JP4335857B2 - Absorbent article having surface structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an absorbent article such as a disposable diaper, a urinary incontinence pad, and a sanitary napkin, and more particularly to an absorbent article having a surface structure excellent in fit to the body.

  Absorbent articles such as conventional disposable diapers, urinary incontinence pads, sanitary napkins are generally a liquid-permeable top sheet directed to the liquid-receiving side, a liquid-impermeable back sheet provided on the outside, A pulp interposed between both sheets and an absorbent core made of a superabsorbent polymer or the like.

  In these absorbent articles, a structure has been studied to improve the adhesion to the urinary organ and its surroundings when it comes into contact with the crotch part so that excretion fluid such as urine and menstrual blood does not leak sideways. Yes. For example, a relatively bulky cushion layer composed of a hydrophilic fiber layer is provided on the liquid-receiving side of the absorbent core, or an absorbent material layer smaller than the absorbent core on the liquid-receiving side of the absorbent core And the cushion layer on the absorbent material layer is put into practical use. In addition, there are also those in which side leakage prevention gathers are provided on both sides of the absorbent core.

  However, the absorbent article provided with the cushion layer cannot always follow individual differences in the shape of the crotch portion. In particular, disposable diapers for nursing care for the elderly, urinary incontinence pads, and the like often cannot be reliably adhered to the crotch region. This is because the elderly have more individual differences than the infant, such as the width of the crotch, flesh of the crotch, abdomen or buttocks, sagging skin, and wrinkles. If the absorbent article does not adhere to the crotch, the excretory fluid will pass through the skin and leak out of the absorbent article, which easily soils clothes and bedding. This problem is particularly serious for elderly people who have much more urination per time than infants. In addition, when an absorbent article that does not fit between the crotch is mounted, irregular wrinkles are generated on the liquid receiving side of the absorbent article, and the excretory liquid is further hardly absorbed.

  On the other hand, there is an absorbent article in which a side leakage prevention gather is provided on both sides of the absorbent core so that the absorbent core follows the gather and curves to fit the crotch. However, even in this case, since the absorbent core itself is not curved, the absorbent core hardly adheres to the crotch portion, and a gap may be formed between the absorbent core and the crotch portion. As a result, a large amount of excretory fluid flows sideways, and the side leakage prevention gather cannot prevent leakage.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides an absorbent article in which the surface structure provided on the liquid receiving side is easily adhered to the shape of the crotch, urinary organs, and throat. It is aimed.

  It is a further object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article that has a curved shape that can easily adhere to the wearer's crotch so that side leakage of excretory fluid is unlikely to occur.

The present invention is formed by a laminate having a surface structure having a liquid-permeable surface sheet located on the liquid receiving side, a back sheet, and an absorbent core sandwiched between the surface structure and the back sheet. An absorbent article,
When the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article and the transverse, at least in the central portion in the transverse direction, by the topsheet, is formed with concave portions and convex portions extending in the longitudinal direction, and the recesses and projections Are arranged alternately in the horizontal direction,
A liquid-permeable cushion layer formed of long fiber tows is provided in the convex portion, and the convex portion is provided with an elastic contraction function in the longitudinal direction at least at the top or in the vicinity thereof, and the surface structure is formed. It has a curved shape.

The tow is a fiber that has been subjected to hydrophilic fibers or hydrophilic treatment.

  In the surface structure of the absorbent article of the present invention, the surface sheet constituting the surface structure is elastically shrunk in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the surface structure is shrunk in the longitudinal direction. It becomes easy to adhere along a crotch part, an abdomen, and a back part (buttock). Therefore, the excreted liquid is quickly absorbed into the absorbent article, and leakage hardly occurs. The elastic expansion and contraction function can be obtained by attaching an elastic member extending in the longitudinal direction to the top of the convex portion of the topsheet.

  Moreover, in the said surface structure of the absorbent article of this invention, the some convex part which comprises the mutually parallel row | line | column extended in a longitudinal direction is formed by the surface sheet. Since the convex part has a degree of freedom with respect to the vertical and horizontal pressures, the surface structure comes into contact with the body so as to fill a gap between the urinary organ and the crotch ridge part when the surface structure is curved. For this reason, excretory fluid does not flow laterally through the gap, and leakage can be further reduced.

  The surface structure further includes a liquid-permeable support sheet positioned between the surface sheet and the absorbent core, and the surface sheet and the support sheet are joined to each other at a lateral interval, It is preferable that a recess is formed and a cushion layer is interposed between the topsheet and the support sheet.

  Further, the height of the convex portion in the vicinity of the center in the lateral direction may be different from the height of the convex portion in the both side regions.

  In the absorbent article of the present invention, since the surface structure adheres along the crotch part, leakage can be prevented. Furthermore, the absorbent article of the present invention having a convex portion can be freely deformed according to individual differences in the crotch portion, and can easily fit the wearer's skin, thereby further preventing leakage.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view including a partial cross section showing an absorbent article according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the absorbent article according to the embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows a curved state of the surface structure. It is explanatory drawing shown. In the following, the X direction is the transverse direction (width direction) of the absorbent article, and the Y direction is the longitudinal direction (longitudinal direction) of the absorbent article.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the absorbent article 1 has a back sheet (back sheet) 3 on the back side of the absorbent core 2 and a surface structure 4 on the surface side that is the liquid receiving side. ing. The surface structure 4 has a surface sheet 5 and a support sheet 6, and in the peripheral region A where the absorbent core 2 does not exist, the surface sheet 5, the support sheet 6, and the back sheet 3 are adhesives such as hot melt. It is glued with. Moreover, when the top sheet 5, the support sheet 6, and the back sheet 3 contain heat-welding fibers, each sheet may be heat-welded in the peripheral region A. Alternatively, the support sheet 6 and the back sheet 3 may be joined in the peripheral area A, and the end portion of the top sheet 5 may be joined to the support sheet 6 inside the peripheral area A.

  The absorbent core 2 is configured by pulverized pulp or a mixture of pulverized pulp and a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) wrapped with an absorbent sheet such as tissue. The back sheet 3 is liquid-impermeable and is formed of, for example, an olefin resin sheet. Moreover, when the absorbent article 1 is used as a disposable diaper or a sanitary napkin, the back sheet 3 is preferably breathable. However, the back sheet 3 of the absorbent article 1 of the present invention may be liquid permeable in order to allow an excessive amount of excreted liquid to permeate and absorb the externally attached body attached to the outer side of the absorbent article. .

  The surface sheet 5 and the support sheet 6 constituting the surface structure 4 are, for example, a non-woven fabric such as a point bond, an air-through, a spun bond, or a spun lace formed by hydrophilic treatment of a hydrophobic fiber or a hydrophilic fiber. It is. Alternatively, it may be a resin film such as polyethylene (PE) having a large number of openings.

  The top sheet 5 is joined to the support sheet 6 with a gap 7p in the lateral direction. This joint is indicated by reference numeral 7a. By forming the joint portion 7a, the concave portion 7 is formed in the surface sheet 5, and a convex portion (a bulge rising to the wearer side) 8 is formed in the surface sheet 5 between the joint portion 7a and the joint portion 7a. ing. The plurality of convex portions 8 and the concave portions 7 extend in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) and form a plurality of rows so as to be parallel to each other. The joining of the top sheet 5 and the support sheet 6 that form the recesses 7 is adhesion by an adhesive such as hot melt. Or when the surface sheet 5 and the support sheet 6 contain a heat-welding fiber, the surface sheet 5 and the support sheet 6 may be joined by thermal fusion.

  In addition, the said junction part 7a may be formed so that it may become a continuous line in a longitudinal direction, and the junction part 7a may be intermittently formed in a longitudinal direction. For example, when a hot melt type adhesive is spirally applied to the surface of the support sheet 6 and the surface sheet 5 is bonded thereon, the bonding portion 7a is intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction. By forming the joint portion 7a intermittently, excreta such as urine given to the concave portion 7 easily penetrates into the absorbent core 2 from the bottom portion of the concave portion 7.

  An elastic member 10 is disposed on the top 8t of the convex portion 8 along the longitudinal direction. The elastic member 10 is bonded to the inside of the topsheet 5, that is, the surface of the topsheet 5 on the absorbent core 2 side. At this time, the elastic member 10 is bonded along the longitudinal direction at the top portion 8t in the stretched state, and after bonding, the topsheet 5 is elongated at the top portion 8t by the elastic contraction function of the elastic member 10 as shown in FIG. Contracted in the direction. As a result, the absorbent core 2 is also curved along the longitudinal direction.

  The elastic member 10 may be anything as long as it has elasticity. For example, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, stretchable nonwoven fabric, and the like can be used. In addition, you may form the whole surface sheet 5 with an elastic nonwoven fabric etc., and the elastic contraction function to a longitudinal direction may be given to the whole surface sheet 5. FIG. In this case, it is not necessary to attach the elastic member 10 to the top sheet 5, and the structure becomes simple, so that the manufacture becomes easy.

  The height 8h (see FIG. 2) of the convex portion 8 from the surface of the support sheet 6 to the top portion 8t of the convex portion 8 is preferably 5 mm or more and 50 mm or less. . When set to such a height, the liquid receiving side of the absorbent article fits into the crotch of the wearer without a gap with respect to the uneven shape of the body of an elderly person or the like having individual differences. More preferably, it is 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less.

  Further, in the surface structure 4, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cushion layer 9 made of a hydrophilic material is provided inside the convex portion 8, that is, between the surface sheet 5 and the support sheet 6. . When the cushion layer 9 is provided, the elasticity of the convex portion 8 is increased and the shape can be maintained, so that the adhesion of the surface structure 4 to the crotch portion is further increased.

Various materials can be used as the hydrophilic material forming the cushion layer 9. For example, long fibers (tow) of fibers obtained by hydrophilic treatment of hydrophobic fibers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyester, composite fibers of polyester and polyethylene, long fibers of hydrophilic fibers such as rayon, or short width films Or strip-like fibers subjected to hydrophilicity or hydrophilic treatment. Alternatively, a web formed of a bulky, low-density nonwoven fabric such as an air-through nonwoven fabric formed from fibers subjected to hydrophilic treatment, or a relatively short opened fiber (hydrophilic fibers or fibers subjected to hydrophilic treatment). It is. The cushion layer 9 is preferably bulky and easily permeable to liquid, and elastically recovers (restores) when pressurized. Therefore, the density of the cushion layer 9 is preferably 0.4 g / cm ³ or less, and the fineness of the fibers forming the cushion layer 9 is preferably 1 denier or more.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an absorbent article 1B according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this absorbent article 1B, the heights of the convex portions 8 are different. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the convex portion 8a near the center in the width direction is high, and the convex portions 8b located on both sides thereof are low. If it does in this way, the fitting property to a crotch part or a urinary organ will become still higher by the difference in the height of the convex part 8a. In this case, for example, the height of the convex portion 8a is preferably about 25 mm and the height of the convex portion 8b is preferably about 15 mm. In addition, this embodiment may be modified so that the height gradually decreases from the convex portions 8c, 8c located in the center toward the convex portions 8d, 8d located on both sides.

  Conversely, the convex portion 8a at the center may be lowered and the convex portions 8b on both sides thereof may be raised. In this case, for example, the height of the bulging portion 8a is preferably about 5 mm and the height of the bulging portion 8b is preferably about 15 mm. Or you may make the convex part 8a high gradually from a center to both sides.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an absorbent article 1C according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, two elastic members 10 a and 10 b are provided at the top 8 t of the convex portion 8. Moreover, between the convex part 8 and the convex part 8, the two joining lines 7a and 7a are provided, and the recessed part 7 is formed.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an absorbent article 1D according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, a second top sheet 15 may be provided inside the convex portion 8. In this absorbent article 1 </ b> D, a liquid-permeable second surface sheet 15 is stacked inside the surface sheet 5. And the elastic member 10 is provided in the top part of the convex part of the 2nd surface sheet 15 inside. When the surface sheet has a two-layer structure, the cushioning property of the surface structure 4 can be increased, and the crotch portion can be softly fitted. The second top sheet also functions as a liquid stop layer. The second surface sheet 15 is formed of, for example, a resin film or a hydrophobic non-woven fabric that has been opened with a porosity of 30 to 50%.

  In addition, you may provide the elastic member 10 in the top part of the convex part of the outer surface sheet 5. FIG. Alternatively, the top sheet 5 is not elastically contractible, and the entire second topsheet 15 is formed of a stretchable nonwoven fabric having an elastic contraction function in the longitudinal direction, and the elastic member 10 may not be provided.

  FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an open-type disposable diaper as a specific example of the absorbent article 1, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E of the present invention with the liquid receiving side facing forward.

  The disposable diaper constituted by the absorbent article shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 includes an intermediate part 21 applied to the wearer's crotch part, a front part 22 applied to the abdomen side, and a rear part 23 applied to the buttocks side. Are formed continuously.

  In the disposable diaper shown in FIG. 7, the back sheet 3 and the support sheet 6 have an hourglass shape, and the absorbent core 2 also has an hourglass shape. The short portion of the hourglass shape is the intermediate portion 21. In the hourglass-type disposable diaper, the support sheet 6 and the back sheet 3 are joined in the peripheral area A where the absorbent core 2 does not exist.

  In the disposable diaper shown in FIG. 7, the top sheet 5 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided so as to exist only in the central region in the width direction on the liquid receiving side. 7 is formed. In this case, the cushion layer 9 is provided between the top sheet 5 and the support sheet 6.

  The plurality of convex portions 8 have a rectangular shape extending from the front portion 22 of the disposable diaper to the rear portion 23 through the intermediate portion 21, and are provided in both side regions 31, 31 with the center line 30 as a boundary in the lateral direction. ing. Also in the disposable diaper of FIG. 7, the elastic member 10 is provided in the top part 8t of the convex part 8 of the surface sheet 5, and the whole disposable diaper curves by the elastic contraction force.

  In addition, the elastic member 10 may be provided in the full length over the longitudinal direction of the convex part 8, and the elastic member 10 may be provided only in the intermediate part 21. FIG. Alternatively, the elastic member 10 may be provided only on one of the convex portions 8 without providing the elastic member 10 on all the convex portions 8.

  In order to make the curvature of the surface structure preferable in the present invention, the elastic member 10 is preferably provided over a length of at least 10% of the total length L1 in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article 1. However, the elastic member 10 is not limited to being continuously provided over a length of 10% or more, and may be partially provided with, for example, elastic members having a length of 5% or more of the overall length L1 at two locations. Good. However, the portion that needs to be curved differs depending on the object of use. For example, for infants or infants, it is preferable that the front portion 22 and the rear portion 23 are also curved along the round stomach and hips. The front portion 22 may not be curved, and the curved portion is adjusted as appropriate.

  Moreover, the convex part 8 of the surface structure 4 may be covered with the cover sheets 11 and 11 in the both ends 8e and 8e, as shown in FIG. The cover sheet 11 is slightly larger than the width of the portion where the convex portion 8 is formed, and is joined to the support sheet 6 by a U-shaped joining portion 11b whose opening is directed toward the intermediate portion 21, and the intermediate portion 21 side. Then, it is preferable that the cover sheet 11 forms a pocket without being joined.

When the excretion fluid moves along the convex portion 8, the excretion fluid may move to the front part 22 or the rear part 23 of the absorbent article 1 and further to the end parts 1e and 1e of the absorbent article 1. However, if the cover sheet 11 is provided, a flow in the longitudinal direction is sealed by the pocket, and the excretion liquid does not leak from the end portion 8 e of the convex portion 8. The cover sheet 11 also has an effect of concealing both end portions 8e of the convex portion 8 and making it look beautiful. The cover sheet 11 is preferably a hydrophobic sheet such as a spunbonded nonwoven fabric, a pointbonded nonwoven fabric, a nonwoven fabric laminated with polyethylene, or a film having a basis weight of 20 g / m ² or more.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a urine absorbing pad for incontinence patients and elderly people as a specific example of the absorbent article of the present invention, FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view of FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view. The urine-absorbing pad shown in FIG. 8 is preferably used for women, and is used by being stacked inside an exterior body such as a disposable diaper or underwear.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the urine absorbing pad is composed of a back sheet 3, a surface structure 4, and an absorbent core 2 sandwiched between them. The absorbent core 2 is formed by wrapping a mixture of ground pulp and superabsorbent polymer (SAP) with a tissue 2a.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, the plurality of convex portions 8 formed of the surface sheet 5 of the surface structure 4 extend over the entire length of the urine collection pad along the longitudinal direction, and both end portions thereof are cover sheets. 11 and 11. And the cover sheet 11, the support sheet 6, and the back surface sheet 3 are mutually joined in the peripheral area | region A in which the absorptive core 2 does not exist. In addition, the cover sheet 11 forms the pocket similarly to the absorbent article 1 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the urine absorbing pad is entirely curved by the elastic member 10 provided on the convex portion 8 so as to follow the crotch portion of the wearer. Therefore, many ridges are formed on the surface of the convex portion 8.

  Further, solid gathers 16 and 16 for preventing side leakage are formed on both sides of the convex portion 8 in the lateral direction. By providing a three-dimensional gather, it is possible to further prevent side leakage of excretory fluid. The three-dimensional gathers 16 and 16 are formed of a liquid-impervious belt-like sheet, elastic members 17 and 17 are provided on the side edges of the belt-like sheet, and the opposite side edges of the support sheet 6 are provided. Bonded to the top surface. In this manner, the three-dimensional gathers 16 and 16 are formed on the absorbent article 1E so as to rise in the direction of the wearer. In addition, the both ends in the longitudinal direction of the three-dimensional gathers 16 and 16 do not appear on the surface by the cover sheets 11 and 11 like the end of the convex portion 8.

The absorbent article of the present invention can constitute not only disposable diapers and urinary incontinence pads but also sanitary napkins. In that case, the overall shape of the absorbent article can be variously changed according to the application. For example, the planar shape may be a rectangle.

The perspective view which shows the absorbent article of the 1st Embodiment of this invention including a partial cross section Sectional drawing of the absorbent article shown in FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the curved state of the surface structure of this invention The perspective view which shows the absorbent article of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the absorbent article of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing which shows the absorbent article of the 4th Embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows the example which comprised the disposable diaper with the absorbent article of this invention The perspective view which shows the absorbent article of the 5th Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing (horizontal direction) of the absorbent article of FIG. Sectional drawing (longitudinal direction) of the absorbent article of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1, 1A, 1B, 1D, 1E Absorbent article 2 Absorbent core 3 Back sheet 4 Surface structure 5 Surface sheet 6 Support sheet 7 Recess 7a, 7b Joint line 7p Recess pitch 8 Convex 8t Convex top 8h Convex Height dimension of part 9 Cushion layer 10 Elastic member 11 Cover sheet 11b Joint part 16 Solid gather 17 Elastic member 21 Intermediate part 22 Front part 23 Rear part 30 Centerline 31 Side part

Claims (5)

Absorbency formed by a laminate having a surface structure having a liquid-permeable surface sheet positioned on the liquid receiving side, a back sheet, and an absorbent core sandwiched between the surface structure and the back sheet Goods,
When the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article and the transverse, at least in the central portion in the transverse direction, by the topsheet, is formed with concave portions and convex portions extending in the longitudinal direction, and the recesses and projections Are arranged alternately in the horizontal direction,
A liquid-permeable cushion layer formed of long fiber tows is provided in the convex portion, and the convex portion is provided with an elastic contraction function in the longitudinal direction at least at the top or in the vicinity thereof, and the surface structure is formed. An absorbent article characterized by having a curved shape.   The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the tow is a hydrophilic fiber or a fiber subjected to hydrophilic treatment.   The surface structure has a liquid-permeable support sheet positioned between the surface sheet and the absorbent core, and the surface sheet and the support sheet are joined to each other at an interval in the lateral direction. The absorptive article according to claim 1 or 2 in which a crevice is formed and said cushion layer is interposed between said surface sheet and a support sheet.   The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a height of the convex portion near the center in the lateral direction is different from a height of the convex portion in both side regions.   The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an elastic member extending in a longitudinal direction is attached to a top portion of the convex portion of the topsheet to give the elastic contraction function.

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