than the amount of the volatile substance.

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an absorbent article packaging according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a front view of the absorbent article according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a plan view of the absorbent article in its unfolded state, seen from the skin side. Figure 4 is a plan view of the absorbent article in its unfolded state, seen from the non-skin side. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A shown in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B shown in Figure 3. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the folded state of the absorbent article.

[0008] (1) Outline of Embodiments The following matters will become clear from the description in this specification and the accompanying drawings. The invention according to Embodiment 1 is an absorbent article package comprising a pant-type absorbent article and a packaging material for packaging the absorbent article. The absorbent article has an absorbent body and a waist member disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent body, with front-to-back and width directions intersecting each other. The absorbent article is coated with a volatile substance. The absorbent body has an absorbent core, a liquid-impermeable back sheet disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent core, a crotch elastic member disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent core, and a crotch adhesive that adheres the crotch elastic member to a sheet that contacts the crotch elastic member. The amount of the crotch adhesive is greater than the amount of the volatile substance. The package contains the absorbent article, and the volatile substance coated on the absorbent article volatilizes within the packaging material, so the absorbent article is affected by the volatile components until use. Because the amount of volatile substances is small relative to the amount of adhesive in the crotch area, the impact of volatile components on the adhesive is minimized, maintaining the performance of the adhesive in the crotch area and enabling the stretching and contracting behavior of the elastic member in the crotch area. The elastic member in the crotch area presses the absorbent core against the body, improving the ability to draw in bodily fluids and suppressing leakage.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to Embodiment 2 may have the following features in the invention according to Embodiment 1. The waist member comprises a waist elastic member that expands and contracts in the width direction, and a waist adhesive that adheres the waist elastic member to a sheet that contacts the waist elastic member. The amount of the waist adhesive is greater than the amount of the volatile substance. According to this embodiment, since the amount of volatile substance is small compared to the amount of waist adhesive, the influence of the volatile components of the volatile substance on the adhesive is reduced, the performance of at least a portion of the waist adhesive is maintained, and the expansion and contraction of the waist elastic member can be realized. The waist elastic member can hold the absorbent article around the wearer's waist, suppress displacement of the absorbent body, and prevent leakage of bodily fluids.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to Embodiment 3 may have the following features in the invention according to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2. The packaging material comprises an individual packaging sheet for individually packaging the absorbent articles and a storage sheet for accommodating a plurality of the absorbent articles. The back sheet is a moisture-permeable sheet. At least one of the individual packaging sheet and the storage sheet is a non-moisture-permeable sheet. According to this embodiment, when volatile substances volatilize from the absorbent core, the back sheet is moisture-permeable, making it easier for the volatile substances to escape to the absorbent articles, and reducing the influence of the volatile substances on the crotch adhesive placed on the non-skin side of the absorbent core. On the other hand, by making the individual packaging sheet or the storage sheet non-moisture-permeable, the released volatile substances themselves can be retained within the packaging, thus allowing the user to benefit from the volatile substances.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to Embodiment 4 may have the following features in the invention according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 3. The absorbent article is folded from a pant-like state using a plurality of article folds as starting points and packaged with the packaging material. The article folds have width folds that extend in the width direction. The width folds are located outside in the front-rear direction of at least one of the front edge and rear edge of the absorbent core. When folded using the width folds as starting points, the creases of the width folds cause the article to fold through the width folds, creating spaces between overlapping regions. Since the width folds are located outside in the front-rear direction of the outer edge of the absorbent core and are not formed in the absorbent core, the absorbent core is not located in at least one of the regions that fold through the width folds and overlap. Therefore, volatile substances are easily released outside the absorbent body through the space formed by the creases and the region covering the space where the absorbent core is not located. Therefore, the influence of volatile substances on the crotch adhesive can be reduced.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 5 may have the following features in the invention according to embodiment 4: The width fold overlaps with one of the front end and the rear end of the absorbent core, but not with the other. A crease is formed at the front end and the rear end of the absorbent core by the width fold, but not at the other, so that only one side is prone to lifting due to the crease. Therefore, compared to configurations where both are folded or neither is folded, the front and rear ends of the absorbent core can be positioned apart, making it easier to release volatile substances from within the absorbent core. Therefore, the influence of volatile substances on the crotch adhesive can be reduced.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 6 may have the following features in the invention according to any of embodiments 1 to 5. The absorbent article is folded from a pant-like state using a plurality of article folds as starting points and packaged with the packaging material. The article folds have width folds that extend in the width direction. The width folds fold the absorbent cores that are located on the outside in the thickness direction when folded using the width folds as starting points. The waist member expands and contracts in the width direction and has a continuous elastic member that extends from one side joint to the other side joint. Of the continuous elastic member, the absorbent cores located on the outside in the thickness direction are not located in the region between the width folds and the outer edge of the absorbent cores in the front-rear direction. Generally, absorbent cores containing pulp are prone to volatilization of volatile substances. Since the continuous elastic member is not located on the absorbent cores located on the outside in the thickness direction, even if volatile substances volatilize, the effect of the volatile substances on the waist adhesive can be suppressed.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to Embodiment 7 may have the following features in the invention according to any of Embodiments 1 to 6: The absorbent body has a top sheet positioned closer to the skin than the absorbent core. The oxygen permeability of the back sheet is lower than that of the top sheet. The crotch adhesive and the crotch elastic member are positioned between the back sheet and the absorbent core. According to this embodiment, because the oxygen permeability of the back sheet is low and the oxygen permeability of the top sheet is high, volatile components released from the absorbent core can easily escape to the skin side through the top sheet. If the volatile component is a fragrance, the user will be able to smell it more easily. Also, because the crotch elastic member is positioned closer to the absorbent core than the back sheet, its elastic force reaches the absorbent core without going through the back sheet, making it easier to deform the absorbent core with the crotch elastic member. In addition, although the crotch adhesive is covered by a back sheet that does not easily diffuse volatile substances, the amount of volatile substances is small, so the effects of volatile substances can be suppressed. Therefore, it is easy to realize both the stretching and contracting of the crotch elastic member and the deformation of the absorbent core due to said stretching and contracting.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 8 may have the following features in the invention according to embodiment 7: The non-skin side of the absorbent core is covered with a hydrophobic core wrap sheet. The crotch adhesive and the crotch elastic member are in contact with the core wrap sheet. According to this embodiment, the crotch elastic member is joined to the hydrophobic sheet with less oil via the crotch adhesive, making it easier to maintain the adhesion of the crotch adhesive.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 9 may have the following features in the invention according to embodiment 8. The crotch adhesive is in contact with a non-embossed region of the core wrap sheet where a sheet embossed portion is not provided, which is compressed in the thickness direction. According to this embodiment, the non-embossed region does not have bumps or irregularities formed by the sheet embossed portion, and by bonding the crotch elastic member in this region, the contact area between the crotch adhesive and the core wrap sheet is secured, and stable bonding can be achieved.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 10 may have the following features in the invention according to any of embodiments 1 to 6: The absorbent body has a top sheet positioned on the skin side of the absorbent core. The oxygen permeability of the back sheet is lower than that of the top sheet. The crotch adhesive and the crotch elastic member are positioned on the non-skin side of the back sheet. Because the oxygen permeability of the back sheet is low and the oxygen permeability of the top sheet is high, volatile components released from the absorbent core can easily escape to the skin side through the top sheet. If the volatile component is a fragrance, the user will be able to smell it more easily. In addition, because the crotch adhesive and the crotch elastic member are positioned on the non-skin side of the back sheet, the components of the volatile substance held in the absorbent core are less likely to come into contact with the crotch adhesive, and the influence of the volatile components of the volatile substance on the adhesive can be reduced.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 11 may have the following features in the invention according to any of embodiments 1 to 10. The packaging material has individual packaging sheets for individually packaging the absorbent articles. The individual packaging sheets are folded along a plurality of packaging folds along a first direction which is one of the front-to-back direction and the width direction, and in an individual packaging state containing the absorbent articles, both ends of the individual packaging sheets in the first direction are joined to each other at the first joint, and the outer end of the individual packaging sheet in the second direction which is the other of the front-to-back direction and the width direction, located on the outside in the thickness direction, is joined to the individual packaging sheet overlapping the outer end at the second joint. The first joint extends over the entire area of ​​the individual packaging sheet in the second direction in the individual packaging state. The second joint extends over the entire area of ​​the region between the first joints in the first direction. According to this embodiment, the space for packaging the absorbent article can be sealed by the first and second joints, thereby preventing volatile substances from being released from the individual packaging sheet.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 12 may have the following features in the invention according to any of embodiments 1 to 11. The waist member has a waist elastic member that expands and contracts in the width direction. The waist elastic member is arranged in a region extending outward from the absorption core in the front-rear direction. According to this embodiment, in the region extending outward from the absorption core in the front-rear direction, a plurality of wrinkles extending in the front-rear direction are formed at intervals in the width direction by the contraction of the waist elastic member. Volatile substances are easily released to the outside of the absorption core through the irregularities caused by these wrinkles. Therefore, the influence of volatile substances on the crotch adhesive can be reduced.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the invention according to embodiment 13 may have the following features in the invention according to any of embodiments 1 to 12. The waist member comprises a front waist member positioned on the wearer's abdominal side and a rear waist member separate from the front waist member and positioned on the wearer's back side. The absorbent body is positioned across the front waist member and the rear waist member. The absorbent article is folded from a pant-like state using a plurality of article folds as starting points and packaged in the packaging material. The article folds have width folds that extend in the width direction. The width folds fold both the front end and the rear end of the absorbent core. According to this embodiment, by folding both ends of the absorbent core in the front-rear direction with width folds, the packaging form can be made smaller and easier for the user to carry. In addition, since the front and rear waistband members are separate, and there is no member that continuously covers the non-skin side of the absorbent body across the front and rear waistband members, air can easily escape from the absorbent body in the width direction when folded, thus easily releasing volatile substances to the outside of the absorbent core. Therefore, the effect of volatile substances on the crotch adhesive can be reduced.

[0021] (2) Structure of the absorbent article packaging The absorbent article packaging 200 (hereinafter referred to as "packaging 200") according to the embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and the ratios of each dimension etc. may differ from those of reality. Therefore, specific dimensions etc. should be determined by referring to the following explanation. In addition, there may be parts where the relationships and ratios of dimensions differ between drawings.

[0022] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packaging body 200 according to an embodiment. The packaging body 200 comprises a pair of absorbent articles 1 in the shape of pants and a packaging material 150 for packaging the absorbent articles 1. The packaging material 150 can be any material that packages the absorbent articles 1, and may package multiple absorbent articles 1 or package the absorbent articles 1 individually. The packaging material 150 in this embodiment comprises an individual packaging sheet 160 for individually packaging the absorbent articles 1, and a storage sheet 170 for accommodating multiple absorbent articles 1 or multiple individual packages in which the absorbent articles 1 are packaged by the individual packaging sheets 160. The packaging material 150 may be made of a resin film.

[0023] Absorbent article 1 is a panty-type absorbent article, and examples include so-called shorts-type sanitary napkins for menstruation, disposable diapers, and light incontinence pants. Absorbent article 1 in this embodiment is a shorts-type sanitary napkin. Figure 2 is a front view of absorbent article 1. Figure 2 schematically shows absorbent article 1 in its natural state. In the present invention, the natural state refers to the state in which the absorbent article 1, which is contained in a package, is removed from the package and left for 24 hours in an atmosphere of 20°C ± 2°C and a relative humidity of 60% ± 5% RH. Figures 3 and 4 are diagrams of the skin side T1 and non-skin side T2 of absorbent article 1 in its unfolded state. The plan views shown in Figures 3 and 4 show the absorbent article in its stretched state. In the present invention, the stretched state refers to the state in which the absorbent article 1 is stretched to a state in which no wrinkles are formed when the side joint portion 60, which will be described later, is unfolded. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A shown in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line B-B shown in Figure 3. Note that, for the sake of clarity in the cross-sectional view, the individual components constituting the absorbent article 1 are partially spaced apart in the thickness direction T; however, in the actual product, the components are joined together.

[0024] The absorbent article 1, in its unfolded state, has a front-to-back direction L, a width direction W, and a thickness direction T, all of which are perpendicular to each other. The front-to-back direction L is defined by the direction extending toward the front and rear of the body. In other words, the front-to-back direction L is the direction in which the unfolded absorbent article 1 extends in the front-to-back direction. The absorbent article 1 also has a thickness direction T that is perpendicular to both the front-to-back direction L and the width direction W. The thickness direction T extends toward the skin side T1 facing the wearer and toward the non-skin side T2 away from the wearer.

[0025] The absorbent article 1 has a crotch area S3, a front torso area S1 located in front of the crotch area S3, and a rear torso area S2 located behind the crotch area S3. The front torso area S1 and the rear torso area S2 cover the wearer's torso. The front torso area S1 is the area that comes into contact with the wearer's abdominal side. The rear torso area S2 is the area that comes into contact with the wearer's back side. The crotch area S3 is located in the crotch of the wearer and is positioned between the front torso area S1 and the rear torso area S2.

[0026] The absorbent article 1 is provided with a pair of side joints 60 that join the outer part of the front waist area S1 and the outer part of the rear waist area S2. The absorbent article 1 is folded in half with respect to the front-to-back center line LC, which extends in the width direction W at the center of the front-to-back direction L of the absorbent article 1, and is joined by the side joints 60 in this folded state to form a pant shape. The side joints 60 are defined by the portion that locks the outer part of the front waist area S1 and the outer part of the rear waist area S2 together, and may extend along the front-to-back direction L in each of the front waist area S1 and the rear waist area S2. Here, Figure 2 shows the state in which the side joints 60 are joined, and Figure 2 shows the state in which the side joints 60 are released and the absorbent article 1 is unfolded. With the side joint portion 60 formed, the absorbent article 1 has a waist opening 101 through which the wearer's torso passes, and a pair of leg openings 102 into which the wearer's legs are inserted. The waist opening 101 is defined by the front edge of the front waist area S1 and the rear edge of the rear waist area S2. The boundary between the front waist area S1 and the crotch area S3 is defined by the rear edge of the side joint portion 60 provided in the front waist area S1, and the boundary between the rear waist area S2 and the crotch area S3 may be defined by the front edge of the side joint portion 60 provided in the rear waist area S2. Here, the outer portion in this invention is a portion that occupies a certain range in the width direction W, including the edge in the width direction W, and the outer edge is the edge in the width direction W. Also, the outer edge in this invention is the edge located outside in the front-rear direction L, and the inner edge is the edge located inside in the front-rear direction L.

[0027] The absorbent article 1 comprises an absorbent body 2 and a waist member 5. The absorbent body 2 comprises at least a liquid-permeable top sheet 10, side sheets 12, an absorbent core 31, and a liquid-impermeable back sheet 20. The top sheet 10 is a liquid-permeable sheet that covers the skin-side T1 of the absorbent core 31 and comes into contact with the wearer. The top sheet 10 is made of any sheet-like material having a liquid-permeable structure, such as a nonwoven fabric, woven fabric, perforated plastic sheet, or mesh sheet.

[0028] The side sheets 12 are a pair of sheets that cover the outer portions on both sides of the top sheet 10 in the width direction W. The side sheets 12 are arranged on both sides of the widthwise center line WC, which extends in the front-to-back direction L at the center of the width direction W of the absorbent article 1. The side sheets 12 only need to cover the outer portions of the top sheet 10, and may be arranged only on the skin side T1 of the top sheet 10, or they may cover the non-skin side T2 of the back sheet 20 and be folded back from the outside in the width direction W of the absorbent core 31 towards the skin side. In this embodiment, the side sheets 12 are made up of a part of the main nonwoven fabric sheet 29, which will be described later. The side sheets 12 may be a part of the main nonwoven fabric sheet 29, but they may also be separate from the main nonwoven fabric sheet 29. The side sheets 12 may be arranged without standing upright relative to the top sheet 10, or they may be configured to stand upright on the skin side T1 by being joined to a side elastic member 41 that expands and contracts in the front-to-back direction L.

[0029] The absorbent core 31 has an absorbent material that absorbs liquid. Examples of the absorbent material include hydrophilic fibers, pulp, and superabsorbent polymers (SAP). The absorbent core 31 only needs to contain an absorbent material, and may be an absorbent sheet (a so-called SAP sheet) in which a superabsorbent polymer as the absorbent material is sandwiched between sheets. The skin-side T1 surface and the non-skin-side T2 surface of the absorbent core 31 may be covered with a core wrap sheet. The core wrap sheet in this embodiment has a skin-side core wrap sheet 32A that covers the skin-side T1 surface of the absorbent core 31, and a non-skin-side core wrap sheet 32B that covers the non-skin-side T2 surface of the absorbent core 31. The skin-side core wrap sheet 32A and the non-skin-side core wrap sheet 32B may be made of the same sheet or of different sheets.

[0030] The backsheet 20 is a liquid-impermeable sheet located on the non-skin side T2 of the absorbent core 31. The backsheet 20 can be made of a breathable resin film, spunbond, or a sheet in which a breathable resin film is bonded to a nonwoven fabric.

[0031] The main nonwoven fabric sheet 29 may have a folded portion 28 that is folded back from the non-skin side T2 toward the skin side T1, starting from a fold line 29FL located outside the outer edge in the width direction W of the absorbent core 31. This folded portion 28 constitutes the side sheet 12. The folded portion 28 is laminated in two layers, and a side elastic member 41 that expands and contracts in the front-rear direction L is joined between the two layers. The side sheet 12 is configured to stand upright toward the skin side T1 by the expansion and contraction of the side elastic member 41.

[0032] The absorbent body 2 has an elastic crotch member 27 positioned on the non-skin side T2 from the absorbent core 31. The elastic crotch member 27 stretches and contracts in the front-to-back direction L. The elastic crotch member 27 is positioned between the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B and the back sheet 20, on the non-skin side T2 from the absorbent core 31. In a modified example, the elastic crotch member 27 may be positioned between the back sheet 20 and the main body nonwoven fabric sheet 29. Multiple elastic crotch members 27 may be positioned at intervals in the width direction W. In this embodiment, three elastic crotch members 27 are positioned. The elastic crotch member 27 is a member that facilitates contact between the absorbent body 2, and by extension the absorbent core 31, and the wearer's excretory opening. The elastic crotch member 27 is bonded to the back sheet 20 and the main body nonwoven fabric sheet 29 by an adhesive AR 27. The adhesive AR 27 may be made of a hot melt adhesive.

[0033] The waist member 5 has a non-skin waist sheet 110 positioned on the non-skin side T2 of the absorbent main body 2. The non-skin waist sheet 110 may have a first sheet 111 and a second sheet 112 positioned on the non-skin side T2 of the first sheet 111. In this embodiment, the first sheet 111 and the second sheet 112 are positioned on both sides of the front-rear center line LC, and are positioned in the front waist area S1 and the rear waist area S2, respectively. More specifically, the first sheet 111 and the second sheet 112 are positioned in the front-rear direction L from the waist opening 101 in the front waist area S1 to just before the front-rear center line LC, and from the waist opening 101 in the rear waist area S2 to just before the front-rear center line LC. Furthermore, the first sheet 111 and the second sheet 112 are positioned in the width direction W from one side joint 60 to the other side joint 60.

[0034] The waist member of this embodiment has a front waist member positioned on the wearer's abdominal side and a rear waist member separate from the front waist member and positioned on the wearer's back side, and the absorbent body 2 is positioned across the front waist member and the rear waist member. The front waist member and the rear waist member each have a first sheet 111, a second sheet 112, and a waist elastic member 115. In a modified example, the waist member 5 is not positioned in the front waist area S1 and the rear waist area S2 respectively, but may be continuous from the front waist area S1 to the rear waist area S2, spanning the crotch area S3.

[0035] The body member 5 may have body elastic members 115 that expand and contract in the width direction W. Multiple body elastic members 115 are arranged between the first sheet 111 and the second sheet 112, extending from one side joint 60 to the other side joint 60, and spaced apart in the front-rear direction L. Multiple body elastic members 115 are joined to the first sheet 111 and the second sheet 112 by body adhesive AR 115 while stretched relative to the first sheet 111 and the second sheet 112. The body adhesive AR 115 may be made of a hot melt adhesive. The body elastic members may have continuous elastic members 115X that extend from one side joint to the other side joint. Multiple continuous elastic members are arranged outside the front-rear direction L of the outer edge of the absorption core 31 in the front-rear direction L, spaced apart in the front-rear direction L. A discontinuous elastic member 115Y may be arranged inward in the front-rear direction L from the continuous elastic member 115X, extending inward in the width direction W from one side joint and not continuing to the other side joint.

[0036] The absorbent article 1 is imparted with a volatile substance. The volatile substance may include a fragrance, a cooling substance, or a warming substance. The volatile substance is imparted to the absorbent article 1 during manufacturing and sealed within the packaging material together with the absorbent article 1. The packaging body 200 encloses the absorbent article 1 with the packaging material 150, and the volatile substance imparted to the absorbent article 1 volatilizes within the packaging material 150, so the absorbent article 1 is affected by the volatile components until use. The packaging body 200 of this embodiment is configured to impart the effect of the volatile substance while maintaining the performance of the crotch elastic member 27. Next, a configuration for imparting the effect of the volatile substance while maintaining the performance of the crotch elastic member 27 will be described.

[0037] The amount of crotch adhesive AR27 is greater than the amount of volatile substance. According to this embodiment, since the amount of volatile substance is small compared to the amount of crotch adhesive AR27, the effect of the volatile components of the volatile substance on the adhesive is reduced, the performance of the crotch adhesive AR27 is maintained, and the stretching and contracting motion of the crotch elastic member 27 can be realized. The crotch elastic member 27 presses the absorbent core 31 against the body, improving the ability to draw in bodily fluids and suppressing leakage. Furthermore, in the case where the volatile substance contains a fragrance, the components of the volatile substance volatilize when the absorbent elastic member is stretched during the wearing of the absorbent article 1, and the user can be provided with the effect of the fragrance of the volatile substance.

[0038] The amount of crotch adhesive AR27 is the total weight of crotch adhesive AR27 and can be measured by the following method: (1) Cut out the stretched crotch elastic member, the first sheet to which the crotch elastic member is fixed, and the second sheet, and measure their weight (A). (2) Dissolve the crotch adhesive bonded to each member using an organic solvent such as toluene. After stretching the crotch elastic member, the first sheet, and the second sheet to a wrinkle-free state, air dry them for 24 hours to allow the organic solvent to evaporate. (3) Measure the weight of the crotch elastic member, the first sheet, and the second sheet (B). (4) (A) - (B) = Total weight of crotch adhesive. (5) Take the average value of n=5 measurements and use that as the total weight of crotch adhesive. If adhesive is applied to the skin side of the first sheet and the non-skin side of the second sheet, the amount of adhesive on the skin side of the first sheet and the non-skin side of the second sheet can be measured using a method similar to the one described above, and the amount of adhesive removed from (A) (A)'-(B)' will be the total weight of the adhesive in the crotch area.

[0039] The amount of volatile substance is the total weight of volatile substance applied to the absorbent article 1. For example, the weight of the absorbent article 1 is measured after it has been removed from its packaging, and then it is left for a predetermined time until the volatile substance has completely evaporated. The weight of the absorbent article 1 after the volatile substance has completely evaporated is measured, and the difference between the weight before and after the evaporation of the volatile substance is calculated.

[0040] Alternatively, the amount of volatile substances can be obtained by measuring the aroma components using headspace solid-phase microextraction. Specifically, a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010 Plus) is used, with helium as the carrier gas, and the measurement mode is set to scanning, using the electron shock ionization method. The side joints of the absorbent article 1 are broken, and the top sheet 10 is placed on the outside in a 300 ml beaker. The top of the beaker is covered with aluminum foil, and the aluminum foil and the beaker are further secured with paraffin film or rubber to seal the inside of the beaker, which is then placed in a 45-degree constant temperature oil bath containing silicone oil. The beaker placed in the 45-degree oil bath is secured in the oil bath by fixing its bottom with double-sided tape or the like. An SPME fiber (Sigma-Aldrich 50 / 39 μm DVB / CAR / PDMS, Stableflex 2 cm) is inserted into a beaker through aluminum foil, and volatile substances in absorbent material 1 are extracted for 24 hours. The SPME fiber is then immediately measured using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer after being removed from the beaker. Each mass obtained represents the total weight of the volatile substances. The average value of n=5 measurements is taken as the total weight of the volatile substances. The temperature of the silicone oil in the oil bath and the extraction time for the volatile substances can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the components of the volatile substances. For example, if the volatile substances in the first sample are confirmed to be one or more known substances, the temperature and time for samples 2 through 6 can be adjusted based on the extraction time of the first sample.

[0041] The amount of volatile substances changes over time. It is preferable to measure the amount of volatile substances within a predetermined period from the time of manufacture, and preferably, it may be measured 30 days after manufacture, which is the shortest typical period from manufacture to distribution and when the product reaches the consumer.

[0042] The amount of waist adhesive AR115 may be greater than the amount of volatile substance. The amount of waist adhesive AR115 is the total weight of waist adhesive AR115, and this can be measured in the same way as the amount of crotch adhesive AR27. Because the amount of volatile substance is small compared to the amount of waist adhesive AR115, the influence of the volatile components of the volatile substance on the adhesive is reduced, the performance of at least some of the waist adhesive AR115 is maintained, and the stretching and contracting behavior of the waist elastic member can be realized. The waist elastic member holds the absorbent article 1 around the wearer's waist, suppressing displacement of the absorbent body and preventing leakage of bodily fluids. Furthermore, if the volatile substance is a fragrance, the components of the volatile substance volatilize when the waist elastic member is stretched while the absorbent article 1 is being worn, providing the user with the benefits of the volatile substance's fragrance.

[0043] The back sheet 20 is a moisture-permeable sheet, and at least one of the individual packaging sheet 160 and the containment sheet 170 may be a non-moisture-permeable sheet. According to this embodiment, when volatile substances volatilize from the absorbent core 31, the back sheet is moisture-permeable, making it easier for the volatile substances to escape to the absorbent article 1, and reducing the influence of the volatile substances on the crotch adhesive AR 27 located on the non-skin side of the absorbent core 31. On the other hand, by making the individual packaging sheet 160 or the containment sheet 170 non-moisture-permeable, the released volatile substances themselves can be retained inside the packaging, thus allowing the user to benefit from the volatile substances. Note that "moisture-permeable" means the property of water vapor diffusing from the high-humidity side to the low-humidity side according to the second law of thermodynamics, without the movement of airflow. For example, moisture permeability in film refers to that which has fillers (microporous structures that do not allow water to pass through but allow air and water vapor to pass through). "Non-moisture-permeable" refers to that which does not have such fillers.

[0044] The oxygen permeability of the backsheet 20 may be higher than that of the individual packaging sheet 160. Further, the oxygen permeability of the backsheet 20 may be higher than that of the containing sheet. Also in this aspect, when a volatile substance volatilizes from the absorbent core 31, it is easy for the volatile substance to escape outside the absorbent article 1 through the backsheet, and the influence of the volatile substance on the crotch adhesive AR27 disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent core 31 can be reduced. On the other hand, by lowering the oxygen permeability of the individual packaging sheet 160 or the containing sheet 170, the released volatile substance itself can be retained in the package, so that the user can be given the efficacy of the volatile substance.

[0045] The oxygen permeability is measured under the conditions of 23°C and 0% RH in accordance with the coulometric method. The individual packaging sheet 160 and the containing sheet may include an oxygen low-permeability layer made of alumina-based vapor deposition or an EVOH resin (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer). The oxygen low-permeability layer is configured to have a relatively low oxygen permeability. Specifically, for example, it may have a three-layer structure of a polyethylene layer, an EVOH layer, and a polyethylene layer, or a three-layer structure of a polyethylene terephthalate layer, an aluminum foil layer, and a polyethylene layer, or a two-layer structure of an aluminized vapor-deposited polyethylene layer and a polyethylene layer. Each layer may be adhered by an adhesive. On the other hand, the backsheet 20 may be a resin layer that does not include an oxygen low-permeability layer.

[0046] The oxygen permeability of the back sheet 20 may be lower than that of the top sheet 10. The crotch adhesive AR 27 and the crotch elastic member 27 may be placed between the back sheet 20 and the absorbent core 31. Because the oxygen permeability of the back sheet 20 is low and the oxygen permeability of the top sheet is high, volatile components released from the absorbent core 31 can easily escape to the skin side T1 via the top sheet 10. If the volatile component is a fragrance, the user will be more likely to smell it. Also, because the crotch elastic member 27 is positioned closer to the absorbent core 31 than the back sheet 20, its elastic force reaches the absorbent core 31 without going through the back sheet 20, making it easier to deform the absorbent core 31 with the crotch elastic member 27. In addition, although the crotch adhesive AR 27 is covered by the back sheet 20, which does not easily diffuse volatile substances, the amount of volatile substances is small, so the effects of volatile substances can be suppressed. Therefore, it is easy to achieve both the expansion and contraction of the crotch elastic member 27 and the deformation of the absorbent core 31 due to such expansion and contraction.

[0047] The non-skin side surface T2 of the absorbent core 31 may be covered by a hydrophobic non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B. The hydrophobic core wrap sheet can be exemplified by a spunbond non-woven fabric. The crutch adhesive AR27 and the crutch elastic member 27 may abut against the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B. According to this aspect, since the crutch elastic member 27 is joined to the hydrophobic sheet with less oil agent via the crutch adhesive AR27, it is easy to maintain the adhesiveness of the crutch adhesive AR27. The crutch adhesive AR27 and the crutch elastic member 27 of the present embodiment abut against the back sheet 20 made of a resin film and the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B. Since the crutch elastic member 27 is joined to the resin film and the hydrophobic sheet via the crutch adhesive AR27, it is even easier to maintain the adhesiveness of the crutch adhesive AR27. Note that the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B covering the non-skin side surface T2 of the absorbent core 31 only needs to be a hydrophobic sheet, and the skin side core wrap sheet 32A covering the skin side surface T1 of the absorbent core 31 may be a hydrophobic sheet or may not be a hydrophobic sheet. When the skin side core wrap sheet 32A is not a hydrophobic sheet and the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B is a hydrophobic sheet, it is possible to achieve both the transferability of body fluid from the skin side to the non-skin side and the securing of water resistance and the adhesive force of the elastic member in the region on the non-skin side rather than the non-skin side core wrap sheet.

[0048] The non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B may be provided with a sheet embossment portion (not shown) compressed in the thickness direction. The crutch adhesive AR27 may abut against a non-embossment region where the sheet embossment portion is not provided. The non-embossment region is not formed with irregularities due to the sheet embossment portion, and by adhering the crutch elastic member 27 in this region, the contact area between the crutch adhesive AR27 and the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B is ensured, and the crutch elastic member 27 can be stably adhered.

[0049] Furthermore, the sheet embossed portion is not a portion where the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B and other components are compressed together, but rather a portion where only the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B is compressed. In the case of spunbond nonwoven fabric, the sheet embossed portion is applied by the pressure of being sandwiched between an embossing roll with an embossed pattern formed on it and a smooth anvil roll, so that the sheet embossed portion is not formed on the surface in contact with the anvil roll, and the surface in contact with the anvil roll constitutes a non-embossed region. The crotch adhesive AR27 may come into contact with the surface in contact with the anvil roll.

[0050] Furthermore, the crotch adhesive AR27 only needs to be in contact with the non-embossed area, and may be in contact with both the embossed area where the sheet embossed portion is provided and the non-embossed area where the sheet embossed portion is not provided. According to this embodiment, in the embossed area, the crotch adhesive AR27 is placed in the recesses created by the sheet embossed portion to ensure adhesive strength, and in the non-embossed area, the contact area is secured by the flat surface to ensure the adhesive strength of the crotch adhesive AR27. In the case of spunbond nonwoven fabric, the area on the surface in contact with the embossing roll that does not come into contact with the embossed pattern becomes the non-embossed area. The crotch adhesive AR27 may come into contact with both the embossed area and the non-embossed area on the surface in contact with the embossing roll. In the form in which the crotch adhesive material comes into contact with both the embossed area and the non-embossed area, the area in contact with the crotch adhesive AR27 in the non-embossed area may be larger than the area in contact with the embossed area. According to this configuration, the contact area between the crotch adhesive AR27 and the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B is secured, and the crotch elastic member 27 can be stably bonded.

[0051] In this embodiment, the crotch adhesive AR27 and the crotch elastic member 27 are positioned between the non-skin side core wrap sheet 32B and the back sheet 20, which are located on the non-skin side T2 of the absorption core 31. However, in a modified example, the crotch adhesive AR27 and the crotch elastic member 27 may be positioned on the non-skin side T2 of the back sheet 20, which has a lower oxygen permeability than the top sheet 10. According to this modified example, the back sheet 20 has a low oxygen permeability, and the top sheet 10 has a high oxygen permeability, so volatile components released from the absorption core 31 can easily escape to the skin side through the top sheet. If the volatile component is a fragrance, the user will be more likely to smell it. Also, because the crotch adhesive AR27 and the crotch elastic member 27 are positioned on the non-skin side of the back sheet 20, the components of the volatile substance held in the absorption core 31 are less likely to come into contact with the crotch adhesive AR27, and the influence of the volatile components of the volatile substance on the adhesive can be reduced.

[0052] The waist elastic member 115 in the waist area may be positioned in a region extending outward from the absorption core 31 in the front-rear direction L. In this region extending outward from the absorption core 31 in the front-rear direction L, multiple wrinkles extending in the front-rear direction L are formed at intervals in the width direction W due to the contraction of the waist elastic member 115. Volatile substances are easily released to the outside of the absorption core 31 through the irregularities caused by these wrinkles. Therefore, the influence of volatile substances on the crotch adhesive AR27 can be reduced. Preferably, a continuous elastic member 115X among the waist elastic members 115 may be positioned in a region extending outward from the absorption core 31 in the front-rear direction L. The wrinkles caused by the contraction of the continuous elastic member 115X make it easier to form irregularities, which promotes the release of volatile substances.

[0053] The absorbent article 1 may be folded from its pant-like state using multiple article folds as starting points and then packaged with packaging material. Figure 7 shows an example of how the absorbent article 1 is folded. In this embodiment, the absorbent article 1 is folded inward in the width direction W from the pant-like state shown in Figure 7(A) using a pair of front and rear folds FL1 and FL2 along the front-to-back direction L as starting points. The front and rear folds FL1 and FL2 fold the absorbent article 1 with the front waist area facing inward (and the rear waist area facing outward). Figure 7(B) shows the state after being folded using the front and rear folds FL1 and FL2 as starting points. Next, it is folded in the front-to-back direction L using a width fold FL3 along the width direction W as a starting point. Note that the article folds only need to have at least a width fold FL3, and do not need to have front and rear folds. Figure 7(C) shows the state after being folded using the width fold FL3 as a starting point. Figure 7(D) shows the individually packaged state in which the absorbent article 1, which is folded with respect to the width fold line FL3, is packaged with an individual packaging sheet 160 as the packaging material 150.

[0054] The width fold line FL3 may be located outside in the front-rear direction L of at least one of the front edge and rear edge of the absorbent core 31. When folded with the width fold line FL3 as the base point, the crease of the width fold line FL3 causes the material to fold through the width fold line FL3, creating a space between the overlapping regions. Since the width fold line FL3 is located outside in the front-rear direction L of the outer edge of the absorbent core 31 and is not formed on the absorbent core 31, the absorbent core 31 is not located in at least one of the regions that fold through the width fold line FL3 and overlap. Therefore, volatile substances are easily released outside the absorbent body through the space formed by the crease and the region covering that space where the absorbent core 31 is not located. Thus, the influence of volatile substances on the crotch adhesive AR27 can be reduced. In this embodiment, the width fold line FL3 is configured to fold the rear end of the absorbent core 31 without folding the front end of the absorbent core 31. Therefore, the width fold FL3 is located outside the front edge of the absorption core 31 in the front-rear direction L.

[0055] The width crease FL3 may overlap with either the front end or the rear end of the absorbent core 31, but not with the other. According to this embodiment, a crease is formed on the front end and the rear end of the absorbent core 31 by the width crease FL3, while no crease is formed on the other end, making it easier for only one end to lift due to the crease. Therefore, compared to configurations where both ends are folded or neither ends are folded, the front and rear ends of the absorbent core 31 can be positioned apart, making it easier to release volatile substances from within the absorbent core 31. Thus, the influence of volatile substances on the crotch adhesive AR27 can be reduced.

[0056] The width fold FL3 may fold the absorbent core 31 that is located on the outside in the thickness direction when folded with the width fold FL3 as the base point. In this embodiment, the rear end of the absorbent core 31 is folded by the width fold FL3, and in the folded state by the width fold FL3, the rear end of the absorbent core 31 is located on the outside in the thickness direction than the front end of the absorbent core 31. The continuous elastic member 115X does not have to be located in the region between the width fold FL3 and the outer edge of the absorbent core 31 in the front-rear direction L of the absorbent core 31 that is located on the outside in the thickness direction. In this embodiment, the continuous elastic member 115X is located on the outside in the front-rear direction L of the absorbent core 31 than the rear edge of the absorbent core 31 in the front-rear direction L, and is not located in the region between the rear edge of the absorbent core 31 and the width fold FL3 in the front-rear direction L. In general, absorbent cores 31 containing pulp are prone to the volatilization of volatile substances. Since no continuous elastic member is placed in the absorption core 31 located on the outer side in the thickness direction, even if volatile substances volatilize, the influence of volatile substances on the body adhesive AR115 can be suppressed.

[0057] In the modified example, the width fold FL3 may fold both the front end and the rear end of the absorbent core 31. By folding both ends of the absorbent core 31 in the front-to-back direction L with the width fold FL3, the packaging can be made smaller and easier for the user to carry. Furthermore, as in this embodiment, when the waist member is configured with a front waist member and a rear waist member as separate parts, the front waist member and the rear waist member are separate parts, and there is no member that continuously covers the non-skin side of the absorbent body across the front waist member and the rear waist member. Therefore, when folded, air can easily escape from the absorbent body in the width direction W, making it easier for volatile substances to be released to the outside of the absorbent core 31. Thus, the influence of volatile substances on the crotch adhesive AR27 can be reduced.

[0058] As shown in Figure 7(D), etc., the absorbent article 1 is individually packaged by individual packaging sheets 160. The individual packaging sheets 160 are folded along a plurality of packaging folds FL160 along a first direction D1, which is one of the front-to-back direction L and the width direction W, and in the individually packaged state containing the absorbent article 1, both ends of the individual packaging sheets 160 in the first direction D1 are joined together by a first joint 161, and the outer end of the individual packaging sheet 160 in the second direction D2, which is the other of the front-to-back direction L and the width direction W, that is located outside the thickness direction T, is joined to the individual packaging sheet overlapping that outer end by a second joint 162. The first joint 161 is continuous over the entire area of ​​the individual packaging sheet in the second direction in the individually packaged state, and the second joint 162 is continuous over the entire area between the first joints in the first direction. According to this embodiment, the space for packaging the absorbent article 1 can be sealed by the first joint 161 and the second joint 162, thereby preventing volatile substances from being released from the individual packaging sheet. In this embodiment, the first direction D1 is the front-to-back direction L, and the second direction D2 is the width direction W. The first joint 161 is located at the outer end in the front-to-back direction L of the individual packaging body and extends in the width direction W. The second joint 162 is located at the outer end in the width direction W of the individual packaging sheet 160 before it is folded and extends in the front-to-back direction L. Furthermore, the first joint 161 and the second joint 162 may be constructed by heat welding or adhesive.

[0059] Although the present invention has been described in detail using the embodiments described above, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present invention can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be restrictive in any way to the present invention.

[0060] 1: Absorbent article 2: Absorbent body 5: Waist member 10: Top sheet 20: Back sheet 27: Crotch elastic member 31: Absorbent core 32A: Skin-side core wrap sheet 32B: Non-skin-side core wrap sheet 60: Side joint 115: Waist elastic member 115X: Continuous elastic member 150: Packaging material 160: Individual packaging sheet 161: First joint 161: Individual packaging sheet 162: Second joint 170: Storage sheet 200: Packaging body 200: Absorbent article packaging AR115: Waist adhesive AR27: Crotch adhesive D1: First direction D2: Second direction FL160: Packaging fold FL3: Width fold L: Front-to-back direction T: Thickness direction T1: Skin side T2: Non-skin side W: Width direction

Claims

1. An absorbent article package comprising a pant-type absorbent article and a packaging material for packaging the absorbent article, wherein the absorbent article has an absorbent body and a waist member disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent body, the absorbent article is provided with a volatile substance, the absorbent body has an absorbent core, a liquid-impermeable back sheet disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent core, a crotch elastic member disposed on the non-skin side of the absorbent core, and a crotch adhesive for bonding the crotch elastic member to a sheet that contacts the crotch elastic member, the amount of the crotch adhesive is greater than the amount of the volatile substance, the absorbent article package.

2. The absorbent article packaging according to claim 1, wherein the waist member comprises a waist elastic member that expands and contracts in the width direction, and a waist adhesive that adheres the waist elastic member to a sheet that is in contact with the waist elastic member, and the amount of the waist adhesive is greater than the amount of the volatile substance.

3. The packaging material comprises an individual packaging sheet for individually packaging the absorbent articles and a storage sheet for accommodating a plurality of the absorbent articles, wherein the back sheet is a moisture-permeable sheet, and at least one of the individual packaging sheet and the storage sheet is a non-moisture-permeable sheet, as described in claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The absorbent article packaging according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent article is folded from a pant-like state using a plurality of article folds as starting points and packaged with the packaging material, the article folds have width folds extending in the width direction, and the width folds are located outward in the front-rear direction from at least one of the front edge and the rear edge of the absorbent core.

5. The absorbent article packaging according to claim 4, wherein the width fold overlaps one of the front end and the rear end of the absorbent core, but does not overlap the other.

6. The absorbent article packaging according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent article is folded from a pant-like state using a plurality of article folds as starting points and packaged with the packaging material, the article folds have width folds extending in the width direction, the width folds fold absorbent cores located on the outside in the thickness direction when folded using the width folds as starting points, the waist member expands and contracts in the width direction and has a continuous elastic member that extends from one side joint to the other side joint, and of the continuous elastic member, the absorbent cores located on the outside in the thickness direction are not located in the region between the width folds and the outer edge of the absorbent cores in the front-rear direction.

7. The absorbent article packaging according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent body has a top sheet positioned closer to the skin than the absorbent core, the oxygen permeability of the back sheet is lower than that of the top sheet, and the crotch adhesive and the crotch elastic member are positioned between the back sheet and the absorbent core.

8. The absorbent article packaging according to claim 7, wherein the non-skin side of the absorbent core is covered with a hydrophobic core wrap sheet, and the crotch adhesive and the crotch elastic member are in contact with the core wrap sheet.

9. The absorbent article packaging according to claim 8, wherein the crotch adhesive is in contact with a non-embossed area of ​​the core wrap sheet where a sheet embossed portion is not provided, which is compressed in the thickness direction.

10. The absorbent article packaging according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent body has a top sheet positioned closer to the skin than the absorbent core, the oxygen permeability of the back sheet is lower than that of the top sheet, and the crotch adhesive and the crotch elastic member are positioned closer to the skin than the back sheet.

11. The packaging material comprises individual packaging sheets for individually packaging the absorbent articles, wherein the individual packaging sheets are folded along a plurality of packaging folds along a first direction which is one of the front-to-back direction and the width direction, and in an individually packaged state containing the absorbent articles, both ends of the individual packaging sheets in the first direction are joined to each other at a first joint, the outer end of the individual packaging sheet in the second direction which is the other of the front-to-back direction and the width direction, located on the outside in the thickness direction, is joined to the individual packaging sheet overlapping the outer end at a second joint, the first joint extends over the entire area of ​​the individual packaging sheet in the individually packaged state in the second direction, and the second joint extends over the entire area of ​​the region between the first joints in the first direction, as described in claim 1 or claim 2.

12. The absorbent article packaging according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the waist member has a waist elastic member that expands and contracts in the width direction, and the waist elastic member is arranged in a region extending outward from the absorbent core in the front-rear direction.

13. The torso member comprises a front torso member positioned on the wearer's abdominal side and a rear torso member separate from the front torso member and positioned on the wearer's back side, the absorbent body is positioned across the front torso member and the rear torso member, the absorbent article is folded from a pant-like state using a plurality of article folds as starting points and packaged with the packaging material, the article folds have width folds extending in the width direction, and the width folds fold both the front end and the rear end of the absorbent core, as described in claim 1 or claim 2.

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