JP2022049273A - Absorbent article - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve fitness of a crotch part in an absorbent article provided with a cell absorption sheet.SOLUTION: An absorber 70 includes a cell absorption sheet 50 which has an upper sheet 51 and a lower sheet 52 having liquid permeability, a cell 55 which is encircled by a bonding part 54 of the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 and in which the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 are not bonded, and particle matters containing high absorbent polymer particles housed in the cell 55. The cell absorption sheet 50 extends to back and forth both sides of a crotch part M. The bonding part 54 of the cell absorption sheet 50 is provided in a uniform net pattern all over the cell absorption sheet 50. Both side parts of a part positioned at the crotch part M in the cell absorption sheet 50 is provided with an easily foldable part 90 extending linearly along a leg peripheral part while crossing the bonding part 54 and the cell 55.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 19

Description

The present invention relates to improving the fit of the crotch portion in an absorbent article provided with a cell absorbing sheet.

The absorbent article includes an absorber, a liquid-permeable top sheet that covers the front side of the absorber, and a liquid-impermeable sheet that covers the back side of the absorber, and excretion fluid such as urine and menstrual blood is a top sheet. Is absorbed and retained by the absorber. As an absorber, a cotton-like layered fiber obtained by mixing highly absorbent polymer particles (SAP) with hydrophilic short fibers such as crushed pulp is widely used, but while ensuring a sufficient absorbable amount, it is widely used. In order to meet the demands for further thinning, weight reduction, cost reduction, etc., a large number of cells are surrounded by liquid-permeable upper and lower sheet joints, and the upper and lower sheets are not joined. Various absorption sheets (hereinafter, also referred to as cell absorption sheets) having (small chambers) and powders containing highly absorbent polymer particles contained in the cells have been proposed (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 6 below). reference).

In the conventional cell absorption sheet, when the ease of manufacture and the stability of manufacture are emphasized, it is desirable that the joint portion is formed in a uniform net-like pattern over the entire surface.

However, since the cell absorbing sheet is easily bent along the joint portion, the absorbent article containing the cell absorbing sheet is also easily bent along the joint portion of the cell absorbing sheet. Therefore, if the joint portion of the cell absorbing sheet is formed in a uniform mesh pattern, the absorbent article can be bent in any direction at any part, so that the fit is excellent in the mounted state, but it is not intended. There was a risk of deformation into shape. This is especially problematic in the crotch area of absorbent articles. That is, when the absorbent article is sandwiched between both legs, it is likely that both sides of the crotch part do not deform along the inner thigh of the wearer, which may cause leakage or deterioration of the wearing feeling. ..

Japanese Patent Publication No. 09-504207 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-500736 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-189067 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-137291 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-176507 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-522595

Therefore, a main problem of the present invention is to improve the fit of the crotch portion in the absorbent article provided with the cell absorbing sheet.

The absorbent articles that have solved the above problems are as follows.
<First aspect>
It has a crotch part located in the middle of the front-back direction,
It comprises an absorber, a liquid permeable top sheet arranged on the front side of the absorber, and a liquid permeable top sheet arranged on the back side of the absorber.
The absorber includes an upper sheet and a lower sheet having liquid permeability, a cell surrounded by a joint portion between the upper sheet and the lower sheet, and a cell in which the upper sheet and the lower sheet are non-bonded portions, and the inside of the cell. Includes a cell-absorbing sheet with granules containing highly absorbent polymer particles housed in.
The cell absorbing sheet extends from both the front and back sides of the crotch portion.
The joint portion of the cell absorbing sheet is provided in a uniform net-like pattern throughout the cell absorbing sheet.
Easy-bending portions extending linearly along the legs while crossing the joint portion and the cell are provided on both sides of the portion of the cell absorbing sheet located at the crotch portion.
An absorbent article, characterized in that.

(Action effect)
This absorbent article follows (that is, retains its advantages) the basic structure in which the joints of the cell-absorbing sheet are provided in a uniform mesh pattern throughout the cell-absorbing sheet, but separately from this joint. On both sides of the portion of the cell absorbing sheet located at the crotch portion, easily bent portions are provided along the legs while crossing the joint portion and the cell. As a result, both side portions of the portion of the cell absorbing sheet located at the crotch portion are not joint portions for forming the cell, but are easily bent to the front side along the easily bent portion. Therefore, when the absorbent article is sandwiched between both legs, both sides of the crotch portion are likely to be deformed into a desired shape along the inner thigh of the wearer, causing leakage and deterioration of the wearing feeling. It becomes difficult.

<Second aspect>
The upper sheet and the lower sheet are non-woven fabrics, respectively.
The joint portion is a portion intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the cell and welded while pressurizing the upper sheet and the lower sheet in the thickness direction.
The easily bent portion is a portion in which a welded portion welded while pressurizing the upper sheet and the lower sheet in the thickness direction is intermittently provided along the circumference of the leg.
The width of the welded portion in the easily bent portion is wider than the width of the joint portion, and the distance between the welded portions in the easily bent portion is narrower than the distance between the joined portions.
The absorbent article of the first aspect.

(Action effect)
If the joint is a portion that is intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the cell and is welded while pressing the upper sheet and the lower sheet in the thickness direction, the same welded portion can be easily bent by arranging the same welded portion along the circumference of the leg. The part can be formed. In this case, as in this embodiment, if the width of the welded portion in the easily bent portion is wider than the width of the joint portion and the distance between the welded portions in the easily bent portion is narrower than the distance between the joint portions, it is more reliable. It is preferable because it is easy to bend along the easily bent portion. Of course, the easily bent portion can be formed by subjecting the cell absorbing sheet to non-heated embossing or ruled line processing, or can be formed by perforation processing.

<Third aspect>
The joint portion is a portion intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the cell and welded while pressurizing the upper sheet and the lower sheet in the thickness direction.
The welded portion of the easily bent portion does not peel off due to the expansion force of the highly absorbent polymer particles in the adjacent cell.
The cell through which the easily bent portion passes and the cell located lateral to the cell do not contain the highly absorbent polymer particles, or the cells are higher in absorption polymer particles as compared with the cells adjacent to the inner side in the width direction of the cell itself. It is a low content cell with a low content of
The absorbent article of the first or second aspect.

(Action effect)
When the easily bent portion is formed by the welded portions of the upper sheet and the lower sheet, the effect of the easily bent portion is excreted if the easily bent portion is not peeled off due to the expansion force of the highly absorbent polymer particles in the adjacent cell. It is preferable because it is exhibited even after absorption of an object. If the cell through which the easy-folding portion passes and the cell located on the side of the cell having a low content are low-containing cells, the portions on both sides expand and press against each other with the easy-folding portion in between. It is preferable because it is less likely that the bending along the easily bent portion is hindered (force acts in the direction of flattening).

<Fourth aspect>
The joint portion is a portion intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the cell and welded while pressurizing the upper sheet and the lower sheet in the thickness direction.
The welded portion of the easily bent portion does not peel off due to the expansion force of the highly absorbent polymer particles in the adjacent cell.
A portion of the lower sheet located in each cell is extruded downward, and a pair of front-back concave portions and convex portions are formed on the upper surface and the lower surface of the lower sheet.
The portion of the upper sheet located in each cell is not extruded in the thickness direction and is flat.
An absorbent article according to any one of the first to third aspects.

(Action effect)
In the cell absorbing sheet, in order to secure the volume when the highly absorbent polymer particles inside are absorbed and expanded, at least one of the upper sheet and the lower sheet is a recess in which the portion located in each cell is extruded outward in the thickness direction. It is preferable to have. However, if the upper sheet has a recess that is recessed on the upper side, when the highly absorbent polymer particles absorb and expand, the parts on both sides expand across the easily bent portion and press against each other, resulting in bending along the easily bent portion. It is hindered (force acts in the direction of flattening). On the other hand, it is preferable to have a recessed portion on the lower side only in the lower sheet as in the present embodiment because such a problem does not occur.

<Fifth aspect>
In the cell absorbing sheet, the entire portion lateral to the easily bent portion is not joined to the members adjacent to the upper, lower, and lateral sides, respectively.
An absorbent article according to any one of the first to fourth aspects.

(Action effect)
In the case of this embodiment, since the entire portion of the cell absorbing sheet lateral to the easily bent portion is not restrained by the members adjacent to the upper, lower, and lateral sides, the bending action along the easily bent portion described above is exhibited. It will be easier.

<Sixth aspect>
The cell absorbing sheet has a constant width throughout the front-rear direction.
An absorbent article according to any one of the first to fifth aspects.

(Action effect)
It is preferable that the cell absorbing sheet has a certain width over the entire front-rear direction because it is easy to manufacture, but the above-mentioned problem of fit of the crotch portion tends to occur. Therefore, the above-mentioned easily bent portion is particularly significant when applied to such a cell absorbing sheet.

According to the present invention, there are advantages such as improved fit of the crotch portion in the absorbent article provided with the cell absorbing sheet.

It is a top view in the unfolded state which shows the inner surface of a tape type disposable diaper. It is a top view in the unfolded state which shows the outer surface of a tape type disposable diaper. 6-6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. It is a 7-7 sectional view of FIG. (A) is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 1, and (b) is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. It is a cross-sectional view of 5-5 of FIG. (A) The bottom view of the main part of the absorber, and (b) the 1-1 sectional view thereof. It is a top view of the absorber. It is a top view of the absorber. It is a 2-2 sectional view of FIG. 8 and FIG. It is a top view of the absorber which showed the joint part simply. It is a schematic plan view which shows various arrangement examples of a cell. It is sectional drawing of various cell absorption sheets. It is sectional drawing of various cell absorption sheets. It is sectional drawing which shows the main part of the absorber. It is sectional drawing which shows the layer structure of an absorber and a packaging sheet. It is sectional drawing which shows the change at the time of absorption. It is sectional drawing which shows schematically the layer structure of the highly water-absorbing nonwoven fabric. It is sectional drawing which shows the bending state of the easy bending part.

Hereinafter, as an example of the absorbent article, a tape-type disposable diaper will be described with reference to the attached drawings. 1 to 6 show an example of a tape-type disposable diaper having a crotch portion M located in the middle of the anteroposterior LD. In the figure, reference numeral X indicates the entire width of the diaper excluding the fastening tape, and reference numeral L indicates the total length of the diaper. The crotch portion M means the range of the anteroposterior LD having the constricted portion formed in the middle of the anteroposterior LD of the product having a width narrower than that of both the anterior-posterior sides as shown in the illustrated example. When it does not have such a constricted portion, it means a portion located at the center of the front-rear direction LD and the dimension of the front-rear direction LD is 20 to 40% of the total length of the product.

The tape-type disposable diaper of the illustrated example has a basic structure in which an absorber 70 is interposed between a liquid-permeable top sheet and a liquid-impermeable sheet located on the back side. Further, this tape-type disposable diaper has an end flap EF which is a portion extending to the front side and the rear side of the absorber 70, respectively, and is a portion having no absorber 70, and has a side edge of the absorber 70. It has a pair of side flap SFs that extend laterally. Both side edges of the side flap SF have a shape constricted along the circumference of the leg, but may be linear. Fastening tape 13 is provided on each of the side flap SFs on the dorsal side portion B, and when wearing a diaper, the side flap SFs on the dorsal side portion B are overlapped on the outside of the side flap SFs on the ventral side portion F. , Fastening tape 13 is locked in place on the outer surface of the ventral portion F.

Further, in this tape type disposable diaper, the entire outer surface other than the fastening tape 13 is formed of the exterior nonwoven fabric 12. In particular, in the region including the absorber 70, the liquid impermeable sheet 11 is fixed to the inner surface side of the exterior nonwoven fabric 12 with an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive, and is further absorbed by the inner surface side of the liquid impermeable sheet 11. The body 70, the intermediate sheet 40, and the top sheet 30 are laminated in this order. The top sheet 30 and the liquid impermeable sheet 11 are rectangular in the illustrated example, have slightly larger dimensions in the anteroposterior LD and the width direction WD than the absorber 70, and have side edges of the absorber 70 in the top sheet 30. The protruding peripheral edge portion and the peripheral edge portion protruding from the side edge of the absorber 70 in the liquid impermeable sheet 11 are joined by a hot melt adhesive or the like. Further, the liquid impermeable sheet 11 is formed to be slightly wider than the top sheet 30.

Further, rising gathers 60 that stand up on the skin side of the wearer are provided on both sides of the tape-type disposable diaper in the width direction, and the gather sheets 62 forming the rising gathers 60 are on both sides of the top sheet 30. It is fixed in the range from to the inner surface of each side flap SF.

Each component adjacent to each other in the thickness direction is fixed or joined in the same manner as a known diaper, except for the fixing or joining portions described below. The dotted pattern portion in the cross-sectional view shows an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive as the fixing or joining means. Hot melt adhesives are known such as slot coating, continuous linear or dotted bead coating, spiral, Z, wavy, etc. spray coating, or pattern coating (transfer of hot melt adhesive by letterpress method). It can be applied by the method. Instead of or in conjunction with this, at the fixed portion of the elastic member, a hot melt adhesive can be applied to the outer peripheral surface of the elastic member to fix the elastic member to the adjacent member. Examples of the hot melt adhesive include EVA type, adhesive rubber type (elastomer type), olefin type, polyester / polyamide type and the like, but they can be used without particular limitation. As the fixing or joining means for joining each component, a means by welding a material such as a heat seal or an ultrasonic seal can also be used. Where liquid permeability in the thickness direction is required, components adjacent in the thickness direction are fixed or joined in an intermittent pattern. For example, when performing such intermittent fixing or joining with a hot melt adhesive, it is possible to preferably use intermittent pattern coating such as spiral shape, Z shape, and wavy shape, and the range is equal to or larger than the coating width by one nozzle. When applying, it is possible to apply an intermittent pattern such as a spiral shape, a Z shape, or a wavy shape with or without a gap in the width direction.

Hereinafter, the details of each part will be described in order. As the nonwoven fabric in the following description, a known nonwoven fabric can be appropriately used depending on the site and purpose. Examples of the constituent fibers of the non-woven fabric include olefin-based fibers such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyester-based and polyamide-based synthetic fibers (including single-component fibers and composite fibers such as core sheaths), as well as recycled rayon and cupra. Fibers, natural fibers such as cotton, and the like can be selected without particular limitation, and these can be mixed and used. In order to increase the flexibility of the non-woven fabric, it is preferable that the constituent fibers are crimped fibers. Further, the constituent fibers of the non-woven fabric include hydrophobic fibers or water-repellent fibers (including fibers made water-repellent by the water-repellent agent) even if they are hydrophilic fibers (including fibers made hydrophilic by the hydrophilizing agent). ) May be. In addition, the non-woven fabric generally has a short fiber non-woven fabric, a long fiber non-woven fabric, a spunbond non-woven fabric, a melt blown non-woven fabric, a spunlace non-woven fabric, a thermal bond (air-through) non-woven fabric, and a needle punch, depending on the length of the fiber, the sheet forming method, the fiber bonding method, and the laminated structure. It is classified into non-woven fabric, point-bonded non-woven fabric, laminated non-woven fabric (SMS non-woven fabric having a melt blown layer sandwiched between spunbond layers, SMMS non-woven fabric, etc.), and any of these non-woven fabrics can be used.

(Exterior non-woven fabric)
The exterior nonwoven fabric 12 constitutes the outer surface of the product, and is intended to give the outer surface of the product a cloth-like appearance and feel. The fiber basis weight of the exterior non-woven fabric is preferably 10 to 50 g / m ² , especially 15 to 30 g / m ² . The exterior nonwoven fabric 12 can be omitted, in which case the liquid-impermeable sheet 11 can have the same shape as the exterior nonwoven fabric 12 to form the outer surface of the product.

(Liquid impermeable sheet)
The material of the liquid-impermeable sheet 11 is not particularly limited, but is substantially, for example, interposing an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, a laminated non-woven fabric in which a non-woven fabric is laminated on a polyethylene sheet or the like, or a waterproof film. For example, a non-woven fabric that ensures liquid impermeableness (in this case, the waterproof film and the non-woven fabric form a liquid-impermeable sheet) and the like can be exemplified. Of course, in addition to this, a material having liquid impermeableness and moisture permeability, which has been favorably used in recent years from the viewpoint of preventing stuffiness, can also be exemplified. The sheet of this liquid-impermeable and moisture-permeable material is, for example, kneaded with an inorganic filler in an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene to form a sheet, and then stretched in a uniaxial or biaxial direction. The microporous sheet obtained in the above can be exemplified. Furthermore, it is waterproof by a non-woven fabric using microdenier fibers, leakage-proof strengthening by reducing the voids of the fibers by applying heat or pressure, and coating with a highly water-absorbent resin or hydrophobic resin or a water-repellent agent. A liquid-impermeable sheet without using a film can also be used as the liquid-impermeable sheet 11.

(Top sheet)
The top sheet 30 has a property of allowing liquid to permeate, and examples thereof include a perforated or non-perforated non-woven fabric and a perforated plastic sheet. Both sides of the top sheet 30 may be folded back to the back side of the absorber 70, or may be projected laterally from the side edge of the absorber 70 without being folded back, as shown in the illustrated example.

The top sheet 30 may be fixed to a member adjacent to the back side by a joining means by material welding such as a heat seal or an ultrasonic seal, or by a hot melt adhesive for the purpose of preventing misalignment with respect to the member on the back side. desirable. In the illustrated example, the top sheet 30 is fixed to the surface of the intermediate sheet 40 and the surface of the portion of the packaging sheet 45 located on the front side of the absorber 70 by a hot melt adhesive applied to the back surface thereof.

(Intermediate sheet)
The intermediate sheet 40 is joined to the back surface of the top sheet 30 in order to quickly move the excrement liquid that has passed through the top sheet 30 to the absorber 70 side and to prevent reversion. In addition to using a hot melt adhesive, heat embossing or ultrasonic welding can also be used to bond the intermediate sheet 40 and the top sheet 30.

As the intermediate sheet 40, in addition to using a non-woven fabric, a resin film having a large number of through holes can also be used. As the non-woven fabric, the same material as the top sheet 30 can be used, but those having higher hydrophilicity than the top sheet 30 and those having a higher fiber density have the characteristics of liquid transfer from the top sheet 30 to the intermediate sheet 40. It is preferable because it is excellent. For example, as the intermediate sheet 40, an air-through nonwoven fabric can be preferably used. It is preferable to use a composite fiber having a core-sheath structure for the air-through nonwoven fabric. In this case, the resin used for the core may be polypropylene (PP), but polyester (PET) having high rigidity is preferable. The basis weight is preferably 17 to 80 g / m ² , more preferably 25 to 60 g / m ² . The thickness of the raw material fiber of the non-woven fabric is preferably 2.0 to 10 dtex. In order to make the nonwoven fabric bulky, it is also preferable to use eccentric fibers having no core in the center, hollow fibers, and eccentric and hollow fibers as mixed fibers of all or a part of the raw material fibers.

Although the intermediate sheet 40 in the illustrated example is arranged in the center shorter than the width of the absorber 70, it may be provided over the entire width. The dimension of the front-rear LD of the intermediate sheet 40 may be the same as the total length of the diaper, the dimension of the absorber 70 may be the same, or the dimension may be within a short length range centered on the region for receiving the liquid.

(Get up gather)
In order to prevent lateral movement of excrement on the top sheet 30 and prevent lateral leakage, it is preferable to provide a rising gather 60 that protrudes (stands up) from the inner surfaces of both sides of the product in the width direction WD.

The rising gather 60 is composed of a gather sheet 62 and an elongated gather elastic member 63 fixed to the gather sheet 62 in an extended state along the LD in the front-rear direction. A water-repellent nonwoven fabric can be used as the gather sheet 62, and a rubber thread or the like can be used as the elastic member 63. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a plurality of elastic members may be provided on each side, and one elastic member may be provided on each side.

The inner surface of the gather sheet 62 has a fixing start end in the width direction WD on the side portion of the top sheet 30, and the outer portion of the WD in the width direction from the fixing start end is the side portion of the liquid impermeable sheet 11 and the portion thereof. It is fixed to the side portion of the exterior nonwoven fabric 12 located in the above with a hot melt adhesive or the like.

Around the legs, the inside of the WD in the width direction from the fixed start end of the rising gather 60 is fixed on the top sheet 30 at both ends of the LD in the front-rear direction of the product, but the part in between is a non-fixed free part. This free portion stands up due to the contraction force of the elastic member 63. When the diaper is worn, the diaper is mounted on the body in a boat shape, and the contraction force of the elastic member 63 acts on the diaper. Therefore, the contraction force of the elastic member 63 causes the gathers 60 to stand up and come into close contact with the legs. As a result, so-called lateral leakage from around the legs is prevented.

Unlike the illustrated example, both ends of the front-rear LD in the inner portion of the width direction WD of the gather sheet 62 are the proximal end side portion extending inward from the outer portion of the width direction WD, and the proximal end side portion. Folded from the central edge of the WD in the width direction to the body side, and fixed in a folded state having a tip side portion extending to the outside of the WD in the width direction, and the portion in between is a non-fixed free part. You can also.

(Plane gather)
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, each side flap SF has a gap between the gather sheet 62 and the liquid impermeable sheet 11 on the outside of the widthwise WD near the fixing start end in the fixing portion of the gather sheet 62. , The leg circumference elastic member 64 made of an elongated elastic member such as rubber thread is fixed in a state of being extended along the front-rear direction LD, whereby the leg circumference portion of each side flap SF is configured as a flat gather. ing. The leg circumference elastic member 64 can also be arranged between the liquid-impermeable sheet 11 and the exterior nonwoven fabric 12 in the side flap SF. As shown in the illustrated example, a plurality of elastic members around the legs 64 may be provided on each side, or only one elastic member 64 may be provided on each side.

(Fastening tape)
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the fastening tape 13 is a sheet base material forming a tape mounting portion 13C fixed to the side portion of the diaper and a tape main body portion 13B protruding from the tape mounting portion 13C. And the locking portion 13A with respect to the ventral side provided in the middle portion of the tape main body portion 13B in the sheet base material in the width direction, and the portion on the tip end side from the locking portion 13A is used as a grip portion. It is a diaper. The tape mounting portion 13C of the fastening tape 13 is sandwiched between the gather sheet 62 forming the inner layer and the outer nonwoven fabric 12 forming the outer layer in the side flap SF, and is adhered to the sheets with a hot melt adhesive. Further, the locking portion 13A is fixed to the sheet base material with an adhesive.

As the locking portion 13A, a hook material (male material) of a mechanical fastener (hook-and-loop fastener) is suitable. The hook material has a large number of engaging protrusions on its outer surface side. As the shape of the engaging protrusion, there are a V-shape, a J-shape, a mushroom-shape, a T-shape, a double J-shape (a shape in which J-shapes are joined back to back), and the like. It may be in the shape of. Of course, an adhesive layer can be provided as a locking portion of the fastening tape 13.

The sheet base material forming the tape mounting portion 13C to the tape main body portion 13B includes various non-woven fabrics such as spunbonded non-woven fabric, air-through non-woven fabric, and spunlaced non-woven fabric, as well as plastic film, polylami non-woven fabric, paper, and composite materials thereof. Can be used.

(Target sheet)
It is preferable to provide a target sheet 12T having a target for facilitating the locking at the locking portion of the fastening tape 13 in the ventral portion F. When the locking portion 13A is a hook material, the target sheet 12T may be one in which a large number of loop threads are provided on the surface of a sheet base material made of a plastic film or a non-woven fabric so that the engaging protrusions of the hook material are entangled. When the locking portion 13A is an adhesive layer, the target sheet 12T should be a sheet substrate made of a plastic film having a smooth surface and having a peeling treatment. Can be done. Further, when the locking portion of the fastening tape 13 on the ventral side portion F is made of a nonwoven fabric, for example, when the exterior nonwoven fabric 12 of the illustrated example is made of a nonwoven fabric and the locking portion 13A of the fastening tape 13 is made of a hook material. Can omit the target sheet 12T and entangle the hook material with the non-woven fabric of the exterior non-woven fabric 12 to lock the hook material. In this case, the target sheet 12T may be provided between the exterior nonwoven fabric 12 and the liquid impermeable sheet 11.

(Absorber)
As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 15, and 16, the absorber 70 is a portion that absorbs and holds the liquid content of excrement, and has an upper auxiliary layer 71 provided at the uppermost portion and the upper auxiliary layer 71 thereof. It has a main absorption layer 72 provided on the back side. As will be described later, it is preferable to have the upper auxiliary layer 71 on the main absorption layer 72, but the upper auxiliary layer 71 can be omitted. FIG. 16 shows the layered structure of the absorber 70 of FIG. 15 in an easy-to-understand manner. The absorber 70 can be adhered to a member on at least one of the front and back sides via an adhesive 50h such as a hot melt adhesive.

(Upper auxiliary layer)
The upper auxiliary layer 71 has a highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 having a Krem water absorption degree of 100 mm or more, whose surface is exposed on the uppermost surface of the absorber 70. The highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 can rapidly absorb and diffuse even a viscous liquid. Therefore, the absorbability of the viscous liquid by the absorber 70 can be remarkably improved. The highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 is particularly preferably having a Krem water absorption of 130 mm or more. The upper limit of the Krem water absorption of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 180 mm, and particularly preferably 160 mm.

The amount of water retention under load of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the upper auxiliary layer 71 is preferably larger than 0 g and 0.15 g or less, and particularly preferably larger than 0 g and 0.12 g or less. The amount of water retention under no load of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the upper auxiliary layer 71 is preferably larger than 0 g and 0.7 g or less, and particularly preferably larger than 0 g and 0.3 g or less.

The highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 is not limited by the material and the manufacturing method, but is preferably a wet nonwoven fabric (particularly a wet spunlace nonwoven fabric) having a texture of 25 to 50 g / m ² and containing 50% or more of pulp fiber or rayon fiber. .. As the fiber other than the pulp fiber or the rayon fiber, an olefin-based fiber such as polyethylene or polypropylene, a polyester-based fiber, a polyamide-based synthetic fiber (including a composite fiber such as a core sheath as well as a single component fiber) can be used. It is preferable to use such a wet non-woven fabric because the viscous liquid can be rapidly absorbed and diffused due to the capillary phenomenon caused by the minute fiber gaps. In particular, such a wet non-woven fabric not only has a high degree of water absorption of Krem, but is also very thin and flexible, so that it is possible to suppress a decrease in flexibility and an increase in thickness of the absorber 70 as a whole. The thickness of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 is not limited, but in the case of the above-mentioned basis weight, it is preferably about 0.13 to 0.48 mm.

Further, as the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42, as shown in FIG. 18, two or three layers having a support layer 42b containing long fibers of synthetic resin and a pulp layer 42a located on the most front side and composed of only pulp fibers. Non-woven fabrics with more than one layer are particularly suitable. Such a highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 can be made stronger by the presence of the support layer 42b while increasing the Krem water absorption by the pulp layer 42a, so that it is durable when provided at the uppermost portion of the absorber 70. Become superior.

When the upper auxiliary layer 71 has the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 adjacent to the back surface of the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42, the viscous liquid absorbed and diffused by the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 as shown by an arrow in FIG. 17 (a). N can be gradually absorbed and retained by the highly absorbent polymer particles adjacent to the back side of the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42. Thereby, the absorbability of the viscous liquid N can be remarkably improved. In particular, when the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the upper auxiliary layer 71 is the above-mentioned wet nonwoven fabric, it is preferable because the transfer of the viscous liquid N to the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 adjacent to the back surface becomes smooth.

The dimensions and arrangement of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the upper auxiliary layer 71 can be appropriately determined. For example, as shown in the illustrated example, the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 may be arranged so as to cover the entire surface of the main absorption layer 72, or a part of the surface of the main absorption layer 72, for example, a front end portion, a rear end portion, and the like. It may be arranged so as to cover only the central portion or a plurality of these. Further, the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 may have a portion protruding from the peripheral edge of the main absorbent layer 72, and a part or all of the peripheral edge of the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 is separated from the peripheral edge of the main absorbent layer 72 toward the center. You may be doing it. Normally, it is desirable that the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the upper auxiliary layer 71 covers 90% or more of the area of the main absorption layer 72.

The dimensions and arrangement of the region having the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 can be appropriately determined. For example, as shown in the illustrated example, the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 may be arranged in the entire region where the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 and the main absorbing layer 72 overlap, or the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 and the main absorbing layer 72 may be arranged. It may be arranged only in a part of the region where the above overlaps with each other, for example, the front end portion, the rear end portion, the central portion, or a plurality of these. Normally, it is desirable that the region having the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 occupies 83% or more of the area of the main absorbing layer 72.

The first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 may not be fixed to the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42, but are more preferably fixed. The first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 can be adhered to the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 by, for example, an adhesive 42h such as a hot melt adhesive coated on the back surface of the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 in an intermittent pattern.

The first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 may be fixed only in contact with the surface of the main absorbing layer 72, but may be fixed. For example, after applying an adhesive 43h such as a hot melt adhesive to the surface of the main absorption layer 72 in an intermittent pattern, the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 are sprayed on the coated portion, and the adhesive is further applied thereto. The highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 can be placed with or without the 42h.

The texture of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 can be appropriately determined, but assuming a viscous liquid that requires a small amount of absorption at one time, such as liquids in muddy stools, watery stools, and loose stools, 50 It is preferably ~ 150 g / m ² and particularly preferably 50-100 g / m ² . If the basis weight of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 is less than 50 g / m ² , even a small amount of viscous liquid may be difficult to sufficiently absorb. Further, when the texture of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 exceeds 150 g / m ² , the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 sufficiently absorb and expand when absorbing a large amount of non-viscous liquid such as urine. Gel blocking will occur later, and there is a high possibility that the supply of the non-viscous liquid to the main absorption layer 72 will be hindered. On the other hand, within the above range, the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 sufficiently absorb, and even after expansion, a portion where gel blocking does not occur remains, and the non-viscous liquid is supplied to the main absorption layer 72. Is preferable because it secures.

(Main absorption layer: cell absorption sheet)
As shown in the illustrated example, the main absorption layer 72 is a cell absorption sheet 50 in which the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are contained in the cell 55, and extends over both the front and rear sides of the crotch portion M. Since the absorption performance of the cell absorption sheet 50 depends on the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53, the absorption rate is inevitably slow and the absorbency of the viscous liquid N is low. Therefore, the above-mentioned upper auxiliary layer 71 is particularly significant when such a cell absorption sheet 50 is used as the main absorption layer 72.

The full width of the cell absorbing sheet 50 (that is, the full width of the wider sheet of the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52. If the full width of the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 is the same, the full width of both sheets) is manufactured. In order to facilitate the above and to prevent the generation of waste material due to cutting, it is preferable that the width is constant over the entire front-rear direction LD.

The cell absorption sheet 50 will be described in more detail. As shown in an enlarged manner in FIGS. 7 and 15, the cell absorbing sheet 50 is surrounded by an upper sheet 51, a lower sheet 52 arranged on the back side thereof, and a joint portion 54 between the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52. It has a cell (small chamber) 55 that is surrounded and the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 are non-bonded portions, and a second highly absorbent polymer particle 53 contained in the cell 55. A large number of cells 55 are arranged at intervals of the joint portion 54. In this way, by distributing and holding the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in a large number of cells 55 surrounded by the joint portion 54 as a whole, the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are unevenly distributed in the cell absorbing sheet 50. Can be prevented.

At least one of the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 in the cell 55 is in the expanded state in order to facilitate the arrangement of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 during manufacturing and to secure the volume after absorption expansion. It is preferable that the recesses 50c are recessed on the outside of the surface, but the recesses 50c may not be provided, and the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 may be simply sandwiched between the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52.

The recess 50c can be formed by subjecting the target sheet to a shaping process such as embossing. Further, by this embossing, a convex portion 50p that swells outward is formed in the portion of the target sheet located at each cell 55. That is, when the concave portion 50c is formed in the upper sheet 51 by embossing, the portion of the upper sheet 51 located at each cell 55 is extruded upward to form a convex portion 50p that bulges upward. The depth 50d of the recess 50c is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1.0 to 7.0 mm, particularly preferably about 1.0 to 5.0 mm.

When the non-viscous liquid U such as urine is absorbed, if the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 of the upper auxiliary layer 71 are uniformly provided, the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 preferentially absorb and expand. Therefore, gel blocking in which the expanded first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 adhere to each other to form a layer having a poor liquid permeability is likely to occur, and the non-viscous liquid U may be difficult to be supplied to the main absorbent layer 72. .. That is, the upper auxiliary layer 71 may inhibit absorption by the main absorption layer 72. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 15, the portion of the upper sheet 51 located in each cell 55 is a convex portion 50p that swells upward, and the first highly absorbent polymer particle 43 is the main absorbing layer 72. It is fixed to the upper surface of the upper sheet 51, and the adhesion amount (graining) of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 on the upper surface of the upper sheet 51 is located between the top of the convex portion 50p and the adjacent convex portion 50p. When the number increases toward the bottom of the valley, the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 fixed to the upper surface of the upper sheet 51 can be effectively used for absorption of the viscous liquid N as shown in FIG. 17 (a). However, when compared in terms of the amount of the same first high-absorbent polymer particles used, the first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 sufficiently absorb and expand when the non-viscous liquid U is absorbed, as shown in FIG. 17 (b). Even after this, the smaller the amount of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 attached, the less likely it is that gel blocking will occur, and the less likely it is that the supply of the non-viscous liquid U to the main absorption layer 72 will be hindered. Further, by using the convex portion 50p of the upper sheet 51, the adhesion amount of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 on the upper surface of the upper sheet 51 is regularly changed (a portion having a large adhesion amount and a portion having a small adhesion amount). (Alternately provided) becomes easy. That is, as described above, when the hot melt adhesive is applied to the surface of the main absorption layer 72 in an intermittent pattern and then the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 are sprayed on the coated portion, the spraying is uniform. However, since the first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 tend to roll down toward the bottom of the valley due to gravity, the amount of adhesion of the first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 is naturally adjacent to the top of the convex portion 50p. It increases toward the bottom of the valley located between the protrusions 50p. Therefore, such a non-uniformly adhered structure of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 is relatively easy to manufacture even though it is a seemingly complicated structure. Needless to say, even in this case, it is preferable that the basis weight of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 is within the above-mentioned range.

When the amount of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 adhered to the upper surface of the upper sheet 51 is increased from the top of the convex portion 50p toward the bottom of the valley located between the adjacent convex portions 50p, the convex portion 50p The first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 may not be attached to a part including the top portion, and the first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 may be attached only to the other part, as shown in the illustrated example. The first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 are attached to almost the entire area including the top of the convex portion 50p and other portions, and the amount of the first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 is attached continuously (or may be stepwise) toward the bottom of the valley. May increase to.

The dimensions of the convex portion 50p can be appropriately determined, but from such a viewpoint, the dimension 55L of the front-rear direction LD of the convex portion 50p of the upper sheet 51 is 6 to 30 mm, and the width direction of the convex portion 50p of the upper sheet 51. The dimension 55W of the WD is 7 to 50 mm, the width 54W of the joint portion 54 is 1.0 to 1.8 mm, and the depth 50d (height of the convex portion 50p) of the valley portion of the upper sheet 51 is 1.0. It is preferably about 7.0 mm.

When the concave portion 50c is provided in the upper sheet 51, a convex portion 50p is formed on the upper surface of the upper sheet 51, which makes it difficult for the upper auxiliary layer 71 to adhere to the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 (a gap is likely to occur), and the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 is used. The delivery of the viscous liquid N to the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 may be hindered. Therefore, from this point of view, as shown in FIG. 13 (c), the upper sheet 51 does not have a recess 50c (that is, has a flat upper surface that has not been shaped), and the lower sheet 52. It is also preferable to form a recess 50c in a portion constituting each cell 55 in the above. As a result, the upper surface of the upper sheet 51 and the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 arranged therein are placed in the upper auxiliary layer 71 while ensuring the expansion volume of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 by the recesses 50c of the lower sheet 52. It becomes easy to adhere to the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the above, and the delivery of the viscous liquid N from the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 to the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 is less likely to be hindered.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 7 (b) and 13 (a), it is preferable that the middle sheet 80 made of a non-woven fabric is interposed between the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52, but FIG. 14 (b). ), It is not necessary to provide the middle sheet 80. When the middle sheet 80 is provided, the upper sheet 51, the middle sheet 80, and the lower sheet 52 are joined at the joint portion 54. Further, the middle sheet 80 is compressed in the thickness direction at the portion located at the joint portion 54, and swells into the recess 50c at the portion located inside the cell 55 (in other words, the fiber density decreases as the distance from the joint portion increases. ) Is preferable. As a result, the concave portion 50c (and therefore the convex portion) is not easily crushed by the pressure applied in the packaged state of the product or the pressure applied at the time of mounting, and even if the concave portion 50c is crushed, at least the portion where the middle sheet 80 has entered due to the elasticity of the middle sheet 80. Shape restoration is promoted to a volume close to or close to it. Then, at the time of absorption of the excrement liquid, the highly absorbent polymer expands the fiber gaps of the middle sheet 80 and can be expanded by both of the middle sheet 80 while being inserted into the gaps between the fibers and the middle sheet 80 being easily compressed. The presence of the middle sheet 80 is unlikely to inhibit the expansion of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53. Further, since the fibers of the middle sheet 80 spreading in the recess 50c secure a liquid passage to the individual second highly absorbent polymer particles 53, the diffusible even after the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 start to expand. The decrease in the amount of particles is suppressed, and gel blocking is less likely to occur. Therefore, due to these synergistic actions, the absorption rate (particularly at the initial stage of absorption) of the disposable diaper provided with the cell absorption sheet 50 is improved.

The upper sheet 51 is not particularly limited as long as it is a liquid permeable material like the top sheet 30. Since the upper sheet 51 affects the absorption rate, it is a dry non-woven fabric made from hydrophilic fibers, especially natural fibers such as cotton and pulp, and more than 70% by weight of pulp (residual in the case of less than 100% by weight). The air-laid pulp non-woven fabric (the amount can be an appropriate synthetic fiber) is one of those particularly suitable for the upper sheet 51. The fiber bonding method of the non-woven fabric is not particularly limited, but a bonding method in which the fiber density is high, such as a spunbond method, a melt blown method, and a middle punch method, is preferable in order to prevent the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 from detaching. The fineness, basis weight and thickness of the nonwoven fabric are preferably about 2.0 to 7.0 dtex, about 18 to 50 g / m ² , and about 0.10 to 0.60 mm, respectively. When a perforated plastic sheet is used, the opening diameter thereof is preferably smaller than the outer shape of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in order to prevent the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 from falling off. Further, when the material of the upper sheet 51 is hydrophobic, a hydrophilic agent can be contained.

The lower sheet 52 may be a liquid-permeable material or a liquid-impermeable material, and is not particularly limited, but has a Krem water absorption of 50 mm or more and a water retention capacity under load of 0.1 g or more. Moreover, it is preferable that the non-woven fabric has a high water absorption of 0.5 g or more under no load. As shown in FIG. 17B, the non-viscous liquid U such as urine supplied to the cell absorption sheet 50 is absorbed by the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the cell absorption sheet 50 and has a second height. The non-viscous liquid U that has reached the lower sheet 52 without being absorbed by the absorbent polymer particles 53 is absorbed by the lower sheet 52, retained in the lower sheet 52, diffused, and then the second height in the cell absorbing sheet 50. It can be sucked up by the absorbent polymer particles 53. Here, in the cell absorbing sheet 50, the joint portion 54 having no second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 extends continuously toward the periphery of the cell absorbing sheet 50, and the convex portion 50p is formed on the back surface of the cell absorbing sheet 50. If there is, the gap between the back surface of the cell absorbing sheet 50 and the facing surface also extends continuously toward the periphery of the cell absorbing sheet 50. Therefore, when the water retention of the cell absorbing sheet 50 is low, the non-viscous liquid U that has permeated the cell absorbing sheet 50 moves on the liquid impermeable sheet 11 and seeps out from the periphery of the absorbent body 70 to the skin side. It may adhere to the skin or leak.

It is particularly preferable that the Krem water absorption of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 is 70 mm or more. The upper limit of the Krem water absorption of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 150 mm, and particularly preferably 100 mm. It is particularly preferable that the amount of water retained under load of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 is 0.13 g or more. Further, the upper limit of the water retention amount under load of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 0.30 g, and particularly preferably 0.26 g. It is particularly preferable that the amount of water retained under no load of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 is 0.70 g or more. Further, the upper limit of the water retention amount under load of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 1.40 g, and particularly preferably 1.20 g.

The highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 is not limited by the material and the manufacturing method, and the same highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 as the upper auxiliary layer 71 can be preferably used. When the joint portion 54 of the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 is formed by welding, the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 is preferably a heat-welded fiber such as a polyethylene fiber or a composite fiber containing a polyethylene component. In particular, since the lower sheet 52 is intended for temporary storage of a non-viscous liquid U such as urine, it is preferable that the lower sheet 52 has a larger amount of water retention than the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the upper auxiliary layer 71. For example, the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 preferably has a water retention capacity under load of 2 to 4 times that of the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the upper auxiliary layer 71. More specifically, the texture of the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 should be 1.2 to 1.8 times the texture of the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the upper auxiliary layer 71, or the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52. As a result, a plurality of highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabrics equivalent to the upper auxiliary layer 71 can be stacked and arranged.

It is preferable that the upper sheet 51 has the recess 50c because the surface area of the upper sheet 51 becomes large and the liquid can be supplied in a wider range to the highly absorbent polymer particles in the cell absorbing sheet 50. On the other hand, if the lower sheet 52 has a recess 50c, the surface area of the lower sheet 52 becomes large, and the water retention amount of the lower sheet 52 increases as compared with the case where the lower sheet 52 is flattened without being shaped. preferable.

The medium sheet 80 is not particularly limited as long as it is a non-woven fabric, but the fineness of the constituent fibers of the non-woven fabric is preferably about 1.6 to 7.0 dtex, and more preferably 5.6 to 6.6 dtex. The porosity of the nonwoven fabric of the middle sheet 80 is preferably 80 to 98%, more preferably 90 to 95%. When the fineness and porosity of the middle sheet 80 are in this range, the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are medium before and during the absorption of the excrement liquid while ensuring the elasticity of the middle sheet 80 as much as possible. It becomes possible to easily enter the fiber gap of the sheet 80. Therefore, in order to secure a liquid passage to the individual second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 by the fibers of the middle sheet 80 spreading in the recess 50c at the time of absorption, even after the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 start to expand. The decrease in diffusivity is suppressed, and gel blocking is less likely to occur. The thickness of the middle sheet 80 may be appropriately determined in consideration of the depth 50d of the recess 50c, the degree of penetration into the recess 50c, etc., but the thickness is 10% to 90% of the depth 50d of the recess 50c. It is preferably 70% to 90%, and more preferably 70% to 90%. The basis weight of the middle sheet 80 may be appropriately determined for the same reason, but it is preferably about 25 to 40 g / m ² in the above thickness range. In order to increase the porosity of the non-woven fabric of the middle sheet 80 (widen the fiber gaps), it is preferable that the constituent fibers are crimped fibers. Further, when the constituent fibers of the non-woven fabric of the middle sheet 80 are hydrophilic fibers (including fibers made hydrophilic by the hydrophilic agent), the water retention property is high, and when the fibers are hydrophobic fibers, the diffusibility is improved. The fiber bonding method of the non-woven fabric is not particularly limited, but the air-through non-woven fabric in which the fibers are bonded by hot air heating is used as the middle sheet in order to sufficiently bond the fibers to ensure elasticity while increasing the porosity (widening the fiber gap). 80 is preferable.

As long as the surface of the middle sheet 80 facing the recess 50c is in the recess 50c, it is in contact with the inner surface of the recess 50c as shown in FIGS. 13 (a) (c) and 14 (a) (c), respectively. It is preferable that they are present, but they may be separated as shown in FIG. 13 (b). When the surface of the middle sheet 80 facing the recess 50c and the inner surface of the recess 50c are separated from each other, the separation distance 80s can be appropriately determined, but is preferably 30% or less of the depth 50d of the recess 50c. As described above, when a gap is generated in the cell 55, the convex portion 50p (concave portion 50c) may be crushed according to the gap in the product state.

As shown in FIGS. 13 (a) to 13 (c) and FIG. 14 (a), the middle sheet 80 is provided with respect to at least one of the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 in both the cell 55 and the joint portion 54. It may be adhered with the hot melt adhesive 80h, or may not be adhered to both the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 as shown in FIG. 14 (c).

It is preferable that almost all of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 (for example, 95% or more) are not fixed to the upper sheet 51, the lower sheet 52, and the middle sheet 80 so that they can move freely. However, some or almost all (eg, 95% or more) of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 can also be adhered or adhered to at least one of the upper sheet 51, the lower sheet 52 and the middle sheet 80. FIG. 14B shows an example in which a part of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 is adhered to the lower sheet 52 with an adhesive 53h such as a hot melt adhesive. Further, the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 may be agglomerated to some extent. In particular, when the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are freely movable in the cell 55, having a hollow portion in the cell 55 causes the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 to move in the cell 55 during use. As a result, there is a risk of noise or absorption inhibition due to uneven distribution of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the cell 55. Therefore, in order to solve this, as described above, the surface of the middle sheet 80 facing the recess 50c is brought into contact with the inner surface of the recess 50c, that is, the high porosity is high over almost the entire cell 55 including the recess 50c. Filling the middle sheet 80 with fibers is one preferred embodiment. As a result, the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are captured by the fibers of the middle sheet 80, pressed against the upper sheet 51 and / or the lower sheet 52, or both, so that free movement is less likely to occur. .. Therefore, while preventing the expansion inhibition of the second high-absorbent polymer particles 53, the generation of sound due to the movement of the second high-absorbent polymer particles 53 and the uneven distribution of the second high-absorbent polymer particles 53 in the cell 55. It is possible to prevent absorption inhibition due to this.

As shown in the examples shown in FIGS. 13 (a) and 13 (b) and 14 (c), the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are most abundant on the upper surface of the middle sheet 80, and downward from there. When the amount is decreasing toward the direction, when the user touches the outer surface of the diaper by hand, the presence of the middle sheet 80 makes it difficult for the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 to feel the jerky touch (uncomfortable feeling). Therefore, it is preferable. In particular, when the middle sheet 80 is a bulky non-woven fabric having a high porosity, the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 can enter the fiber gaps of the middle sheet 80 before and during the absorption of the excrement liquid. Therefore, the absorption rate is further improved. That is, in the initial stage of absorption, absorption proceeds on the upper surface of the middle sheet 80 in which a large amount of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are distributed, but the speed is limited. Therefore, at the initial stage of this absorption, the excrement liquid enters a large amount into the middle sheet 80, which has a small amount of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53, and is absorbed by the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the middle sheet 80. It is temporarily stored or diffused into the surrounding cells 55 until it is absorbed by the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53. The excrement diffused to the surroundings is absorbed by the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the middle sheet 80 present therein, or is sucked up by the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 present in large quantities above the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53. Become. Then, in the process in which each of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 absorbs the excrement liquid, the highly absorbent polymer expands the fiber gaps and expands while entering between them or compressing the middle sheet 80. Become. By such an absorption mechanism, the excrement is rapidly diffused over a wide area of the cell absorption sheet 50 and is in a state of being received inside the cell absorption sheet 50, so that not only the absorption rate is improved but also the reversion prevention property is achieved. It will be excellent. Further, in order to exert such an absorption mechanism satisfactorily, it is preferable that the recess 50c is formed at least in a portion of the upper sheet 51 constituting each cell 55.

The degree of distribution of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the cell 55 can be appropriately determined, but normally, the weight ratio of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 present on the upper surface of the middle sheet 80 is the total amount. The weight ratio of the highly absorbent polymer retained in the middle sheet 80 (that is, not on the lower sheet 52) is preferably 45% or more of the total amount.

Of course, the distribution of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the cell 55 is not limited to this. Therefore, if the suction property from the highly absorbent nonwoven fabric forming the lower sheet 52 is emphasized, the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are most abundant on the upper surface of the lower sheet 52 as shown in FIG. 13 (c). It is also preferable to make the distribution decrease from there to the upper side. Further, as shown in FIG. 14A, the amount of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 present on the upper surface of the middle sheet 80 and the upper surface of the lower sheet 52 is larger than that in the portion between them. It may be. Further, although not shown, the distribution may be such that the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are most abundant in the middle in the thickness direction of the middle sheet 80, and are decreased from there toward the upper side and the lower side. This form can be formed by forming the middle sheet 80 into a two-layer non-woven fabric and sandwiching the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 between the layers.

The basis weight of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 can be appropriately determined. In the absorber 70 of this example, since the upper auxiliary layer 71 contains the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43, the basis weight of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the main absorbing layer 72 can be suppressed to a small extent, but the upper part. It is not appropriate for the auxiliary layer 71 alone to cover the absorption of a relatively large amount of excrement such as urine. Therefore, although it cannot be said unconditionally, the basis weight of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 is preferably larger than that of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43, and can be, for example, 150 to 250 g / m ² . .. Generally, if the basis weight of the second high-absorbent polymer particle 53 is less than 150 g / m ² , it is difficult to secure the absorption amount, and if it exceeds 250 g / m ² , the second high absorption is made when the user touches the outer surface of the product. The jerky tactile sensation (uncomfortable feeling) of the sex polymer particles 53 is easily transmitted to the hand.

The planar shape of the cell 55 can be appropriately determined, and as shown in FIG. 8 and the like, it can be a hexagon, a rhombus, a square, a rectangle, a circle, an ellipse, etc. It is desirable to have a rectangular shape, and it is desirable to arrange them without gaps as shown in the illustrated example. In the cell 55, in addition to arranging objects having the same shape and the same size, a plurality of types of cells 55 having different shapes and dimensions, which are not shown, may be arranged in combination.

The planar arrangement of the cells 55 (that is, the same applies to the aggregated portion of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53) can be appropriately determined, but a regularly repeated planar arrangement is preferable, and an oblique plane as shown in FIG. 12 (a) is preferable. A grid, a hexagonal grid as shown in FIG. 12 (b) (these are also called staggered), a square grid as shown in FIG. 12 (c), and a rectangular grid as shown in FIG. 12 (d). , A parallel body grid as shown in FIG. 12 (e) (as shown in the figure, two groups of parallel diagonal rows are provided so as to intersect each other), etc. (These are in the expansion / contraction direction). In addition to those that repeat regularly, such as those that are tilted at an angle of less than 90 degrees), groups of cells 55 (the arrangement of group units may be regular or irregular, and may be patterns, letters, etc.). Can be repeated regularly.

The dimensions of each cell 55 can be appropriately determined, for example, the dimension 55L in the front-rear direction LD (equal to the size of the front-rear direction LD of the convex portion 50p) can be about 6 to 30 mm, and the dimension 55W in the width direction WD. (Equivalent to the dimension of the WD in the width direction of the convex portion 50p) can be about 7 to 50 mm. The area of each cell 55 can be about 31 to 1650 mm ² .

It is desirable that the joint portion 54 for joining the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 has a joint portion 54 formed in a uniform net-like pattern throughout the joint portion 54 when importance is attached to ease of manufacture, manufacturing stability, and the like. For this reason, it is desirable to arrange one or more types of cells 55 having the same size and planar shape regularly and without gaps as shown in the illustrated example. The joint portion 54 for joining the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 is preferably a welded portion of the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 as in ultrasonic welding or heat sealing, but via a hot melt adhesive. It may be an adhesive portion joined together.

The joint portion 54 of the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 is arranged so as to surround each cell 55, and is dotted as shown in the illustrated example (intermittently in the direction surrounding each cell 55) as long as it is a boundary between adjacent cells. ), It can also be formed in a continuous linear shape. When the junction 54 is formed intermittently, the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 may be absent or, if any, less than in the cell 55 between the junctions 54 in the direction surrounding the cell 55. preferable. In particular, if the joints are provided in a dotted line (intermittently), the fibers of the middle sheet will pass between the adjacent joints and extend between a large number of cells. Therefore, since a liquid diffusion passage is formed between the adjacent joints, the absorption rate can be improved by improving the liquid diffusivity between the cells.

As shown in FIG. 10, even if the joint portion 54 is a weak joint portion 54b that can be peeled off by the expansion force of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the adjacent cell 55, the joint portion 54 is also in the adjacent cell 55. It may be a strong joint portion 54a that basically does not peel off due to the expansion force of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53. In order to cope with the expansion of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 having a volume of 55 or more in each cell, it is preferable that a part or all of the joint portion 54 is a weak joint portion 54b. By having the weakly joined portion 54b, the cells 55 adjacent to each other across the weakly joined portion 54b are separated from each other by the absorption expansion pressure of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the cell 55 and united into one large cell. It becomes possible to become a cell 55.

On the other hand, since the strong bonding portion 54a is a portion that basically does not peel off even if the cells 55 on both sides thereof absorb and expand, it can be continued in a specific direction to improve diffusivity or a second highly absorbent polymer. It has the effects of preventing the flow of the gelled product of the particles 53 and reducing the contact area on the surface side. Therefore, by combining this with the weak joint portion, it is possible to construct the cell absorption sheet 50 having various characteristics as described later. The joint portion 54 located on the outermost side in the width direction WD has a strong joint portion 54a because if it is peeled off, the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 or a gelled product thereof may leak to the side of the cell absorption sheet 50. Is desirable. From the same viewpoint, the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 extend to some extent outside the WD in the width direction from the cell 55 forming region, and the edge joint portion 54c is provided on this extending portion for reinforcement. preferable.

The difference in joint strength may be easily formed by changing the area of the joint portion 54, but is not limited to this, and for example, when the joint portion 54 is formed by a hot melt adhesive, a hot melt adhesive is used. It is also possible to adopt a method of differentiating the type of the type depending on the part. In particular, when the joint portion 54 is formed by welding the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52, the weak joint portion 54b can be formed only by making the joint portion 54 a dotted line and widening the point spacing 54D. Since the portion 54 is a portion that becomes a boundary between adjacent cells 55, if the point spacing 54D becomes too wide, there will be many gaps at the boundary between adjacent cells 55, and the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 will easily move. Become. Therefore, when the wide and narrow of the width 54W of the joint portion 54 and the wide and narrow of the point spacing 54D are combined to form a dotted line weak joint portion 54b, the weak joint portion 54b portion is easily peeled off even though the gap is small. Become.

The dimensions of the joint portion 54 that joins the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 can be appropriately determined. For example, the width (the dimension in the direction orthogonal to the direction surrounding the cell 55 and equal to the distance between the cells 55) 54W is 1. It can be about 0 to 1.8 mm. When the joint portion 54 is formed in a dotted line (intermittently in the direction surrounding the cell 55), the dimension 54L of the joint portion 54 in the direction surrounding the cell 55 is about 0.6 to 1.5 mm, and the point spacing 54D is 0. It is preferably about 0.8 to 3.0 mm. In particular, in the case of the strong joint portion 54a, the width 54W is about 1.3 to 1.8 mm, the dimension 54L of the joint portion 54 is about 1.0 to 1.5 mm, and the point spacing 54D is 0.8 to 2.0 mm. It is preferable to set the degree. In the case of the weak joint portion 54b, the width 54W is about 1.0 to 1.3 mm, the size 54L of the joint portion 54 is about 0.6 to 1.0 mm, and the point spacing 54D is 1.5 to 3.0 mm. It is preferable to set the degree.

In order to make the weakly joined portion 54b peelable, the volume of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the cell 55 at the time of saturated absorption is sufficiently larger than the volume of the cell 55 adjacent to the weakly joined portion 54b. In addition, the type and amount of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 arranged in each cell 55 can be determined. Further, in order to make the strong joint portion 54a basically non-peelable, the second height included in the unitable cell 55 is larger than the volume of the cell 55 that can be combined by the peeling of the weak joint portion 54b after the combination. The type and amount of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 arranged in each cell 55 can be determined so that the volume of the absorbent polymer particles 53 at the time of saturated absorption becomes small.

The width of the joint portion 54 when the joint portion 54 is formed in a continuous linear shape and the width 54 W when the joint portion 54 is formed in a dotted line shape are constant in the direction surrounding the cell 55 and can be changed. .. Further, the shape of each joint portion 54 when the joint portion 54 is formed in a dotted line shape can be appropriately determined, and all of them may be the same, or may have different shapes depending on the part. In particular, when the shape of each cell 55 is polygonal, it is preferable to provide a joint portion 54 at at least one of the intermediate position of each side and the position of each vertex. Further, in the case of the strong joint portion 54a, it is preferable to provide it at each vertex position, but in the case of the weak joint portion 54b, it is easier for the weak joint portion 54b to peel off if it is not provided at each vertex position, and the cells 55 are united. Is preferable because it proceeds smoothly.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, in the region in the middle of the width direction WD of the cell absorption sheet 50, the vertical strong joint line 58 in which the strong joint portion 54a continues to the front-rear LD, and the low expansion cells adjacent to both sides thereof. It is preferable that the diffusibility improving portion 57 made of 55s is provided. The low-expansion cell 55s of the diffusivity improving portion 57 has a smaller amount of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 contained per unit area than the cells 55 adjacent to both sides of the diffusible improving portion 57, and has the diffusibility. The joint portion 54 between the cells 55 adjacent to both sides of the improved portion 57 is a weak joint portion 54b. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, at the beginning of absorption of the excrement liquid, a wide groove having the diffusible improving portion 57 as the bottom is formed due to the difference in the amount of expansion between the diffusible improving portion 57 and the peripheral portion thereof. The groove promotes liquid diffusion. In this state, due to the expansion force of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the cells 55 around the diffusivity improving portion 57, the weakness between the low expansion cells 55s of the diffusivity improving portion 57 and the cells 55 on both sides thereof is weak. It continues until the joint portion 54b comes off, and even after the weak joint portion 54b comes off, the strong joint portion 54a does not come off. To. That is, the width of the groove is wide at the initial stage of absorption when diffusion of a large amount of excrement is important, and after that, the low expansion cell 55s of the diffusivity improving portion 57 is also the surrounding cell 55 so that problems such as gel blocking do not occur. However, a groove remains due to the strong joint portion 54a, and the diffusivity improving action is maintained.

The inclusion amount of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 in the low expansion cell 55s is preferably 1/3 or less of the adjacent cells 55 in terms of weight ratio, and it is particularly preferable not to include them at all.

In FIG. 11, the strong joint portion 54a is represented by a thick dotted line, and the other weak joint portion 54b is represented by a thin dotted line, and the cell 55 (low expansion cell 55s) containing the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 is represented. In FIG. 11, the cells 55) excluding the low-content cells 56 described later are dotted with a diagonal line pattern.

As shown in FIG. 8, the diffusivity improving portion 57 may be provided over the entire length of the cell absorbing sheet 50, and as shown in FIG. 11, the intermediate portion of the anteroposterior LD (particularly including the crotch portion, and the front and rear thereof is included). It may be provided only in the range covering both sides). Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, the diffusibility improving unit 57 may be provided at one place in the center of the WD in the width direction, or may be provided at a plurality of places at intervals in the WD in the width direction, although not shown. can.

When the cells 55 can be united over the entire anteroposterior LD of the cell absorption sheet 50, the gelled product of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 expanded during absorption can be largely moved in the united cell 55 in the anteroposterior LD. Therefore, the gelled product may collect in a low place such as a crotch portion and deteriorate the wearing feeling. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the lateral strong joint line 59 (see FIG. 7), in which the strong joint portion 54a is a portion continuously or intermittently (continuous linear or dotted line) in the width direction WD or the diagonal direction, is formed. It is a preferable form that a plurality of LDs are provided at intervals in the front-rear direction. As a result, the strong bonding portion 54a, which basically does not peel off during absorption, can prevent the gelled product of the second highly absorbent polymer particle 53 from moving in the anteroposterior direction LD, and prevent the shape of the cell absorbing sheet 50 from collapsing. Can be done. Of course, as shown in FIG. 11, it is possible to form a form that does not have such a laterally strong joint line 59.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 8, the vertical strong joining line 58, which is a portion where the strong joining portion 54a continues to the front-rear direction LD over the entire length of the cell absorbing sheet 50, is on the outermost side of the cell 55 in the width direction WD. It is provided on both sides of the width direction WD along the edge, and is also provided in the middle of these width direction WDs, and the lateral strong joint line 59 extends between the vertical strong joint lines 58 adjacent to the width direction WD. In the case of the WD in the width direction or the portion continuing in the diagonal direction, the cell 55 does not coalesce in the maximum expansion section 55G or more surrounded by the strong joint portion 54a, so that the gel of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 expanded at the time of absorption. The compound does not move out of the maximum expansion section 55G, and the shape of the cell absorbing sheet 50 can be effectively prevented from being deformed during absorption. Further, the vertical strong joint line 58, which is a portion where the strong joint portion 54a continues in the front-rear direction LD, improves the liquid diffusivity in the vertical direction, and the strong joint portion 54a is a portion where the strong joint portion 54a continues in the width direction WD or the diagonal direction. The wire 59 improves the liquid diffusivity in the lateral direction. For example, in the form shown in FIG. 8, assuming that urine is excreted at the position of reference numeral Z, the urine is diffused to the surroundings as shown in FIG. The polymer particles 53 absorb. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, for the cell 55 in which the expansion pressure of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 inside has increased, the weakly joined portion 54b around the cell 55 cannot withstand the expansion pressure and peels off. And merge with the adjacent cell 55. This coalescence continues as long as the absorption and expansion of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 can exfoliate the weakly bonded portion 54b and can proceed to the cell 55 having the strongly bonded portion 54a around it.

The size, shape, and arrangement of the maximum expansion section 55G (that is, the arrangement of the strong joint portion 54a) can be appropriately determined, but if the maximum expansion section 55G is made too small, it becomes meaningless to provide the strong joint portion 54a, and the number of cells 55 Even if there are many cells, the shape of the cells 55 after being united becomes a shape that does not easily swell when they are formed elongated.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the vertical strong joint line 58 is provided at the center portion and both side portions of the cell absorption sheet 50 in the width direction, respectively, and the lateral strong joint line 59 is the vertical strong joint line at the center. Between the wire 58 and the vertical strong joint wires 58 on both sides, each of them has a zigzag shape extending in the front-rear direction while repeatedly bending left and right. As a result, the substantially triangular maximum expansion section 55G having an apex at the position of the central vertical strong junction line 58 and the substantially triangular maximum expansion section 55G having vertices at the positions of the vertical strong junction lines 58 on both sides are formed. , It is repeatedly formed alternately in the front-back direction. When the laterally strong joint line 59 is formed in a zigzag shape in this way, it is possible to efficiently promote the liquid diffusion in the lateral direction with a small number of laterally strong joint lines 59, and the maximum expansion section 55G becomes an almost triangular shape that easily swells. , The amount of increase in cell volume with respect to the number of cells 55 combined is also excellent, which is preferable.

It is also possible to use only the vertical strong joining line 58 without providing the low expansion cell 55s. In this case, since the strong joint portion 54a does not come off when the excrement liquid is absorbed, the diffusibility is improved by leaving a groove having the strong joint portion 54a as the bottom.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8 and the like, it is also possible to provide the low content cell 56 in which the inclusion amount per unit area of the second highly absorbent polymer particle 53 is smaller than that of other cells. In FIG. 11, the cells 55 containing the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 (cells 55 excluding the low expansion cells 55s and the low content cells 56) are shaded. Of these, the region with the diagonal line pattern in FIG. 8 assumes the spraying region 53A of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 at the time of manufacture, so that the peripheral cell 55 has a portion without the diagonal line pattern. When the second highly absorbent polymer particle 53 is movable in the cell 55, the position of the second highly absorbent polymer particle 53 in the cell 55 is not fixed in the product, and the position of the second highly absorbent polymer particle 53 is not fixed in the cell 55. The second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 can be distributed throughout the cell 55 as in the case of the one. The amount of the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 contained in the low-content cell 56 is preferably ½ or less of that of the other cells in terms of weight ratio, and it is particularly preferable that the second high-absorbent polymer particles 53 are not contained at all. For example, since the front end and the rear end of the cell absorbing sheet 50 are formed by cutting into individual cell absorbing sheets 50 during manufacturing, if the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are contained in this position, the cutting device may contain the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53. The life of the blade may be shortened. Therefore, it is desirable that at least the cell 55 at the position where the front and rear ends of the cell absorption sheet 50 pass is the low content cell 56. Further, by setting the cells 55 on both sides in the middle of the LD in the front-rear direction of the cell absorption sheet 50 as the low-containing cells 56, the portion is less expanded even after absorption, and therefore the cell absorption sheet 50 is formed even after absorption. The shape fits around the legs.

In the above example, only the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 are included in the cell 55, but the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 and the powder particles other than the highly absorbent polymer particles such as deodorant particles are included. You can also let them.

(Easy bending part)
It is preferable that the cell absorbing sheet 50 is provided with easily bent portions 90 extending linearly along the legs while crossing the joint portion 54 and the cell 55 on both side portions of the portion located at the crotch portion M. If there is no easily bent portion 90, it can be bent in any direction at any of the joint portions 54 of the uniformly provided mesh pattern, so that the fit is excellent in the mounted state, but the shape is deformed to an unintended shape. There is a risk. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, when the easily bent portion 90 is provided, as shown in FIG. 19, both sides of the portion of the cell absorbing sheet 50 located at the crotch portion M are the cells 55. It becomes easy to bend to the front side along the easily bent portion 90 instead of the joint portion 54 for forming the above. Therefore, in this tape-type disposable diaper, when the diaper is sandwiched between both legs, both sides of the crotch portion M are likely to be deformed into a desired shape along the inner thigh of the wearer, resulting in leakage and deterioration of the wearing feeling. Is less likely to occur.

By having the easily bent portion 90, both side portions of the portion of the cell absorbing sheet 50 located at the crotch portion M are easily bent to the front side along the easily bent portion 90, but at least of the above-mentioned flat gathers and rising gathers 60. Having one is preferable because the bending direction is more surely on the front side.

The planar shape of the easily bent portion 90 is not particularly limited as long as it extends linearly along the circumference of the leg. For example, the easily bent portion 90 includes an innermost portion 91 whose tangent line forms a straight line along the front-rear direction LD, and a front diagonal portion 92 extending so as to be located outside the WD in the width direction from the innermost innermost 91 toward the front side and the rear side. It may have a shape having a rear diagonal portion 93. In this case, there is only one innermost point 91 (that is, a portion where the tangent line is a straight line along the front-rear direction LD), and the front diagonal portion 92 may be connected to the rear diagonal portion 93 without passing through the straight line portion as a whole. As shown in the illustrated example, the innermost 91 may extend linearly along the front-rear direction LD by 1/4 or more of the dimension of the front-back direction LD of the entire easily bent portion 90. The easily bent portion 90 may have a curved shape having no linear portion. The easily bent portion 90 may have an inflection point in a plan view, but it is preferable that the easily bent portion 90 does not have an inflection point (not zigzag). Further, the easily bent portion 90 may be continuously extended or may be intermittently (dotted) extended.

The dimension of the front-rear direction LD of the easily bent portion 90 can be appropriately determined in consideration of the standard dimension of the crotch portion M of the wearer, and usually, it can be about 30 to 70% of the total length L of the product. Further, the dimension (one side) of the WD in the width direction of the easily bent portion 90 can be appropriately determined in consideration of the standard dimension of the crotch portion M of the wearer and the total width 50W of the cell absorbing sheet 50, for example, the cell absorbing sheet 50. It can be about 10 to 30% of the total width of 50 W. The line width 90W of the easily bent portion 90 (as described later, when the easily bent portion 50 is formed in the same manner as the joint portion, the dimension indicated by the reference numeral 54W) may be appropriately determined, but in the normal case, 1. It is preferably 5 to 12.0 mm.

The easily bent portion 90 can be formed by applying non-heated embossing or ruled line processing to the cell absorbing sheet 50, or can be formed by perforation processing, and also has a joint portion 54 surrounding the cell 55 described above. It can also be formed by the same method. That is, the easily bent portion 90 may be a portion in which a welded portion welded while pressurizing the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52 in the thickness direction is intermittently provided along the circumference of the leg. In this case, the width of the welded portion in the easily bent portion 90 (similar to 54 W) is made thicker than the width 54 W of the joint portion 54 (for example, 1.5 to 3.0 times), and the distance between the welded portions in the easily bent portion is increased. It is preferable to make (similar to 54D) narrower than the spacing 54D of the joint portions 54 (for example, 1/4 to 1/2 times) because it is more likely to bend along the easily bent portion 90.

When the easily bent portion 90 is formed by the welded portions of the upper sheet 51 and the lower sheet 52, the welded portion is formed by the expansion force of the highly absorbent polymer particles in the adjacent cell 55, similarly to the above-mentioned strong bonding portion 54a. If it does not peel off, the effect of the easily bent portion 90 is exhibited even after the excrement is absorbed, which is preferable. Along with or instead of this, as shown in the illustrated example, if the cell 55 through which the easy-folding portion 90 passes and the cell 55 located on the side of the cell 55 are the above-mentioned low-content cells 56, the easy-folding portion 90 is used. It is preferable because it is less likely that bending along the easily bent portion 90 is hindered (a force acts in the direction of flattening) due to the portions on both sides expanding and pressing against each other.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13A or the like, if the upper sheet 51 of the cell absorbing sheet 50 has a recess 50c recessed upward, the easily bent portion 90 is sandwiched between the highly absorbent polymer particles when they absorb and expand. Bending along the easily bent portion 90 may be hindered by the portions on both sides expanding and pressing against each other (force acts in the direction of flattening). Therefore, if this point is taken into consideration, as shown in FIG. 13C, the portions of the lower sheet 52 located in each cell 55 are extruded downward, and a pair of front and back sides are formed on the upper surface and the lower surface of the lower sheet 52. It is preferable that the concave portion 50c and the convex portion 50p are formed, and the portion of the upper sheet 51 located in each cell 55 is not extruded in the thickness direction and is flat.

It is desirable that the cell absorbing sheet 50 is joined to an adjacent member. However, if the portion of the cell absorbing sheet 50 that is lateral to the easily bent portion 90 is joined to the adjacent member, the resistance to bending along the easily bent portion 90 increases. Therefore, the portion of the cell absorbing sheet 50 located between the left and right easily bent portions 90 is joined to at least one of the upper and lower adjacent members, and the entire portion lateral to the easily bent portion 90 is above, below, and on the side. It is preferable that the members are not joined to the members adjacent to each other, and the bending action along the above-mentioned easily bent portion 90 is easily exhibited.

The easily bent portion 90 may be provided on at least one of the members on the front side of the cell absorbing sheet 50, for example, the packaging sheet 45, the intermediate sheet 40, and the top sheet 30 in the illustrated example, but at least the top sheet 30 is provided. And, it is preferable that it is not provided on the intermediate sheet 40, and it is more preferable that it is not provided on all the members on the front side of the cell absorbing sheet 50.

(Highly absorbent polymer particles)
As the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 and the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53, those used for this kind of absorbent article can be used as they are. The particle size of the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 and the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 is not particularly limited, but for example, the proportion of particles larger than 500 μm is 30% by weight or less, and the proportion of particles of 500 μm or less and more than 180 μm. Is 60% by weight or more, the proportion of particles exceeding 106 μm and 180 μm or less is preferably 10% by weight or less, and the proportion of particles of 106 μm or less is preferably 10% by weight or less. The particle size is measured as follows. That is, standard sieves of 500 μm, 180 μm, and 106 μm (JIS Z8801-1: 2006) and saucers are arranged side by side in this order from the top, and 10 g of a sample of highly absorbent polymer particles is put into the uppermost 500 μm sieve. After sieving (shaking for 5 minutes), weigh the particles remaining on each sieve. As a result of this sieving, the weight ratios of the samples remaining on the 500 μm, 180 μm, and 106 μm sieves to the input amount of the samples remaining on the saucer were set to the ratio of the particles exceeding 500 μm and the particles of 500 μm or less and 180 μm or more, respectively. The ratio is defined as the ratio of particles exceeding 106 μm and 180 μm or less, and the ratio of particles of 106 μm or less.

The first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 and the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53 can be used without particular limitation, but those having a water absorption of 40 g / g or more are preferable. Further, it is preferable that the first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 and the second high-absorbent polymer particles 53 are produced by a crushing method because gel blocking is unlikely to occur. Examples of the first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 and the second high-absorbent polymer particles 53 include starch-based, cell 55-loin-based and synthetic polymer-based ones, and starch-acrylic acid (salt) graft copolymers and starches. -Kenzome of acrylonitrile copolymer, crosslinked product of sodium carboxymethyl cell 55 loin, acrylic acid (salt) polymer and the like can be used. As the shapes of the first high-absorbent polymer particles 43 and the second high-absorbent polymer particles 53, those in the form of commonly used powders and granules are suitable, but those having other shapes can also be used.

As the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 and the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53, those having a water absorption rate of 70 seconds or less, particularly 40 seconds or less, are preferably used. If the water absorption rate is too slow, so-called reversion, in which the liquid supplied into the absorber 70 returns to the outside of the absorber 70, is likely to occur.

Further, as the first highly absorbent polymer particles 43 and the second highly absorbent polymer particles 53, those having a gel strength of 1000 Pa or more are preferably used. As a result, the sticky feeling after liquid absorption can be effectively suppressed.

(Packaging sheet)
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 16 (a), the absorber 70 can be packaged by the packaging sheet 45. In this case, one packaging sheet 45 can be wrapped in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the front and back surfaces and both side surfaces of the absorber 70, and can be packaged by being sandwiched between the two packaging sheets 45 from both the front and back surfaces. As the packaging sheet 45, tissue paper, particularly crepe paper, non-woven fabric, non-woven fabric of polylami, a sheet having small holes, or the like can be used. However, it is desirable that the sheet does not allow the highly absorbent polymer particles 53 to come out. When a non-woven fabric is used for the packaging sheet 45, a hydrophilic SMS non-woven fabric (SMS, SMSMS, etc.) is particularly suitable, and the material thereof may be polypropylene, polyethylene / polypropylene composite material, or the like. The weight of the non-woven fabric used for the packaging sheet 45 is preferably 5 to 40 g / m ² , especially 10 to 30 g / m ² .

As shown in FIG. 16B, the packaging sheet 45 is wound from the back surface of the absorber 70 to both sides of the upper surface of the absorber 70 via both sides of the width direction WD of the absorber 70, and the width of the upper surface of the absorber 70. It is preferable that the region 45S not covered by the packaging sheet 45 is provided in the middle portion of the direction WD, and the upper auxiliary layer 71 is provided so as to include the entire region 45S. The absorber 70 is generally covered with a packaging sheet 45 in order to prevent leakage of the highly absorbent polymer particles during production, before use, or after absorption, and has the above-mentioned upper auxiliary layer 71. In the case of the absorber 70, it is desirable that the upper auxiliary layer 71 promptly comes into contact with the viscous liquid N. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 16B, it is desirable to limit the covering range of the packaging sheet 45 and expose the upper auxiliary layer 71 to the upper surface of the absorber 70. Even with such a structure, the portion of the absorber 70 that is not covered by the packaging sheet 45 is covered with the highly water-absorbent nonwoven fabric 42 of the upper auxiliary layer 71, and the upper auxiliary layer 71 has a high degree of Krem water absorption (that is, densely packed). Since the highly absorbent non-woven fabric 42 is the basis, the effect of preventing leakage of the highly absorbent polymer particles is exhibited, which is almost the same as that of covering the entire absorber 70 with the packaging sheet 45.

<Explanation of terms in the specification>
When the following terms are used in the specification, they have the following meanings unless otherwise specified in the specification.

The "MD direction" and the "CD direction" mean the flow direction (MD direction) in the manufacturing equipment and the lateral direction (CD direction) orthogonal to the flow direction, and one of them is the front-rear direction of the product. The other is in the width direction of the product. The MD direction of the nonwoven fabric is the direction of the fiber orientation of the nonwoven fabric. The fiber orientation is the direction along which the fibers of the non-woven fabric are aligned. It can be discriminated by a simple measurement method for determining the orientation direction.

-The "front-back direction" means the direction (vertical direction) indicated by the symbol LD in the figure, and the "width direction" means the direction (horizontal direction) indicated by WD in the figure, and the front-back direction and the width direction. Are orthogonal.

-The "front side" means the one closer to the wearer's skin when worn, and the "back side" means the one farther from the wearer's skin when worn.

-The "front surface" means the surface of the member closer to the wearer's skin when worn, and the "back surface" means the surface farther from the wearer's skin when worn.

The "expanded state" means a state in which the product is deployed flat without shrinkage (including any contraction such as contraction due to an elastic member) or slack.

The "elongation rate" means a value when the natural length is 100%. For example, an elongation rate of 200% is synonymous with an elongation ratio of 2 times.

"Artificial urine" includes urea: 2 wt%, sodium chloride: 0.8 wt%, calcium chloride dihydrate: 0.03 wt%, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate: 0.08 wt%, and ion-exchanged water: 97. It is a mixture of 09 wt% and is used at a temperature of 37 ° C. unless otherwise specified.

"Gel strength" is measured as follows. To 49.0 g of artificial urine, 1.0 g of a highly absorbent polymer is added and stirred with a stirrer. The produced gel is left in a constant temperature and humidity chamber at 40 ° C. × 60% RH for 3 hours, then returned to room temperature, and the gel strength is measured with a card meter (Curdmeter-MAX ME-500 manufactured by I.techno Engineering).

"Metsuke" is measured as follows. After pre-drying the sample or test piece, leave it in a test room or device in a standard state (test location: temperature 23 ± 1 ° C., relative humidity 50 ± 2%) to bring it to a constant weight. Pre-drying refers to constant weight of a sample or test piece in an environment with a temperature of 100 ° C. For fibers with an official moisture content of 0.0%, pre-drying does not have to be performed. From the test piece in a constant weight state, a sample having a size of 100 mm × 100 mm is cut out using a sampling template (100 mm × 100 mm). The weight of the sample is measured and multiplied by 100 to calculate the weight per square meter, which is used as a basis weight.

The "thickness" is automatically measured using an automatic thickness measuring device (KES-G5 handy compression tester) under the conditions of a load of 0.098 N / cm ² and a pressurized area of 2 cm ² .

The "porosity" is measured by the following method. That is, the portion of the middle sheet other than the joint is cut into a rectangular shape and used as a sample. Measure the length, width, thickness and weight of the sample. Using the raw material density of the non-woven fabric, the virtual weight is calculated when the volume is the same as that of the sample and the porosity is 0%. Substitute the sample weight and virtual weight into the following equation to obtain the porosity.
Porosity = [(Virtual Weight-Sample Weight) / Virtual Weight] x 100

The "water absorption amount" is measured by JIS K7223-1996 "Water absorption test method for highly water-absorbent resin".

"Water absorption rate" is the "time to the end point" when JIS K7224-1996 "Water absorption rate test method for highly water-absorbent resin" was performed using 2 g of highly absorbent polymer and 50 g of physiological saline. do.

"Krem water absorption" means the Krem water absorption measured by "paper and paperboard-water absorption test method-Krem method" specified in JIS P 8141: 2004.

"Water retention" means what is measured by the following method. Prepare a test piece of 10 cm in the MD direction × 10 cm in the CD direction (area 100 cm ² ), and measure the weight before absorption. Next, after immersing the test piece in artificial urine for 5 seconds, lightly pinch one of the corners with the thumb and index finger (pinch lightly so as not to squeeze out water as much as possible), and the opposite corners are below. Hang it so that it faces you, leave it for 30 seconds, and drop it. After that, when measuring the "water retention amount under load", the test piece is placed on a stack of eight filter papers (length 150 mm x width 150 mm), and the length 100 mm x so that the load is applied to the entire upper surface of the test piece. A square columnar weight (weight 3 kg) having a bottom surface of 100 mm in width is placed, the weight is removed after 5 minutes, and the weight of the test piece after absorption is measured. When measuring the "water retention capacity under no load", place the test piece on a stack of eight filter papers, do not put anything on it, and measure the weight of the test piece after absorption after 5 minutes. do. Based on these measurement results, the values obtained by converting the difference between the weight after absorption and the weight before absorption per 10 cm ² area are defined as "water retention under load" and "water retention under no load".

Unless otherwise specified, the dimensions of each part mean the dimensions in the unfolded state, not in the natural length state.

If there is no description of the environmental conditions in the test or measurement, the test or measurement shall be performed in a test room or equipment under standard conditions (test location: temperature 23 ± 1 ° C, relative humidity 50 ± 2%). ..

The present invention can be used for all absorbent articles such as tape-type disposable diapers as in the above example, pants-type disposable diapers, pad-type disposable diapers, and sanitary napkins.

LD ... front-back direction, M ... crotch part, N ... viscous liquid, U ... non-viscous liquid, WD ... width direction, 11 ... liquid impermeable sheet, 12 ... exterior non-woven fabric, 12T ... target sheet, 13 ... fastening tape, 13A ... Locking part, 13B ... Tape body part, 13C ... Tape mounting part, 30 ... Top sheet, 40 ... Intermediate sheet, 42 ... High water absorption non-woven fabric, 42a ... Pulp layer, 42b ... Support layer, 43 ... First high absorption Polymer particles, 45 ... packaging sheet, 50 ... cell absorbing sheet, 50c ... concave, 50d ... depth, 50p ... convex, 51 ... upper sheet, 52 ... lower sheet, 53 ... second highly absorbent polymer particles, 54 ... Joint part, 54a ... Strong joint part, 54b ... Weak joint part, 54c ... Edge joint part, 55 ... Cell, 55G ... Maximum expansion section, 55s ... Low expansion cell, 56 ... Low content cell, 57 ... Diffusivity improvement part , 58 ... Vertical strong joint line, 59 ... Horizontal strong joint line, 60 ... Rising gather, 62 ... Gather sheet, 70 ... Absorber, 71 ... Upper auxiliary layer, 72 ... Main absorption layer, 80 ... Medium sheet, 90 ... Easy Bent part.

Claims (6)

It has a crotch part located in the middle of the front-back direction,
It comprises an absorber, a liquid permeable top sheet arranged on the front side of the absorber, and a liquid permeable top sheet arranged on the back side of the absorber.
The absorber includes an upper sheet and a lower sheet having liquid permeability, a cell surrounded by a joint portion between the upper sheet and the lower sheet, and a cell in which the upper sheet and the lower sheet are non-bonded portions, and the inside of the cell. Includes a cell-absorbing sheet with granules containing highly absorbent polymer particles housed in.
The cell absorbing sheet extends from both the front and back sides of the crotch portion.
The joint portion of the cell absorbing sheet is provided in a uniform net-like pattern throughout the cell absorbing sheet.
Easy-bending portions extending linearly along the legs while crossing the joint portion and the cell are provided on both sides of the portion of the cell absorbing sheet located at the crotch portion.
An absorbent article, characterized in that. The upper sheet and the lower sheet are non-woven fabrics, respectively.
The joint portion is a portion intermittently provided in the circumferential direction of the cell and welded while pressurizing the upper sheet and the lower sheet in the thickness direction.
The easily bent portion is a portion in which a welded portion welded while pressurizing the upper sheet and the lower sheet in the thickness direction is intermittently provided along the circumference of the leg.
The width of the welded portion in the easily bent portion is wider than the width of the joint portion, and the distance between the welded portions in the easily bent portion is narrower than the distance between the joined portions.
The absorbent article according to claim 1. The easily bent portion is a portion in which a welded portion welded while pressurizing the upper sheet and the lower sheet in the thickness direction is intermittently provided along the circumference of the leg.
The welded portion of the easily bent portion does not peel off due to the expansion force of the highly absorbent polymer particles in the adjacent cell.
The cell through which the easily bent portion passes and the cell located lateral to the cell do not contain the highly absorbent polymer particles, or the cells are higher in absorption polymer particles as compared with the cells adjacent to the inner side in the width direction of the cell itself. It is a low content cell with a low content of
The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2. The easily bent portion is a portion in which a welded portion welded while pressurizing the upper sheet and the lower sheet in the thickness direction is intermittently provided along the circumference of the leg.
The welded portion of the easily bent portion does not peel off due to the expansion force of the highly absorbent polymer particles in the adjacent cell.
A portion of the lower sheet located in each cell is extruded downward, and a pair of front-back concave portions and convex portions are formed on the upper surface and the lower surface of the lower sheet.
The portion of the upper sheet located in each cell is not extruded in the thickness direction and is flat.
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3. In the cell absorbing sheet, the entire portion lateral to the easily bent portion is not joined to the members adjacent to the upper, lower, and lateral sides, respectively.
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The cell absorbing sheet has a constant width throughout the front-rear direction.
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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