JP3729695B2 - Absorbent articles - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an absorbent article particularly suitable as a sanitary napkin or an incontinence pad, and more particularly to a pants-type absorbent article that can be easily worn without the need of shorts or pants.
[0002]
[Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention]
Usually, a sanitary napkin is used by being fixed to shorts or pants through an adhesive portion provided at a predetermined location.
However, fixing to shorts or pants is a cumbersome operation, and if the fixing method is bad, twisting or misalignment may occur during wearing, and liquid leakage may occur.
In addition, a pants-type disposable diaper is known as an absorbent article. However, a conventional unfolded diaper, that is, a diaper having fastening tapes on the left and right side edges of the back side is used for the manufacture thereof. The production line cannot be utilized.
[0003]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article that can be easily mounted without requiring shorts or pants, is less likely to leak, and can be manufactured at low cost by utilizing existing equipment, and the absorbent article. The object is to provide a compact folding body.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention is a pants-type absorbent article comprising a substantially vertically formed absorbent body composed of a liquid-retaining absorbent layer and a liquid-impermeable leak-proof layer, the absorbent article A pair of flap members having elasticity in at least the width direction are connected to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main body, and both side edges of the pair of flap members are joined to each other to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. And at least one of the pair of flap members has an end opposite to the end forming the peripheral edge of the waist opening, on the skin contact surface side of the flap member. In the vicinity of the end portion of the flap body, which is joined to the skin contact surface side at the longitudinal end of the absorbent body, the flap material is joined to the absorbent body of the flap material when worn. Toward the peripheral edge of the waist opening By providing an absorbent article which is adapted to be folded, in which achieved the above object.
[0005]
Further, the present invention is a folded body of the above absorbent article, wherein the skin contact surface side or the non-skin contact surface side of the absorbent main body is protected by the pair of flap members, and the absorbent The object is achieved by providing a folded body of an absorbent article in which the main body is folded in half or in three in the longitudinal direction.
[0006]
In the present invention, the longitudinal direction and the width direction are substantially directions corresponding to a vertically long absorbent main body, and are the same directions as both directions in the absorbent main body unless otherwise specified.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an absorbent article and a folded body thereof according to the present invention will be described based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.
The sanitary napkin of this embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 is provided with the absorptive main body 1 which consists of the liquid-retaining absorption layer 11 and the liquid-impermeable leak-proof layer 14. The absorptive main body 1 is formed substantially vertically long, and both end portions in the longitudinal direction have an arc shape.
[0008]
The absorbent layer 11 includes a liquid-permeable surface sheet 12 that forms the skin contact surface of the absorbent main body 1 and a liquid-retaining absorbent 13 that is disposed on the non-skin contact surface side of the surface sheet 11. The leak-proof layer 14 is made of a liquid-impermeable leak-proof sheet disposed on the non-skin contact surface side of the absorber 13. The topsheet 12 and the leakproof sheet 14 as a leakproof layer extend outward from the left and right side edges and the front and rear end edges of the absorber 13, and are joined to each other at the extended peripheral edge.
[0009]
As a forming material of each constituent member of the absorbent main body 1, those of conventional absorbent articles can be used without particular limitation. For example, as the surface sheet 12, a non-woven fabric such as a suction heat bond non-woven fabric, a non-woven fabric provided with a large number of openings, a sheet such as a polyethylene film provided with a large number of openings, and the like can be used. Absorbent body 13 includes a mixed fiber of flap pulp and superabsorbent polymer particles, or one ply in which superabsorbent polymer particles are sandwiched between two absorbent sheets and both absorbent sheets are integrated. Absorbent paper or the like can be used. Moreover, as the leak-proof sheet | seat 14, films, such as a polyethylene film, can be used.
[0010]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of flap members 2 and 3 are connected to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 1.
Each of the flap members 2 and 3 has its skin contact surface side 2c (only one shown) joined to the skin contact surface side 1c at the end in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 1 to the absorbent main body 1. It is connected. The front and rear joining portions 21 and 31 formed by joining one end portions 2a and 3a of the flap members 2 and 3 to the absorbent main body 1 have an arc shape along the curved shape of the front and rear end edges of the absorbent main body 1. ing. The other end portions 2 b and 3 b of the flap members 2 and 3 form a peripheral edge portion of the waist opening 5.
[0011]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a groove-shaped leak-proof portion 4 (only one of them is shown) between the flap members 2 and 3 and the absorbent main body 1 at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 1. Is formed. Even if the liquid flows on the top sheet 12 in any of the front and rear directions, the leakage preventing section 4 is trapped and further outflow is prevented. As a result, liquid leakage from the front-rear direction of the napkin 1 and clothes stains resulting therefrom are effectively prevented.
[0012]
Further, in the present embodiment, the pair of flap members 2 and 3 are formed on the front side of the absorbent main body 1 and the pair of joint portions 21 and 31 formed by joining the flap members 2 and 3 when the napkin is used. Each of them is folded back to the rear side.
And since the junction parts 21 and 31 formed by joining each flap material 2 and 3 and the absorptive main body 1 are formed in circular arc shape, the groove-shaped leak-proof part 4 is deep in use. It has a pocket-like form and is further excellent in the effect of preventing liquid leakage. 3 shows only the leak-proof portion 4 formed at the front end portion of the absorbent main body 1, but the same leak-proof portion is also formed at the rear end portion not shown.
[0013]
As shown in FIG. 1, the pair of flap members 2 and 3 are provided so as to cover the skin contact surface side of the absorbent main body 1, that is, the topsheet 12 side, in a state before the napkin is used. As a result, until the napkin is used, the surface sheet 12 which is a part in contact with the skin of the wearer is not exposed to the outside, and the skin contact surface is protected and kept clean. Moreover, since the skin contact surface is protected, separate packaging with a separate packaging material is not particularly required. From such a viewpoint, it is preferable that the entire skin contact surface of the absorbent main body 1 is covered with the flap materials 2 and 3.
[0014]
The pair of flap members 2 and 3 are joined at both side edges along the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 1. Specifically, when both the flap members 2 and 3 are divided into two regions in the longitudinal direction, the belt-shaped waist portions 22 and 32 disposed around the waist of the wearer, and the waist portions 22 and 32, respectively. And the continuous portions 23 and 33 interposed between the longitudinal ends of the absorbent main body 1, and the pair of flap members 2 and 3 are connected to both side edge portions 22 a and 22 a at the respective waist portions 22 and 33. 32a is mutually joined, and both the side edge parts in each connection part 23 and 33 are not joined.
In this way, the side edges of the pair of flap members 2 and 3 are joined to each other, whereby the sanitary napkin is formed with a waist opening 5 and a pair of leg openings 6 and 6.
[0015]
The continuous portions 23 and 33 of the flap members 2 and 3 are gradually widened toward the waist portions 22 and 32.
In the natural state before use, the total length of the length L2 in the longitudinal direction of one flap member 2 and the length (L3 + L4) in the same direction of the other flap member 3 is the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 1 It is preferable that the length of each of the flap members 2 and 3 is more than 1/2 of the length L1 of the absorbent main body 1. In addition, both the flap materials 2 and 3 in this embodiment are the same in the length of a longitudinal direction and the length of the connection parts 23 and 33, respectively.
Moreover, it is preferable that the width W1 between the side edge portions of the flap members 2 and 3 can be expanded and expanded to at least 300% or more of the width W2 of the absorbent main body 1.
[0016]
Each of the waist portions 22 and 32 of the flap members 2 and 3 has a horizontally long rectangular shape and is disposed on the absorbent main body 1 in a state of being in contact with each other. The flap material 2 forms an abdominal side portion disposed on the wearer's belly side when worn, and the flap material 3 forms a back side portion disposed on the back side. In addition, as a joining method of the flap materials 2 and 3 and the absorbent main body 1 and a joining method of the flap materials 2 and 3, various conventionally known methods such as an adhesive and stitching can be used. Thermal fusion such as ultrasonic sealing is preferable.
[0017]
The flap materials 2 and 3 have elasticity in at least the width direction of the absorbent main body 1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, elastic members 24, 24. Are fixed to the flap members 2, 3 in the width direction of the absorbent main body 1 in an expanded state. The gathers are formed in the waist portions 22 and 32. The elastic member 24 is in the form of a thread or string, and is arranged between both side edge portions of the flap portions 2 and 3. FIG. 1 shows a natural state in which these elastic members are contracted.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 3, the flap material 2 in the present embodiment includes a liquid-permeable sheet 25 that forms the skin contact surface 2 c at the time of wearing, a liquid-impermeable sheet 26 that forms the outer surface of the napkin, and both sheets. The liquid retaining absorbent layer 27 interposed between the absorbent layers 27 and 26 and the elastic member 24 described above. Both sheets 25 and 26 extend outward from the front and rear end edges and the left and right side edges of the absorbent layer 27. The extension portions are joined to each other. The elastic member 24 is sandwiched and fixed between the sheets 25 and 26. Note that the flap material 3 (not shown) has the same configuration as the flap material 2.
[0019]
As the liquid-permeable sheet 26, the liquid-impermeable sheet 26, and the absorbent layer 27, the same materials as the surface sheet 12, the leak-proof sheet 14, and the absorber 13 in the absorbent main body 1 can be used, respectively. Moreover, as the elastic member 24, the thing of various forms and materials, such as a thread rubber conventionally used for a disposable diaper etc., can be used.
[0020]
The sanitary napkin of this embodiment can be worn in the same manner as ordinary shorts and pants. Therefore, it can be mounted very easily without the need of shorts or pants, and there is no need to provide fixing means such as an adhesive part.
Moreover, since the absorptive main body 1 is being fixed to a wearer's trunk periphery via the flap materials 2 and 3 formed in cyclic | annular form, a twist and a shift | offset | difference do not arise easily in the absorptive main body 1, As a result, a wearer Even when it moves violently, liquid leakage and clothes stains resulting from it are effectively prevented.
[0021]
Moreover, the napkin of this embodiment can be manufactured by using a conventionally known substantially rectangular sanitary napkin as the absorbent main body 1, connecting a pair of flap materials to the absorbent body 1, and joining the flap materials together. Therefore, it can be manufactured at low cost by utilizing existing facilities for manufacturing conventional absorbent articles.
[0022]
In addition, the sanitary napkin of the present embodiment has a pair of left and right flap members 2 and 3 extending outward from the longitudinal side edges 1a and 1a of the absorbent main body 1 as shown in FIG. 4A, as shown in FIG. 4A, the pair of left and right extending portions 7, 7 are arranged along the side edges 1a, 1a of the absorbent main body 1. After folding back to the non-skin contact surface side 1b of the absorbent main body 1, the absorbent article is folded in half or three in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 1, as shown in FIG. It can be set as the compact folding body 1A as shown to (c).
[0023]
According to such a sanitary napkin folding body 1A, the form when individually packaged or packaged together can be made extremely compact, and as a packaging form similar to a conventional sanitary napkin, It can be stored, transported and sold hygienically. In the folded sanitary napkin body, the pair of extending portions 7 and 7 may be folded back to the skin contact surface side of the absorbent main body 1.
[0024]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment. For example, FIG. 5 shows a sanitary napkin as another embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention, in which a pair of flap members 2 and 3 contracts greatly in the width direction of the absorbent main body 1 in a natural state. In the contracted state, the width W1 between both side edges of the flap members 2 and 3 is different from the above-described embodiment in that the width W1 is the same as the width W2 of the absorbent main body 1. Has the same configuration.
[0025]
According to such a sanitary napkin, in addition to the same effects as the above embodiment, it can be handled in the same manner as conventional sanitary napkins, packaging, storage, transportation, etc. Convenient to. For example, the absorbent main body 1 can be folded in two or three without folding the flap material at the side edge of the absorbent main body 1 to obtain a compact folded body similar to a conventional sanitary napkin. From the viewpoint of making the form convenient for packaging, storage, transportation, etc., the width W1 between both side edges of the flap members 2, 3 in the natural state is 80 to 150% of the width W2 of the absorbent main body 1, particularly 90%. It is preferable to be -120%. The sanitary napkin that is not particularly described is the same as the sanitary napkin of the above-described embodiment.
[0026]
In the present invention, the flap material may be composed of a liquid-permeable sheet and a liquid-impermeable sheet, or from a single sheet (for example, a liquid-impermeable sheet or a sheet having stretch elasticity). It may be configured. Further, the flap material may use a sheet material having stretchability instead of the elastic member. Moreover, the flap material may have elasticity in two directions. Further, the configuration of the pair of flap members may be different from each other. Further, the groove-shaped leak-proof portion may be formed only at one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body 1. Moreover, the non-skin contact surface side of the absorptive main body may be protected by the flap material in the folded body of the absorbent article.
[0027]
Moreover, although the said embodiment concerns the sanitary napkin as an example of an absorbent article, this invention can be applied also to an incontinence pad, a sheet | seat, etc. other than this.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
The absorbent article of the present invention can be easily mounted without the need of shorts or pants, is less likely to leak, and can be manufactured at low cost using existing equipment.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state before use of a sanitary napkin as an embodiment of an absorbent article of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a pair of flap members are separated from each other in order to attach the sanitary napkin shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a folded body of an absorbent article according to the present invention and a method for producing the same, wherein (a) shows the absorbent article before folding from the skin contact surface side of the absorbent main body. (B) is the figure which looked at the state which turned up the extension part from the non-skin contact surface side of an absorptive main part.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state before use of a sanitary napkin as another embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Absorbent body 11 Absorbent layer 12 Back sheet 13 Absorber 14 Leak-proof layer (leak-proof sheet)
2, 3 Flap material 21, 31 Joint part 22, 32 Girth part 23, 33 Continuous part 5 Waist opening part 6, 6 Leg opening part

Claims (5)

A pant-type absorbent article comprising an absorbent main body formed substantially vertically composed of a liquid-retaining absorbent layer and a liquid-impermeable leak-proof layer,
A pair of flap materials that are stretchable at least in the width direction are connected to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body, and both side edges of the pair of flap materials are joined to each other to form a waist opening and a pair. Leg opening is formed,
At least one of the pair of flap members has a longitudinal end of the absorbent main body on the surface on the skin contact surface side of the flap member at the end opposite to the end forming the peripheral edge of the waist opening. Is joined to the skin contact surface side at the end portion in the direction, and when worn, the flap material is in the vicinity of the end portion joined to the absorbent main body of the flap material, and the peripheral edge portion of the waist opening Absorbent articles that are folded in the direction toward The joined portion formed by joining the end portion of the flap material to the skin contact surface side at the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body on the skin contact surface side surface of the flap material is the absorbent main body. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the end part of the absorbent article is formed in an arc shape convex toward the outside of the absorbent main body . Each of the pair of flap members includes a belt-like waist portion disposed around the wearer's waist, and a continuous portion interposed between the waist portion and an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body. 3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the pair of flap members are bonded to each other at both side edges in the waist portion, and are not bonded to both side edges at the connecting portion.  The folded body of the absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the skin contact surface side or the non-skin contact surface side of the absorbent main body is protected by the pair of flap members, and the absorbent main body is A folded body of an absorbent article that is folded in half or in the longitudinal direction.  The pair of flap members has a pair of left and right extending portions extending outward from both side edges in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent main body, and the pair of left and right extending portions are connected to the absorbent main body. The folding of the absorbent article according to claim 4, wherein the absorbent main body is folded in two or three after being folded back along the both side edges to the skin contact surface side or the non-skin contact surface side of the absorbent body. body.

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