JP2001112815A - Absorptive article - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a comfortable absorptive article in which excretion may be easily confirmed in a wearing state when a wearing person conducts excretion and which may be exchanged at an appropriate time. SOLUTION: An absorptive article in which absorbent arranged between a front sheet and a back sheet consists of an upper layer portion and a lower layer portion: the lower layer comprises an absorptive material or the absorption material and a hydrophilic sheet and further is arranged in a pattern form in an arbitrary part for the back sheet, and irregularity in the pattern form may be distinguished from the back sheet side by absorbing water to swell when a wearing person conducts excretion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an absorbent article, and more particularly to an absorbent article used for a diaper, an incontinent pad, a sanitary napkin, a bed sheet, a pet sheet and the like using an absorbent substance. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a disposable diaper, which is one of the absorbent articles, has a cotton-like pulp, an absorbent material (for example, It has a configuration in which an absorber made of a superabsorbent polymer), a hydrophilic sheet or the like is arranged, and urine, body fluid, and the like are absorbed by the absorber through the topsheet. The absorbent article according to the present invention relates to the technical field described above, but for convenience of explanation, the absorbent article will be described below using a diaper as an example.

In a conventional diaper, if an opaque sheet is used as a back sheet, it is difficult to confirm the presence or absence of excrement. Therefore, the user can remove the worn diaper or touch the outside of the diaper to check for excretion. I needed to check. If the check of excrement is delayed, excrement may come into contact with the wearer's skin for a long time, or the inside of the diaper may become humid for a long time, causing discomfort to the wearer and causing skin irritation. There was a problem that could be.

For this reason, diapers having a wetness recognition function have been proposed. Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 57-162304 discloses a diaper in which a powder ink microencapsulated with a hydrophilic film material is applied to the inner surface of a liquid-impermeable back sheet. Further, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-40272 discloses a diaper in which a water-insoluble resin layer which is opaque when dried and becomes transparent or translucent when wet with a liquid is provided on the inner surface of a liquid-impermeable back sheet. Such a disposable diaper has a high effect of informing the wearer of excretion, so that the time from excretion to diaper change can be shortened, and the wearer does not feel discomfort due to excrement for a long time. . However, depending on the state of use, ink for informing excretion may adhere to the body, causing a problem of giving the wearer discomfort.

Further, a disposable diaper using a moisture-permeable film obtained by adding a filler to a thermoplastic resin and stretching it has been proposed as a liquid-impermeable back sheet.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-50896 discloses a diaper having excellent breathability using a breathable sheet such as a nonwoven fabric. Such a diaper prevents stuffiness inside the diaper due to sweat or urine, and gives the wearer a comfortable feeling of wearing. However, since these diapers have low visibility of excrement (that can be visually confirmed), there is a problem that when excreting stool or a large amount of urine, the wearer feels discomfort.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-85257 proposes a diaper using a sheet having a transparent portion as a liquid-impermeable back sheet. Such a diaper can reduce the time from excretion to diaper change because excrement and the colored absorbent due to the excrement can be seen through, and give the wearer long discomfort due to the excrement. There is no. However, there is a problem in that excrement may be seen by people other than the person changing the diaper, and there may be a problem that those who see it may feel discomfort.

[0007]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the conventional absorbent articles, does not cause discomfort to the wearer, prevents stuffiness, and can easily confirm the presence or absence of excretion. An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article.

[0008]

The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems includes the following inventions. (1) In an absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable top sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorber disposed between these sheets, the absorber is an upper layer located on the top sheet side Part and a lower layer part located on the back sheet side, the lower layer part is made of an absorbent material or a hydrophilic sheet, and is arranged in a pattern on an arbitrary part with respect to the back sheet, and An absorbent article characterized in that it absorbs water and swells when the wearer excretes, and the pattern-like irregularities can be distinguished from the back sheet side.

(2) The absorbent article according to (1), wherein the absorbent substance absorbs water at least 30 times its own weight.

(3) In the portion where the lower layer does not exist,
The absorbent article according to (1) or (2), wherein the back sheet and the upper layer are joined.

(4) The total area of the lower layer portion is not more than 20% of the area of the back sheet (1).
The absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (3).

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The absorbent article of the present invention comprises an upper layer in which the absorbent is located on the top sheet side and a lower layer located on the back sheet side, wherein the lower layer is made of an absorbent material or a hydrophilic material. It is made of a conductive sheet, and is arranged in a pattern at an arbitrary portion with respect to the back sheet. In the absorbent article of the present invention having such a configuration, when excrement such as urine is absorbed by the absorbent body, the absorbent material in the lower layer swells to form a pattern-like unevenness, and from the back sheet side The presence or absence of excretion can be easily determined, the excretion can be confirmed from the outside while wearing, and an appropriate time for exchanging the absorbent article can be known.

In this case, it is preferable to use an absorbent material that absorbs water at least 30 times its own weight. In a portion where the lower layer does not exist, the back sheet and the upper layer are joined together. Further, it is preferable that the total area of the lower layer portion is 20% or less of the area of the back sheet. By adding such a condition, it is possible to more clearly confirm the presence or absence of excretion from the back sheet side.

[0014] Examples of the absorbent substance in the present invention include starch, cellulose and synthetic polymer.
Specifically, starch-acrylic acid (salt) graft copolymer, saponified starch-ethyl acrylate graft copolymer, saponified starch-methyl methacrylate graft copolymer, starch-acrylonitrile graft copolymer Saponified starch-acrylamide graft copolymer, starch-acrylonitrile-2
-Saponified acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid graft copolymer, acrylic acid (salt) polymer, polyethylene oxide cross-linked with acrylic acid, cross-linked product of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol-maleic anhydride reaction And crosslinked products. Preferably, it absorbs water 30 times or more its own weight, and sodium polyacrylate is most suitable from the viewpoint of absorption performance.

The hydrophilic sheet in the present invention may be any sheet having hydrophilicity, such as tissue, absorbent paper, hydrophilic nonwoven fabric, and the like.

The lower layer of the absorber in the present invention is made of the above-mentioned absorbent or a hydrophilic sheet with the above-mentioned absorbent.
Further, the lower layer portion is arranged in a pattern at an arbitrary portion with respect to the back sheet. The pattern may take any shape such as a point, a circle, a line, a triangle, a rectangle, a symbol, and a character. When excrement such as urine is absorbed, the lower layer swells dramatically according to the amount of absorption, so the pattern of the lower layer rises from the back sheet so that the presence or absence of excretion can be checked from the outside. Become. Further, in order to facilitate confirmation, a small amount of a coloring agent such as a dye or a pigment may be added as necessary.

Preferably, the ratio of the total area of the lower layer to the area of the back sheet is 20% or less. When the area of the lower layer portion is 20% or less, unevenness of the lower layer portion can be accurately recognized from the external appearance.
When the area is larger than the above, it is difficult to distinguish the protrusion of the lower layer. Therefore, in order to accurately recognize the pattern-like irregularities, it is preferable that the non-raised portion (the portion where the lower layer portion does not exist) occupies a majority of the area of the back sheet,
More preferably, it is at least 80% of the area of the back sheet.

The upper layer of the absorber in the present invention is formed of cotton-like pulp, a water-absorbing substance, a hydrophilic sheet or the like, and can be used without particular limitation as long as it has a water-absorbing property. The upper layer of the absorber is made of a known absorbent material commonly used in conventional absorbent articles. That is, it is formed from a single-layer or multi-layer mat made of absorbent fibers such as cotton-like pulp and rayon, and is further wrapped by a hydrophilic sheet. They are arranged in layers between them. In addition, the upper layer of the absorber in which the absorbent material is uniformly mixed has a thickness of 3-60
After mixing the heat-fusible substance by weight%, thermocompression bonding may be performed.

The shape of the upper layer of the absorber is not particularly limited, such as an hourglass shape, a rectangular shape, and a T-shape. In the case where the absorbent article is a disposable diaper, it is generally preferable to have a shape with a narrow crotch portion, such as an hourglass shape or a T-shaped shape, in order to improve a feeling of wearing. It is preferable that the upper layer has a larger area than the lower layer, is located above all the lower layers, and has a uniform thickness. By doing so, the swelling of the lower layer at the time of excrement absorption becomes easier to find out.

The surface sheet in the present invention is a liquid-permeable sheet, and a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric or woven fabric made of synthetic fibers made of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, other thermoplastic resin or the like is used. Natural fibers may be used, and the fibers can be manufactured from a wide range of materials such as a combination of synthetic fibers and natural fibers. In any case, the liquid-permeable topsheet is a portion that is in direct contact with the skin, so that it may be soft and comfortable, and may be breathable. Since the center region in the width direction of the topsheet is disposed on the absorber, it is preferable that the centersheet be made of hydrophilic fibers so that the liquid can be transmitted quickly. In addition, it is preferable that both side edges in the width direction of the liquid-permeable topsheet are water-repellent so as not to seep out from the absorber that has absorbed the liquid.

The top sheet does not need to be formed of a single sheet, but may be formed of a plurality of sheets such as a center surface sheet and side surface sheets. When the top sheet is composed of a plurality of sheets, each sheet may be made of a different material, or may be made of the same material.

The back sheet in the present invention is a liquid-impermeable sheet, and is a liquid-impermeable film such as polyethylene.
It is made of a material in which a non-woven fabric or a woven fabric is bonded to a liquid impermeable film, or a leak-proof non-woven fabric, a woven fabric, or the like. There is no particular limitation. It does not matter if it does not emit. Further, it may be embossed in a pattern to give a cloth-like appearance, or may be further matte-finished. Further, when a film is used, a known moisture-permeable film that is impermeable and allows only water vapor to pass through may be used, which is preferable because it prevents stuffiness. Further, the material may be elastic so as to fit the wearer. Use of a polyurethane film, a natural rubber sheet, a foamed sheet, or the like is conceivable, and a material in which an elastic nonwoven fabric or the like is bonded may be used.

Preferably, the back sheet and the lower layer of the absorber are joined. The joining method is not particularly limited, as long as it can be joined without removing the back sheet and the absorber lower layer portion, and a known adhesive, a sealing method, or the like can be used. Examples of the adhesive include an adhesive mainly containing styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer, styrene-isoprene-styrene copolymer, acrylate ester, vinyl acetate-ethylene acetate copolymer, and the like. Further, it is preferable that the back sheet and the absorber upper layer portion are joined in a portion where the lower layer portion does not exist, and a known adhesive or a sealing method can be used as a joining method. By joining the absorber in this manner, the swelling of the lower layer portion can be easily determined from the back sheet side, which is preferable.

[0024]

EXAMPLES The absorbent article of the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples below, but the present invention is of course not limited thereto. For convenience of explanation,
Hereinafter, the diaper will be mainly described. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a disposable diaper according to the present invention. In FIG.
The disposable diaper 1 is formed by disposing an absorber 4 between a liquid-permeable top sheet 2 and a liquid-impermeable back sheet 3.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the disposable diaper of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 cut along the line XX '. In FIG. 2, the absorber 4 comprises an upper layer 5 on the top sheet 2 and a lower layer 6 on the back sheet 3, the upper layer 5 comprises a fibrous substance 7 and an absorbent material 8, and the lower layer 6 comprises an absorbent substance. 8, each of which is wrapped around a hydrophilic sheet 9. Further, the lower layer portion 6 can be located at an arbitrary portion with respect to the back sheet 3, and in this example, two lower layer portions 6 are linearly arranged in the diaper length direction.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state after the lower layer of the disposable diaper shown in FIG. 2 has absorbed excrement. In FIG. 3, the absorber 4 absorbs the moisture of the excrement and swells. In particular, the lower layer 6 is swelled in the direction of the back sheet 3.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the disposable diaper shown in FIG. 3 in a worn state, and shows a state in which the lower layer is swollen by absorbing the moisture of excrement. In FIG. 4, the lower layer 6 swells to form a bulge 12, which can be discriminated from the back sheet 3 side, and it can be easily confirmed that excrement is present in the diaper.

[0028]

The absorbent article of the present invention has the same size as the conventional absorbent article when used and does not impair the fit, and the excretion of the wearer can be easily confirmed in the worn state when excreted by the wearer. The absorbent article can be replaced at an appropriate time, and the wearer can use the absorbent article comfortably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway plan view of a disposable diaper of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the disposable diaper shown in FIG. 1 taken along line XX ′.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the disposable diaper shown in FIG. 2 after absorbing excrement.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the disposable diaper shown in FIG. 3 in a worn state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Disposable diaper 2. Top sheet 3. Back sheet 4. Absorber 5. Absorber upper layer 6. Absorber lower layer 7. Fiber substance 8. Absorbent substance 9. Hydrophilic sheet 10. Leg elastic body 11. Fastening tape 12. Swelling of lower layer due to swelling

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) A61F 13/472 13/15

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An absorbent article comprising a liquid-permeable top sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorber disposed between the two sheets, wherein the absorber is located on the top sheet side. An upper layer portion and a lower layer portion located on the back sheet side, wherein the lower layer portion is made of an absorbent material or a hydrophilic sheet, and is arranged in a pattern on an arbitrary portion with respect to the back sheet, In addition, the absorbent article is characterized in that it absorbs water and swells when the wearer excretes, and the pattern-like irregularities can be distinguished from the back sheet side. 2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent substance absorbs water at least 30 times its own weight. 3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the back sheet and the upper layer are joined at a portion where the lower layer does not exist. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a total area of the lower layer portion is 20% or less of an area of the back sheet.
4. The absorbent article according to any one of 3.