JP7359553B2 - Absorbent article and method for folding absorbent article - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an absorbent article and a method for folding an absorbent article.

Absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, and incontinence pads include a main body that includes a top sheet on the upper side, a back sheet on the lower side, and an absorbent body placed between these two sheets. is common.

In such absorbent articles, in order to prevent bodily fluids from leaking outward in the width direction, so-called lateral leakage, wall-like parts are provided along the longitudinal direction at both widthwise ends of the upper surface of the main body. The configuration is known.

For example, Patent Document 1 includes leakage prevention walls formed on both longitudinal sides of an absorbent body, and each leakage prevention wall connects one longitudinal side and the other side of an elastic sheet to the absorbent body. It is formed by joining an elastic sheet to the absorbent body at the front and back of the excretion area, and stands up in the form of a hollow loop in the excretion area, and is connected to the leakage prevention wall. In each joint, one side of the elastic sheet is joined to the skin-contacting side of the longitudinal side of the absorbent body, and the other side of the elastic sheet is joined to the non-skin-contacting side. An absorbent article is disclosed.

Patent No. 5139198

However, since the leakage prevention wall disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a three-dimensional structure, some wearers are concerned about the discomfort caused by contact with the skin. Furthermore, if the amount of body fluid discharged is relatively small, you may want to give priority to the feeling of wearing. Therefore, there is a need for an absorbent article that reduces discomfort during wearing while ensuring a certain degree of side leakage prevention function.

In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article that prevents leakage in the width direction and reduces discomfort during wearing.

A first aspect of the present invention is an absorbent absorber having an elongated main body including a top sheet on the upper surface side, a back sheet on the lower surface side, and an absorbent body disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet. A sexual article comprising a pair of flap portions along the longitudinal direction on the upper surface side of both ends in the width direction of the main body, and each of the flap portions at least partially covers the outer end in the width direction of the main body in a plan view. It has a fixed part that protrudes beyond and is fixed to the main body at a portion that overlaps with the main body, and a free part other than the fixed part.

According to the first aspect, the main body is provided with a pair of flap portions along the longitudinal direction on the upper surface side of both ends in the width direction, and each flap portion at least partially covers the outer end in the width direction of the main body in a plan view. It has a fixed part that protrudes beyond the main body and is fixed to the main body at a portion that overlaps with the main body, and a free part other than the fixed part. Such a pair of flap portions can provide a lateral leak prevention function, particularly a function of blocking body fluids that have migrated outward in the width direction from the upper surface of the main body. Here, since the flap part has a small thickness, it is possible to reduce the feeling of discomfort when it comes into contact with the skin, compared to a structure such as a three-dimensional wall part. In addition, the flap part in this aspect is not easily constrained by the shape or movement of the main body and can move relatively freely relative to the main body, so it can follow the movement of the user's body well and has a side leakage prevention function. It is possible to further improve the performance and reduce the discomfort.

In a second aspect of the present invention, the main body further includes a pair of side sheets at both ends in the width direction on the upper surface side, each of the pair of side sheets extending outward from both ends in the width direction of the main body. It has a projecting portion, and the projecting portion at least partially forms a pair of wings that are folded back toward the lower surface side during installation.

According to the second aspect, the pair of side sheets provided at both ends in the width direction on the upper surface side of the main body at least partially form the pair of wings, so that the absorbent article can be easily used as underwear. It can be fixed to prevent it from slipping or twisting. Furthermore, since the pair of flaps are provided on the upper surface side of the main body as described above, they do not interfere with the functions of the pair of wings.

In a third aspect of the present invention, each of the flap portions is included in each of the side sheets.

According to the third aspect, since each side sheet forming each wing includes a flap part, the part from the flap part to the wing can be constructed from one continuous side sheet, reducing the number of parts. be able to.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the side sheet is folded inside each flap portion in the width direction.

According to the fourth aspect, it is possible to prevent the edge of the side sheet from coming into contact with the skin, thereby further reducing the discomfort and improving the wearing comfort.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, an adhesive portion is provided on the lower surface side of each flap portion, and the adhesive portion is exposed on the upper surface side by folding the pair of flap portions toward the upper surface side.

According to the fifth aspect, when packaging an absorbent article, the pair of flaps are first folded toward the upper surface side, and then the pair of wings are folded, so that each wing is attached to each flap. It can be attached to the adhesive part. Therefore, when opening the absorbent article, by opening the pair of folded wings in the width direction, the pair of flaps can be simultaneously opened in the width direction, making the unsealing operation easier.

A sixth aspect of the present invention has an elongated shape that includes a top sheet provided on the upper surface side, a back sheet provided on the lower surface side, and an absorbent body provided between the top sheet and the back sheet. A pair of flaps are provided along the longitudinal direction on the upper surface side of both widthwise ends of the body, and each of the flaps extends at least partially beyond the widthwise outer end of the body in plan view. and a fixed part fixed to the main body and a free part other than the fixed part in a portion overlapping with the main body, and further comprising a pair of side sheets at both ends in the width direction on the upper surface side of the main body, Each of the pair of side sheets has an extending portion extending outward from both ends in the width direction of the main body, and the extending portion includes at least a portion of a pair of wings that are folded back to the lower surface side when installed. A method for folding an absorbent article in which an adhesive portion is provided on the lower surface side of each of the flap portions, and after folding the pair of flap portions toward the upper surface side to expose the adhesive portion, the absorbent article is folded. The method includes folding the pair of wing parts toward the upper surface side and adhering each of the wing parts to the adhesive part.

In the sixth aspect, it is possible to provide a method for folding an absorbent article that provides the same effects as in the fifth aspect.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an absorbent article is provided that prevents leakage in the width direction and reduces discomfort during wearing.

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway top view of the absorbent article according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a top view of an absorbent article according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. FIG. It is a top view of the absorbent article by 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the absorbent article by 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process of folding the absorbent article by 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process of folding the absorbent article by 4th Embodiment of this invention. 6A is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 6A. FIG. FIG. 6B is a sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. 6B. FIG. 6C is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 6C.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, unless otherwise specified, the same or corresponding configurations may be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof may be omitted. Furthermore, the drawings are schematic to help understand the invention.

First, the basic structure of an absorbent article according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on an example of a sanitary napkin. FIG. 1 shows a partially cutaway plan view of an absorbent article 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 2(a) shows a sectional view taken along the line II-II of the absorbent article 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), the absorbent article 10 has a main body (absorbent (article body) 8. When the absorbent article 10 is worn, the top sheet 3 side becomes the side facing the skin (skin side or upper surface side), and the back sheet 2 side becomes the side fixed to underwear (underwear side or lower surface side). FIG. 1 is a diagram of the absorbent article 10 viewed from the top side.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 8 as a whole has a predetermined length in a first direction (longitudinal direction or front-back direction) D1, and has a predetermined length in a second direction (lateral direction or width direction) orthogonal to the first direction D1. ) It has a predetermined width in D2 and has an elongated shape in the longitudinal direction D1. Although the width of the main body 8 is substantially constant in the illustrated example, it may vary in the longitudinal direction D1. As shown in FIG. 1, the absorbent article 1 can have a shape that is approximately symmetrical with respect to a center line (longitudinal center line) CL extending in the longitudinal direction D1. Further, the configuration of the absorbent article 10 (including the thickness and density of the absorbent core 4, the size and position of compressed grooves, etc.) may be approximately symmetrical with respect to the center line as an axis of symmetry, or may be asymmetrical. good.

The length of the absorbent article 10 in the longitudinal direction D1 (total length of the main body 8) is not particularly limited, but can be 150 to 450 mm, preferably 170 to 290 mm. Further, the length of the absorbent article 10 in the width direction D2 (width of the main body 8) is not particularly limited, but can be set to 50 to 200 mm, preferably 70 to 120 mm.

The absorbent article 10 has a portion (corresponding to a body fluid outlet) Q that corresponds to a body fluid outlet such as a wearer's vaginal opening when worn (illustrated in FIG. 1 for explanation). The main body 8 of the absorbent article 10 includes a central region RM including the above-mentioned body fluid outlet corresponding part Q, a front region RF located in front of the central region RM, and a rear region RR located behind the central region RM. It is possible to divide the area into areas. During wear, the central region RM may face the wearer's groin and the rear region RR may face the wearer's buttock groove.

The back sheet 2 is preferably a liquid-impermeable sheet, and a sheet material having at least water-blocking properties, such as an olefin resin sheet such as polyethylene or polypropylene, can be used. A laminated nonwoven fabric made by laminating a nonwoven fabric on a polyethylene sheet or the like, or a laminated sheet of a nonwoven fabric with a waterproof film interposed therebetween to ensure substantially liquid impermeability, etc. can be used. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing stuffiness, it is more desirable to use a material having moisture permeability. Such water-impermeable and moisture-permeable sheet materials are made by melt-kneading an inorganic filler into an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, forming a sheet, and then stretching the sheet in uniaxial or biaxial directions. A porous sheet or the like can be used.

The top sheet 3 is preferably a liquid-permeable sheet through which body fluids such as menstrual blood, vaginal discharge, and urine can quickly pass through. As the top sheet 3, a perforated or non-perforated nonwoven fabric, a porous plastic sheet, or the like is suitably used. The material fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric include, for example, olefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, synthetic fibers such as polyester and polyamide, recycled fibers such as rayon and cupro, blended fibers thereof, and natural fibers such as cotton, either singly or Two or more types can be used in combination. In addition, examples of processing methods for nonwoven fabrics include spunlace method, spunbond method, thermal bond method, melt blown method, needle punch method, and the like. Among these processing methods, the spunlace method is preferred because it can produce a nonwoven fabric with excellent flexibility, the spunbond method is preferred because it can produce a nonwoven fabric with excellent drapability, and the thermal bonding method is preferred because it can produce a bulky and soft nonwoven fabric. Further, composite fibers such as core-sheath type fibers, side-by-side type fibers, split type fibers, etc., which have a core of fibers with a high melting point and a sheath of fibers with a low melting point, can also be used.

The absorbent body 4 is not limited to any material as long as it can absorb and retain body fluids, but preferably contains cotton-like pulp and a water-absorbing polymer. As the water-absorbing polymer, superabsorbent polymer granules (SAP), superabsorbent fibers (SAF), and combinations thereof can be used. Examples of the pulp include chemical pulp obtained from wood, cellulose fibers such as dissolving pulp, and those made of artificial cellulose fibers such as rayon and acetate. As raw materials for chemical pulp, hardwoods, softwoods, etc. are used, and softwoods are preferably used because of their long fiber length.

Further, the absorbent body 4 may be mixed with synthetic fibers. As synthetic fibers, polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, polyamides such as nylon, and copolymers thereof can be used. You can also use Composite fibers such as core-sheath type fibers, side-by-side type fibers, split type fibers, etc., which have a core of fibers with a high melting point and a sheath of fibers with a low melting point, can also be used. Note that it is also possible to use hydrophobic fibers whose surface is treated with a hydrophilizing agent to impart affinity for body fluids. The absorbent body 4 is preferably manufactured by a fiber stacking or air laying method.

The thickness of the absorber 4 can be in the range of 0.3 to 30 mm, preferably in the range of 1.0 to 15 mm. The absorbent body 4 as a whole does not need to have a uniform thickness over the entire surface, but may have a structure in which it is locally bulged out, for example, in a region including a portion corresponding to a body fluid outlet of the wearer when worn. It is also possible to do this.

The absorbent body 4 may be wrapped with a covering sheet such as crepe paper or nonwoven fabric in order to maintain its shape. By wrapping the absorbent body 4 with the covering sheet, it is possible to prevent the absorbent body 4 from twisting or cracking. As the envelope sheet, uncolored (that is, white) crepe paper or nonwoven fabric can be used, or colored one can also be used. If it is colored, it can be colored to make the color of the discharged body fluid less noticeable, for example, a color close to the color of the body fluid, or a color complementary to or close to the color of the body fluid.

At the end of the absorber 4 in the longitudinal direction D1, the outer edges of the backsheet 2 and the topsheet 3 may be joined by a joining means such as an adhesive such as hot melt, heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or the like. Further, on the sides of the absorbent body 4, the backsheet 2 and the topsheet 3 may be joined by the same joining means.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), the absorbent article 10 has a pair of flap parts 5, 5 on the upper surface side of the main body 8. As shown in FIGS. Preferably, each flap portion 5 is constructed from one flat sheet. Such a pair of flap parts 5, 5 can prevent the lateral leakage of bodily fluids, particularly the bodily fluids that have migrated outward in the width direction D2 on the top sheet 3 of the main body 8, from leaking to the outside. Moreover, the flap parts 5, 5 are planar members, and are different from three-dimensional gathers in which elastic members such as rubber are arranged. That is, the flap parts 5, 5 do not have unevenness formed by gathers caused by contraction of the elastic member or the like, and have flat surfaces that can come into contact with the skin. Therefore, the flap parts 5, 5 can be formed to have a thickness that is hardly or not noticeable to the wearer during wearing, and is less likely to cause discomfort or discomfort.

A thin absorbent layer or the like may be laminated or enclosed in the flap portion 5, but from the viewpoint of the feel and ease of movement of the flap portion 5, it is preferable to use a single layer or multiple layers without an absorbent layer or the like. Preferably, it is composed of a sheet.

As shown in FIG. 1, each flap portion 5 is provided at an end in the width direction D2 of the main body 8, extending from one end in the longitudinal direction D1 to the other end, but partially at the end in the width direction D2 of the main body 8. It can also be provided in For example, the pair of flap portions 5, 5 may be provided mainly in the central region RM of the main body 8, or may be provided only in the central region RM and rear region RR at both ends in the width direction D2.

The width (length in the width direction D2) w5 of the flap portion 5 in plan view is preferably 10 to 40 mm, more preferably 15 to 35 mm. In addition, when the width of the flap part 5 changes along the longitudinal direction D1, the said w5 can be made into the maximum width of the flap part 5.

Moreover, it is preferable that the flap part 5 is arrange|positioned so that it may overlap with the absorber 4 of the main body 8 like the example of illustration. Thereby, the side leak prevention function can be improved. However, in order not to impede the body fluid absorption ability of the main body 8, the flap portion 5 is configured to extend outward from a position that is preferably 13 mm or more, more preferably 15 mm or more away from the longitudinal center line CL. It is better to place

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), the flap portion 5 extends outward beyond the outer end 8ex of the main body 8 in the width direction D2. The length d in the width direction D2 of the portion of the flap portion 5 extending outward from the outer end in the width direction D2 of the main body 8, that is, the outer end 5ex in the width direction D2 of the flap portion 5 and the outer end 8ex in the width direction D2 of the main body 8. The distance is preferably 1 to 25 mm, more preferably 3 to 15 mm.

In this way, since the flap parts 5, 5 extend outward to a position exceeding the width of the main body 8, the function of preventing the above-mentioned lateral leakage can be enhanced, and the amount of bodily fluid discharged at one time can be improved. This can also be applied to cases where there are many cases.

Additionally, some users are concerned about leakage from absorbent articles simply because they appear narrow. In order to alleviate such concerns, it is conceivable to make the overall width of the absorbent article relatively large, but this tends to cause discomfort particularly around the legs. On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, the flap parts 5, 5 are disposed outwardly beyond the outer end of the main body 8 in the width direction D2, without increasing the width of the main body 8 itself, so that the absorbent article The width of 10 can be made to look larger. That is, it is possible to provide the user with a sense of security in appearance, without making a member made of a relatively hard material such as the back sheet 2 wide, and without making the user feel uncomfortable.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), each flap portion 5 has a fixed portion 5a fixed to the main body 8 and the other portion, that is, a free portion 5b that is not fixed. Therefore, the free portion 5b cannot move up and down, for example, with the base point P near the boundary with the fixed portion 5a, that is, in the thickness direction D3 (FIG. 2(a)) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1 and the width direction D2. can.

Generally, while the absorbent article is worn, the main body is fixed to the underwear, while the legs move to various positions relative to the underwear, so the base of the legs and both ends of the main body 8 in the width direction D2 A gap is likely to be formed between the absorbent article and the absorbent article, and a feeling of discomfort is likely to occur when the absorbent article comes into contact with the absorbent article. On the other hand, in the pair of flap parts 5, 5 of the present embodiment, the free parts 5b are not fixed to the main body 8 and can move from the base point P, so they are not easily restrained by the shape and movement of the main body 8, and the main body 8 can move relatively freely. Therefore, the flap parts 5, 5 can follow the movement of the user's body well, making it difficult to create a gap between the absorbent article 10 and the body, improving the side leakage prevention function, and reducing discomfort. can do.

The fixing part 5a is adhered to the main body 8, in this example, to the top sheet 3, by a first adhesive part 6a. The first adhesive portion 6a can be formed using an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive, an adhesive tape, or the like. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the first adhesive part 6a is provided continuously in the longitudinal direction D1 of the flap part 5, but if the function of the flap part 5 can be ensured, the flap part 5 can be The first bonding portion 6a bonded to the main body 8 may be provided intermittently. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), it is preferable that the first adhesive portion 6a is provided in a range where the absorber 4 is arranged in a plan view. Thereby, the flap portion 5 is securely fixed, so that a sufficient side leak prevention function can be exhibited.

In the illustrated example, the pair of flap portions 5, 5 are each formed by one side sheet 7, 7. As the side sheet 7, it is preferable to use a nonwoven fabric made of one or more of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, and recycled fibers in order to improve the feel to the skin. Furthermore, in order to enhance the side leak prevention function, the entire or part of the surface of the side sheet 7 can be subjected to water repellent treatment. For example, the entire exposed portion of the upper surface of the flap portion 5 may be subjected to water repellent treatment. Furthermore, water repellent treatment may be applied to a part of the exposed part on the upper surface side, more specifically, to a region excluding a part up to a predetermined distance (for example, 5 mm or less) from the inner end 5ei in the width direction D2 of the flap part 5. good. For the water repellent treatment, a silicone-based, paraffin-based, or other water repellent can be used.

By using a nonwoven fabric as the material for the flap section 5, the free section 5b of the flap section 5 can be configured flexibly, so that the flap section 5 can be made to better follow the user's body. For example, the flap part 5 is not only capable of vertical movement (movement in the thickness direction D3) relative to the main body 8, but also allows the flap part 5 to be pulled relative to the main body 8 in the longitudinal direction D1 and/or the width direction D2. Even if it is pushed, it can flexibly follow such movements.

In the example shown in FIG. 2(a), the side sheet 7 is folded in at the inner end 5ei of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2. That is, the inner end portion of the side sheet 7 in the width direction D2 is folded downward and placed between the exposed portion of the side sheet 7 and the main body 8. This makes it possible to prevent the edge of the sheet from coming into contact with the wearer's skin during wearing, thereby improving the wearing comfort.

In this example, the folding position of the side sheet 7 on the inside of the flap part 5 in the width direction D2 is the boundary between the fixed part 5a and the free part 5b, and corresponds to the inner end of the first adhesive part 6a in the width direction D2. However, it corresponds to the base point P along which the above-mentioned free portion 5b moves.

FIGS. 2(b) to 2(d) show modified examples of the flap portion 5 in the absorbent article 10. 2(b) to 2(d) are partial cross-sectional views of the absorbent article 10, similar to FIG. 2(a).

In the example of FIG. 2(b), the portion folded in at the inner end 5ei in the width direction D2 of the flap portion 5 is longer outward in the width direction D2 than in the example of FIG. It differs from the example in FIG. 2(a) in that it extends to the end 8ex. In this example, since both ends of the main body 8 in the width direction D2 can be covered by the side sheets 7, leakage of bodily fluids moving from the inside of the main body 8 to the outside in the width direction D2 can be prevented. Further, by applying a water-repellent treatment to the upper surface of the folded-in portion of the side sheet 7, such leakage prevention function can be further enhanced.

The fixing part 5a of the flap part 5 may be bonded by a first adhesive part 6a. The first adhesive part 6a may be provided over the entire overlapping part of the fixing part 5a and the main body 8. In the illustrated example, since the area where the fixed part 5a and the main body 8 are bonded is expanded, the flap part 5 can be arranged more stably, and inconveniences such as the flap part 5 coming off can be reduced. .

In the example of FIG. 2(c), the side sheet 7 is folded inward in the width direction D2 as in the example of FIG. 2(a), but the interlayer of the two layers of the side sheet 7 formed by folding is This differs from the example shown in FIG. 2A in that it is bonded by a second bonding portion 6b. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 2(c), the boundary between the fixed part 5a and the free part 5b is not at the inner end 5ei in the width direction D2 of the flap part 5 (the folded position of the side sheet 7), but from the inner end 5ei in the width direction. This is a position a predetermined distance away from D2 outward, that is, a position at the outer end of the second adhesive portion 6b in the width direction D2. Therefore, the base point P along which the free portion 5b moves is also the position of the outer end of the second adhesive portion 6b in the width direction D2.

By providing the second adhesive portion 6b, the rigidity of the fixed portion 5a is greater than that of the free portion 5b, so that the free portion 5b is easily bent. Note that the second adhesive part 6b can use the same adhesive or adhesive tape as the first adhesive part 6a.

The example in FIG. 2(d) differs from the examples in FIGS. 2(a) to (c) in that the side sheet 7 is not folded back. That is, the planar flap part 5 is not folded but is adhered to the top sheet 3 by the first adhesive part 6a. Since the side sheet 7 is not folded back, it is possible to reduce the amount of labor and materials used during manufacturing. In this example, the free portion 5b of the flap portion 5 can move with a reference point P set at the boundary between the fixed portion 5a and the free portion 5b.

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of an absorbent article 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention viewed from the top side (top sheet 3 side). Further, FIG. 4(a) shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 3. The basic structure of this embodiment is the same as that of the absorbent article 10 according to the first embodiment, but a pair of wings W, W extending outward from both ends of the main body 8 in the width direction D2 are provided. This differs from the absorbent article 10 (FIG. 1) according to the first embodiment in that the absorbent article 10 according to the first embodiment is

As shown in FIG. 3, the pair of wings W, W are portions extending outward from each edge in the width direction D2 of the central region RM of the main body 8, respectively. The wings W, W have the function of reliably fixing the absorbent article to the underwear by folding it back to the outside of the crotch portion of the underwear and adhering it to the underwear when the absorbent article is worn. In the illustrated example, the central region RM of the main body 8 is a range D1 in the longitudinal direction from the front starting point of the wing W to the rear starting point.

In this embodiment, a pair of side sheets 7, 7 provided at both ends of the upper surface side of the main body 8 in the width direction D2 constitute a part of each wing W, W, respectively. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4(a), a portion of each side sheet 7 extending outward in the width direction D2 (a portion extending outward from the outer end of the main body 8 in the width direction D2); Each wing W is formed by joining the main body 8 and the outwardly extending portion in the width direction D2 of the back sheet 2. The side sheet 7 and the back sheet 2 in the wing W may be joined by an adhesive portion as described later, or may be performed using a sealing means such as heat sealing or ultrasonic sealing.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4(a), the absorbent article 20 also has both ends in the width direction D2 on the upper surface side of the main body 8, similarly to the absorbent article 10 according to the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 and 2). A pair of flap portions 5, 5 are provided along the longitudinal direction D1. The configuration (size, shape, function) of the flap portion 5 is the same as that described in the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 and 2), and each flap 5 has a fixed portion 5a fixed to the main body 8. , and a free portion 5b that is not fixed other than the fixed portion 5a. Then, the free part 5b can move in the thickness direction D3 with the boundary between the fixed part 5a and the free part 5b as a reference point P, and in some cases, can also move in the longitudinal direction D1 and/or the width direction D2 while being deformed. be able to.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4(a), at the inner end 5ei of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2, the side sheet 7 is folded toward the lower surface side. Further, the folded portion of the side sheet 7 extends outward in the width direction D2 and forms the upper surface side of the wing W described above. That is, each flap portion 5 and the upper surface side portion of the wing W are constituted by a continuous side sheet 7. That is, each side sheet 7 arranged at each end in the width direction D2 includes each flap portion 5 and a part of each wing W. In this way, since the flap part 5 and the wing W can be formed continuously by one side sheet 7, the mutual alignment of the main body 8, the wing W, and the flap part 5 can be performed more accurately. be able to.

The flap part 5 (fixed part 5a) may be fixed to the main body 8 by adhesion via the first adhesive part 6a. The first adhesive portion 6a is formed at least within the area where the flap portion 5 and the main body 8 are overlapped. The range in which the first adhesive part 6a is provided may be the entire range where the flap part 5 and the main body 8 are overlapped, or may be a part thereof. Further, as shown in the figure, the first adhesive part 6a extends further outward in the width direction D2 of the flap part 5 to a range where the side sheet 7 is disposed, and is attached to the side sheet 7 and its lower surface. The arranged sheets may be bonded continuously.

FIGS. 4(b) to 4(e) show modified examples of the absorbent article 20 according to the second embodiment. 4(b) to (e) are partial cross-sectional views of the absorbent article 20, similar to FIG. 4(a).

In the example of FIG. 4(b), in the vicinity of the inner end 5ei of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2, the second adhesive portion 6b adheres between the two layers of the side sheet 7 due to the folding of the side sheet 7. This example differs from the example shown in FIG. 4(a) in that the example shown in FIG. The flap portion 5 in the example of FIG. 4(b) can produce the same effect as the modified example described with reference to FIG. 2(c) in the first embodiment.

The example in FIG. 4(c) can be said to be a modification of the example in FIG. 4(b). This example differs from the example shown in FIG. 4(b) in that the free portion 5b of the flap portion 5 is made up of multiple layers. More specifically, the side sheet 7 constituting the flap portion 5 is folded back toward the lower surface side of the flap portion 5 at the outer end 5ex in the width direction D2 of the flap portion 5, so that the free portion 5b is It is made up of two layers of sheets. These two upper and lower layers may be bonded to each other by a third bonding portion 6c. The third adhesive part 6c may be formed from an adhesive or an adhesive sheet similarly to the first adhesive part 6a and the second adhesive part 6b described above. Alternatively, the side sheets 7 stacked in two layers, upper and lower, may be joined by sealing means such as heat sealing without providing the third adhesive portion 6c.

According to the example of FIG. 4(c), the thickness of the free portion 5b is appropriately increased by forming the free portion 5b of the flap portion 5 from a plurality of layers. Therefore, this example can be suitably used in applications where it is desired to enhance the side leak prevention function.

In the example of FIG. 4(d), similarly to the example of FIG. 4(c), the side sheet 7 is folded back to the lower surface side at the outer end 5ex of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2, and the free portion 5b has two layers, upper and lower. However, it differs from the example shown in FIG. 4(c) in that the upper and lower layers constituting the free portion 5b are not bonded to each other. In this example, since the free portion 5b of the flap portion 5 is annular in cross section, air can be contained between the upper and lower layers. As a result, the flexibility of the flap portion 5 can be improved and an excellent touch can be obtained, and the flap portion 5 can be suitably used particularly in applications where it is desired to improve the feeling of wearing.

In the example of FIG. 4(e), the side sheet 7 is folded back to the lower surface side at the outer end 5ex of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2, but the sheet folded back to the lower surface side further faces the lower surface inside the width direction D2. It is folded back to the side and then extends outward in the width direction D2 to form part of the wing W. On the other hand, also at the inner end 5ei of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2, the side sheet 7 is folded back once to the lower surface side, and further folded back again to the lower surface side at the outer side in the width direction D2. In this example as well, the free portion 5b of the flap portion 5 can swell into a loop shape, as in FIG. 4(d), and the feel on the skin can be improved.

FIG. 5 shows an absorbent article 30 according to a third embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the absorbent article 10 according to the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 and 2) and the absorbent article 20 according to the second embodiment (FIGS. 3 and 2) are different in that the flap portion 5 has a different shape in plan view. Figure 4) is different. In the example of FIG. 5, the planar shape of the pair of flap portions 5, 5 is such that the central portion in the longitudinal direction D1 is convex outward in the width direction D2. Thereby, in the central region RM where lateral leakage is likely to occur, the width of the flap portions 5, 5 in the lateral direction D2 can be increased, and lateral leakage can be effectively prevented.

The width of the flap portion 5 is approximately constant in the longitudinal direction D1, as in the absorbent article 10 according to the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 and 2) and the absorbent article 20 according to the second embodiment (FIGS. 3 and 4). It may be changed along the longitudinal direction D1 as in this example. Further, the inner end 5ei and the outer end ex of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2 may extend linearly in the longitudinal direction D1, or may extend in a curved line, for example, a wavy shape.

Further, each flap portion 5 of this embodiment has a shape without corners as a whole. Therefore, even if the flap portion 5 is pressed against the skin while being worn, discomfort is unlikely to occur.

FIG. 6A shows an absorbent article 40 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. Further, FIG. 7A shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 6A. The basic structure of this embodiment and the structure of the pair of flap parts 5, 5 are similar to the absorbent article 20 according to the second embodiment (FIGS. 3 and 4(b)), but the absorbent article 40 according to this embodiment In this case, adhesive parts 9, 9 are provided on the lower surfaces of the pair of flap parts 5, 5, respectively.

By providing such a pair of adhesive parts 9, 9, each side of the absorbent article 40 can be made to adhere to each flap part 5 and the folded part of the side sheet 7 disposed below the flap part 5. Thereby, the flap part 5 can be fixed to the element below it, so that the extension of the flap parts 5, 5 can be maintained. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the flap portions 5, 5 from twisting and not being properly arranged, and especially when the sheet is folded back at the outer end 5ei in the width direction D2, it is possible to avoid the folded portion from returning. can.

Each adhesive portion 9 is formed in the central region RM, that is, within the range where the wings W are provided, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 7A. Further, each adhesive portion 9 is disposed at a position apart from the inner end 5ei of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2 by a predetermined distance outward in the width direction D2. In the illustrated embodiment, each adhesive portion 9 has a continuous band shape in the longitudinal direction D1 in plan view, but may extend intermittently in the longitudinal direction D1.

Moreover, each adhesive part 9 is preferably arranged in a certain range of the main body 8, preferably in a certain range of the absorber 4, in plan view. That is, by keeping each adhesive portion 9 away from the outer end 5ex of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2, flexible movement of the flap portion 5 can be prevented from being hindered.

The adhesive portion 9 can be made of a material that allows the flap portion 5 and other members to be repeatedly adhered to, that is, to be easily attached to and detached from. Specific examples of the adhesive material constituting the adhesive part 9 include materials containing styrene polymers, tackifiers, plasticizers, and combinations thereof as main components. Examples of the styrene polymer include styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, styrene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, styrene-isobutylene-styrene copolymer, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer, etc. , one or more of these can be used. Among these, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers are preferred because they have good thermal stability. Moreover, as the tackifier and plasticizer, those that are solid at room temperature can be used. Examples of the tackifier include C5 petroleum resins, C9 petroleum resins, dicyclopentadiene petroleum resins, rosin petroleum resins, polyterpene resins, and terpene phenol resins. Examples of the plasticizer include monomer plasticizers such as trifresyl phosphate, dibutyl phthalate, and dioctyl phthalate, as well as polymer plasticizers such as vinyl polymers and polyesters.

Hereinafter, folding of the absorbent article 40 according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C and FIGS. 7A to 7C. 6B and 6C are diagrams showing the process of folding the absorbent article 40 shown in FIG. 6A. Further, FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. 6B, and FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 6C.

In the state shown in FIGS. 6A and 7A, the absorbent article 40 is spread out (deployed). When folding the absorbent article 40 according to this embodiment, the pair of flap parts 5, 5 are first folded toward the longitudinal center line CL toward the upper surface side. In this example, as shown in FIG. 7A, the side sheet 7 is folded in at the inner end 5ei in the width direction D2 of the flap portion 5, and the interlayer of the two-layered portion of the side sheet 7 formed by this folding is It is adhered by the second adhesive part 6b. Therefore, when folding the pair of flap parts 5, 5, they are folded at the outer end position of the second adhesive part 6b in the width direction D2, that is, at the fold lines L1, L1.

FIGS. 6B and 7B are views after the pair of flap parts 5, 5 are folded back along folding lines L1, L1. As described above, since the flap parts 5 and 5 are provided with the adhesive parts 9 and 9, respectively, after being folded back, the adhesive parts 9 and 9 are moved toward the upper surface side as shown in FIGS. 6B and 7B. be exposed. Subsequently, the pair of wings W, W are folded toward the upper surface along folding lines L2, L2.

FIGS. 6C and 7C show the state after the pair of wings W and W are folded. As shown in FIGS. 6C and 7C, the pair of wings W, W overlaps the pair of flap parts 5, 5 folded in front, respectively. Then, the pair of wings W, W are adhered to the adhesive parts 9, 9, which were exposed on the upper surface side of the pair of flap parts 5, 5, respectively. Moreover, depending on the width of the pair of wings W, W (the length in the width direction D2), the wings W overlap each other.

Thereafter, it can be folded into three or four in the longitudinal direction D1, if necessary. Alternatively, the above-mentioned folding may be started after placing the absorbent article 40 on a packaging sheet, or the folded absorbent article 40 may be wrapped in a packaging sheet, and the entire absorbent article 40 may be individually packaged. .

In this way, by folding the pair of flap parts 5, 5, the absorbent article 40 can be individually packaged compactly. Further, in the folded state of the absorbent article 40, the pair of flap parts 5, 5 and the pair of wings W, W are fixed to each other by the adhesive parts 9, 9, so that the folded shape can be maintained stably.

When unpacking the absorbent article 40 folded as described above, from the folded state of the pair of wings W and W (FIGS. 6C and 7C), the pair of wings W and W are moved outward in the width direction D2, respectively. open. At this time, since the wings W, W and the flap parts 5, 5 are stuck with the adhesives 9, 9, respectively, the flap parts 5, 5 can be opened together with the wings W, W and the flap parts 5, 5 outward in the width direction D2. I can do it. There is no need to open the wings W, W and the flap parts 5, 5, respectively, and the unsealing operation becomes easy.

After opening the wings W, W and the flap parts 5, 5 together, by further pulling the wings W, W outward in the width direction D2, the wings W, W are separated from the adhesive parts 9 of the flap parts 5, 5, respectively. , 9, and can be spread in the width direction D2. As a result, the bottom side of the flap parts 5, 5 will face the main body 8 as before folding, so by pressing against the main body 8 from the top side, the adhesive parts 9, 9 arranged on the bottom side The flap parts 5, 5 can be adhered to the main body 8 through the adhesive, and the state shown in FIGS. 6A and 7A can be achieved.

According to the absorbent article according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to improve the wearing comfort while ensuring a certain degree of lateral leakage prevention function without providing a three-dimensional wall portion that swells in the thickness direction. Therefore, it can be suitably used in cases where it is desired to make the absorbent article relatively thin by avoiding a structure with a thick portion such as a wall portion, or in applications where priority is given to improving the feeling of wearing.

Note that the features in the embodiments described in this specification can be arbitrarily combined with each other. For example, in the first embodiment, the free portion 5b of the flap portion 5 may be stacked (FIG. 4(c)), or the side sheet 7 may not be folded in at the inner end 5ei of the flap portion 5 in the width direction D2. (Fig. 4(d)).

2 Backsheet 3 Topsheet 4 Absorbent body 5 Flap part 5a Fixed part 5b Free part 5ei Inner end in width direction of flap part 5ex Outer end in width direction of flap part 6a First adhesive part 6b Second adhesive part 8 Absorbent article main body 7 Side sheet 8 Absorbent article main body 8ex Widthwise outer end of main body 9 Adhesive portions 10, 20, 30, 40 Absorbent article CL Front-rear center lines L1, L2 Fold line RF Front region RM Central region RR Back region D1 First direction (Longitudinal direction)
D2 Second direction (width direction)
D3 Third direction (thickness direction)
Q Body fluid outlet corresponding part W Wing

Claims (4)

An absorbent article comprising an elongated main body including a top sheet on the upper surface side, a back sheet on the lower surface side, and an absorbent body disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet,
A pair of flap portions that do not include an elastic member are provided on the upper surface side of both ends of the main body in the width direction, extending from one end in the longitudinal direction to the other end,
Each of the flap parts protrudes at least partially beyond the outer end in the width direction of the main body in a plan view, and includes a fixed part fixed to the main body and a free part other than the fixed part in a portion overlapping with the main body. have,
The boundary between the fixed part and the free part extends in a straight line from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction,
The main body further includes a pair of side sheets at both ends in the width direction of the upper surface side, each of the pair of side sheets having an extending portion extending outward from both ends in the width direction of the main body, and The portion at least partially forms a pair of wings that are folded back toward the underside when worn;
An absorbent article, wherein an adhesive part that can be repeatedly adhered to the wing is provided on the lower surface side of each of the flap parts, and the adhesive part is exposed on the upper surface side by folding the pair of flap parts toward the upper surface side. . The absorbent article according to claim 1 , wherein each of the flap portions is included in each of the side sheets. The absorbent article according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the side sheet is folded inside each flap portion in the width direction. An elongated main body including a top sheet provided on the upper surface side, a back sheet provided on the lower surface side, and an absorbent body provided between the top sheet and the back sheet,
A pair of flap portions are provided along the longitudinal direction on the upper surface side of both ends in the width direction of the main body, and each of the flap portions protrudes at least partially beyond the outer end in the width direction of the main body in a plan view, and having a fixed part fixed to the main body and a free part other than the fixed part in a part overlapping with the main body,
The main body further includes a pair of side sheets at both ends in the width direction of the upper surface side, each of the pair of side sheets having an extending portion extending outward from both ends in the width direction of the main body, and A method for folding an absorbent article, wherein the portion at least partially forms a pair of wings that are folded back to the lower side when worn,
An adhesive portion that can be repeatedly adhered to the wing is provided on the lower surface side of each of the flap portions,
After folding the pair of flap portions toward the top side and exposing the adhesive portion,
A folding method comprising folding the pair of wing parts toward an upper surface and adhering each wing part to the adhesive part.

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