JP7463742B2 - Absorbent articles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an absorbent article.

Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, urine pads, and sanitary products are equipped with an absorbent body that absorbs liquids such as urine and bodily fluids discharged by the wearer. If the absorbent body is irregularly bent or twisted when the absorbent article is worn by the wearer, this may result in a decrease in the feel and absorbency of the absorbent article for the wearer, and may result in a decrease in the comfort of the absorbent article when worn. Therefore, in the absorbent article described in Patent Document 1, a groove-shaped portion is formed in the crotch region of the absorbent body so that the absorbent body bends along the wearer's skin surface when worn by the wearer.

Patent No. 6369507

In a configuration where no grooves are formed in the front or rear regions of the absorbent body, the grooves are relatively short in comparison with the absorbent body, making it difficult for the absorbent body to bend. If the absorbent body does not bend in line with the wearer's skin, this may result in a decrease in the comfort of the absorbent article when worn.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an absorbent article that can improve the wearing comfort.

In order to solve the above problem, in the present invention, in at least a portion of the sheet member arranged in the front body region, a pair of grooves are formed between a pair of imaginary lines extending in the longitudinal direction on the front body region side, forming a concave cutout on the crotch region side.

In detail, the present invention is an absorbent article in which, when worn, a front body region is located on the wearer's abdomen side, a crotch region is located under the crotch, and a back body region is located on the back side, arranged in this order in the longitudinal direction, and the article comprises an absorbent body arranged to include the crotch region, and a pair of grooves extending in the longitudinal direction and formed at least in the crotch region of the absorbent body, and at least a portion of the sheet member arranged in the front body region has a cutout portion that cuts out the pair of grooves in a concave shape on the crotch region side between a pair of imaginary lines extending in the longitudinal direction on the front body region side.

The absorbent article includes a front sheet that is joined to an exterior sheet that forms the exterior surface of the absorbent article in the front body region and to which tape is attached for fixing the absorbent article to the wearer, and at least one of the sheet members of the front sheet or the exterior sheet may have the cutout portion.

The absorbent article includes the tape that protrudes from the rear body region on both sides in the width direction and is attached to the front sheet to fix the absorbent article around the wearer's waist, and the front sheet may be a hook-and-loop fastener having loops arranged on its surface that engage with hooks formed on the surface of the tape.

In the above absorbent article, the absorbent body may have a first absorbent section in which the pair of groove-shaped portions are formed, and a second absorbent section which is arranged closer to the front body region than the first absorbent section and has a smaller basis weight than the first absorbent section.

The absorbent article may include a pair of elastic members arranged to include at least the crotch region, extending in the longitudinal direction at a position overlapping the absorbent body in the thickness direction, and attached in a stretched state.

The absorbent article may include a liquid-permeable top sheet disposed on the skin-facing side of the absorbent body, and the grooves may be formed in the absorbent body and the top sheet.

The present invention improves the wearing comfort of absorbent articles.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diaper according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the diaper according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the diaper in an unworn state, taken along the width direction at the center in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the diaper according to the first embodiment as viewed from the skin-facing side. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the diaper according to the first embodiment as viewed from the non-skin facing side. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the diaper in a worn state, taken along the width direction at the center in the longitudinal direction. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a diaper according to the second embodiment, as viewed from the non-skin facing side. FIG. 8 is a plan view of a diaper according to a third embodiment, as viewed from the non-skin facing side. FIG. 9 is a plan view of a diaper according to the fourth embodiment, as viewed from the non-skin facing side. FIG. 10 is a plan view of a diaper according to the fifth embodiment, as viewed from the non-skin facing side. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a diaper according to a sixth embodiment, as viewed from the non-skin facing side. FIG. 12 is a plan view of the diaper according to the seventh embodiment, as viewed from the non-skin facing side. FIG. 13 is a plan view of a diaper according to an eighth embodiment, as viewed from the non-skin facing side. FIG. 14 is a plan view of the diaper according to the ninth embodiment, as viewed from the non-skin facing side.

Below, absorbent articles according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments.

<Embodiment 1>
In this embodiment, in a tape-type disposable diaper (an example of an "absorbent article" in the present application, hereinafter simply referred to as a "diaper"), the direction connecting the front body (front body region 1F shown in Figs. 1 and 3) arranged opposite the wearer's abdomen and the rear body (rear body region 1R shown in Figs. 1 and 3) arranged opposite the back is defined as the longitudinal direction. Between the front body (one side in the longitudinal direction) and the rear body (the other side in the longitudinal direction) (the center in the longitudinal direction), the crotch part (crotch region 1B shown in Figs. 1 and 3) arranged under the crotch of the wearer (arranged opposite the crotch). In addition, when the diaper is worn by a wearer (hereinafter abbreviated as "worn state"), the side facing the wearer's skin (the inner side when worn) is defined as the skin-facing side, and the opposite side of the skin-facing side (the outer side when worn) is defined as the non-skin-facing side. Furthermore, the direction connecting the skin-facing side and the non-skin-facing side is defined as the thickness direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction is defined as the width direction. Additionally, a view from the thickness direction is considered a planar view.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diaper according to the present embodiment. The diaper 1 has a crotch region 1B, which is a region corresponding to the crotch region covering the pubic area of the wearer when worn, a front body region 1F, which is located in front of the crotch region 1B and corresponds to the front body of the wearer, and a rear body region 1R, which is located behind the crotch region 1B and corresponds to the rear body of the wearer. Tapes 2L and 2R that can be attached to a front patch 2F (an example of a "front sheet") provided on the left and right edges of the rear body region 1R are provided. Thus, when the tapes 2L and 2R are attached to the front patch 2F with the front body region 1F positioned on the wearer's abdominal side and the rear body region 1R positioned on the wearer's back side, the diaper 1 is fixed to the wearer's body in a state surrounding the wearer's abdominal circumference and thighs. Since the diaper 1 is fixed to the wearer's body in this manner, the wearer can stand and walk while wearing the diaper 1.

The diaper 1 is provided with an absorbent body capable of absorbing and retaining liquid, including the crotch region 1B. In addition, in order to prevent the formation of gaps between the diaper 1 and the wearer's skin that could serve as a path for liquid to escape, the diaper 1 is provided with three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR in areas surrounding the wearer's thighs and with waist gathers 3R in areas surrounding the wearer's abdominal circumference. The three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR and waist gathers 3R are in close contact with the wearer's skin due to the elasticity of the rubber thread. Therefore, liquid discharged from the wearer's genitals is absorbed into the absorbent body of the diaper 1 with almost no leakage from the diaper 1.

The width dimension of the crotch region 1B of the diaper 1 is set to be slightly larger than the dimension between the bases of the legs of a typical wearer. This allows the diaper 1 to be worn with the absorbent in the crotch region 1B folded in the width direction.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the diaper 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the diaper 1 when not worn, cut widthwise at the center in the longitudinal direction. Figure 4 is a plan view of the diaper 1 in a stretched state, seen from the skin side.

The diaper 1 has a cover sheet 4 (an example of an "outer sheet") that forms the outer surface when worn. The cover sheet 4 is a sheet-like member with a generally rectangular appearance with constrictions 4KL and 4KR at the portions corresponding to the long sides, and forms the outer surface of the diaper 1. The constrictions 4KL and 4KR are provided at the locations where the wearer's thighs are located. The cover sheet 4 is provided to reinforce the back sheet 5 described later and to improve the feel. For example, in order to suppress leakage of excrement, a nonwoven fabric made of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin can be used as the material for the cover sheet 4. Examples of liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resins include polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). The cover sheet 4 is not limited to a single-layer structure, and may be a multi-layer structure having an inner cover sheet and an outer cover sheet.

The diaper 1 has a back sheet 5, an absorbent 6C, and a top sheet 7, which are laminated in this order on the wearer-side surface of the cover sheet 4. The back sheet 5 and the top sheet 7 are sheet-like members having a substantially rectangular appearance. The absorbent 6C is a sheet-like member formed with a smaller width dimension in the crotch region 1B than in the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R. Note that an absorbent 6C having a substantially rectangular appearance with a substantially constant width dimension may be used. The back sheet 5, the absorbent 6C, and the top sheet 7 are laminated in this order on the cover sheet 4 with the longitudinal direction coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the cover sheet 4. The back sheet 5, like the cover sheet 4, is a sheet formed of a liquid-impermeable thermoplastic resin material to suppress leakage of excrement. The back sheet 5 is preferably made of a material that also has moisture permeability in order to suppress stuffiness when worn. The top sheet 7 is disposed on the wearer's skin side so as to cover the water-absorbing surface of the absorbent 6C. This top sheet 7 is liquid permeable in part or in whole. Therefore, when the diaper 1 is worn, liquid excreted by the wearer passes through the top sheet 7, which may come into contact with the wearer's skin, and enters the absorbent body 6C, where it is absorbed. For example, a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, or a porous film can be used as the material for the top sheet 7. The top sheet 7 may be hydrophilic. The absorbent body 6C is disposed to include the crotch region 1B.

The back sheet 5, absorbent 6C, and top sheet 7 all extend from the front body region 1F to the rear body region 1R. Therefore, when the wearer's genitals are covered with the cover sheet 4 in which the back sheet 5, absorbent 6C, and top sheet 7 are laminated, the longitudinal ends of the back sheet 5, absorbent 6C, and top sheet 7 are located on the wearer's ventral and dorsal sides. In other words, the wearer's genitals are covered by the absorbent 6C from the wearer's ventral to dorsal sides. Therefore, whether the wearer is in a ventral or dorsal position when excreting liquid, the excreted liquid comes into contact with the absorbent 6C via the top sheet 7.

The diaper 1 also has long, strip-like side sheets 8L, 8R for forming the above-mentioned three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR. The side sheets 8L, 8R are liquid-impermeable sheets provided on the long sides of the top sheet 7. The side sheets 8L, 8R have constrictions 8KL, 8KR at the locations where the wearer's thighs are located, similar to the three-dimensional gathers 3BL, 3BR of the diaper 1. Rubber threads 8EL, 8ER are woven into the side sheets 8L, 8R along the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the diaper 1 is worn, i.e., when the diaper 1 is in the form shown in FIG. 6, the side sheets 8L, 8R are drawn in the longitudinal direction by the contraction force of the rubber threads 8EL, 8ER and rise from the top sheet 7, forming three-dimensional gathers that prevent liquid from leaking out.

The rubber thread 9ER for forming the waist gather 3R is provided between the back sheet 5 and the top sheet 7 at a position further back than the end of the absorbent body 6C. The rubber thread 9ER is provided between the back sheet 5 and the top sheet 7 with its longitudinal direction, which is the direction of expansion and contraction, oriented in the left-right direction of the diaper 1. Therefore, when the tapes 2L, 2R provided on both the left and right sides of the rubber thread 9ER are attached to the front patch 2F on the abdominal side of the wearer, the rubber thread 9ER exerts a contractile force to bring the diaper 1 into close contact with the wearer and prevent the formation of a gap between the diaper 1 and the wearer's abdominal circumference.

The absorbent 6C has a structure in which granular absorbent resin such as SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer), a hydrophilic polymer with a cross-linked structure that can absorb and retain water, is held in the gaps between short fibers of cellulosic fibers such as pulp fibers, rayon fibers, or cotton fibers, or short fibers that have been hydrophilically treated synthetic fibers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate. Therefore, in the absorbent 6C, the volumetric change of the absorbent resin before and after absorbing liquid basically occurs within the short fibers that hold the absorbent resin in the gaps. Therefore, when looking at the absorbent 6C as a whole, it can be said that the expansion rate of the thickness of the absorbent 6C that has absorbed liquid is not as large as the expansion rate of the absorbent resin itself.

In this embodiment, SAP particles refer to a resin composition containing SAP in a granular form. The term "resin composition containing SAP" as used herein is a concept that encompasses both a composition consisting of SAP alone and a composition that contains SAP as the main component and contains other substances to the extent that they do not adversely affect water absorption. Examples of "other substances" include additives (such as surface modifiers added to make the particle surface hydrophobic), unreacted monomers remaining during the synthesis of SAP, etc.

Next, a folding and holding structure for folding the absorbent 6C in the crotch region 1B along the wearer's skin and holding the diaper 1 in that state will be described. The folding and holding structure is a structure for folding and holding the absorbent 6C in the crotch region 1B in a predetermined shape. Irregular folding and twisting of the absorbent 6C in the crotch region 1B reduces the wearing comfort of the absorbent article. For this reason, the diaper 1 according to this embodiment is provided with a folding and holding structure for folding and holding the absorbent 6C in the crotch region 1B in a predetermined shape, thereby improving the wearing comfort.

The diaper 1 according to this embodiment has, as a folding and holding structure, a pair of grooves 6CH extending in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1 and formed in the crotch region 1B of the absorbent 6C, and a pair of grooves 7H extending in the longitudinal direction and formed in the crotch region 1B of the top sheet 7. As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of grooves 6CH and 7H are formed parallel to each other, two on each side of an imaginary center line C extending in the longitudinal direction, at the center of the width of the diaper 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the groove-shaped portion 6CH and the groove-shaped portion 7H overlap in the thickness direction. The groove-shaped portion 6CH and the groove-shaped portion 7H are recessed by forming a through hole or a groove slit in the absorbent body 6C, or by partially pressing (squeezing) the absorbent body 6C on which the top sheet 7 is laminated. In the latter case, the absorbent body 6C on which the groove-shaped portion 6CH is provided is in a compressed (densified) state. In other words, the groove-shaped portion 6CH is formed by squeezing the absorbent body 6C. In addition, when the groove-shaped portion 6CH alone is sufficient to fold the absorbent body 6C, the diaper 1 may have the groove-shaped portion 6CH as a folding and holding structure, and the groove-shaped portion 7H may not be formed in the top sheet 7. In this case, the groove-shaped portion 6CH is partially pressed on the absorbent body 6C before the top sheet 7 is laminated, and the groove-shaped portion 7H is not formed in the top sheet 7. The groove portion 6CH may also be formed, for example, by a hole penetrating the absorbent body 6C.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the groove portions 6CH and 7H are formed as a pair of straight lines parallel to each other across the center line C in the width direction. The groove portions 6CH and 7H may be shaped to move apart or approach each other from one side in the longitudinal direction to the other, or may be other shapes such as an arc or wave shape. In addition, three or more groove portions 6CH and 7H may be formed.

In order to facilitate the maintenance of the above-mentioned folded and retained structure, the diaper 1 is provided with a pair of rubber threads 4CL, 4CR arranged to include at least the crotch region 1B, extending in the longitudinal direction at a position overlapping the absorbent body 6C in the thickness direction, and attached in a stretched state. The rubber threads 4CL, 4CR are an example of an elastic member. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in this embodiment, three rubber threads 4CL, 4CR are attached parallel to each other in a stretched state. The diaper 1 may be provided with an appropriate number of rubber threads 4CL, 4CR determined according to the elastic force (contractile force) required in the design.

The rubber threads 4CL, 4CR are arranged widthwise outboard of the grooves 6CH and 7H. In this embodiment, the rubber threads 4CL, 4CR are arranged parallel to the grooves 6CH and 7H. In the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1, the ends of the rubber threads 4CL, 4CR on the front body region 1F side generally coincide with the ends of the grooves 6CH and 7H on the front body region 1F side. In the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1, the ends of the rubber threads 4CL, 4CR on the rear body region 1R side are arranged rearward of the ends of the grooves 6CH and 7H on the front body region 1F side, in the middle of the rear body region 1R.

The rubber threads 4CL, 4CR are provided to contract the absorbent body 6C in the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the rubber threads 4CL, 4CR are disposed between the cover sheet 4 and the back sheet 5, and the cover sheet 4 and the back sheet 5 are fixed to at least the portion of the rubber threads 4CL, 4CR in the stretched state within the crotch region 1B by gluing, sewing, or the like. Therefore, the cover sheet 4, the back sheet 5, and the absorbent body 6C are contracted in the longitudinal direction by the elastic force of the rubber threads 4CL, 4CR in the contraction direction. Note that the rubber threads 4CL, 4CR are disposed including the crotch region 1B, and may be attached in a stretched state to any of the back sheet 5, the absorbent body 6C, or the top sheet 7 as long as they can contract the absorbent body 6C in the longitudinal direction.

The elastic threads 4CL, 4CR form a pair of support gathers 10L, 10R in the crotch region 1B. The support gathers 10L, 10R lift and support the absorbent body 6C against the skin when the diaper 1 is worn.

The cover sheet 4 also has rubber threads 4SL, 4SR arranged along the longitudinal direction of the rubber threads 4CL, 4CR to prevent gaps from forming between the diaper 1 and the wearer's abdominal circumference. The rubber threads 4SL, 4SR are arranged in appropriate positions and in an appropriate number determined according to the elasticity (contractile force) required by the design of the diaper 1.

In this embodiment, the absorbent body 6C has a first absorbent section 6CR in which a groove portion 6CH is formed, and a second absorbent section CF that is arranged closer to the front body region 1F than the first absorbent section 6CR. The first absorbent section 6CR and the second absorbent section 6CF are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1. The groove portion 6CH is present in the first absorbent section 6CR, and no groove portion 6CH is formed in the second absorbent section 6CF.

The second absorbent section 6CF is disposed on the front body region 1F side of the first absorbent section 6C. Therefore, the second absorbent section 6CF is disposed in a region that virtually extends toward the front body region 1F along the extension direction of the groove-shaped section 6CH. That is, the second absorbent section 6CF is disposed in a region where the fold can spread along the groove-shaped section 6CH. The absorbent body 6C has an adjusted basis weight for each region in order to relatively reduce the resistance of the second absorbent section 6CF against bending along the groove-shaped section 6CH. In order to easily maintain the above-mentioned folding and holding structure, the basis weight of the second absorbent section CF is smaller than that of the first absorbent section 6CR. For example, the basis weight of each absorbent section can be adjusted by reducing the amount of lamination of the molding material in the second absorbent section 6CF compared to the first absorbent section 6CR. In this case, the second absorbent section 6CF has a smaller dimension in the thickness direction than the first absorbent section 6CR excluding the groove-shaped section 6CH.

In addition, if a molding material with a lower specific gravity is used for the second absorbent section 6CF than for the first absorbent section 6CR, the basis weight can be adjusted while forming each absorbent section with the same thickness. In this case, the second absorbent section 6CF has a lower density than the first absorbent section 6CR. Note that "basis weight" refers to mass per unit area, and "density" refers to mass per unit volume.

In this way, by making the basis weight of the second absorbent section 6CF smaller than that of the first absorbent section 6CR, the resistance to bending in the second absorbent section 6CF can be reduced, making it easier to fold the absorbent body 6C along the groove sections 6CH and 7H.

In addition, when the groove portions 6CH and 7H are formed by compressing the absorbent body 6C, the rigidity is increased in the non-skin-facing areas of the groove portions 6CH and 7H in the first absorbent portion 6CR. Therefore, the first absorbent portion 6CR is reinforced in the longitudinal direction by the groove portions 6CH and 7H, and the formation of creases extending in the width direction in the first absorbent portion 6CR is suppressed. This makes it easier to fold the crotch region 1B into a predetermined shape.

In addition, the crotch region 1B of the diaper 1 is positioned opposite the wearer's excretory area, and therefore requires a larger absorption capacity for the absorbent 6C compared to the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R. The first absorbent section 6CR, which is positioned including the crotch region 1B, has a larger basis weight than the second absorbent section 6CF, and therefore has a larger absorption capacity than the second absorbent section 6CF. In this way, the first absorbent section 6CR and the second absorbent section 6CF that meet the required absorption capacity for each part of the absorbent 6C can be positioned, improving the fit.

As described above, the diaper 1 of this embodiment has a front patch 2F provided in the front body region 1F. The front patch 2F functions as a hook-and-loop fastener to which the tapes 2L and 2R can be attached, and the fine loops for hooking the fine hooks provided on the tapes 2L and 2R are formed of fine threads bonded vertically and horizontally to the surface of the plastic film. The loops of the front patch 2F are formed, for example, by bonding fine lattice-shaped polyester fiber threads to the surface of the plastic film with polyurethane adhesive. Examples of the plastic film of the front patch 2F include plastic films made of polyolefin, polyester, vinyl chloride, and various other materials. The front patch 2F may have ventilation holes and be breathable. The front patch 2F may also be made of nonwoven fabric.

Here, the front patch 2F will be described in more detail. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the diaper 1 in an extended state, viewed from the non-skin-facing side. In this embodiment, the front patch 2F is an example of a sheet member arranged in the front body region 1F. The front patch 2F has a cutout portion 2FA that cuts out a pair of imaginary lines 41L, 41R extending in the longitudinal direction of the pair of grooves 6CH, 7H on the front body region 1F side in a concave shape on the crotch region 1B side. By relatively reducing the area of the front patch 2F in the region that virtually extends to the front body region 1F side along the extension direction of the grooves 6CH, 7H, the diaper 1 can reduce the resistance to folding in the front body region 1F where the folds may spread along the grooves 6CH, 7H, and can prevent the front body region 1F from hindering the folding of the absorbent 6C in the crotch region 1B, and can fold the absorbent 6C when worn. This can improve the wearing comfort of the diaper 1.

In addition, when the absorbent body is folded up to the region corresponding to the lower abdomen or buttocks, the absorbent body may rise up on the skin side in that region, and the skin of the lower abdomen may rub against the absorbent article. For this reason, it is preferable to form a groove-shaped portion that serves as a folding line of the absorbent body in the crotch region so that the absorbent body does not fold up to the front body region corresponding to the lower abdomen or the back body region corresponding to the buttocks. However, in this configuration, the groove-shaped portion is relatively short with respect to the absorbent body, making it difficult for the absorbent body to fold. Furthermore, since a front patch is provided in the front body region of a tape-type disposable diaper, the resistance in the front body region against the folding along the groove-shaped portion becomes relatively large. For example, when putting an absorbent article on a wearer, it is common to pinch the front body region with the hands and fold the absorbent body so that it fits the wearer's skin, but if the resistance to folding in the front body region where the front patch is provided is relatively large, it hinders the folding of the absorbent body in the crotch region, and there is a risk that the absorbent body will not fold when worn.

In contrast, in the diaper 1 according to this embodiment, the front patch 2F has a cutout portion 2FA that is concavely cut out toward the crotch region 1B between a pair of imaginary lines 41L, 41R. By relatively reducing the area of the front patch 2F in the region that virtually extends toward the front body region 1F along the extension direction of the groove portions 6CH, 7H, the diaper 1 can reduce the resistance in the front body region 1F against bending along the groove portions 6CH, 7H, prevent the front body region 1F from interfering with the bending of the absorbent body 6C in the crotch region 1B, and allow the absorbent body 6C to be folded when worn. This improves the wearing comfort of the diaper 1.

In this embodiment, the cutout 2FA formed in the front patch 2F is arc-shaped, but may be linear. Also, the widthwise end of the cutout 2FA is positioned widthwise outward of the imaginary lines 41L and 41R, but may be on the imaginary lines 41L and 41R.

Next, the details of the crotch region 1B of the diaper 1 according to this embodiment in the worn state will be described. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the crotch region 1B of the diaper 1 in the worn state cut along the width direction at the longitudinal center. As shown in Fig. 6, in the worn state of the diaper 1, the crotch region 1B is folded in a predetermined shape. Specifically, the widthwise cross section of the crotch region 1B is folded in a predetermined W-shaped shape. Of the two V-shaped portions constituting this "W" shape, the left one is referred to as the V-shaped portion 12L, and the right one is referred to as the V-shaped portion 12R. In addition, the fold that is folded toward the skin-facing side is referred to as a mountain fold, and the fold that is folded toward the non-skin-facing side is referred to as a valley fold.

In the worn state, the grooves 6CH and 7H form the folds that form the valley folds in the crotch region 1B. Specifically, the two grooves 6CH and 7H form the folds that form the valley folds in the crotch region 1B, forming two valley folds. The two grooves 6CH and 7H are located at the locations that correspond to the corners of the V-shaped portions 12L and 12R. In the crotch region 1B at this time, the widthwise intermediate portions of the two grooves 6CH and 7H are mountain-folded in an inverted V shape, and the widthwise center forms the fold. In the crotch region 1B thus folded into a predetermined shape, the support gathers 10L and 10R formed by the rubber threads 4CL and 4CR are disposed on the widthwise outer sides of the V-shaped portions 12L and 12R. The rubber threads 4CL and 4CR cause the absorbent body 6C to contract in the longitudinal direction, and the crotch region 1B is generally lifted toward the skin side. The elastic threads 4CL and 4CR cause the absorbent 6C to contract in the longitudinal direction, lifting the absorbent 6C toward the skin side, and the fold of the absorbent 6C at the grooves 6CH and 7H can be maintained. Furthermore, as described above, the front patch 2F of the diaper 1 has a notch 2FA that is a concave cutout on the crotch region 1B side between a pair of imaginary lines 41L and 41R, so that the resistance in the front body region 1F against the folding along the grooves 6CH and 7H can be reduced, and the absorbent 6C in the crotch region 1B can be folded along the grooves 6CH and 7H. As a result, the diaper 1 according to this embodiment has the crotch region 1B folded and maintained in a predetermined shape when worn, ensuring the feel and absorbency, and improving the wearing comfort.

In addition, since the support gathers 10 and the elastic threads 4CL and 4CR are positioned widthwise outside the pair of grooves 6CH and 7H, the first absorbent section 6CR can be biased to lift up toward the skin side from the widthwise outside of the valley fold at the grooves 6CH and 7H, and the fold in the absorbent body 6C can be maintained.

Furthermore, if the second absorbent section 6CF has a smaller thickness dimension than the first absorbent section 6CR, the bulkiness of the diaper 1 in the front body region 1F can be reduced. This improves the feel on the wearer's abdomen and fit. Furthermore, by improving the grip (ease of gripping) of the front body region 1F, the fit of the diaper 1 can be improved. If the second absorbent section 6CF has a lower density than the first absorbent section 6CR, the second absorbent section 6CF can be deformed more smoothly than the first absorbent section 6CR. This allows the absorbent body 6C to be folded into a predetermined shape when worn, and also improves the ability of the second absorbent section 6CF to conform to the wearer's body.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, the diaper 1 according to the second embodiment will be described. The same components as those of the diaper 1 according to the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. In this embodiment, the cover sheet 4 is also formed with a cutout portion, similar to the front patch 2F. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the diaper 1 according to this modified example in a stretched state, as seen from the non-skin-facing side. In this embodiment, the cover sheet 4 is an example of a sheet member disposed in the front body region 1F. The cover sheet 4 has a cutout portion 4A that cuts out a pair of imaginary lines 41L, 41R extending in the longitudinal direction of the pair of groove-shaped portions 6CH, 7H on the front body region 1F side in a concave shape on the crotch region 1B side. In the diaper 1, the area of the cover sheet 4 in the region virtually extending toward the front body region 1F along the extension direction of the grooves 6CH, 7H is relatively small, so that the resistance in the front body region 1F against the folding along the grooves 6CH, 7H can be reduced, and the front body region 1F can be prevented from hindering the folding of the absorbent 6C in the crotch region 1B, and the absorbent 6C can be folded in the worn state. This improves the wearing comfort of the diaper 1. The cutout 4A formed in the cover sheet 4 is arc-shaped, but may be linear. The widthwise end of the cutout 4A is located outside the widthwise direction of the imaginary lines 41L, 41R, but may be on the imaginary lines 41L, 41R.

<Embodiment 3>
Next, the diaper 1 according to the third embodiment will be described. The same components as those of the diaper 1 according to the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. In this embodiment, a cutout portion is formed in the cover sheet 4. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the diaper 1 according to this modified example in an extended state, as viewed from the non-skin-facing side. In this embodiment, the cover sheet 4 is an example of a sheet member arranged in the front body region 1F. The cover sheet 4 has a cutout portion 4A that cuts out a pair of imaginary lines 41L, 41R extending in the longitudinal direction of the pair of groove-shaped portions 6CH, 7H on the front body region 1F side in a concave shape on the crotch region 1B side. The diaper 1 according to this embodiment can improve the wearing comfort.

<Embodiment 4>
Next, the diaper 1 according to the fourth embodiment will be described. The same components as those of the diaper 1 according to the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the diaper 1 according to this modified example in an extended state, as viewed from the non-skin-facing side. In this embodiment, the cutout portion 2FA is formed such that its widthwise ends 20L, 20R are disposed on the imaginary lines 41L, 41R. Here, the width direction of the cutout portion 2FA coincides with the width direction of the diaper 1. When folding the absorbent body 6C, force is likely to be concentrated on the widthwise ends 20L, 20R of the cutout portion 2FA, which can reduce the resistance in the front body region 1F against folding along the groove-shaped portions 6CH, 7H. The diaper 1 according to this embodiment prevents the front body region 1F from hindering the folding of the absorbent body 6C in the crotch region 1B, and can fold the absorbent body 6C in the worn state, thereby improving the wearing comfort.

Even when the cutout portion 4A is formed in the cover sheet 4 as in the above-mentioned embodiment 3, the cutout portion 4A may be formed so that the widthwise ends of the diaper 1 are positioned on the imaginary lines 41L and 41R as in this embodiment.

<Embodiment 5>
Next, the diaper 1 according to the fifth embodiment will be described. The same components as those of the diaper 1 according to the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the diaper 1 according to this modified example in an extended state, as viewed from the non-skin-facing side. In this embodiment, the cutout portion 2FA is formed such that the inflection points 21L, 21R in the contour line are located on the imaginary lines 41L, 41R. When the absorbent body 6C is folded, the force is likely to be concentrated at the inflection points 21L, 21R of the cutout portion 2FA, which can reduce the resistance in the front body region 1F against the folding along the groove-shaped portions 6CH, 7H. The diaper 1 according to this embodiment prevents the front body region 1F from hindering the folding of the absorbent body 6C in the crotch region 1B, and can fold the absorbent body 6C in the worn state, thereby improving the wearing comfort. In this embodiment, the cutout portion 2F has a linear contour line, but may have a curved (for example, arcuate) contour line.

In addition, even when the cutout portion 4A is formed in the cover sheet 4 as in the third embodiment, the cutout portion 4A is formed such that the inflection points of the contour line are aligned with the imaginary lines 41L and 41R as in the present embodiment.
It may be configured to be disposed on the

<Embodiment 6>
Next, the diaper 1 according to the sixth embodiment will be described. The same components as those of the diaper 1 according to the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the diaper 1 according to this modified example in an extended state, as viewed from the non-skin-facing side. In this embodiment, the cutout portion 2FA is formed such that the inflection points 21L, 21R in its contour are located on the imaginary lines 41L, 41R, and the cutout portion 4A is formed such that its widthwise ends 22L, 22R are located on the imaginary lines 41L, 41R. Here, the width direction of the cutout portion 4A coincides with the width direction of the diaper 1. When the absorbent body 6C is folded, the force is likely to concentrate on the inflection points 21L, 21R of the cutout portion 2FA, and the force is likely to concentrate on the widthwise ends 22L, 22R of the cutout portion 4A of the diaper 1. This makes it possible to further reduce the resistance in the front body region 1F against the folding along the groove-shaped portions 6CH, 7H. The diaper 1 of this embodiment prevents the front body region 1F from interfering with the folding of the absorbent body 6C in the crotch region 1B, and allows the absorbent body 6C to be folded when worn, thereby improving the wearing comfort.

The cutout portion 2FA may be formed so that its widthwise ends are positioned on the imaginary lines 41L and 41R, and the cutout portion 4A may be formed so that the inflection points of its contour are positioned on the imaginary lines 41L and 41R.

<Embodiment 7>
Next, the diaper 1 according to the seventh embodiment will be described. The same components as those of the diaper 1 according to the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. FIG. 12 is a plan view of the diaper 1 in an extended state as viewed from the non-skin-facing side. The diaper 1 according to this embodiment has a pair of wrinkled portions SL, SR extending in the longitudinal direction, which are formed on a sheet member arranged in the front body region 1F on a pair of imaginary lines 41L, 41R that extend a pair of grooved portions 6CH, 7H in the longitudinal direction toward the front body region 1F. In other words, the wrinkled portions SL, SR are arranged on a line along which the folds can spread along the grooved portions 6CH, 7H. This prevents the front body region 1F from hindering the folding of the absorbent body 6C in the crotch region 1B, and makes it easier to fold the absorbent body 6C when the diaper 1 is worn, thereby improving the wearing comfort.

The wrinkled portions SL and SR may be formed by an adhesive applied to the sheet member, or may be formed by an embossed groove formed in the sheet member, or may be formed by an elastic member such as rubber thread attached in a stretched state to the sheet member. In addition, the wrinkled portions SL and SR may be formed in any sheet member that is disposed to include at least the front body region 1F.

<Embodiment 8>
Next, a diaper 1 according to an eighth embodiment will be described. The same components as those of the diaper 1 according to the above-mentioned embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the diaper 1 in an extended state, as viewed from the non-skin-facing side. In this embodiment, the diaper 1 includes a pair of front patches 2FL, 2FR and cutouts 2FLA, 2FRA formed in each of the front patches 2FL, 2FR. The cutouts 2FLA, 2FRA have the same effect as the cutout 2FA. The pair of front patches 2FL, 2FR are disposed opposite each other across a pair of imaginary lines 41L, 41R that extend the pair of grooves 6CH, 7H toward the front body region 1F in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1. In other words, no front patch is disposed between the imaginary lines 41L, 41R, and the front patches 2FL, 2FR are disposed on both sides of the pair of imaginary lines 41L, 41R in the width direction of the diaper 1. The diaper 1 according to this embodiment further prevents the front body region 1F from interfering with the folding of the absorbent body 6C in the crotch region 1B, making it easier to fold the absorbent body 6C when worn, thereby further improving the wearing comfort.

<Embodiment 9>
Next, a diaper 1 according to a ninth embodiment will be described. The same components as those of the diaper 1 according to the above-mentioned embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. Fig. 14 is a plan view of the diaper 1 in a stretched state as viewed from the non-skin-facing side. In this embodiment, the diaper 1 includes wrinkled portions SL, SR, a pair of front patches 2FL, 2FR, and cutout portions 2FLA, 2FRA formed in each of the front patches 2FL, 2FR. The diaper 1 according to this embodiment further prevents the front body region 1F from hindering the folding of the absorbent body 6C in the crotch region 1B, and makes it easier to fold the absorbent body 6C when worn, thereby further improving the wearing comfort.

<Other embodiments>
Next, other embodiments will be described. The second absorbent section 6CF only needs to have a basis weight of the area overlapping the imaginary lines 41L, 41R in the thickness direction smaller than the basis weight of the first absorbent section 6CR. In other words, the second absorbent section 6CF may have a reduced basis weight not in the entire area but in a part of it. In this case, the absorbent body 6C can be folded while ensuring the liquid absorption capacity of the second absorbent section 6CF.

The rubber threads 4CL, 4CR are not limited to those arranged symmetrically in the width direction, but may extend longitudinally along the center in the width direction. In this case, the diaper 1 can be easily folded along the center line C in the width direction, improving comfort for the wearer. The rubber threads 4CL, 4CR may be arranged in a position overlapping the groove portions 6CH and 7H in a plan view, or may be arranged inward in the width direction from the groove portions 6CH and 7H.

Furthermore, the groove-shaped portion 6CH and the groove-shaped portion 7H may be provided in a part of the front body region 1F or the back body region 1R. Instead of or in addition to the groove-shaped portion 6CH and the groove-shaped portion 7H, the corresponding portion of the absorbent 6C may be hollowed out, or a through groove may be recessed into the absorbent 6C. The absorbent 6C and the groove-shaped portion 7H may be provided on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent 6C, or may be provided on both the skin-facing side and the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent 6C. The front patch 2F may be layered so as to overlap at least a portion of the second absorbent portion 6CF (at least a portion overlaps in a plan view).

Also, the first absorbent section may be arranged in the crotch region 1B, and the second absorbent section may be arranged in the front body region 1F and the back body region 1R. That is, the second absorbent section may be arranged on both sides of the first absorbent section in the absorbent body 6C in the longitudinal direction. In this case, it is possible to make the absorbent body 6C easier to fold into a predetermined shape, and further reduce the molding material of the absorbent body 6C, thereby reducing material costs and making the diaper 1 lighter.

In addition, in this embodiment, an absorbent body 6C is used in which the first absorbent section 6CR and the second absorbent section 6CF are integrally formed, but this is not limited thereto, and the first absorbent section 6CR and the second absorbent section 6CF may be formed separately in the absorbent body 6C. Also, natural rubber or an elastic film may be used instead of the above-mentioned rubber thread. The sheet member arranged in the front body region 1F may be a sheet member arranged only in the front body region 1F, or may be a sheet member arranged including the front body region 1F.

The concave cutout portion on the crotch region 1B side may be provided in the front patch 2F as in the above-mentioned embodiment 1, or in the front patch 2F and the cover sheet 4 as in the above-mentioned embodiment 2, or in the cover sheet 4.

In the above embodiment, a tape-type disposable diaper 1 is exemplified, but examples of absorbent articles to which the above configuration can be applied include pants-type disposable diapers and urine pads. These absorbent articles include an absorbent body arranged including the crotch region, and a pair of grooves extending in the longitudinal direction and formed at least in the crotch region of the absorbent body. At least a part of the sheet member arranged in the front body region has a cutout portion that cuts out a pair of imaginary lines extending in the longitudinal direction of the pair of grooves on the front body region side to the crotch region side in a concave shape, so that the absorbent body can be folded into a predetermined shape when worn, improving the wearing comfort. The sheet member may be a sheet arranged only in the front body region, or a sheet arranged including the front body region.

1...Diaper 1B...Crotch region 1F...Front body region 1R...Rear body region 2FA, 4A...Cutout 2F...Front patch 2FT...Ventilation hole 2L, 2R...Tape 3BL, 3BR...3D gathers 3R...Waist gathers 4...Cover sheet 4KL, 4KR...Constriction 5...Back sheet 6C...Absorbent body 6CH...Groove-shaped portion 7...Top sheet 7H...Groove-shaped portion 8...Side sheet 4CKL, 8KR...Constriction 4CL, 4CR, 4SL, 4SR, 8EL, 8ER, 9ER...Elastic thread 10...Support gathers 12L, 12R...V-shaped portions 41L, 41R...Virtual lines

Claims (7)

An absorbent article having a front body region located on the abdomen side of a wearer when worn, a crotch region located between the crotch of the wearer, and a rear body region located on the back side, arranged in this order in a longitudinal direction,
An absorbent body disposed including the crotch region;
A pair of grooves extending in the longitudinal direction and formed at least in the crotch region of the absorbent body;
Equipped with
At least a portion of the sheet member arranged in the front body region has a cutout portion that cuts out the pair of groove-shaped portions between a pair of imaginary lines extending in the longitudinal direction on the front body region side in a concave shape on the crotch region side,
The width direction ends of the cutout portion are disposed on the pair of imaginary lines.
Absorbent articles. An absorbent article having a front body region located on the abdomen side of a wearer when worn, a crotch region located between the crotch of the wearer, and a rear body region located on the back side, arranged in this order in a longitudinal direction,
An absorbent body disposed including the crotch region;
A pair of grooves extending in the longitudinal direction and formed at least in the crotch region of the absorbent body;
Equipped with
At least a portion of the sheet member arranged in the front body region has a cutout portion that cuts out the pair of groove-shaped portions between a pair of imaginary lines extending in the longitudinal direction on the front body region side in a concave shape on the crotch region side,
An inflection point in the contour line of the cutout portion is located on the pair of virtual lines.
Absorbent articles. a front sheet joined to an exterior sheet forming an exterior surface of the absorbent article in the front body region, to which a tape is attached for fixing the absorbent article to the wearer;
At least one of the front sheet and the exterior sheet has the cutout portion.
3. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2 . The tape is provided so as to protrude from the rear body region on both sides in the width direction, and is attached to the front sheet to fix the absorbent article around the waist of the wearer,
the front sheet is a hook-and-loop fastener having loops arranged on its surface for engaging with hooks formed on the surface of the tape;
The absorbent article of claim 3 . The absorbent body is
A first absorbent section in which the pair of groove-shaped sections are formed;
A second absorbent section is disposed closer to the front body region than the first absorbent section and has a smaller basis weight than the first absorbent section;
having
5. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . A pair of elastic members are provided, the elastic members being arranged to include at least the crotch region , extending in the longitudinal direction at positions overlapping the absorbent body in the thickness direction, and attached in a stretched state.
6. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . A liquid-permeable top sheet is provided on the skin-facing side of the absorbent body,
The groove portion is formed in the absorbent body and the top sheet.
7. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .

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