JP7469172B2 - Absorbent articles and their individual packaging - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to absorbent articles and their individual packaging.

Collection bags for collecting used absorbent articles are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which, when changing a diaper while going out, one hand is placed into the soiled bag, the diaper is grasped with that hand, the bag is turned inside out while still being grasped, and the bag is sealed with an adhesive part provided on the folded part. As a result, the diaper is properly sealed and stored inside the soiled bag, so that the smell of the diaper does not leak out and cause discomfort to people nearby, and dirt or dirty fluids from the diaper do not leak out and soil other belongings.

Utility Model Registration No. 3048057

However, the configuration described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that collection bags must be purchased separately from diapers.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an absorbent article that utilizes individual packaging to enable collection of used absorbent articles without soiling the hands or the surface of the packaging bag.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the absorbent article of the present invention is an absorbent article that is stored in an individually packaged bag in a folded state so that a back sheet is exposed, and the back sheet has a temporary fixing portion that directly and temporarily fixes the back sheet to the inner surface of the bag in a detachable manner , and the temporary fixing portion is attached at a position corresponding to the vicinity of the bottom of the bag when the absorbent article is stored in the individual package .

The absorbent article of the present invention configured in this manner utilizes individual packaging of the absorbent article, allowing used absorbent articles to be collected without soiling the hands or the surface of the packaging bag.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a disposable diaper having an inner body according to a first embodiment is worn. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the inner body of the first embodiment is contained in an individual package. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the inner body of the first embodiment is contained in an individual package. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the inner body of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the inner body of the first embodiment. 4A to 4C are diagrams for explaining a method of using the inner body of the first embodiment. 4A to 4C are diagrams for explaining a method of using the inner body of the first embodiment. 4A to 4C are diagrams for explaining a method of using the inner body of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which the inner body of the second embodiment is contained in an individual package. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which the inner body of the third embodiment is contained in an individual package. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the inner body of Example 3 is contained in an individual package.

Below, we will explain the embodiments of the absorbent article according to the present invention based on Examples 1 to 3 shown in the drawings.

The absorbent article in Example 1 is applied to an inner body to be attached to a disposable diaper for adults.

[Configuration of absorbent article]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a disposable diaper equipped with an inner body of Example 1 is worn. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the inner body of Example 1 is contained in an individual package. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the inner body of Example 1 is contained in an individual package. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the inner body of Example 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the inner body of Example 1. The configuration of the inner body as an absorbent article of Example 1 will be described below. The longitudinal direction of the inner body is defined as the longitudinal direction D, and the width direction is defined as the width direction W.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inner body 10 serving as an absorbent article is attached to the wearer P side of the outer body, which is a disposable diaper 1 for adults.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inner body 10 is folded in half in the longitudinal direction D and contained in the individual package 50.

(Individual package)
The individual package 50 is made of a water-impermeable material. For example, the individual package 50 is made of a film made of polyethylene resin or the like, aluminum, paper, or the like. The individual package 50 can also be made of an opaque material so that the contents cannot be seen. The individual package 50 may be made of a combination of a plurality of these materials.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the individual package 50 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape and includes a bag body 51 and a sealing portion 52.

The bag body 51 has an opening 53 at one end and a bottom 54. The bag body 51 is formed to have a length L1. The bag body 51 is formed to have a width W1.

The inside (inner surface) of the bag body 51 can be treated with at least one of antibacterial and deodorizing properties.

As shown in FIG. 3, the adhesion portion 52 can be a fastener having a male portion 52a and a female portion 52b. The adhesion portion 52 is provided near the opening 53. The adhesion portion 52 is provided on the inside of the bag body 51.

In the individual package 50 configured in this manner, the male portion 52a and the female portion 52b fit together to close the opening 53 and seal the bag body 51.

(Interior body)
As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the inner body 10 is composed of a ventral portion 10A and a dorsal portion 10B, and is formed so as to cover the wearer P from the abdomen through the crotch to the back.

The inner body 10 is composed of a top sheet 11 placed on the body side, a back sheet 12 placed on the clothing side, an absorbent body 13 interposed between the top sheet 11 and the back sheet 12, and a gathered sheet 14.

The top sheet 11 can be, for example, a liquid-permeable sheet made of a nonwoven fabric with or without holes. The top sheet 11 allows bodily fluids to pass quickly toward the absorbent body 13.

The back sheet 12 may be, for example, a liquid-impermeable sheet made of a resin film. The back sheet 12 prevents bodily fluids held by the absorbent body 13 from passing through the back sheet 12 and wetting clothing, etc.

The absorbent body 13 is composed of an absorbent polymer and pulp. The absorbent body 13 is formed in a sheet shape that extends from the ventral side to the dorsal side.

The gathered sheet 14 may be, for example, a liquid-impermeable nonwoven fabric. The gathered sheet 14 is provided near both ends of the top sheet 11 in the width direction W. The base end (one end) of the gathered sheet 14 in the width direction W is fixed to the top sheet 11 by, for example, an adhesive such as hot melt or welding.

At the open end (other end) of the gather sheet 14 in the width direction W, an elongated elastic stretch member 15 extending in the longitudinal direction D is provided in a predetermined stretched state. The contraction force of the elastic stretch member 15 forms three-dimensional gathers as gathers on the gather sheet 14.

The inner body 10 thus constructed is formed by overlapping the top sheet 11, the back sheet 12, and the gathered sheet 14 with the absorbent body 13 interposed between the top sheet 11 and the back sheet 12, and bonding the peripheral edges with an adhesive such as hot melt, welding, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the longitudinal direction D, the inner body 10 has a ventral flap portion 15a formed by joining the top sheet 11 and the back sheet 12 at its ventral end. In the longitudinal direction D, the inner body 10 has a dorsal flap portion 15b formed by joining the top sheet 11 and the back sheet 12 at its dorsal end.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the inner body 10 is folded in half in the longitudinal direction D so that the back sheet 12 is exposed and is contained in the individual package 50. The inner body 10 is folded so that the ventral flap portion 15a and the dorsal flap portion 15b meet.

The inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50 so that the ventral flap portion 15a and the dorsal flap portion 15b are positioned on the opening 53 side. The inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50 so that the crease formed by folding is positioned on the bottom 54 side.

The ventral flap portion 15a and the dorsal flap portion 15b are folded toward the ventral portion 10A while they are joined together. Note that the ventral flap portion 15a and the dorsal flap portion 15b may also be folded toward the dorsal portion 10B while they are joined together.

The two pieces of the ventral flap portion 15a and the dorsal flap portion 15b arranged on the opening 53 side are folded to form a connecting portion 16 that connects the ventral flap portion 15a and the dorsal flap portion 15b.

As shown in FIG. 2, the width W1 of the bag 51 is greater than the width W2 of the inner body 10 in the width direction W when folded by 15 mm or more. In other words, the width W1 of the opening 53 of the bag 51 is greater than the width W2 of the inner body 10 in the width direction W when folded by 15 mm or more.

A temporary fixing part 31 and a slip prevention part 20 are arranged on the surface of the back sheet 12 (the surface facing the garment).

<Temporary fixing part>
As shown in Fig. 4, the temporary fixing part 31 is disposed on the abdominal part 10A of the back sheet 12. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, when the inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50, the temporary fixing part 31 is attached to a position corresponding to the vicinity of the bottom 54 of the bag body 51. The vicinity of the bottom 54 may be within a range of a length L2 (e.g., L1/3) from the bottom 54. In other words, when the inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50, the temporary fixing part 31 is attached to the bottom 54 side of the back sheet 12.

The temporary fixing portion 31 is configured to be temporarily and detachably fixed to the inside (inner surface) of the bag body 51. The temporary fixing portion 31 can be, for example, hot melt or double-sided tape.

The width W3 of the temporary fixing portion 31 is preferably, for example, 15 mm or more. The length L3 of the temporary fixing portion 31 is preferably, for example, 5 mm or more. This ensures a sufficient area for temporarily fixing the temporary fixing portion 31 to the inner surface of the bag body 51.

<Slip prevention part>
As shown in FIG. 4, the slip prevention portion 20 includes a ventral slip prevention portion 21 arranged on the ventral portion 10A, and a dorsal slip prevention portion 22 arranged on the dorsal portion 10B.

The ventral slip prevention part 21 is provided on the ventral side of the ventral part 10A. The dorsal slip prevention part 22 is provided on the dorsal side of the dorsal part 10B.

As shown in FIG. 2, the length L4 of the ventral slip prevention portion 21 can be, for example, 10 mm. The width W4 of the ventral slip prevention portion 21 can be, for example, 70 mm. The length L4 and width W4 of the dorsal slip prevention portion 22 can be configured in the same way as the ventral slip prevention portion 21.

The ventral slip prevention part 21 and the dorsal slip prevention part 22 come into contact with the disposable diaper 1 to prevent the disposable diaper 1 from slipping.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, when the inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50, the ventral slip prevention part 21 and the dorsal slip prevention part 22 are attached to positions corresponding to the vicinity of the opening 53 of the bag body 51. In other words, when the inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50, the ventral slip prevention part 21 and the dorsal slip prevention part 22 are attached to the opening 53 side of the back sheet 12.

[Method of using absorbent article]
6 to 8 are diagrams for explaining a method of using the inner body of Example 1. Hereinafter, a method of using the inner body 10 as an absorbent article of Example 1 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 6, the user opens the sealed portion 52 of the individual package 50, inserts one hand through the opening 53, and grasps the inner body 10, which is folded so that the back sheet 12 is exposed, with the other hand. At this time, the user can grasp the slip prevention portion 20 arranged on the opening 53 side with the other hand.

Next, the user holds the individual package 50 with the other hand and pulls the inner body 10 grasped with one hand toward the opening 53, and as shown in FIG. 7, the area near the inner bottom 54 of the bag body 51 that is fixed to the temporary fixing portion 31 is pulled, causing the individual package 50 to turn inside out.

Next, the user peels the temporary fixing portion 31 off the individual package 50, removes the inner body 10 from the individual package 50, and makes the inner body 10 usable. The user stores the individual package 50 in an inverted state.

When collecting the used inner body 10, as shown in FIG. 8, the user inserts one hand into the inverted individual package 50 and grasps the used inner body 10 through the individual package 50 with the hand.

The user then turns the individual package 50 inside out again and closes and seals the sealing portion 52.

[Function of absorbent article]
The function of the absorbent article (inner body 10) of Example 1 will be described below.

The absorbent article (inner body 10) of Example 1 is an absorbent article (inner body 10) that is stored in an individual package 50 in a folded state so that the back sheet 12 is exposed, and the back sheet 12 is provided with a temporary fixing portion 31 that is temporarily and detachably fixed to the inside of the individual package 50 at a position corresponding to the vicinity of the bottom 54 of the individual package 50 (Figure 2).

As a result, when the absorbent article (inner body 10) is removed from the individual package 50, the temporary fixing portion 31 can be used to pull the area near the bottom 54 on the inside of the individual package 50, turning the individual package 50 inside out. Then, when storing the used absorbent article (inner body 10) in the individual package 50 again, the hand can be inserted into the turned-down individual package 50 to grab the used absorbent article (inner body 10). Then, the individual package 50 can be turned inside out again to store the used absorbent article (inner body 10) in the individual package 50. As a result, the individual package 50 of the absorbent article (inner body 10) can be used to collect the used absorbent article (inner body 10) without soiling the hands or the surface of the packaging bag.

In the absorbent article (inner body 10) of Example 1, the back sheet 12 is provided with a slip prevention portion 20 that prevents slippage with the outer body (disposable diaper 1) at a position corresponding to the vicinity of the opening 53 of the individual package 50 (Figure 2).

As a result, when removing the absorbent article (inner body 10) from the individual package 50, the slip prevention portion 20 can be grasped and removed. This makes it easier to remove the absorbent article (inner body 10) from the individual package 50.

The absorbent article (inner body 10) of Example 1 has a connecting portion 16 that connects the two pieces of the individual package 50 on the opening 53 side (Figure 3).

However, if only one piece of the absorbent article (inner body 10) that is stored in a folded state is pulled, the absorbent article (inner body 10) will be removed from the individual package 50 in a position different from the desired position. This may make it difficult to remove the absorbent article (inner body 10), or make it impossible to turn the individual package 50 inside out when the absorbent article (inner body 10) is removed from the individual package 50.

In Example 1, the two pieces of the absorbent article (inner body 10) in a folded state are connected, so that the two pieces can be pulled reliably. This makes it easy to remove the absorbent article (inner body 10) and also makes it easy to turn the individual package 50 inside out.

The individual package 50 of Example 1 includes a bag body 51 having an opening 53, and a sealing portion 52 inside the bag body 51 near the opening 53 that seals the opening 53 and seals the bag body 51 (Figure 2).

As a result, when storing the used absorbent article (inner body 10) again in the individual package 50, the user can insert his/her hand into the inverted individual package 50, grab the used absorbent article (inner body 10), turn the individual package 50 inside out again, store the used absorbent article (inner body 10) in the individual package 50, and seal it at the sealed portion 52. Therefore, the individual package 50 for the absorbent article (inner body 10) can be used to collect the used absorbent article (inner body 10) without soiling the hands or the surface of the packaging bag.

In the individual package 50 of Example 1, the width of the opening 53 is at least 15 mm larger than the width of the absorbent article (inner body 10) in a folded state (Figure 2).

However, if the width of the opening 53 is 15 mm or less than the width of the absorbent article (inner body 10) in a folded state, when the absorbent article (inner body 10) is removed from the individual package 50, the absorbent article (inner body 10) may get caught on the opening 53, causing deformation of the absorbent article (inner body 10) or damage to the temporary fixing portion 31.

In Example 1, the width of the opening 53 is made 15 mm or more larger than the width of the absorbent article (inner body 10) in a folded state, which makes it possible to prevent deformation of the absorbent article (inner body 10) and damage to the temporary fixing portion 31 when the absorbent article (inner body 10) is removed from the individual package 50.

In addition, it is possible to easily collect an absorbent article (inner body 10) that has increased in size due to the absorption of excrement, multiple absorbent articles (inner bodies), outer bodies (disposable diapers 1), etc.

In addition, when the absorbent article (inner body 10) is removed from the individual package 50 and the inner bottom portion 54 of the individual package 50 is pulled by the temporary fixing portion 31, the individual package 50 can be easily turned inside out.

In the individual package 50 of Example 1, the inside of the bag body 51 is treated with at least one of antibacterial and deodorizing agents.

This allows the absorbent article (inner body 10) to be antibacterial and deodorized before use. In addition, used absorbent articles (inner body 10) that have been collected into individual packages 50 can be antibacterial and deodorized.

The absorbent article of Example 2 differs from the absorbent article of Example 1 in that the configuration of the temporary fixing portion is different.

[Configuration of absorbent article]
9 is a plan view showing a state in which the inner body of Example 2 is contained in an individual package. Note that the same terms or the same reference numerals will be used to describe the same or equivalent parts as those described in Example 1.

As shown in FIG. 9, the temporary fixing portion 31 is disposed on the surface (the surface facing the clothing) of the back sheet 12.

When the inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50, two temporary fixing parts 31 are attached to positions corresponding to the vicinity of the bottom 54 of the bag body 51.

The temporary fixing portion 31 is disposed on the end side of the center of the width direction W of the inner body 10. In other words, the temporary fixing portion 31 is provided at a position corresponding to the vicinity of both ends of the individual package 50 in the width direction W.

The width W5 of each temporary fixing portion 31 is preferably, for example, 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less. The length L5 of each temporary fixing portion 31 is preferably, for example, 5 mm or more. This ensures a sufficient area for temporarily fixing the temporary fixing portion 31 to the inner surface of the bag body 51.

[Function of absorbent article]
The function of the absorbent article (inner body 10) of Example 2 will be described below.

In the absorbent article (inner body 10) of Example 2, the temporary fixing portion 31 is provided at a position corresponding to the vicinity of both ends of the individual package 50 in the width direction W (Figure 9).

As a result, when the absorbent article (inner body 10) is removed from the individual package 50, the temporary fixing portion 31 can pull the vicinity of both ends in the width direction W of the bottom 54 of the individual package 50. Therefore, the individual package 50 can be turned completely inside out. As a result, when a used absorbent article (inner body 10) is to be placed back into the individual package 50, it is easy to insert a hand into the turned-down individual package 50, making it easy to collect the used absorbent article (inner body 10).

The other configurations and effects are substantially the same as in Example 1, so the explanation will be omitted.

The absorbent article of Example 3 differs from the absorbent articles of the above examples in that the configuration of the temporary fixing portion is different.

[Configuration of absorbent article]
Fig. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which the inner body of Example 3 is contained in an individual package. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the inner body of Example 3 is contained in an individual package. Note that the same terms or the same reference numerals are used to explain the same or equivalent parts as those explained in Example 1.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the inner body 10 is folded and contained in the individual package 50 so that the ventral flap portion 15a and the dorsal flap portion 15b are positioned on the bottom 54 side. The inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50 so that the crease formed by folding is positioned on the opening 53 side.

A temporary fixing portion 31 is disposed on the surface (clothing side) of the back sheet 12. The temporary fixing portion 31 is disposed on the ventral portion 10A and the dorsal portion 10B of the back sheet 12. When the inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50, the temporary fixing portion 31 is attached to a position corresponding to the vicinity of the bottom 54 of the bag body 51. The vicinity of the bottom 54 can be within a range of length L2 (e.g., L1/3) from the bottom 54. In other words, when the inner body 10 is contained in the individual package 50, the temporary fixing portion 31 is attached to the bottom 54 side of the back sheet 12.

The temporary fixing portion 31 can be joined to the disposable diaper 1 and function as a slip prevention portion that prevents the disposable diaper 1 from slipping.

The width W6 of the temporary fixing portion 31 is preferably, for example, 30 mm or more. The length L6 of the temporary fixing portion 31 is preferably, for example, 5 mm or more. This ensures a sufficient area for temporarily fixing the temporary fixing portion 31 to the inner surface of the bag body 51. It also ensures a sufficient area for the temporary fixing portion 31 to function as a slip prevention portion.

[Function of absorbent article]
The function of the absorbent article (inner body 10) of Example 3 will be described below.

In the absorbent article (inner body 10) of Example 3, the temporary fixing portion 31 functions as a slip prevention portion that prevents slippage with the outer body (disposable diaper 1) (Figure 10).

This allows the temporary fixing portion 31 and the anti-slip portion to be formed as a single part, thereby reducing parts costs.

The other configurations and effects are substantially the same as in Example 1, so the explanation will be omitted.

The absorbent article of the present invention has been described above based on Examples 1 to 3. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these examples, and design changes, additions, combinations of the examples, etc. are permitted as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention as claimed in each claim of the patent.

In the first to third embodiments, the sealing portion 52 is a fastener having a male portion 52a and a female portion 52b. However, the sealing portion may be any portion capable of sealing the bag body 51, and may be, for example, a zipper type or an adhesive sheet.

In the first to third embodiments, examples are shown in which the sealing portion 52 is provided. However, it is also possible to provide no sealing portion. In this case, the user can also tie the opening 53 to seal it.

In the first and second embodiments, the temporary fixing portion 31 is provided on the ventral portion 10A. However, the temporary fixing portion 31 may be provided on the dorsal portion 10B, or may be provided on both the ventral portion 10A and the dorsal portion 10B.

In Examples 1 to 3, examples have been shown in which the slip prevention portion is provided on the ventral portion 10A and the dorsal portion 10B. However, the slip prevention portion can also be provided on at least one of the ventral portion 10A and the dorsal portion 10B.

In Examples 1 to 3, the temporary fixing portion 31 is made of hot melt or double-sided tape. However, the temporary fixing portion may be any type that can be attached to and detached from the individual package 50.

In the first and second embodiments, the connecting portion 16 is formed by folding the two pieces of the ventral flap portion 15a and the dorsal flap portion 15b. However, the connecting portion is not limited to this embodiment, and the two pieces of the ventral flap portion 15a and the dorsal flap portion 15b may be connected by, for example, tape or the like.

In Examples 1 to 3, the absorbent article of the present invention is shown as being applied to an inner body that is attached to an adult disposable diaper as an outer body. However, the absorbent article of the present invention can also be applied to an inner body that is attached to a child's disposable diaper as an outer body.

In Examples 1 to 3, the absorbent article of the present invention is shown as being applied to an inner body that is attached to an adult disposable diaper as an outer body. However, the absorbent article of the present invention can also be applied to an absorbent article that is attached to underwear as an outer body.

1. Disposable diapers (an example of an outer packaging)
10. Inner body (an example of an absorbent article)
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 12 Back sheet 16 Connection portion 20 Anti-slip portion 31 Temporary fixing portion 50 Individual packaging 51 Bag body 52 Sealing portion 53 Opening 54 Bottom portion

Claims (8)

An absorbent article that is stored in an individually packaged bag in a folded state so that a back sheet is exposed,
The back sheet includes a temporary fixing portion that temporarily and detachably fixes the back sheet directly to the inner surface of the bag body ,
The absorbent article , wherein the temporary fixing portion is attached at a position corresponding to a vicinity of a bottom portion of the bag body when the absorbent article is contained in the individual package . The absorbent article according to claim 1 , wherein the temporary fixing parts are provided at positions corresponding to the vicinities of both ends in the width direction of the individual package. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the back sheet is provided with a slippage prevention portion at a position corresponding to the vicinity of the opening of the individual package, the slippage prevention portion preventing slippage between the back sheet and the exterior body. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the temporary fixing portion functions as a slippage prevention portion that prevents slippage from the outer casing. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a connecting portion that connects two pieces of the individual package on the opening side. An individual package for individually packaging the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A bag body having an opening;
The individual package comprises a sealing portion disposed inside the bag body near the opening, the sealing portion sealingly sealing the bag body by closing the opening. The individual package according to claim 6, wherein the width of the opening is at least 15 mm larger than the width of the absorbent article in a folded state. The individual package according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the inside of the bag is subjected to at least one of an antibacterial treatment and a deodorizing treatment.