JP2013126455A - Absorbent article - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an absorbent article wherein the liquid permeability of a body fluid into an absorber is further improved and wherein stuffiness or a rash can hardly occur.SOLUTION: This absorbent article 1A includes a front face sheet, a rear face sheet 3, and the absorber 4. An upper layer sheet on a skin-facing face side rather than the absorber 4 includes: a skin-facing side layer 21 having unevenness by embossing; a non-skin-facing face side layer 22 not applied with embossing; skin-facing face side fiber 21f constituting the skin-facing face side layer 21; non-skin-facing face side fiber 22f constituting the non-skin-facing face side layer 22; and traverse fiber 2f straddling between the skin-facing face side layer 21 and the non-skin-facing face side layer 22. In an interface between the skin-facing face side layer 21 and the non-skin-facing face side layer 22, the skin-facing face side fiber 21f and the non-skin-facing face side fiber 22f are thermally fused to each other, and the traverse fiber 2f is thermally fused to the skin-facing face side fiber 21f inside the skin-facing face side layer 21 and the non-skin-facing face side fiber 22f inside the non-skin-facing face side layer 22.

Description

  The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and sanitary napkins.

  In general, absorbent articles such as disposable diapers are required to be resistant to stuffiness and fogging as basic performance. In order to prevent the occurrence of stuffiness and fogging, for example, the surface sheet used in the absorbent article is required to have a concave-convex shape on the skin-facing surface or to have good fluid permeability to the absorbent body fluid.

For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a surface sheet of an absorbent article having a three-dimensional uneven shape.
Further, in Patent Document 3, a non-elastic fiber layer is disposed on one surface of an elastic fiber layer, a part of the constituent fibers of the elastic fiber layer enter the non-elastic fiber layer, and the constituent fibers of the elastic fiber layer maintain a fiber form. In such a state, a stretchable nonwoven fabric is described in which the elastic fiber layer and the non-elastic fiber layer are joined together by thermal fusion at the fiber intersection.
Patent Document 4 describes an absorbent article such as a sanitary napkin in which a laminated nonwoven fabric having a laminated structure of two or more layers is used in the wing portion.

JP 2007-130800 A JP 2010-115479 A JP 2007-138374 A JP 2008-61664 A

If the topsheet having a three-dimensional structure described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 is used, the unevenness of the skin-facing surface tends to reduce swelling and blurring. However, the surface sheet having a three-dimensional structure described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 has an emboss extending from the skin-facing surface to the non-skin-facing surface. There was room for further improvement.
Moreover, the stretchable nonwoven fabric described in Patent Document 3 has no description on embossing, and does not describe anything about the fluid permeability of body fluids. Moreover, when used for the surface sheet of an absorbent article, there are concerns about problems such as accumulation of body fluids in the irregular wrinkles formed during shrinkage, and there is room for further improvement.
Moreover, the laminated nonwoven fabric of patent document 4 is not described at all other than being distribute | arranged to a wing part. In the laminated nonwoven fabric described in Patent Document 4, each layer is bonded using an adhesive, and even when the laminated nonwoven fabric is used as a surface sheet, it improves with respect to good liquid permeability to the absorbent of body fluid. There was room.

  Therefore, the subject of this invention is providing the absorbent article which the liquid permeability to the absorber of a bodily fluid improves further, and it is hard to produce a swelling and a fog.

  The present invention is an absorbent article comprising a top sheet, a back sheet, and a vertically long absorbent disposed between these sheets, the upper layer sheet positioned on the skin-facing surface side from the absorbent, Skin facing surface comprising a skin facing surface side layer having a large number of protrusions and recesses by embossing on the skin facing surface side, and a non-skin facing surface side layer not subjected to embossing, and constituting the skin facing surface side layer The skin-facing surface-side layer, the skin-facing surface-side fiber constituting the non-skin-facing surface-side layer, and the skin-facing surface-side layer and the transverse fibers straddling the non-skin-facing surface-side layer. And the non-skin facing surface side layer, the skin facing surface side fiber and the non-skin facing surface side fiber are thermally fused to each other, and the transverse fiber is in the skin facing surface side layer. The skin facing surface side fibers and the non-skin facing surface side fibers in the non-skin facing surface side layer are thermally fused to each other. There is provided a Osamusei article.

  According to the absorbent article of the present invention, the fluid permeability of the body fluid to the absorbent body is further improved, and stuffiness and fogging are unlikely to occur.

Drawing 1 is a top view showing the state where the deployment type disposable diaper which is a 1st embodiment of the present invention was extended and expanded. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line x1-x1 of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part for explaining the topsheet provided in the diaper shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line tt in FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the arrangement of the constituent fibers in the cross-sectional view of the top sheet shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a suitable apparatus for manufacturing the topsheet provided in the diaper shown in FIG. FIG. 7: is a top view which shows the state which expanded and expanded the expansion | deployment type disposable diaper which is 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line x2-x2 of FIG.

  Hereinafter, the absorbent article of this invention is demonstrated, referring FIGS. 1-5 based on the preferable 1st Embodiment.

  The absorbent article of the first embodiment is a disposable diaper, and the disposable diaper 1A of the first embodiment (hereinafter also referred to as “diaper 1A”) is a liquid-permeable top sheet 2 and a liquid-permeable surface. A back sheet 3 and a vertically long absorbent body 4 disposed between the sheets 2 and 3 are provided. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a pair is provided on both sides 1s and 1s along the longitudinal direction (y direction). These three-dimensional gathers 5 and 5 are so-called unfolded disposable diapers formed by arranging elastic members 51. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the diaper 1 </ b> A has lateral sides (x direction) outward from the pair of three-dimensional gathers 5 and 5 on both side portions 1 s and 1 s along the vertical direction (y direction). A pair of leg gathers 6, 6 are formed by arranging elastic members 61, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, the diaper 1A is formed symmetrically with respect to a center line CL extending in the longitudinal direction of the diaper 1A. The “y direction” shown in each figure is a direction parallel to the center line CL, and is also the same direction as the vertical direction of the diaper. The “x direction” shown in each figure is a direction orthogonal to the center line CL, and is also the same direction as the lateral direction of the diaper.

The diaper 1A will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 1, the diaper 1A includes a top sheet 2, a back sheet 3, and an absorbent body 4 disposed between the sheets 2 and 3, as shown in FIG. A pair of fastening tapes 8 extending outward in the X direction from both side edges of the back side B of the absorbent main body 7, the absorbent main body 7 divided into the ventral side A, the back side B and the crotch C; 8 and the abdominal side A of the absorbent main body 7 have a target sheet 9 that engages with the fastening tape 8.
The ventral part A is a part located on the abdomen side of the wearer at the time of wearing, the dorsal part B is a part located on the dorsal side of the wearer at the time of wearing, and the crotch part C is a part of the ventral part A and the dorsal part. It is a part arranged between B.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the absorbent main body 7 has a shape that is long in the y direction and that both side edges extending along the y direction are inwardly bound at the center in the y direction. The width of the part is wider than the width of the central part in the y direction. As shown in FIG. 1, each of the top sheet 2 and the back sheet 3 forming the absorbent main body 7 covers the entire surface on the skin facing surface side and the entire surface on the non-skin facing surface side of the absorber 4. It extends from the periphery. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the length of the top sheet 2 in the x direction is shorter than the length of the back sheet 3 in the X direction.

  Each of the pair of three-dimensional gathers 5 and 5 of the diaper 1 </ b> A is formed using a three-dimensional gather forming sheet 52. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the pair of three-dimensional gathers 5 and 5 folds the three-dimensional gather forming sheet 52 into two or more layers, and one or more stretched sheets in the longitudinal direction (y direction) between the folded sheets. An elastic member 51 is provided. When the three-dimensional gather 5 formed in this way is worn, the one or more elastic members 51 are contracted so that a portion having a predetermined width from the free end is separated from the surface sheet 2 and is laterally directed toward the wearer's skin. Stands inward (x direction) (centerline CL side).

  On both sides of the absorbent main body 7 of the diaper 1A (both sides 1s and 1s of the diaper 1A), as shown in FIG. The extension part of the sheet | seat 52 for solid gathers formation and the back surface sheet 3 are joined, and the side flap part 11 is formed. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the both sides of the absorbent main body 7 (both sides 1s and 1s of the diaper 1A) are for forming a three-dimensional gather extending outward in the lateral direction (X direction) at the crotch C. The extended portion of the sheet 52 and the back sheet 3 are joined to form the leg flap portion 12. An elastic member 61 for forming leg gathers is arranged and fixed in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) in the leg crotch portion C in the crotch portion C. When worn, the leg flap portion 12 is caused by the contraction force of the elastic member. A gather 6 is formed.

  In the diaper 1 </ b> A, the upper layer sheet positioned on the skin facing surface side with respect to the absorber 4 is the top sheet 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the top sheet 2 of the diaper 1 </ b> A includes a skin facing surface side layer 21 having a large number of convex portions 23 and concave portions 24 by embossing on the skin facing surface side, and non-embossed non-skin An opposing surface side layer 22 is provided. Here, the “skin facing surface” is a surface disposed on the skin side of the wearer when wearing, among the front and back surfaces of each member such as the absorbent main body 7, and the “non-skin facing surface” is absorbed. Of the front and back surfaces of each member such as the sex main body 7, the surface is directed to the side opposite to the skin side of the wearer when worn. The top sheet 2 of the diaper 1 </ b> A has a two-layer structure including a skin facing surface side layer 21 and a non-skin facing surface side layer 22 as shown in FIG. 3.

The skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 are distinguished by the following method.
First, the top sheet 2 is cut using a sharp cutter. Then, the cut cross section is placed on a black table, and the cross section of the top sheet 2 is observed using a microscope (manufactured by Keyence Corporation, product number VHX-900). And by observation, fibers with traces that have been embossed (crushed by embossing, thermal fusion by embossing, deformation by embossing) are extracted. A virtual boundary connecting the tips on the non-skin facing surface side in each extracted fiber is defined as an “interface” between the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22, and the virtual boundary The skin facing surface side (upper layer) from the (interface) is defined as the skin facing surface side layer 21, and the non-skin facing surface side (lower layer) from the virtual boundary (interface) is defined as the non-skin facing surface side layer 22.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the skin facing surface side layer 21 of the topsheet 2 has a substantially flat non-skin facing surface (surface facing the non-skin facing surface side layer 22) of the skin facing surface side layer 21. The skin facing surface of the skin facing surface side layer 21 (the surface that comes into contact with the skin side of the wearer at the time of wearing) has a concavo-convex shape having a large number of convex portions 23 and concave portions 24. The concave portion 24 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 is formed by embossing and consolidating and bonding the constituent fibers 21f (skin facing surface side fibers described later) of the skin facing surface side layer 21. On the other hand, the convex part 23 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 located between the concave parts 24 is not consolidated by embossing. Accordingly, the thickness of the concave portion 24 is smaller than the thickness of the convex portion 23. The convex portion 23 has a shape protruding toward the skin facing surface side (the upper surface side in FIG. 4) of the nonwoven fabric 2. Thus, the skin facing surface side layer 21 of the topsheet 2 is three-dimensionally shaped by embossing.

In the diaper 1 </ b> A, as shown in FIG. 3, the convex portions 23 and the concave portions 24 are alternately arranged in one direction of the topsheet 2, and are also alternately arranged in a direction orthogonal to the one direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the recess 24 of the diaper 1 </ b> A includes a plurality of first linear crimping portions 24 a formed in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval, and a plurality of recesses 24 formed in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval. The second linear crimping portion 24b and the first linear crimping portion 24a and the second linear crimping portion 24b intersect to form a lattice pattern (quilt pattern). It is preferable that the first linear crimping portion 24a and the second linear crimping portion 24b intersect at an angle of 10 to 90 °. The interval between the first linear crimping portions 24a and the interval between the second linear crimping portions 24b are preferably 3 to 14 mm, respectively. The width of each first linear crimp portion 24a and the width of each second linear crimp portion 24b are each preferably 0.2 to 1.5 mm.

  The area ratio between the convex portion 23 and the concave portion 24 in the skin facing surface side layer 21 is an embossing rate (an embossed area ratio, that is, a ratio of the total area of the concave portion 24 to the entire skin facing surface of the skin facing surface side layer 21). It is expressed and affects the bulkiness of the surface sheet 2. From this viewpoint, the embossing rate in the skin facing surface side layer 21 is preferably 5 to 35%, particularly preferably 10 to 25%. The above embossing rate is measured by the following method. First, an enlarged photograph of the skin facing surface of the skin facing surface side layer 21 constituting the surface sheet 2 is obtained using a microscope (manufactured by Keyence Corporation, VHX-900), and the scale is matched with the enlarged photograph of the skin facing surface. Then, the dimension of the recess 24 (that is, the embossed portion) is measured, and the total area P of the recess 24 in the entire area Q of the measurement site is calculated. The embossing rate can be calculated by the formula (P / Q) × 100.

  As described above, as shown in FIG. 4, the recess 24 of the diaper 1A is formed in a lattice shape (quilt pattern) by intersecting the first linear crimping portion 24a and the second linear crimping portion 24b. However, it may not be formed in a lattice shape, and may be, for example, a dot-like emboss pattern or a broken-line emboss pattern as long as the embossing rate described above is satisfied.

  Moreover, the non-skin opposing surface side layer 22 of the surface sheet 2 has a skin opposing surface (a surface facing the skin opposing surface side layer 21) and a non-skin opposing surface of the non-skin opposing surface side layer 22, as shown in FIG. Each is almost flat. That is, the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 of the topsheet 2 is not embossed and is not three-dimensionally shaped.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the surface sheet 2 includes a skin facing surface side fiber 21 f that constitutes the skin facing surface side layer 21, a non-skin facing surface side fiber 22 f that constitutes the non-skin facing surface side layer 22, and It has the transverse fiber 2f straddling the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22. Two or more crossing fibers 22f are preferably present between 1 mm in the MD direction of the nonwoven fabric, and more preferably four or more. The number of the transverse fibers 2f can be measured by cutting a cross section with a sharp cutter and observing with an electron microscope. As shown in FIG. 4, the inside of the convex part 23 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 is mainly filled with the skin facing surface side fibers 21f. In the convex portion 23, a plurality of skin facing surface side fibers 21f are fused at their intersections. In the non-skin facing side layer 22, a plurality of non-skin facing side fibers 22f are fused at their intersections. Whether the fibers are thermally fused can be determined by observing the skin facing surface side layer 21 or the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 of the topsheet 2 with a scanning electron microscope.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the surface sheet 2, at the interface between the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22, the skin facing surface side fibers 21f and the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f heat each other. It is formed by fusing. Whether or not the skin facing surface side fiber 21f and the non-skin facing surface side fiber 22f are thermally fused to each other can be determined by observation with a scanning electron microscope as described above. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the surface sheet 2 has a transverse fiber 2 f straddling the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22, and the skin facing surface side in the skin facing surface side layer 21. Each of the fibers 21f and the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f in the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 is formed by heat fusion. Similarly, whether or not the skin facing surface side fibers 21f and the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f and the transverse fibers 2f are thermally fused can be determined by observation with a scanning electron microscope. Thus, in the surface sheet 2, heat fusion between fibers is used for fixing the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 without using any adhesive. .

In the diaper 1A, the fiber spacing between the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f of the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 is the fiber spacing between the skin facing surface side fibers 21f of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the vicinity of the recess 24 by embossing. It is formed more sparsely. In other words, as shown in FIG. 5, the fiber spacing between the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f is such that the skin facing surface side of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the vicinity of the embossed recess 24 (first linear crimping portion 24a). It is formed wider than the fiber interval between the fibers 21f. By being formed in this way, the body fluid that has passed through the skin facing surface layer 21 is prevented from staying on the non-skin facing surface, and a nonwoven fabric excellent in liquid permeability can be obtained.
Note that the vicinity of the recess 24 (first linear crimping portion 24a) means a position about 1.0 mm away from the end of the crimping portion 24a.

Moreover, in diaper 1A, the fiber space | interval of the skin opposing surface side fiber 21f near the non-skin opposing surface side layer 22 of the skin opposing surface side layer 21 in the convex part 23 by embossing is the skin in the recessed part 24 vicinity by embossing. The opposing surface side layer 21 is formed sparser than the fiber spacing between the skin opposing surface side fibers 21f. In other words, as shown in FIG. 5, the fiber spacing between the skin facing surface side fibers 21f near the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the convex portion 23 is the recess 24 (first It is formed wider than the fiber spacing between the skin facing surface side fibers 21f of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the vicinity of the linear crimping portion 24a). By being formed in this manner, it is possible to prevent the body fluid from remaining in the vicinity of the concave portion by embossing on the surface of the skin facing surface side layer 21 and to make a nonwoven fabric excellent in liquid permeability.
The “skin facing surface side fiber 21f near the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the projecting portion 23” means the projecting portion 23 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 as shown in FIG. 21f is a skin-facing surface side fiber located in a portion excluding the top portion of the protrusion. Specifically, when the height of the convex portion 23 at the apex of the convex portion 23 is divided into two equal parts, the lower side (non-skin facing surface side) It means the skin facing surface side fiber 21f arranged on the layer 22 side).

  Further, in the diaper 1A, the fiber spacing between the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f of the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 is closer to the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the convex portion 23 by embossing. It is formed wider than the fiber interval between the skin facing surface side fibers 21f. By being formed in this way, the body fluid that has passed through the skin facing surface side layer 21 is prevented from staying in the non-skin facing surface side layer 22, and a nonwoven fabric excellent in liquid permeability can be obtained.

The measurement of the fiber spacing is performed according to the procedure described below.
First, using a sharp cutter, along the MD direction (fiber orientation direction) of the non-woven fabric, the CDs of adjacent convex portions 23 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 constituting the surface sheet 2 are connected to each other. Cut so that the thickness in the direction (direction perpendicular to the MD direction) is 0.5 to 1.0 mm in width. The cut nonwoven fabric is placed on a black table so that the cross section along the MD direction is up and down, and an enlarged photograph of the cross section along the MD direction is obtained using a microscope (VHX-900, manufactured by Keyence Corporation). . The enlarged photograph data (jpeg) is subjected to image analysis processing using image analysis software (NexusNewQube).
Specifically, binarization processing is performed in the vicinity of the recess 24 by embossing in the range of 0.3 mm in the front and back direction and 1.0 mm in the MD direction, and the area ratio (%) in which the fiber occupies the space is obtained. For the other parts, binarization processing is performed for a range of 0.5 mm in the front and back direction and 2.0 mm in the MD direction, and the area ratio (%) in which the fiber occupies the space is obtained. Next, the fiber diameter is measured from the same enlarged photograph. If multiple types of fibers are used, the average value is used. The fiber spacing is proportional to the 1/2 power of the area ratio (1-fiber area ratio) of the part without the fiber and inversely proportional to the fiber diameter. Therefore, the fiber spacing is determined by the following formula. To do.
Fiber spacing (μm) = ((90000 × (1−fiber area ratio)) ^1/2 ÷ fiber diameter) × 14.3

The average fiber interval between the non-skin facing side fibers 22f is preferably 100 to 250 μm, and more preferably 150 to 200 μm or more.
The fiber spacing between the skin facing surface side fibers 21f of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the vicinity of the recess 24 is as follows.
It is preferable that it is 10-150 micrometers, and it is still more preferable that it is 40-120 micrometers.
The fiber spacing between the skin facing surface side fibers 21f near the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the convex portion 23 is preferably 100 to 200 μm or more, and more preferably 120 to 160 μm. preferable.

The skin facing surface side fibers 21f, the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f, and the transverse fibers 2f may be the same material or different materials.
As the skin facing surface side fiber 21f, the non-skin facing surface side fiber 22f, and the transverse fiber 2f, any fiber can be used as long as it has heat-fusibility.
The heat-fusible fiber is preferably a crimped composite fiber such as a core-sheath type or a side-by-side type made of a thermoplastic resin.
Examples of the thermoplastic resin include polyester polymers, polyamide polymers, polyolefin polymers, and the like.
Examples of the polyester-based polymer include polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and the like, and copolymers thereof. In use, these may be used alone or in combination of two or more. it can.
Examples of polyamide polymers include polyamide polymers such as nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 2, nylon 3, nylon 4, nylon 7, nylon 11, nylon 12, nylon 610, and copolymers. These can be used alone or in admixture of two or more.
Polyolefin polymers include propylene homopolymer, ethylene-propylene copolymer, ethylene-butene 1-propylene terpolymer, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate. A copolymer, an ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, an ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer, and the like can be mentioned, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

In particular, the transverse fiber 2f is a heat-extensible material whose length is increased by heating from the viewpoint of easily straddling the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 from the skin facing surface side layer 22 in the nonwoven fabric manufacturing method using an air-sul method described later. It is preferably a fiber.
The heat-extensible fiber includes a first resin component made of a high melting point resin, and a second resin component made of a low melting point resin having a melting point or softening point lower than the melting point of the first resin component. Is a composite fiber in which at least a part of the fiber surface is continuously present in the length direction (hereinafter, this fiber is referred to as “heat-extensible composite fiber”). The 1st resin component in a heat | fever extensible composite fiber is a component which expresses the heat | fever extensibility of this fiber, and a 2nd resin component is a component which expresses heat-fusibility. The heat-extensible conjugate fiber is generally a two-component system, but may be a multi-component system having three or more components.

  The heat stretchable conjugate fiber can be stretched by heat at a temperature lower than the melting point of the first resin component. The heat-extensible conjugate fiber has a temperature of 10 to 20 ° C. higher than the melting point of the second resin component, and in the case of a resin having no melting point, the thermal elongation rate at a temperature 10 ° C. higher than the softening point is 0.5 to 20%, particularly It is preferably 3 to 20%, particularly 5 to 20%.

  The melting points of the first resin component and the second resin component are measured using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC6200 manufactured by Seiko Instruments Inc.). A finely cut fiber sample (sample weight 2 mg) is subjected to thermal analysis at a heating rate of 10 ° C./min, and the melting peak temperature of each resin is measured. The melting point is defined by its melting peak temperature. When the melting point of the second resin component cannot be clearly measured by this method, this resin is defined as “resin having no melting point”. In this case, the temperature at which the second resin component is fused to such an extent that the fusion point strength of the fiber can be measured is defined as the temperature at which the molecular flow of the second resin component begins.

[Thermal elongation of fiber]
The thermal elongation rate of the fiber is measured by the following method. A thermomechanical analyzer TMA / SS6000 manufactured by Seiko Instruments Inc. is used. As a sample, after preparing a plurality of fibers having a fiber length of 10 mm or more so that the total weight per 10 mm of the fiber length is 0.5 mg, and arranging the plurality of fibers in parallel, Mount on the device with 10mm distance between chucks. The measurement start temperature is 25 ° C., and the temperature is increased at a temperature increase rate of 5 ° C./min with a constant load of 0.73 mN / dtex applied. The amount of elongation of the fiber at that time is measured, and in the case of a resin having no melting point and a temperature 10 ° C. higher than the melting point of the second resin component, the amount of elongation Cmm at a temperature 10 ° C. higher than the softening point is read.
The thermal elongation rate of the fiber is calculated from (C / 10) × 100 [%]. If this thermal elongation rate is greater than 0, it is determined that the fiber is a heat-extensible fiber.
The reason for measuring the thermal elongation at the above-mentioned temperature is that when the nonwoven fabric is produced by thermally fusing the intersections of the fibers, it is not less than the melting point or softening point of the second resin component and about 10 ° C. from them. This is because it is usually produced in a range up to a high temperature.

  There is no restriction | limiting in particular in the kind of 1st resin component and 2nd resin component, What is necessary is just resin with fiber formation ability. In particular, it is preferable that the difference between the melting points of the two resin components or the difference between the melting point of the first resin component and the softening point of the second resin component is 20 ° C. or more, particularly 25 ° C. or more. When the heat-extensible conjugate fiber is a core-sheath type, a resin having a melting point of the core component higher than the melting point or softening point of the sheath component is used. In particular, it is preferable to use a core-sheath type heat-stretchable conjugate fiber having polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a core and a resin having a melting point lower than these as a sheath. As a preferable combination of the first resin component and the second resin component, as the second resin component when the first resin component is PP, the high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear Examples thereof include polyethylene such as low density polyethylene (LLDPE), ethylene propylene copolymer, and polystyrene. In addition, when a polyester resin such as PET or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is used as the first resin component, PP, copolymer polyester, or the like can be used as the second resin component in addition to the example of the second resin component described above. Can be mentioned. Furthermore, examples of the first resin component include polyamide-based polymers and two or more types of copolymers of the first resin component described above, and examples of the second resin component include two or more types of the second resin component described above. Copolymers are also included. These are appropriately combined.

  Examples of the heat-extensible fibers include Japanese Patent No. 4131852, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-350836, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-303035, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-204899, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-204901, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-2007. The fiber described in 204902, Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2008-101285, etc. can also be used.

  In particular, the skin-facing surface side fiber 21f is excellent in bulkiness, and the skin-facing surface side fiber 21f is also the above-described heat-extensible fiber from the viewpoint of easily increasing the fiber spacing at the top of the convex portion 23 and making the fiber density sparse. Is preferred.

The surface sheet 2 preferably has a basis weight of 10 to 80 g / m ² , particularly 15 to 60 g / m ² . The thickness of the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 constituting the top sheet 2 is preferably 0.3 to 2.5 mm, particularly preferably 0.5 to 2.5 mm. The thickness of the convex part 23 in the skin facing surface side layer 21 constituting the top sheet 2 is preferably 0.3 to 2.5 mm, particularly preferably 0.5 to 2.5 mm. The thickness of the recess 24 in the surface side layer 21 is preferably 0.01 to 0.3 mm, particularly preferably 0.01 to 0.1 mm. These thicknesses were cut to a size of 50 mm in the MD direction and 50 mm in the CD direction, a 12.5 g (diameter 56.4 mm) plate was placed on the cut measurement piece, and the nonwoven fabric under 49 Pa pressure Is measured with a microscope (manufactured by Keyence Corporation, VHX-900).

The material for forming the diaper 1A of the first embodiment will be described.
As the back surface sheet 3 and the absorbent body 4 constituting the absorbent main body 7, as long as they are usually used for absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, they can be used without particular limitation. For example, a liquid-impermeable or water-repellent resin film or a laminate of a resin film and a non-woven fabric can be used as the back sheet 3, and an aggregate of fibers such as pulp fibers (non-woven fabric) can be used as the absorber 4. Or a core wrap sheet made of water-permeable thin paper or non-woven fabric and the like can be used. Moreover, as the sheet | seat 52 for three-dimensional gather formation, if it is normally used for absorbent articles, such as a disposable diaper, it can be used without a restriction | limiting especially, A liquid-impermeable or water-repellent resin film and resin film, A nonwoven fabric laminate or the like can be used. The elastic member 51 for forming a three-dimensional gather and the elastic member 61 for forming a leg gather include natural rubber, polyurethane, polystyrene-polyisoprene copolymer, polystyrene-polybutadiene copolymer, polyethylene-α such as ethyl acrylate-ethylene. A thread-like stretchable material made of an olefin copolymer or the like can be used.

  The engagement protrusion of the fastening tape 8 and the target sheet 9 can be used without particular limitation as long as they are normally used for absorbent articles such as disposable diapers. For example, as the engagement protrusion, “Magic Tape (registered trademark)” (manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.), “Quicklon (registered trademark)” (manufactured by YKK), “Majikurosu (registered trademark)” (manufactured by Kanebo Bell Touch) The male member etc. in etc. can be used. As the target sheet 9, a target sheet that can fix the engaging protrusion by pressing the engaging protrusion can be used without particular limitation. For example, the female member in the various well-known mechanical hook-and-loop fastener mentioned above and the nonwoven fabric rich in engagement can be used.

  For fixing the top sheet 2, the back sheet 3, the three-dimensional gathering sheet 52, the fastening tape 8 and the target sheet 9, usually, an adhesive, heat embossing, ultrasonic embossing, high frequency used for absorbent articles such as disposable diapers. A fusing means such as embossing is used.

  Next, the suitable manufacturing method of the surface sheet 2 (upper layer sheet | seat) used for 1 A of diapers is demonstrated, referring FIG. The manufacturing apparatus 20 preferably used in the method for manufacturing the upper layer sheet (surface sheet 2) includes a web manufacturing unit 30, an embossing unit 40, a raised processing unit 50, an overlapping unit 60, and hot air blowing from the upstream side toward the downstream side. Part 70 is provided.

  In the web manufacturing unit 30, the web 21 a is manufactured using fibers that are the raw material of the skin facing surface side layer 21 constituting the top sheet 2, and separately, the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 constituting the top sheet 2. The web 22a is manufactured using the fiber used as the raw material. The web 21a has a first surface 21a1 and a second surface 21a2 located on the opposite side. The 1st surface 21a1 is a surface which contacts the embossing roll 401 in the embossing part 40 mentioned later, and is a surface where hot air is sprayed in the hot air spraying part 70 mentioned later. The 2nd surface 21a2 is a surface which contacts the flat roll 402 in the embossing part 40, and is a surface which opposes the raising roll 501 in the raising part 50. FIG. The web 22a has a first surface 22a1 and a second surface 22a2 located on the opposite side. The first surface 22a1 is a surface that comes into contact with the second surface 21a2 of the web 21a, and the second surface 22a2 is a surface facing the conveyor belt 702 made of a breathable net in the hot air blowing unit 70.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the web manufacturing unit 30 includes a card machine 301 that manufactures the web 21 a that is the skin-facing surface side layer 21 and a web transport belt 302 that is an endless belt that transports the web 21 a. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the web manufacturing unit 30 includes a card machine 303 that manufactures the web 22 a that becomes the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 and a web transport belt 304 that is an endless belt that transports the web 22 a. . Instead of the card machines 301 and 303, another web manufacturing apparatus, for example, an airlaid apparatus can be used.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the embossing section 40 includes a pair of embossing rolls 401 and flat rolls 402 that are opposed to each other with the web 21 a interposed therebetween. The embossing roll 401 is composed of a metal pattern roll having a large number of irregularities formed on its peripheral surface. The uneven pattern in the pattern roll can be appropriately selected according to the specific application of the upper layer sheet (surface sheet 2). For example, when forming a grid-like (quilted pattern) emboss pattern shown in FIG. 3, convex portions having a shape corresponding to the grid shape may be formed on the peripheral surface of the emboss roll 401. Further, when it is desired to form a dot-like emboss pattern (not shown) on the upper layer sheet (surface sheet 2), a convex portion having a shape corresponding to the dot may be formed on the peripheral surface of the roll 401. On the other hand, the flat roll 402 is a flat with a smooth peripheral surface. The flat roll 402 is made of metal, rubber, paper, or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the raised portion 50 includes a raised roll 501 having a large number of convex portions 511 on the peripheral surface, and the embossed web 21 a ′ is inclined on the upstream side of the raised roll 501. A web conveyance belt 502 formed of an endless belt that is conveyed while being conveyed is provided. The raising roll 501 rotates when a driving force from a driving means (not shown) is transmitted to the rotating shaft thereof. The rotating direction of the raising roll 501 is preferably rotated in the direction opposite to the conveying direction of the web 21a '.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the overlapping portion 60 is located immediately downstream of the raising roll 501, and the raised web 21 a ″ is vertically placed on the web 22 a conveyed by the web conveying belt 304. A roll 601 is provided. The roll 601 provides an angle at which the raised fibers of the web 21 a ″ subjected to the raising process can easily enter between the constituent fibers of the web 22 a.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the hot air blowing unit 70 includes a hood 701 and a conveyor belt 702 made of a breathable net that circulates inside the hood 701. Inside the hood 701, hot air is blown in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6 toward the conveyor belt 702. The conveyor belt 702 is made of a resin such as metal or polyethylene terephthalate. As described above, in the manufacturing apparatus 20, hot air is blown in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6 in the hood 701, but hot air is blown in the direction opposite to the arrow direction in FIG. It may be.

A preferred manufacturing method for manufacturing the upper layer sheet (surface sheet 2) using the manufacturing apparatus 20 including the web manufacturing unit 30, the embossing unit 40, the raised processing unit 50, the overlapping unit 60, and the hot air blowing unit 70 having such a configuration. Will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, first, in the web manufacturing unit 30, a skin facing surface side web that becomes the skin facing surface side layer 21 and a non-skin facing surface side web that becomes the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 are manufactured in separate steps. . Specifically, the web 21a that becomes the skin facing surface side layer 21 is manufactured using the card machine 301, and the web 22a that becomes the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 is manufactured using another card machine 303. . The webs 21a and 22a are in a state where their constituent fibers are loosely entangled with each other, and have not yet achieved shape retention as a sheet. Such a web 21a is conveyed to the embossing part 40 using the web conveyance belt 302. FIG.
Further, the web 22 a manufactured in a separate process from the web 21 a is transported to the overlapping unit 60 using the web transport belt 304.

  It is preferable that the fiber which is the raw material of the webs 21a and 22a has a fiber length of about 30 to 70 mm, and a fiber diameter of 10 to 35 μm, particularly 15 to 30 μm.

  Next, the skin facing surface side of the manufactured skin facing surface side web is embossed to form a large number of convex portions and concave portions. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, in the embossing section 40, the conveyed web 21a is sandwiched between the embossing roll 401 and the flat roll 402, and the heat-fusible fiber that is a constituent fiber of the web 21a. Are formed on the first surface 21a1 of the web 21a to form a large number of embossed portions corresponding to the recesses 24, thereby producing an embossed web 21a ′. Thus, by embossing the web 21a, the manufactured web 21a 'has shape retention as a sheet. Many irregularities are formed on the first surface 21a1 of the manufactured web 21a ', and the second surface 21a2 is formed flat. The embossing roll 401 is preferably heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the heat-fusible fiber that is a constituent fiber of the web 21a. The flat roll 402 may be heated or may not be heated.

  Next, before the skin facing surface side web and the non-skin facing surface side web are overlapped, the surface facing the non-skin facing surface side web of the skin facing surface side web is brushed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, an embossed web 21 a ′ is conveyed while being inclined using a web conveying belt 502, and a raised roll 501 provided with a large number of convex portions 511 is used. Then, the second surface 21a2 of the conveyed web 21a ′ is subjected to raising processing, and the constituent fibers are raised from the second surface 21a2 of the web 21a ′. In addition, in the manufacturing apparatus 20, although the raising process part 50 is provided, it does not need to be provided. However, from the viewpoint of efficiently forming the transverse fibers 2f, it is preferable to include the raised portions 50. Moreover, you may give a raising | fluffing process, when not overlapping before overlapping a skin opposing surface side web and a non-skin opposing surface side web.

Moreover, in the manufacturing apparatus 20, although raising is performed only on the 2nd surface 21a2 of web 21a 'conveyed using the raising roll 501, instead of the 2nd surface 21a2 of web 21a', A napping roll 501 may be provided on the web conveying belt 304 that conveys the web 22a, and napping processing may be performed on the surface of the non-skin facing surface side web 22a facing the skin facing surface side web 21a. Further, the second surface 21a2 of the web 21a 'and the facing surface of the non-skin facing surface side web 22a may be subjected to raising.
From the viewpoint of the raised surface and the hot air to be blown, when raising the second surface 21a2 of the web 21a ′, it is preferable to blow the hot air in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6 in the hood 701 from the surface 21a2. The raised constituent fibers are preferable because they can easily enter between the constituent fibers of the web 22a. When raising the facing surface of the non-skin facing surface side web 22a, the direction of the arrow in FIG. It is preferable to blow hot air in the opposite direction because the constituent fibers raised from the facing surface can easily enter between the constituent fibers of the web 21a ′.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the overlapping portion 60 uses the roll 602 to overlap the raised web 21 a ″ on the web 22 a conveyed by the web conveying belt 304. By using the roll 602, it is possible to drop the web 21a '' immediately after the raising process on the web 22a substantially vertically while curving the second surface 21a2 (raised surface). The raised constituent fibers tend to enter between the constituent fibers of the web 22a.

  Thereafter, hot air is blown to produce the upper layer sheet (surface sheet 2). At that time, hot air is blown from the skin facing surface side of the skin facing surface side web to manufacture the upper layer sheet. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the overlapped web 21 a ″ and web 22 a are conveyed into the hood 701 by the belt conveyor 702, and the first surface 21 a 1 of the web 21 a ″ is within the hood 701. Then, hot air is blown toward the second surface 22a2 of the web 22a to continuously produce the upper layer sheet. At the interface between the web 21a '' (skin facing surface side layer 21) and the web 22a (non-skin facing surface side layer 22), the constituent fibers of the web 21a '' (skin facing surface side fibers 21f) are formed by blowing hot air. And the constituent fibers of the web 22a (non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f) are heat-sealed with each other, and the constituent fibers (crossing fibers 2f) raised from the second surface 21a2 of the web 21a '' are web 21a ''. Each of the constituent fibers (skin opposing surface side fibers 21f) in the (skin opposing surface side layer 21) and the constituent fibers (non skin opposing surface side fibers 22f) in the web 22a (non-skin opposing surface side layer 22) are thermally fused. To do.

  In particular, when the constituent fibers of the web 21a to be the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the web 22a to be the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 are heat-extensible fibers, these fibers are formed by blowing hot air. The heat extensible fiber is elongated. At that time, since the fibers located at a large number of embossed portions on the first surface 21a1 of the web 21a '' are consolidated, no expansion occurs even when hot air is blown. Elongation is a heat extensibility fiber raised from the second surface 21a2 of the web 21a '', a heat extensible fiber existing in a portion other than the embossed portion corresponding to the recess 24, in other words, a portion between the embossed portions corresponding to the recess 24. This occurs with respect to the fibers and the heat-extensible fibers that are the constituent fibers of the web 22a. The heat-extensible fibers existing in the portion between the embossed portions corresponding to the recesses 24 of the web 21a '' are fixed by the embossed portions by blowing hot air, thereby extending the stretched heat-extensible fibers. The minute loses its place in the plane direction and moves in the thickness direction. Thereby, a bulky convex portion 23 is formed between the embossed portions. Further, the embossed portion becomes a recess 24. Therefore, in particular, when heat-extensible fibers are used, the fiber spacing between the skin facing surface side fibers 21f near the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the convex portion 23 is near the recess 24 by embossing. The skin-facing surface-side layer 21 of the skin-facing surface-side fiber 21f is likely to be formed wider than the fiber spacing between the fibers.

  In particular, when a heat-extensible fiber is used, the length of the heat-extensible fiber raised from the second surface 21a2 of the web 21a '' is increased by blowing hot air, and the skin-facing surface side layer 21 is not facing the skin. It becomes easy to become the transverse fiber 2f straddling the surface side layer 22.

  When a heat-extensible fiber is used as the constituent fiber of the web 22a, the stretch of the stretched heat-extensible fiber moves in the planar direction and the thickness direction by blowing hot air. Therefore, in particular, when heat-extensible fibers are used, the fiber spacing between the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f is greater than the fiber spacing between the skin facing surface side fibers 21f of the skin facing surface side layer 21 in the vicinity of the recess 24 by embossing. Are likely to be widely formed.

  Further, the hot-extensible fibers are stretched by blowing hot air, and at the same time, the intersections of the heat-extensible fibers are fused. By this fusion, the skin facing surface side fiber 21f and the non-skin facing surface side fiber 22f are thermally fused to each other at the interface between the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22, and The fibers 2 f further extend into the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22, respectively, so that the skin facing surface side fibers 21 f in the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 It comes to be heat-sealed with each skin facing surface side fiber 22f.

  The temperature of the hot air is preferably Mp or more and Mp + 50 ° C. or less, and more preferably Mp or more and Mp + 30 ° C. or less when the melting point of the constituent fibers of the webs 21a and 22a is Mp (° C.). The hot air blowing time is preferably 1 to 20 seconds, particularly 3 to 15 seconds, provided that the temperature and differential pressure of the hot air are within the above-described ranges.

  The diaper 1 </ b> A is manufactured using the upper layer sheet (surface sheet 2) formed in the same manner as in the conventional manufacturing method of a so-called longitudinal flow type unfolded disposable diaper. Specifically, an absorption provided with a plurality of absorbent bodies 4, 4... In the conveying direction between the continuous body of the upper layer sheet (surface sheet 2), the continuous body of the back sheet 3, and the continuous body of both sheets. One or more elastic members 61 extending in the transport direction are disposed on the continuous body of the absorbent main body 7 along both sides in the transport direction of the continuous body of the absorbent main body 7. After that, along each of both sides of the continuous body of the absorbent main body 7, a three-dimensional gather-forming band-shaped member having one or more elastic members 51 extending in the transport direction is disposed. A continuous body in which a pair of fastening tapes 8 and 8 are arranged for each absorbent body 4 included in the continuous body of the absorbent main body 7 so as to protrude outward in the width direction of the body is manufactured, and the continuous body is cut and processed. Thus, the diaper 1A can be continuously manufactured. Regarding the manufacturing method of the diaper 1A, points that are not particularly described can be manufactured in the same manner as in the conventional manufacturing method of the deployable disposable diaper of the longitudinal flow method.

The effect at the time of using the diaper 1A of 1st Embodiment of this invention mentioned above is demonstrated.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the surface sheet 2 of the diaper 1 </ b> A includes an uneven skin facing surface side layer 21 having a large number of convex portions 23 and concave portions 24 by embossing on the skin facing surface side. Therefore, stuffiness and fog are easy to reduce. Moreover, since the surface sheet 2 which the diaper 1A has has the crossing fiber 2f straddling the skin opposing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin opposing surface side layer 22, as shown in FIG. 4, FIG. It is easy to shift from the skin facing surface side layer 21 to the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 via the transverse fibers 2f, and the liquid permeability of the body fluid to the absorbent body 4 is further improved.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the surface sheet 2 of the diaper 1 </ b> A has a skin facing surface side fiber 21 f and a non skin facing surface at the interface between the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22. The side fibers 22f are heat-sealed to each other, and the transverse fibers 2f are respectively skin facing surface side fibers 21f in the skin facing surface side layer 21 and non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f in the non-skin facing surface side layer 22. It is formed by heat fusion. As described above, since the fibers are fixed only by fusion between the fibers, the body fluid easily migrates. In particular, the transverse fibers 2f are thermally fused with the skin facing surface side fibers 21f and the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f. Since it is firmly fixed, it is difficult to be pulled toward the body fluid side by capillary force, and it is easy to maintain the fiber interval. As a result, it is difficult for the body fluid to accumulate, and the body fluid tends to smoothly transition from the skin facing surface side layer 21 to the non-skin facing surface side layer 22 via the transverse fibers 2f.

  Next, the absorbent article of this invention is demonstrated based on the preferable 2nd Embodiment, referring FIG. 6, FIG.

  The absorbent article of 2nd Embodiment is a disposable diaper, About the disposable diaper 1B (henceforth "diaper 1B") of 2nd Embodiment, a different point from 1A of disposable diapers of 1st Embodiment is demonstrated. To do. The point which is not demonstrated especially is the same as that of the diaper 1A, and description of the diaper 1A is applied suitably.

  In the diaper 1 </ b> B, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a liquid-permeable sublayer sheet 10 is disposed between the top sheet 2 and the absorber 4. As shown in FIG. 7, the sublayer sheet 10 has a rectangular shape and is arranged so as to cover the absorber 4. As shown in FIG. 7, the sub-layer sheet 10 has a size over the entire length of the diaper 1 </ b> B (y direction) in the vertical direction (y direction), and in the horizontal direction (x direction), FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 4, the size is substantially the same as the horizontal direction (x direction) of the absorber 4.

  In the diaper 1 </ b> B, the sublayer sheet 10 corresponds to the upper layer sheet positioned on the skin facing surface side from the absorbent body 4. The sublayer sheet 10 of the diaper 1B is formed in the same configuration as the top sheet 2 of the diaper 1A described above except for the arrangement position and size. Therefore, the sublayer sheet 10 of the diaper 1B can be manufactured by the same method as the manufacturing method of the surface sheet 2 (upper layer sheet) used for the diaper 1A described above.

In addition, as the surface sheet 2 of diaper 1B, if it is normally used for absorbent articles, such as a disposable diaper, it can be used without a restriction | limiting in particular, For example, a hydrophilic and liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric etc. are used. Can do.
The material for forming the diaper 1B of the second embodiment is the same as the material for forming the disposable diaper 1A of the first embodiment, except for the sublayer sheet 10 and the top sheet 2.

  The diaper 1B is manufactured by using the upper layer sheet (sublayer sheet 10) manufactured by the same method, and in the subsequent process, in the same manner as the conventional manufacturing method of a so-called longitudinal flow type disposable disposable diaper. The Specifically, a plurality of absorbent bodies 4, 4... Are provided in the conveying direction between the continuous body of the top sheet 2, the continuous body of the back sheet 3, and the continuous body of both sheets. Between the absorbent body 7 and the absorbent bodies 4, 4... In the continuous body of the absorbent body 7 having a continuous body of the upper layer sheet (sublayer sheet 10). One or more elastic members 61 extending in the transport direction are disposed along each of the two side portions. After that, along each of both sides of the continuous body of the absorbent main body 7, a three-dimensional gather-forming band-shaped member having one or more elastic members 51 extending in the transport direction is disposed. A continuous body in which a pair of fastening tapes 8 and 8 are arranged for each absorbent body 4 included in the continuous body of the absorbent main body 7 so as to protrude outward in the width direction of the body is manufactured, and the continuous body is cut and processed. Thus, the diaper 1B can be continuously manufactured. Regarding the manufacturing method of the diaper 1B, the points that are not particularly described can be manufactured in the same manner as the manufacturing method of the conventional vertical flow type unfolded disposable diaper.

The effect at the time of using the diaper 1B of 2nd Embodiment of this invention mentioned above is demonstrated.
About the effect of the diaper 1B, a different point from the effect of the diaper 1A of 1st Embodiment is demonstrated. The point which is not demonstrated especially is the same as that of the effect of diaper 1A, and description of the effect of diaper 1A is applied suitably.

  The diaper 1B waits for a large number of uneven shapes by embossing on the skin-facing surface side of the sublayer 10, and the body fluid that has passed through the top sheet 2 spreads in the plane direction of the diaper through the recess 24, so that the body fluid absorbability is good. And fog are easy to reduce. Moreover, since the sublayer 10 has the transverse fibers 2f straddling the skin facing surface side layer 21 and the non-skin facing surface side layer 22, the body fluid passes from the skin facing surface side layer 21 to the non-skin via the transverse fibers 2f. It is easy to move to the opposing surface side layer 22, and the liquid permeability of the body fluid to the absorber 4 is further improved.

  The absorbent article of the present invention is not limited to the diaper 1A of the first embodiment and the diaper 1B of the second embodiment, and can be appropriately changed. Moreover, each component in the diaper 1A of 1st Embodiment mentioned above and the diaper 1B of 2nd Embodiment can be implemented suitably combining in the range which does not impair the meaning of this invention.

  For example, the absorbent article of the present invention may be a pants-type disposable diaper other than a deployable disposable diaper, a sanitary napkin, a liner, or the like. When the absorbent article of the present invention is a disposable diaper, the disposable diaper may be a disposable diaper for infants or adults. Further, the side flap portion may be a panel type diaper having a separate member.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited by the examples.

[Example 1]
The top sheet shown in FIG. 3 was manufactured under the conditions shown in Table 1 below using the manufacturing apparatus 20 shown in FIG. The skin facing surface side layer of the surface sheet was shaped in a lattice (quilt pattern) by the first linear crimping portion 24a and the second linear crimping portion 24b, and the embossing rate was 14%. Further, the first linear crimping portion 24a and the second linear crimping portion 24b intersect at an angle of 30 °, and the interval between the first linear crimping portion 24a and the second linear crimping portion 24b is as follows. 6.8 mm, and the width of each was 0.5 mm.
As the raw fiber of the webs 21a and 22a, a heat-extensible composite fiber having a core component of PET and a sheath component of PE is used. The fiber has a fineness of 4.2 dtex and a fiber length of 41 mm. The fiber diameter was 22 μm.

[Example 2]
In the manufacturing apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 6, the surface sheet shown in FIG. 3 was manufactured on the conditions shown in the following Table 1 using the apparatus except the raising roll 501 of the raising part 50. A surface sheet shown in FIG. 3 was manufactured under the same conditions as in Example 1 except that the apparatus excluding the raised portion 50 was used.
The raw fibers of the webs 21a and 22a were the same as those in Example 1.

[Example 3]
In the manufacturing apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 6, the surface sheet shown in FIG. 3 was manufactured on the conditions shown in the following Table 1 using the apparatus except the raising roll 501 of the raising part 50. A surface sheet shown in FIG. 3 was manufactured under the same conditions as in Example 1 except that the apparatus excluding the raised portion 50 was used.
As the raw material fibers of the webs 21a and 22a, the core component is PET and the sheath component is PE, but non-thermally stretchable fibers were used. The non-heat-stretchable fiber had a fineness of 3.3 dtex, a fiber length of 51 mm, and a fiber diameter of 19 μm.

[Example 4]
In the manufacturing apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 6, the surface sheet shown in FIG. 3 was manufactured on the conditions shown in the following Table 1 using the apparatus except the raising roll 501 of the raising part 50. A surface sheet shown in FIG. 3 was manufactured under the same conditions as in Example 1 except that the apparatus excluding the raised portion 50 was used.
As the raw fiber of the web 21a, a heat-stretchable composite fiber having a core component of PET and a sheath component of PE is used. The fiber has a fineness of 4.2 dtex and a fiber length of 41 mm. The fiber diameter was 22 μm.
As the raw material fibers of the web 22a, the core component is PET and the sheath component is PE, but non-thermally stretchable fibers were used. The non-heat-stretchable fiber had a fineness of 3.3 dtex, a fiber length of 51 mm, and a fiber diameter of 19 μm.

[Comparative Example 1]
In the manufacturing apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 6, the apparatus is obtained by removing the raising roll 501 of the raising processing unit 50, and the positions of the pair of the embossing roll 401 and the flat roll 402 for embossing the web 21 a are set to the web 21 a and the web 22 a. The top sheet was manufactured under the conditions shown in Table 1 below using the apparatus that was moved before and in front of the hot air blowing unit 70. Except for using the above apparatus, the web 21a and the web 22a were manufactured under the same conditions as in Example 1. After the web 21a was overlapped with the web 22a, the embossing was performed by the pair of embossing rolls 401 and flat rolls 402, and then Hot air was sprayed by the hot air spraying part 70, and the surface sheet was manufactured.
As the raw material fibers of the webs 21a and 22a, the core component is PET and the sheath component is PE, but non-thermally stretchable fibers were used. The non-heat-stretchable fiber had a fineness of 3.3 dtex, a fiber length of 51 mm, and a fiber diameter of 19 μm.
In addition, in the surface sheet of the comparative example 1, embossing is given from the skin facing surface to the non-skin facing surface, and there is no distinction between the skin facing surface layer and the non-skin facing surface layer. Each of the skin facing surface and the non-skin facing surface has an uneven shape, and the unevenness on the skin facing surface is formed larger than the unevenness on the non-skin facing surface. In the column of fiber spacing between the skin facing surface side fibers 21f in the convex portion 23 in Table 1 below, the fiber spacing of the skin surface side portion of the convex portion is described, and the fiber spacing between the non-skin facing surface side fibers 22f is described. In the column, the fiber interval of the non-skin surface side portion of the convex portion is described.

[Comparative Example 2]
In the manufacturing apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 6, the surface sheet was manufactured on the conditions shown in the following Table 1 using the apparatus except the raising roll 501 of the raising process part 50. FIG. A surface sheet was produced under the same conditions as in Example 1 except that the apparatus was used. In Comparative Example 2, the skin contact surface layer and the non-skin contact surface layer were used so as to be opposite to those in Example 1 when used as a top sheet. That is, as the skin-facing surface side layer of the topsheet, a layer that is not shaped in a lattice shape (quilt pattern) by the first linear crimping portion 24a and the second linear crimping portion 24b is used, and the layer is in contact with the skin A face layer was used.
As the raw fibers of the webs 21a and 22a, heat-extensible fibers having a core component of PET and a sheath component of PE were used. The heat-extensible fiber had a fineness of 4.2 dtex, a fiber length of 41 mm, and a fiber diameter of 22 μm.

[Evaluation]
The following evaluation was performed about the surface sheet manufactured in Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2. The results are shown in Table 1.

[Confirmation of interface state, fiber spacing, presence of crossing fibers]
About the surface sheet manufactured in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, at the interface between the skin facing surface side layer and the non-skin facing surface side layer, the skin facing surface side fiber and the non-skin facing surface side fiber are It was confirmed by the above-mentioned method whether it was heat-seal | fused. Moreover, it confirmed by the above-mentioned method about the fiber space | interval of the surface sheet manufactured in Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2. Moreover, about the surface sheet manufactured in Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2, it confirms with the above-mentioned method about presence of the crossing fiber over a skin opposing surface side layer and a non-skin opposing surface side layer, Furthermore, If crossing fibers are present, are the crossing fibers thermally bonded to the skin facing surface side fibers in the skin facing side layer and the non-skin facing side fibers in the non-skin facing side layer? It was confirmed by the above method.

[Evaluation of liquid permeability]
About the surface sheet of Examples 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2, liquid permeability was evaluated with the following method.
The surface sheet is removed from a commercially available sanitary napkin (trade name “Laurie (registered trademark) with smooth cushion wing” manufactured by Kao Corporation) to obtain a napkin absorbent body. Separately from this, the nonwoven fabric to be measured (surface sheets of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2) is cut into MD50 mm × CD50 mm to produce cut pieces. Adhering this cut piece to the location (on the skin contact surface of the napkin absorbent body) where the top sheet was present in the napkin absorbent body so that the non-skin facing surface side layer faces the napkin absorbent body Bonded and fixed with an agent. This obtained the sanitary napkin which used the nonwoven fabric of a measuring object as a surface sheet. Next, on the surface of the obtained sanitary napkin, an acrylic plate having a cylindrical transmission hole having a diameter of 10 mm is overlaid, and a constant load of 1.1 g / cm 2100 Pa is applied to the napkin. Under such a load, 6.0 g of defibrinated horse blood is poured at once from the perforation hole of the acrylic plate. The acrylic plate is removed 60 seconds after the horse blood is poured. Next, the weight (W2) of the nonwoven fabric is measured, and a difference (W2−W1 = liquid remaining amount) from the weight (W1) of the nonwoven fabric before pouring horse blood, which has been measured in advance, is calculated. The average value obtained by performing the above operation three times serves as an index of how much the wearer's skin gets wet.
Table 1 shows ◎ when the calculated liquid remaining amount is 50 mg or less, ◯ when the liquid remaining amount is less than 100 mg, and x when the liquid remaining amount is 100 mg or more.

  As is clear from the results shown in Table 1, the surface sheets of Examples 1 to 3 in which there are transverse fibers straddling the skin facing surface side layer and the non-skin facing surface side layer have high liquid permeability. If the surface sheets 1 to 3 are used for absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, for example, it is expected that liquid permeability of the body fluid to the absorbent body is further improved, and that swelling and fogging are less likely to occur.

1A, 1B Disposable diaper 1s Side 2 Surface sheet 21 Skin facing surface side layer 21f Skin facing surface side fiber 20a Web to be skin facing surface side layer 22 Non skin facing surface side layer 22f Non skin facing surface side fiber 22a Non skin facing Web 2f which becomes a surface side layer 23 Crossing fiber 23 Convex part 24 Concave part 24a 1st linear crimping part 24b 2nd linear crimping part 3 Back surface sheet 4 Absorber 5 Solid gather 51 Elastic member 52 Solid gather forming sheet 6 Leg gather 61 Elastic member 7 Absorbent main body 8 Fastening tape 9 Target sheet 10 Sublayer sheet 11 Side flap part 12 Leg flap part 20 Manufacturing apparatus 30 Web manufacturing part 301,303 Card machine 302,304 Web conveyance belt 40 Embossing part 401 Embossing roll 402 Flat roll 50 raising part 501 raising b Le 511 protrusion 502 web conveyor belt 60 overlap sections 601 roll 70 hot-air-blower unit 701 hood 702 conveyor belt A rear section, B ventral, C crotch portion

Claims (8)

An absorbent article comprising a top sheet, a back sheet, and a vertically long absorbent disposed between the sheets,
The upper layer sheet positioned on the skin-facing surface side of the absorbent body is a skin-facing surface-side layer having a large number of protrusions and recesses by embossing on the skin-facing surface side, and a non-skin-facing surface that is not embossed A skin-facing surface-side fiber constituting the skin-facing surface-side layer, a non-skin-facing surface-side fiber constituting the non-skin-facing surface-side layer, and the skin-facing surface-side layer and the non-skin-facing surface-side layer Have crossing fibers across
At the interface between the skin facing surface side layer and the non-skin facing surface side layer, the skin facing surface side fiber and the non-skin facing surface side fiber are thermally fused to each other, and the transverse fiber is An absorptive article which is heat-sealed with the skin facing surface side fibers in the skin facing surface side layer and the non-skin facing surface side fibers in the non-skin facing surface side layer.   The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the transverse fiber is a heat-extensible fiber whose length is extended by heating.   The absorptive article according to claim 1 or 2 whose constituent fiber of the web used as said skin opposing surface side layer and the web used as said non-skin opposing surface side layer is a heat extensibility fiber.   The fiber spacing between the non-skin facing surface side fibers in the non-skin facing surface side layer is sparser than the fiber spacing between the skin facing surface side fibers in the skin facing surface side layer in the vicinity of the recess by the embossing. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   The skin-facing surface-side layer in the vicinity of the recess by the embossing is a fiber spacing between the skin-facing surface-side fibers near the non-skin-facing surface-side layer of the skin-facing surface-side layer in the convex portion by the embossing. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the absorbent article is sparser than the fiber spacing between the fibers facing the skin.   The fiber spacing between the non-skin facing surface side fibers of the non-skin facing surface side layer is a fiber between the skin facing surface side fibers closer to the non-skin facing surface side layer of the skin facing surface side layer of the convex portion. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is sparser than the interval. It is a manufacturing method of an absorptive article given in any 1 paragraph of Claims 1-6,
The skin facing surface side web that becomes the skin facing surface side layer and the non-skin facing surface side web that becomes the non-skin facing surface side layer are manufactured in separate processes, and embossed on the skin facing surface side of the manufactured skin facing surface side web Absorbent article comprising a step of forming a plurality of convex portions and concave portions by processing, superposing the skin facing surface side web and the non-skin facing surface side web, and then blowing the hot air to produce the upper layer sheet Manufacturing method.   Before or when the skin-facing surface-side web and the non-skin-facing surface-side web in which a large number of protrusions and recesses are formed, the facing surface of the skin-facing surface-side web with the non-skin-facing surface-side web; The surface facing the skin facing surface side web of the non-skin facing surface side web is brushed, and then from the skin facing surface side of the skin facing surface side web or the non-skin of the non-skin facing surface side web The manufacturing method of the absorbent article according to claim 7, wherein the upper layer sheet is manufactured by blowing hot air from the facing surface side.

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