JP6620336B2 - Absorbent articles - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an absorbent article in which creases and wrinkles are reduced during use.

  In general, absorbent articles such as light incontinence liners, light incontinence pads, and sanitary napkins are composed of a liquid permeable top sheet, a liquid impermeable back sheet, and an absorbent disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet. The body fluid such as urine and blood is absorbed by the absorber through the top sheet. These absorbent articles are usually folded individually into three folds and individually wrapped, and a plurality of these individually wrapped absorbent articles are packaged together with a plastic film. When the absorbent article is used, the absorbent article is taken out from the individual package, and the absorbent article is attached to the underwear using a slip prevention tape provided on the clothing contact side surface of the absorbent article.

  The absorbent body of the absorbent article is composed mainly of absorbent fibers and a superabsorbent polymer, and is required to have an appropriate thickness and cushioning property. And, as for the absorbent article, various kinds of products are generally sold for each absorption amount, but as the absorption amount of the absorbent article increases, the thickness of the absorber becomes thicker, and when it is folded in three at the time of packaging, The absorbent body at the three-folded portion may have creases, or the top sheet near the three-folded portion may be wrinkled. Such a crease impairs proper wearing of the absorbent article to the underwear, may reduce the fit to the body, and folds also occur in the width direction. It also causes side leakage. In addition, these creases and wrinkles may cause the wearer to feel uncomfortable at the time of wearing, may cause skin troubles such as itching, and are not preferable in terms of appearance.

  As an invention related to an absorbent article intended to reduce creases and wrinkles, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vertically long absorbent article having a top sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent body. Thus, the bending assisting means having the absorbent body extending in the width direction and having a length that does not extend over the entire width of the absorbent body has a folding region formed by shifting the position in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body. And the absorbent article characterized by being folded in the site | part in which a folding area | region exists, when individually packaged. Further, in Patent Document 2, an absorbent body is arranged between the top sheet and the back sheet, and when individually packaged, in an absorbent article that is folded in the longitudinal direction at the fold line in the width direction, An absorbent article is disclosed in which a linear shape holding member extending in the width direction of the absorbent article is formed in the vicinity of the fold line.

JP 2009-153735 A JP2013-176612A

  However, in the absorbent article of Patent Document 1, it is said that the absorbent article can be prevented from being strongly creased by folding the absorbent article in the vicinity of the folding auxiliary means. No consideration has been given to the problem of wrinkles that occur, etc. In addition, if the creases and wrinkles are not sufficiently resolved, there is a risk that body fluid may leak sideways. Moreover, the absorbent article of Patent Document 2 is intended to cope with the problem of creases and wrinkles by curving the shape-holding member to hold the shape of the absorbent article when the absorbent article is unfolded. However, even if such a means is adopted, the formation of the folded sheet of the top sheet and the absorber is not suppressed, and the formed folded sheet is not completely eliminated. Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in absorbent articles that are folded in the longitudinal direction during individual packaging, creases and wrinkles are further reduced during use, and lateral leakage of body fluids is also possible. An object is to provide an absorbent article that can be effectively prevented.

  The inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research in view of the above problems. As a result, in an absorbent article that includes a top sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent body and is folded in the longitudinal direction by two fold lines that extend in the width direction during individual packaging, a predetermined area is provided in a region near the fold line. The present inventors have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by providing a pressing groove and forming predetermined channel embossing in the crotch part and the front part and the rear part, thereby completing the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

  (1) A first aspect of the present invention includes a liquid-permeable top sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorbent body disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet. An absorbent article that is folded in the longitudinal direction by two fold lines extending in the width direction, and has a front portion, a crotch portion, and a rear portion, and the fold line includes a boundary portion between the front portion and the crotch portion, and a crotch portion. And the absorber has a compressed groove formed along the width direction in a region in the vicinity of the fold line, and the size of the compressed groove in the width direction is the width of the absorber. It is 60% or more and 90% or less of the dimension in the width direction, and the depth of the compressed groove is 50% or more and 80% or less of the thickness of the absorber in the vicinity of the center line in the width direction, and the depth of the compressed groove The depth gradually decreases toward both ends in the width direction, and the compressed groove It has a shape that is convex in the front-rear direction around the fold line, and the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the pressing groove is 5 mm or more and 25 mm or less in the vicinity of the center line in the width direction, and 3 mm at both ends in the width direction of the pressing groove. 10 mm or less, and at the crotch portion, at least one pair of channel embosses extending from the top sheet to the absorbent body is formed along the longitudinal direction on both sides of the center line in the width direction. The channel embosses are convex toward the center line in the width direction, and channel embosses extending from the top sheet to the absorber are formed along the width direction in the front part and the rear part, respectively. The absorbent article has a substantially semicircular arc shape convex toward the direction end.

  (2) A second aspect of the present invention is the absorbent article according to (1), wherein the depth of the compressed groove is the thickness of the absorbent body at both ends in the width direction of the compressed groove. It is characterized by being 10% or more and 30% or less.

  According to the present invention, since the predetermined pressing groove is provided in the region in the vicinity of the fold line, even when the fold line is folded as a valley, no creases or creases remain in the top sheet or the absorbent body. Moreover, since the dimension of the width direction of this pressing groove is smaller than the dimension of the width direction of an absorber, and it is formed so that a pressing groove may become wide and deep toward the width direction centerline, the discharged body fluid is Side leakage from the compressed groove can be prevented. Furthermore, since predetermined channel embossing is formed in the crotch and the front and rear parts, the discharged body fluid quickly diffuses along the surface of the absorber along the channel embossing, and the body fluid is laterally transferred from the compressed groove portion. Leakage can be prevented.

It is drawing which shows the expanded view of the absorbent article of this invention. Sectional view according to _(a) X 1 -X ₁ line in FIG. 1, and illustrates a cross-sectional view according to _(b) X ₂ -X 2 line. It is drawing which shows the planar shape of a pressing groove. It illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along the _Y 1 -Y ₁ line in FIG.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1-4, the absorbent article 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated in detail. In the description of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same elements throughout. In the following description of the present specification, the body fluid refers to a liquid discharged from the body such as urine, blood, and water in soft stool. Furthermore, the time when the absorbent article 1 is worn means at least one of the time when the absorbent article 1 is attached and after the attachment. In addition, in description of this specification, the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article 1 is a direction over front and back of the wearer when the absorbent article 1 is worn, and is a direction indicated by a symbol Y in the drawing. Moreover, the width direction of the absorbent article 1 is a direction that is transverse or orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and is a direction indicated by a symbol X in the drawing. Furthermore, in this specification, the body contact side surface of the absorbent article 1 refers to the surface that comes into contact with the wearer's skin when the absorbent article 1 is worn, and the clothing contact side surface is the wear of the absorbent article 1. Sometimes refers to the surface that abuts the wearer's clothing. In this specification, the body contact side surface side of the absorbent article 1 may be referred to as the upper side, and the clothing contact side surface side may be referred to as the lower side.

<Absorbent article>
1 is a development view of the absorbent article of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line (a) X ₁ -X ₁ in FIG. 1 and (b) taken along line X ₂ -X ₂ . It is drawing which shows sectional drawing. As the absorbent article 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, a light incontinence pad as illustrated in FIG. 1 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the light incontinence liner, sanitary napkin, etc. May be an absorbent article. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the absorbent article 1 includes a liquid-permeable top sheet 10 disposed on the body contact side surface, and a liquid imprint disposed on the clothing contact side surface facing the top sheet 10. A permeable back sheet 30 and an absorbent body 20 disposed between the top sheet 10 and the back sheet 30, whereby the absorbent body 20 is sandwiched between the top sheet 10 and the back sheet 30. It has a structure. The absorbent article 1 is folded in the longitudinal direction by two fold lines 40 extending in the width direction during individual packaging, and is folded in three in the longitudinal direction during packaging. The absorbent article 1 has a front part 1a located on the front side of the wearer, a crotch part 1b located between the crotch of the wearer, and a rear part 1c located on the rear side of the wearer. It is formed in the boundary part of the front part 1a and the crotch part 1b, and the boundary part of the crotch part 1b and the rear part 1c.

[Top sheet]
The top sheet 10 allows body fluid to pass quickly toward the absorbent body 20, and is disposed to face the back sheet 30 with the absorbent body 20 interposed therebetween. Since the top sheet 10 is a sheet that comes into contact with the skin, the substrate does not irritate the skin with a soft touch, for example, a nonwoven fabric such as a thermal bond nonwoven fabric typified by an air-through nonwoven fabric, a thermal bond / span It is formed from a material such as a composite nonwoven fabric in which bonds are laminated, an open film such as an open polyethylene film, a foam film such as polyethylene foam or urethane foam, or a composite sheet in which these are laminated. The top sheet 10 may be a single layer or a plurality of layers, and a large number of through holes may be formed in order to impart dry touch properties.

As the nonwoven fabric, synthetic fibers such as polyethylene, regenerated fibers such as rayon, and natural fibers such as cotton are used, as well as those obtained by known processing methods such as the spunlace method and the spunbond method in addition to the thermal bond method. Can be used. From the viewpoint of workability and strength, the basis weight of the top sheet 10 is preferably 18 g / m ² or more and 40 g / m ² or less. In order to reduce irritation to the skin, a lotion, an antioxidant, an anti-inflammatory component, a pH adjuster, an antibacterial agent, a moisturizer, and the like may be applied to the top sheet 10. The top sheet 10 may have an hourglass shape having a constricted portion at the longitudinal center where the wearer's crotch is positioned, a substantially rectangular shape, or the like, and is slightly outward from the side edge of the absorbent body 20. It may extend and be provided.

In the present invention, the liquid diffusive sheet 11 may be provided between the top sheet 10 and the absorber 20 in order to promote diffusion of body fluid to the upper surface of the absorber 20. Examples of the liquid diffusive sheet 11 include nonwoven fabrics such as air-through nonwoven fabric, point bond nonwoven fabric, spunbond nonwoven fabric, and melt blown nonwoven fabric, and composite nonwoven fabrics laminated with spunbond / meltblown and spunbond / meltblown / spunbond. Can do. The thickness of the liquid diffusable sheet 11 is preferably 0.1 mm or more, and the basis weight thereof is preferably 15 g / m ² or more. The shape of the liquid diffusive sheet 11 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a shape that can completely cover the surface of the absorbent body 20 so that liquids such as urine can diffuse throughout the absorbent body 20.

[Back sheet]
The back sheet 30 is made of a sheet material having liquid impermeability and water blocking properties so that body fluid does not leak outside the absorbent article 1, but even if it has moisture permeability to prevent stuffiness. Good. Examples of the material of the back sheet 30 having such characteristics include a thin plastic sheet such as a polyethylene sheet and a polyethylene laminated nonwoven fabric. The basis weight of the backsheet 30 is preferably 15 g / m ² or more and 40 g / m ² or less. The backsheet 30 may have an hourglass shape having a constricted portion at the longitudinal center where the wearer's crotch is positioned, a substantially rectangular shape, or the like, and extends slightly outward from the side edge of the absorbent body 20. May be provided. An adhesive layer 60 for fixing the absorbent article 1 to an underwear or the like when worn may be provided on the clothing contact side surface of the backsheet 30. When the absorbent article 1 has the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 60, the absorbent article 1 may have a release sheet 65 for protecting the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 60, and the release sheet 65 is partially formed with the packaging sheet of the absorbent article 1. It may be joined. Even if the top sheet 10 and the back sheet 30 form a flap that is fixed by a hot melt adhesive or heat seal without sandwiching the absorbent body 20 at least at a part of the end, such as an end in the longitudinal direction. Good.

[Absorber]
The absorber 20 contains an absorbent fiber as a base material and a superabsorbent polymer (hereinafter also referred to as SAP). The absorbent fiber is not particularly limited as long as it is generally used for absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, diapers, and urine absorbing pads. For example, fluff pulp, cotton, rayon, acetate, tissue, absorbent paper, hydrophilic paper Can be mentioned. Among these, it is preferable to use fluff pulp from the viewpoint of absorbability. Examples of such fluff pulp include wood pulp, synthetic fiber, polymer fiber, non-wood pulp and the like that have been fibrillated into cotton. It is preferable that the absorbent fibers of the absorbent body 20 have a basis weight of 100 g / m ² or more and 800 g / m ² or less so as not to impair the absorption performance and the touch.

The superabsorbent polymer of the absorbent body 20 is not particularly limited as long as it absorbs body fluids and can prevent backflow. Sodium polyacrylate, polyaspartate, (starch-acrylic acid) graft Those formed from materials such as a copolymer, (acrylic acid-vinyl alcohol) copolymer, (isobutylene-maleic anhydride) copolymer and saponified product thereof can be used. Among these, sodium polyacrylate is preferable from the viewpoint of the amount of absorption per weight. The SAP amount of the absorbent body 20 is preferably set to a basis weight of 50 g / m ² or more and 500 g / m ² or less, and a content of 15% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less so as not to impair the absorption performance and the touch. Is preferred.

  In the absorbent body 20, the absorbent fibers and SAP are preferably in the form of a laminated mat formed by mixing SAP particles in the absorbent fibers. Moreover, it is preferable to wrap the absorber 20 in a carrier sheet for the purpose of preventing leakage of SAP particles and stabilizing the shape of the absorber 20. The base material of the carrier sheet only needs to be hydrophilic, and examples thereof include hydrophilic nonwoven fabrics such as tissue, absorbent paper, and airlaid nonwoven fabric. When a plurality of carrier sheets are provided, the base material of the carrier sheet may be the same or different, and the way of wrapping the absorbent body 20 with the carrier sheet is not particularly limited.

  The absorber 20 may be formed by laminating an upper layer absorber and a lower layer absorber. In this case, the dimensions of the upper layer absorber and the lower layer absorber in the longitudinal direction and the width direction may be such that the size of the upper layer absorber is larger than the size of the lower layer absorber, and the size of the upper layer absorber is the same as the size of the lower layer absorber. The dimension of an upper layer absorber may be smaller than the dimension of a lower layer absorber.

[Pressing groove]
As shown in FIG. 1, in the absorbent article 1 of the present invention, the boundary part between the front part 1 a and the crotch part 1 b and the fold line 40 at the boundary part between the crotch part 1 b and the rear part 1 c are formed. A compressed groove 21 is formed in the vicinity along the width direction of the absorbent article 1. Since the compressed groove 21 is formed in this way, the volume of the absorbent body 20 in the fold line 40 is reduced. Therefore, even when the absorbent article 1 is unfolded when the fold line 40 is folded as a valley. No creases or creases remain.

(Shaped groove shape)
FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a planar shape of the compressed groove 21. As shown in FIG.1 and FIG.3, it is preferable that the pressing groove 21 is convex in the front-back direction (Y direction) centering on the folding line 40. As shown in FIG. Here, the boundary line in the longitudinal direction of the compressed groove 21 may be a curve convex in the front-rear direction, or may be a bent line convex in the front-rear direction, such as two sides of a triangle. Accordingly, the compressed groove 21 may have a convex lens-like shape having a bulge in the vicinity of the center line in the width direction as shown in FIG. 3A, and the width direction as shown in FIG. It may have a hexagonal shape having two corners in the vicinity of the center line.

(Dimensions in the width direction and longitudinal direction of the compressed groove)
The dimension C of the compressed groove 21 in the width direction is provided so as to be 60% or more and 90% or less of the dimension of the absorbent body 20 in the width direction, and is preferably 70% or more and 85% or less. By making the dimension C of the compressed groove 21 in the width direction within the above range, side leakage of body fluid from the compressed groove 21 can be effectively prevented. The dimension A in the longitudinal direction of the compressed groove 21 near the center line in the width direction is 5 mm or more and 25 mm or less, preferably 10 mm or more and 15 mm or less, and the dimension B in the longitudinal direction of both ends in the width direction of the compressed groove 21 is 3 mm. It is 10 mm or less, preferably 4 mm or more and 8 mm or less. By designing the compressed groove 21 to be wide in the vicinity of the center line in the width direction, the body fluid on the absorbent body 20 is combined with the configuration in which the depth of the compressed groove 21 is increased in the vicinity of the center line in the width direction. Side leakage from both ends of the compressed groove 21 can be effectively prevented.

(Depth of pressing groove)
The depth D of the compressed groove 21 in the vicinity of the center line in the width direction is 50% or more and 80% or less, and preferably 65% or more and 75% or less of the thickness of the absorbent body 20. As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the depth of the absorbent body 20 gradually decreases from the vicinity of the center line in the width direction toward both ends in the width direction, and the depth E at both ends in the width direction of the compressed groove 21. Is preferably 10% to 30% of the thickness of the absorbent body 20. The depth of the compressed groove 21 is preferably 2.0 mm or greater and 9.0 mm or less, and preferably 4.0 mm or greater and 7.0 mm or less, within a range that satisfies the above-described conditions for the thickness of the absorbent body 20. More preferred.

(Cross-sectional shape of compressed groove, etc.)
4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y ₁ -Y ₁ in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the cross-sectional shape of the squeezing groove 21 is such that when the body contact side surface side is the top surface and the clothing contact side surface side is the bottom surface, the bottom surface dimension is larger than the top surface dimension in the longitudinal section. The dimensions of the lower surface may be the same as the dimensions of the upper surface. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the shape of the longitudinal direction cross section of the pressing groove 21 may be a square shape or an inverted trapezoidal shape as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. In addition, when making the dimension of a lower surface narrower than the dimension of an upper surface, especially the bodily fluid which is anticipated to stay in the pressing groove 21, reducing the crease and crease of the absorbent article 1 effectively. The absorbent body 20 can be effectively absorbed.

[Channel embossing]
In the absorbent article 1 of the present invention, channel embossing extending from the top sheet 10 to the absorbent body 20 is formed in each of the front part 1a, the crotch part 1b, and the rear part 1c. Here, the channel embossing formed in the crotch portion 1b is referred to as a first channel embossing 22, and the channel embossing formed in the front portion 1a and the rear portion 1c is referred to as a second channel embossing 24. The configuration of each channel emboss will be described.

(First channel embossing)
The crotch portion 1b of the absorbent article 1 has at least one pair of first channel embosses 22 extending from the top sheet 10 to the absorbent body 20 along the longitudinal direction on both sides of the center line in the width direction. The first channel emboss 22 is convex toward the center line in the width direction. By adopting such a configuration for the first channel emboss 22, the body fluid discharged to the body fluid discharge portion of the crotch portion 1 b passes along the first channel emboss 22 in the X direction and the Y direction of the absorber 20. It diffuses two-dimensionally in both directions, and is effectively diffused on the surface of the absorber 20. For this reason, the discharged body fluid does not stay in a part of the region on the absorbent body 20, and in particular, the side leakage of the body fluid from the compressed groove 21 can be effectively prevented. Two or more pairs of the first channel embosses 22 may be provided.

(Second channel embossing)
In the absorbent article 1 of the present invention, the second channel emboss 24 extending from the top sheet 10 to the absorber 20 is formed along the width direction in the front part 1a and the rear part 1c. The emboss 24 has a substantially semicircular arc shape that is convex toward the end in the longitudinal direction. By providing the second channel embossing 24 in the front part 1a and the rear part 1c of the absorbent article 1, the body fluid can be diffused more widely on the surface of the absorbent body 20 in the front part 1a and the rear part 1c. Body fluid does not stay in a partial region of the surface of the body 20, and in particular, side leakage of body fluid from the compressed groove 21 can be effectively prevented.

(Channel emboss depth)
The depth of the channel embossing can be appropriately set as long as the object of the present invention is not impaired. For example, it is preferably 1.0 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less, and 1.5 mm or more and 3.5 mm or less. More preferably. When the depth of the channel embossing is within the above range, efficient diffusion of body fluid is promoted, and absorption of body fluid is not inhibited.

[Three-dimensional gather]
As shown in FIG. 2, a three-dimensional gather 50 may be provided on the body contact side surface of the absorbent article 1. The three-dimensional gather 50 forms a body fluid confinement space together with the top sheet 10 so as to prevent side leakage of the body fluid. The three-dimensional gather 50 preferably includes a three-dimensional gather sheet 51 and a stretchable elastic member 52 disposed along the free end of the three-dimensional gather sheet 51. As the elastic elastic member 52, a thread-like, string-like, or flat-shaped member made of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyurethane, or the like can be used as appropriate.

<Method for producing absorbent article>
A method for manufacturing the absorbent article 1 is not particularly limited, and a conventionally known method can be adopted. For example, the liquid diffusable sheet 11 and the three-dimensional gather 50 are arranged in the top sheet 10 in advance as necessary. The top sheet 10 and the back sheet 30 are formed while sandwiching the absorbent body 20 in which the compressed grooves 21 are formed between the top sheet 10 and the back sheet 30 to form channel embossing from the top sheet 10 to the absorbent body 20. Can be manufactured using a hot melt adhesive, heat embossing, ultrasonic embossing, high frequency embossing, or the like over a part or the entire circumference. And after individually wrapping this in a packaging body, what is necessary is just to fold by folding in 3 in a longitudinal direction.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, it cannot be overemphasized that the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range of the invention as described in said embodiment, A various change or improvement to said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that Further, it is apparent from the scope of the claims that embodiments with such changes or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Absorbent article 1a Front part 1b Crotch part 1c Rear part 10 Top sheet 11 Liquid diffusable sheet 20 Absorber 21 Squeeze groove 22 1st channel embossing 24 2nd channel embossing 30 Back sheet 40 Folding line 50 Three-dimensional gather 51 Three-dimensional gather Sheet 52 Stretchable elastic member 60 Adhesive layer 65 Release sheet A Dimension in the longitudinal direction of the squeezing groove in the vicinity of the width direction center line B Dimension in the longitudinal direction of both ends in the width direction of the squeezing groove C Dimension of the squeezing groove in the width direction D Width direction Depth of squeezing groove near center line E Depth at both ends of squeezing groove in width direction

Claims (2)

A liquid-permeable top sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and an absorbent body disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet, and in the longitudinal direction by two fold lines extending in the width direction during individual packaging An absorbent article that is folded into
Having a front, crotch and rear,
The fold line is provided at the front and crotch boundary, and at the crotch and rear boundary,
The absorber has a compressed groove formed along the width direction in a region near the fold line,
The dimension in the width direction of the compressed groove is 60% or more and 90% or less of the dimension in the width direction of the absorber,
The depth of the compressed groove is not less than 50% and not more than 80% of the thickness of the absorber in the vicinity of the center line in the width direction, and the depth of the compressed groove gradually decreases toward both ends in the width direction. ,
The compressed groove has a shape that is convex in the front-rear direction around the fold line,
The longitudinal dimension of the compressed groove is 5 mm or more and 25 mm or less in the vicinity of the center line in the width direction, and 3 mm or more and 10 mm or less at both ends in the width direction of the compressed groove,
In the crotch portion, at least one pair of channel embosses extending from the top sheet to the absorber along the longitudinal direction is formed on both sides of the width direction center line, and the at least one pair of channel embosses is formed on the width direction center line. It is convex toward the
Channel embosses extending from the top sheet to the absorber are formed along the width direction in the front part and the rear part, respectively, and the channel embosses have a substantially semicircular arc shape convex toward the end in the longitudinal direction. Absorbent article.   The absorptive article according to claim 1 whose depth of said pressing slot is 10% or more and 30% or less of the thickness of said absorber in the width direction both ends of said pressing slot.

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