JP4652626B2 - Absorbent article and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, panty liners and incontinence pads for absorbing menstrual blood and vaginal discharge, and more specifically, even when a large amount of bodily fluid or the like is discharged instantaneously. The present invention relates to an absorbent article and a method for manufacturing the same.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as an absorbent article such as a panty liner, sanitary napkin, incontinence pad, a liquid-impervious back sheet such as a polyethylene sheet or a polyethylene sheet-laminated nonwoven fabric, and a liquid-permeable top sheet such as a nonwoven fabric or a liquid-permeable plastic sheet There is known an intervening absorber made of cotton-like pulp or the like.
[0003]
Numerous improvements have been made on this type of absorbent article, and various means for preventing body fluid leakage have been taken. As one of these body fluid leakage preventing means, there is a technique for forming a concave groove by hot embossing. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-33054, pulp is squeezed and deformed with fit embossed in the shape of a medium-high shape of an absorbent body that is uniformly stacked, and a leak-proof groove is provided around the middle-high part. Thus, a technique for preventing diffusion (leakage) of body fluids has been proposed. In JP-A-9-108262, the top surface of the sanitary napkin extends in the longitudinal direction and has a planar shape with a narrow interval at the center, thereby providing a bottom surface. A technique has been proposed in which a portion forms a pair of left and right squeezed grooves having alternating high-pressure parts and low-pressure parts.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the function of the concave groove described above is to prevent further diffusion by allowing body fluid flowing along the surface of the liquid-permeable top sheet to flow into the concave groove. When a large amount of body fluid or the like is discharged, the body fluid is not structured to be retained and absorbed so as not to leak. That is, the amount of body fluid to be discharged changes from time to time, and a large amount of body fluid may be discharged instantaneously or may be discharged little by little. Therefore, when a large amount of bodily fluid is discharged instantaneously, it is not enough to simply dam up with the concave groove and prevent further diffusion, and the permeation characteristics to the absorber and the body fluid in the concave groove are not sufficient. It must have sufficient shape characteristics for retention and absorption.
[0005]
Therefore, the main problem of the present invention is to hold and absorb the bodily fluid so as not to leak even when a large amount of bodily fluid is discharged instantaneously by defining the formation conditions and shape characteristics of the groove-shaped emboss. An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As the present invention according to claim 1 for solving the above-mentioned problem, absorption in which an absorbent body is interposed between a liquid-permeable top sheet made of a sheet having a large number of openings or a nonwoven fabric and a liquid-impermeable back sheet. In the sex goods,
There is a concave groove-shaped center embossing provided on the absorbent body from the upper surface of the liquid-permeable top sheet over a range including the blood drainage site on the substantially longitudinal center line of the absorbent article. Side embossing provided from the upper surface of the liquid-permeable top sheet is also present on both sides of the embossing along the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, and branches branched into V-shapes at the front end portion and the rear end portion of the center embossing, respectively. Forming embossing ,
The center embossing has the deepest groove depth of the intermediate part, and the groove bottom part of the front side part and the rear side part adjacent to the intermediate part is an inclined bottom inclined to the intermediate part side,
The center embossing is performed by applying the side embossing, and the center embossing is performed in a subsequent process, so that a concave groove is formed while the liquid-permeable top sheet is stretched in the center embossed portion. In the center embossed portion, an absorbent article is provided in which the top sheet opening is enlarged or the fiber gap of the nonwoven fabric is enlarged .
[0007]
In the first aspect of the present invention, side embossing is formed along with the center embossing on the surface side of the absorbent article. The function of this side embossing is to cause the body fluid overflowing from the center embossing to flow into the concave groove of the side embossing in the event that there is a body fluid that cannot be retained or absorbed due to exceeding the allowable amount of the center embossing. Of course, further diffusion is prevented, but it is formed in order to improve the body fluid permeability of the liquid-permeable top sheet in the center emboss by forming together with the center emboss. That is, by forming the side emboss, the liquid-permeable top sheet is completely fixed and restrained with the absorber at the side emboss position, and the liquid-permeable top sheet is held in a stretched state. On the other hand, in the center embossed portion, a concave groove is formed while the liquid-permeable top sheet is stretched. Therefore, in the case of a top sheet having a large number of openings, the diameter of the openings is expanded by stretching. In the case of the nonwoven fabric, the gap between the fibers is enlarged, so that the liquid permeability (permeation speed) is improved and the body fluid flowing into the center emboss is quickly absorbed by the absorbent body. In addition, since the openings other than the center embossed portion remain as they are at the beginning, the feeling of touch and the like does not deteriorate.
[0008]
Next, as the present invention according to claim 2 of a specific and preferred aspect, the absorber comprises a medium-high absorber on the upper surface side, the center emboss is formed on the medium-high absorber, The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the side embossing is formed in an outer range of 0 to 10 mm from a side edge position.
[0009]
In this invention which concerns on the said Claim 2, the said absorber is equipped with a middle-high absorber on the upper surface side. When a medium-high absorber is provided, it becomes easy to form a deeper concave groove as the center emboss, and the absorber between the side embosses adjacent to both sides comes to bulge out. Therefore, the inflow of body fluid into the concave groove of the center embossing is promoted, and the opening of the top sheet or the fiber gap of the nonwoven fabric is further enlarged in the center embossed portion, so that the liquid permeability (permeation) Speed) is further increased.
[0010]
As the present invention according to claim 3, there is provided the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the center emboss is formed over a length range of 50 to 100 mm.
[0011]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the absorbent article according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the groove width at the bottom of the center emboss is 2 to 7 mm.
[0012]
As the present invention according to claim 5, there is provided the absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the center emboss has a maximum depth of a concave groove of 3 mm or more.
[0013]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the absorbent article according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the volume of the concave groove of the center emboss is 0.5 cm ³ or more.
[0015]
The inventions according to claims 3 to 6 define the shape characteristics of the concave groove formed by the center embossing. By satisfying these conditions, the ability to retain and absorb body fluid in the center embossing Is much more desirable.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0019]
[First embodiment]
1 is a development view of a sanitary napkin 1A according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG.
[0020]
The sanitary napkin 1A includes a liquid-impermeable back sheet 2 made of a polyethylene sheet or the like, a liquid-permeable top sheet 3 that allows permeation of menstrual blood or cage, etc., and an intervening space between the two sheets 2 and 3. Absorbent bodies 4 and 6 made of cotton-like pulp or synthetic pulp, etc., crepe paper 5 surrounding the absorbent body 4 for maintaining the shape of the absorbent body 4 and improving diffusibility, and the abbreviation of the absorbent body 4 It is mainly composed of a pair of left and right three-dimensional gathers BS, BS provided with a side edge portion as an upright proximal end, and at least protruding from the blood discharge port corresponding portion in the front-rear direction within a predetermined section on the surface side, and In the periphery of the absorbent body 4, the outer edge portions of the liquid-impervious backsheet 2 and the liquid-permeable topsheet 3 are joined at the upper and lower end edges thereof by an adhesive such as hot melt or an adhesive means such as heat seal. In addition, the liquid-impervious backsheet 2 extending laterally from the absorbent body 4 at both side edges and the side nonwoven fabric 7 forming the three-dimensional gather BS are adhesives such as hot melt. Wing-like flaps W, W that are joined by an adhesive means such as heat seal or the like and project laterally by the laminated sheet portion of the liquid-impermeable backsheet 2 and the side nonwoven fabric 7 are formed. back buttocks side wing-shaped flaps W in the portion located on the side _B, W _B are formed.
[0021]
Hereinafter, the structure of the sanitary napkin 1A will be described in detail.
As the liquid-impervious backsheet 2, a sheet material having at least water shielding properties such as polyethylene is used, but in recent years, a material having moisture permeability tends to be used from the viewpoint of preventing stuffiness. The water- and moisture-permeable sheet material is a microporous material obtained by melting and kneading an inorganic filler in an olefin-based resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene to form a sheet, and then stretching in a uniaxial or biaxial direction. A sheet is preferably used. One or a plurality of adhesive layers (not shown) are formed on the non-use side (outer surface) of the liquid-impermeable back sheet 2 so as to fix the sanitary napkin 1A to the underwear when worn on the body. It has become.
[0022]
Next, the liquid-permeable top sheet 3 is preferably a porous or non-porous nonwoven fabric or a porous plastic sheet. As the material fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric, in addition to olefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polyesters, polyamides, and other synthetic fibers, regenerated fibers such as rayon and cupra, and natural fibers such as cotton can be used. A nonwoven fabric obtained by an appropriate processing method such as a method, a spun bond method, a thermal bond method, a melt blown method, or a needle punch method can be used. Among these processing methods, the spunlace method is excellent in terms of flexibility and drapeability, and the thermal bond method is excellent in terms of being bulky and soft. When a large number of through holes are formed in the liquid permeable top sheet 3, menstrual blood, venom, etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as body fluid) are quickly absorbed, and the dry touch property is excellent. It will be a thing.
[0023]
The absorbent body 4 is not particularly limited as long as it can absorb and retain bodily fluids. Usually, a fluffy pulp mixed with a water-absorbing polymer powder is preferably used from the viewpoint of the absorption function and cost. The absorbent body 4 is preferably surrounded by crepe paper 5 to maintain its shape.
[0024]
A middle-high absorber 6 is disposed along the longitudinal direction at the center on the upper surface side of the absorber 4. The thickness of the medium-high absorbent body 6 is preferably 5 to 20 mm, preferably 10 to 15 mm, because if the thickness is too large, the rigidity of the absorbent body increases and the adhesion to the body decreases.
[0025]
On the surface of the liquid-permeable top sheet 3, the medium-high absorber 6 is held in a predetermined position, and the medium-high absorber 6 is surrounded so as to bulge tightly on the surface side and contain the absorbed body fluid. As described above, the middle-high portion defining emboss 13 is formed from the upper surface side of the liquid-permeable top sheet 3. The middle and high portion defining emboss 13 includes a front end semicircular arc embossed portion 13a and a side embossed portion 13b that extends from both ends of the front end semicircular arc embossed portion 13a to the rear end side in a substantially longitudinal direction. 13b. In the illustrated example, the side embosses 13b and 13b are closed on the rear end side. Of these middle and high part defining embosses 13, the side embosses 13 b and 13 b constitute the “side emboss” according to the present invention.
[0026]
Further, a horseshoe-shaped front-side emboss 12 is formed at the front end of the absorber 4, and a loose arcuate line that bulges inward is drawn on the side of the middle-high portion defining emboss 13. Second side embossments 14 and 14 are formed.
[0027]
On the other hand, the width dimension of the liquid-permeable top sheet 3 is slightly longer than the width of the absorbent body 4 and covers the absorbent body 4 as shown in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. The purpose of the three-dimensional gathered BS is to prevent the permeation of menstrual blood, or the like from the side non-woven fabric 7 different from the liquid-permeable top sheet 3, specifically to increase the feeling of touch. Depending on the case, it is configured using a non-woven fabric material subjected to appropriate water repellent treatment or hydrophilic treatment. The side nonwoven fabric 7 can be made of natural fiber, synthetic fiber, regenerated fiber, or the like and formed by an appropriate processing method. Preferably, the side nonwoven fabric 7 eliminates the feeling of stickiness and prevents stuffiness. For this reason, it is preferable to use a non-woven fabric with reduced basis weight and air permeability. Specifically, it is desirable to use a nonwoven fabric prepared with a basis weight of 18 to 23 g / m ² , and silicon-based, paraffin-based, alkylchromic chloride-based water repellents, etc. to reliably prevent the passage of body fluids. A water repellent nonwoven fabric coated with is preferably used.
[0028]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the side nonwoven fabric 7 has an outer portion from the intermediate portion in the width direction from the inner position of the absorbent body 4 to slightly beyond the absorbent side edge to the outer edge of the liquid-impermeable backsheet 2. A pair of left and right wings are adhered to the absorbent body side position substantially corresponding to the body fluid discharge port by the laminated sheet portion of the side nonwoven fabric 7 and the liquid-impermeable back sheet 2. flaps W, to form a W, a second wing-shaped flaps W _B now to the buttocks side _position, to form a W _B. These wing-shaped flaps W, W and second wing-shaped flaps W _B, respectively adhesive layer 10 ... on the outer surface side of the W _B, 11 ... comprises a, as shown in FIG. 8, when worn against shorts 30, folded It is folded back to the opposite side at the position of the line RL, wrapped around the crotch portion of the shorts and fixed.
[0029]
On the other hand, while the inner part of the said side nonwoven fabric 7 is folded substantially double, the thread-like elastic elastic member 19 in which the both ends or the appropriate position of the longitudinal direction was fixed to the middle part in the height direction inside this double sheet | seat. And a plurality of, in the illustrated example, two thread-like elastic stretch members 20 and 20 are disposed at both ends or in appropriate positions in the longitudinal direction at the upper portion of the thread-like elastic stretch member 19. It is installed. As shown in FIG. 3, the double sheet portion is folded and laminated in a Z-shaped cross section at the front and rear end portions, and is bonded to the absorbent body 4 side, whereby the thread elastic elastic member 19 is disposed. As the bending points, three-dimensional gathers BS and BS standing on the surface side are formed while forming pockets P and P having openings inward in a cross-sectional shape.
[0030]
In this sanitary napkin 1A, a groove-shaped center is formed from the upper surface of the liquid-permeable top sheet 3 to the middle to high absorbent body 6 over the range substantially including the center line in the longitudinal direction of the sanitary napkin 1A and including the blood drainage site. Emboss 8 is formed. In addition, the side embossing 13b and 13b of the emboss 13 for middle-high part definition mentioned above has the arrangement relationship located in the side part of the said center embossing 8 according to this invention.
[0031]
The center emboss 8 preferably has a longitudinal dimension L of 50 to 100 mm and a groove bottom width B of 2 to 7 mm, preferably 3 to 5 mm. The maximum depth H of the groove is preferably 3 mm or more and 15 mm or less, preferably 10 mm or less, and the volume of the groove is preferably 0.5 cm ³ or more.
[0032]
When the longitudinal dimension L is less than 50 mm, the blood drainage part of the body may come off the center emboss 8 due to the displacement of the napkin at the time of wearing, or the position may be greatly biased toward the front and rear ends. A sufficient body fluid holding space cannot be formed due to the relative positional relationship with the part. Further, when the longitudinal dimension L exceeds 100 mm, the body fluid holding space is sufficiently formed, but the rigidity of the absorbent body is excessively increased and the fitting property is lost.
[0033]
Further, when the groove bottom width B is less than 2 mm, a concave groove having a sufficiently opened upper surface cannot be formed, and the inflow of body fluid is inhibited. When the groove bottom width B exceeds 7 mm, the rigidity of the absorbent bodies 4 and 6 is excessively increased and the fit to the body is lowered.
[0034]
Further, when the groove depth H is less than 3 mm, a sufficient body fluid inflow space is not secured, and when the groove depth H exceeds 15 mm, the liquid-permeable top sheet 3 is broken by stretching by embossing. Problems that may occur will occur. Finally, when the concave groove volume is less than 0.5 cm ³ , body fluid rarely overflows from the concave groove.
[0035]
In the center embossed 8 processed portion (groove wall portion), a concave groove is formed while the liquid-permeable top sheet 3 is stretched. Therefore, in the case of a top sheet having a large number of apertures, In the case of a non-woven fabric, the diameter is increased, and the gap between fibers is increased. Therefore, the liquid permeability (permeation speed) is improved, and the body fluid flowing into the center emboss 8 is quickly absorbed by the absorbent body. Become so. If the liquid-permeable top sheet 3 is a porous plastic sheet, the pore diameter of the porous plastic sheet stretched by the center embossing 8 is 110 to 300%, preferably 150 to 200% compared to the surroundings. It is desirable to do so.
[0036]
The concave groove formed by the center emboss 8 can be formed with a constant depth H from the front end portion to the rear end portion as shown in FIG. 4, but preferably as shown in FIG. It is desirable that the groove depth be the deepest, and that the groove bottom portions of the front side portion and the rear side portion adjacent to the intermediate portion be an inclined bottom inclined toward the intermediate portion side. As a result, the flow direction of the body fluid flowing into the concave groove can be controlled to some extent, and leakage in the front-rear direction can be more reliably prevented.
[0037]
By the way, it is desirable that the application process of the center emboss 8 in the manufacturing process of the sanitary napkin 1A is performed after the application process of the emboss 13 for defining the middle and high parts. First, the embossing 13 for defining the middle and high parts is applied, and the liquid-permeable top sheet 3 and the absorbent body 6 are completely fixed by the side embossing 13b and 13b located at the side where the center embossing 8 is to be formed. In this state, by applying the center embossing 8, the opening of the top sheet or the fiber gap of the nonwoven fabric can be effectively increased.
[0038]
Further, when the medium / high absorber 6 is provided as in this example and the side embosses 13b and 13b are formed on the side portions of the medium / high absorber 6, the medium and high absorber 6 is raised by the side embosses 13b and 13b. As a result of the processing of applying the center embossing 8, the cross-sectional shape of the medium / high absorbent body 6 is a mountain shape in which the medium / high absorbent bodies 6 on both sides straddling the center embossing 8 both bulge to the upper surface side. Therefore, the body fluid easily flows into the concave groove of the center emboss 8. The side embosses 13b and 13b are preferably formed at positions outside the side edge portions of the medium / high absorber 6 within a range of 0 to 10 mm (S). When the distance S from the side edge of the medium and high absorber exceeds 10 mm, the top sheet opening or the fiber gap of the nonwoven fabric cannot be effectively expanded when the center emboss 8 is applied, and the center emboss 8 is straddled. It becomes impossible to form the medium-high absorber 6 on both sides into a mountain shape that bulges to the upper surface. In this case, it is most preferable that the side embosses 13b and 13b are formed at a position (S = 0 mm) in the middle / high absorber 6.
[0039]
Further, when the center embossing 8 is applied, in order to form the mountain-shaped absorber 6 on both sides straddling the center embossing 8 so as to bulge upward, the width direction of the napkin between the center embossing 8 and the side embossing 13b, 13b The separation distance SB is preferably 10 to 25 mm.
[0040]
[Second embodiment]
Next, the sanitary napkin 1B according to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 will be described in detail.
[0041]
Only the differences from the sanitary napkin 1 </ b> A according to the first embodiment will be described. The sanitary napkin 1 </ b> B has a structure that does not have the medium-high absorbent body 6, and the front end and the rear of the center emboss 8. Branch embosses 8a and 8b each branching in a V shape are formed at the ends, and the side embosses 13b and 13b are not closed on the rear end side of the napkin.
[0042]
When the center embossing 8 is simply formed linearly as in the first embodiment, wrinkles are formed in the liquid-permeable top sheet 3 at the front end portion and the rear end portion of the center embossing 8, and the portion Thus, it has been found that the opening of the top sheet or the fiber gap of the nonwoven fabric cannot be increased, so that the wrinkles are eliminated by forming the branch embosses 8a and 8b. The fiber gap of the nonwoven fabric can be increased.
[0043]
Further, as shown in the figure, the side embosses 13b and 13b do not need to be closed and may be formed on both sides of the center emboss 8 along the longitudinal direction.
[0044]
Since structures other than those described above are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, according to the present invention, by defining the formation conditions and shape characteristics of the groove-shaped emboss, even when a large amount of body fluid is discharged instantaneously, the center embossing is prevented from leaking. It can be held and absorbed by the part.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a development view of a sanitary napkin 1A according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view (a view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1).
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view (a view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 1).
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view (a view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 1).
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part showing another form of formation of the center embossing 8;
FIG. 6 is a development view of a sanitary napkin 1B according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a cross-sectional view thereof (a view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6).
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a mounted state of the napkin.
[Explanation of symbols]
1A, 1B ... sanitary napkin, 2 ... liquid-impervious back sheet, 3 ... liquid-permeable top sheet, 4 ... absorbent, 5 ... crepe paper, 6 ... medium-high absorbent, 7 ... side nonwoven fabric, 8 ... center emboss , 13 ... domed section-defining embossing, 13a ... front end semicircular embossed portion, 13b ... side embossed portions, 14 ... second side embossed portions, BS ... standing gathers, W ... wing-shaped flaps, W B _... buttocks side Wing flap

Claims (6)

In an absorbent article in which an absorbent body is interposed between a liquid-permeable top sheet made of a sheet having a large number of openings or a nonwoven fabric and a liquid-impermeable back sheet,
There is a concave groove-shaped center embossing provided on the absorbent body from the upper surface of the liquid-permeable top sheet over a range including the blood drainage site on the substantially longitudinal center line of the absorbent article. Side embossing provided from the upper surface of the liquid-permeable top sheet is also present on both sides of the embossing along the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, and branches branched into V-shapes at the front end portion and the rear end portion of the center embossing, respectively. Forming embossing ,
The center embossing has the deepest groove depth of the intermediate part, and the groove bottom part of the front side part and the rear side part adjacent to the intermediate part is an inclined bottom inclined to the intermediate part side,
The center embossing is performed by applying the side embossing, and the center embossing is performed in a subsequent process, so that a concave groove is formed while the liquid-permeable top sheet is stretched in the center embossed portion. The absorbent article is characterized in that the center sheet embossed part has an enlarged top sheet opening or an enlarged fiber gap in the nonwoven fabric .   The absorber includes a medium-high absorber on the upper surface side, the center emboss is formed on the medium-high absorber, and the side emboss is formed in an outer range of 0 to 10 mm from the side edge portion position of the medium-high absorber. The absorbent article according to claim 1.   The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the center emboss is formed over a length range of 50 to 100 mm.   The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the center emboss has a groove bottom width of 2 to 7 mm.   The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a maximum depth of the concave groove of the center emboss is 3 mm or more. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the volume of the concave groove of the center emboss is 0.5 cm ³ or more.

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