JP7493368B2 - Expandable absorbent article and its packaging - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to expandable absorbent articles, such as pad types, flat types, and tape types, and their packaging.

In addition to absorbent articles such as pad types and flat types (also called urine absorption pads), tape-type disposable diapers in which both sides of the dorsal portion are detachable from the outer surface of the abdominal portion do not have leg openings through which the legs can be passed in the manufactured state, and are worn by placing the diaper between the wearer's legs from a flat or nearly flat state, and are called unfolded types. In other words, unfolded absorbent articles are different from pants-type absorbent articles that have leg openings in the manufactured state.

In general, it is known that unfoldable absorbent articles are difficult to put on for people with paralysis or joint contracture (a condition in which joints become stiff and bending and straightening becomes difficult), or for people who cannot sleep on their backs and can only lie on their side. For this reason, in nursing care settings, caregivers fold the unfoldable absorbent article in half along the center line that passes through the middle of the width, and then insert one side between the wearer's legs to put it on. In this case, the caregiver must fold the unfoldable absorbent article in half, which makes the putting on process that much more complicated.

One effective solution to this problem is the one described in Patent Document 1. In other words, in the product described in Patent Document 1, the unfoldable absorbent article is folded in half along a center line that passes through the center in the width direction, and the opposing surfaces are glued together, so when putting it on, the caregiver does not have to fold the unfoldable absorbent article in half themselves, but can simply insert it between the wearer's legs.

JP 2010-104658 A

However, when the unfoldable absorbent article described in Patent Document 1 is folded in half so that the surfaces face each other, simply inserting it between the wearer's legs as is does not allow the crotch portion of the article to fit properly against the wearer's crotch. To explain in more detail, in a properly worn state, the crotch portion of the unfoldable absorbent article needs to be roughly arched (a shape that runs from one inner thigh through the crotch to the other inner thigh), whereas when an absorbent article is folded in half so that the surfaces face each other, simply inserting it between the wearer's legs as is causes the crotch portion of the absorbent article to face the opposite direction (inverted arch shape). Therefore, in this case, the caregiver needs to adjust the crotch portion.

In addition, in the case of the unfoldable absorbent article described in Patent Document 1, if the article is folded in half so that the back sides face each other, there is no need to adjust the crotch area, but the surface of the product is exposed to the outside, which is unhygienic. In addition, in the case of an unfoldable absorbent article having a buttocks-covering portion, if the article is folded in half so that the back sides face each other, the buttocks-covering portion will curl in the opposite direction away from the buttocks, and this portion will need to be adjusted.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an expandable absorbent article and its packaging material which are easier to put on and more hygienically preferable.

The expandable absorbent article that solves the above problems is as follows.
<First aspect>
A crotch portion, a portion in front of the crotch portion, and a portion in back of the crotch portion,
The mask has a surface facing the wearer's skin and a back surface located on the opposite side thereof,
is absorbable from at least said surface;
At a first folding position along the width direction of the crotch portion, a ventral region located in front of the first folding position and a dorsal region located behind the first folding position are folded in half so that their surfaces face each other,
The abdominal region is folded in half at a second folding position passing through a center portion in the width direction, and a back surface of a first portion located on one side of the second folding position in the abdominal region faces a back surface of a second portion located on the other side of the second folding position in the abdominal region,
The back region is folded in half at a third folding position passing through the center in the width direction, and the ventral region is sandwiched between a surface of a third portion located on one side of the third folding position in the back region and a surface of a fourth portion located on the other side of the third folding position in the back region.
A spread-type absorbent article characterized by the above.

(Action and Effect)
When wearing this expandable absorbent article, first, the first and second parts in the ventral region are pinched with one hand, and the third and fourth parts in the dorsal region are pinched with the other hand, and while maintaining the folds in two at the second and third folding positions, the folds in two at the first folding position are opened to a certain extent (for example, about 90 degrees) by pulling the ventral region and the dorsal region apart. At this time, the ventral region has an arch shape in which the center of the surface in the width direction bulges toward the skin, and the dorsal region has an inverted arch shape in which the center of the surface in the width direction is recessed. Next, while maintaining the folds in two at least in the ventral region at the second folding position, the ventral region is inserted between the wearer's back side and the crotch, and pulled out to the ventral side to adjust the wearing position. At this time, as the dorsal region is pulled by the ventral region, the part of the dorsal region close to the ventral region is also deformed into an arch shape, and the entire or almost entire crotch portion becomes arched, approaching a more appropriate fit state for the wearer's crotch. In addition, the portion of the back region that is not affected by the shape of the ventral region is maintained in an inverted arch shape, that is, a shape that fits the surface of the buttocks. Therefore, when wearing the present expandable absorbent article, little or no adjustment of the shape of the article is required.
In addition, the back region is folded in half at a third fold position that passes through the center of the width direction, and the ventral region is sandwiched between the surface of the third portion located on one side of the third fold position in the back region and the surface of the fourth portion located on the other side of the third fold position in the back region.As a result, neither the surface of the ventral region nor the surface of the back region is exposed at all, or only a small exposed area is required, which is hygienically preferable.

<Second aspect>
The first aspect of the present invention is an expanded absorbent article having a fixing portion at the widthwise center of the rear end portion of the abdominal region, where the back surface of the first portion and the back surface of the second portion are joined.

(Action and Effect)
When such a fixing portion is provided, the rear end of the ventral region is fixed in an arched shape not only while the caregiver is putting the garment on but also while the garment is in use, making it easier for the entire or almost entire crotch portion of the article to be maintained in an arched shape, that is, to maintain a more appropriate fit against the wearer's crotch.

<Third aspect>
The fixing portion and an absorbent body surrounding the fixing portion are built in,
The absorber has a stiffness varying portion adjacent to the rear of the fixing portion, the stiffness varying portion being lower or higher than a portion located at the fixing portion.
A second aspect of the expandable absorbent article.

(Action and Effect)
When the unfoldable absorbent article of the second aspect is worn, the fixed part has an arch shape in which the center of the surface in the width direction bulges toward the skin, whereas the part behind the fixed part has an inverted arch shape in which the center of the surface in the width direction is recessed, so that the absorbent body is likely to twist at the part where the shape changes from the former to the latter. If such twisting occurs, the wearer may feel discomfort in the crotch area, and the absorption performance may also be reduced. In contrast, it is preferable to provide a rigidity change part at the part of the absorbent body where twisting is likely to occur, as in the present aspect, because this makes the absorbent body less likely to twist.

<Fourth aspect>
The first portion and the second portion have a temporary fastening portion at which they are releasably joined.
The expandable absorbent article according to any one of the first to third aspects.

(Action and Effect)
With such a temporary fastening portion, the first and second parts do not shift, and the abdominal region can be easily inserted between the wearer's legs. The temporary fastening portion can then be peeled off to open the first and second parts and cover the wearer's lower abdomen with the abdominal region. Furthermore, by not peeling off the temporary fastening portion after the abdominal region has been inserted between the wearer's legs until the wearing position is adjusted, the fold at the first folding position serves as a guide for the midline, making it easy to position the article relative to the midline.
In addition, since the adhesive parts are removable, after putting on the pad, urine leakage from the abdominal side can be prevented by adhering each of the removed adhesive parts to the skin-contacting surface of the diaper located on the outside of the pad.

<Fifth aspect>
The dorsal region has a cutout portion in which both corners of the rear end are cut out, and both corners of the front end of the ventral region are exposed from the cutout portion.
The expandable absorbent article according to any one of the first to fourth aspects.

(Action and Effect)
With such a cutout, both corners of the exposed front end of the ventral region can be pinched by hand, and by pinching the front end of the ventral region, it becomes easy to pull apart and open the ventral region and dorsal region of the unfoldable absorbent article, in which the ventral region is sandwiched between the third and fourth parts of the dorsal region, while maintaining the bifold state at the first, second, and third fold positions, making it easy to prepare the worn state.
The cutout portion may be linear, curved such as an arc, or a combination thereof.

<Sixth aspect>
A packaging bag having a hexahedral storage portion, and a large number of any one of the first to fifth expanded absorbent articles stored in the storage portion and aligned in a thickness direction,
At least one surface of the packaging bag is an outlet surface on which an outlet for taking out the developed absorbent article is formed,
The developed absorbent article is aligned such that both corners of the front end of the ventral region and both corners of the rear end of the dorsal region face the removal surface.
A package for an expandable absorbent article, comprising:

(Action and Effect)
In all of the first to fifth aspects, the ventral region is sandwiched between the third and fourth portions of the dorsal region, resulting in a hygienic and compact shape, and therefore a plurality of the present expandable absorbent articles can be housed in the packaging bag. When removing the expandable absorbent article from the packaging bag, both corners of the ventral region and the dorsal region are aligned on the removal surface of the packaging bag, making it easy to remove the article by pinching both corners with one hand.

According to the present invention, the device is easier to put on and more hygienic .

FIG. 2A is a plan view (inner surface side) of an expanded absorbent article according to a first embodiment, FIG. 2B is an outer surface side of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view at a first folding position 1 of FIG. (a) is a perspective view of an expanded absorbent article folded in half at a first folding position according to a first embodiment; (b) is a perspective view of an expanded absorbent article folded in half at first, second, and third folding positions according to the first embodiment; and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of (b). FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the expandable absorbent article according to the first embodiment when worn. (a) Plan view (inner side) of an expandable absorbent article according to a second embodiment, (b) outer side of (a), (c) another plan view (inner side) of an expandable absorbent article according to the second embodiment, and (d) outer side of (c). (a) Plan view (inner side) of an expandable absorbent article relating to the third aspect, (b) outer side of (a), and (c) cross-sectional view along line A-A of the expandable absorbent article folded at the first, second, and third folding positions relating to the third aspect. (a) Plan view (inner surface side) of another expanded absorbent article relating to the third aspect, (b) outer surface side of (a), and (c) cross-sectional view along line A-A of another expanded absorbent article folded at the first, second, and third folding positions relating to the third aspect. (a) Plan view (inner side) of an expandable absorbent article relating to the fourth aspect, (b) outer side of (a), (c) another plan view (inner side) of an expandable absorbent article relating to the fourth aspect, and (d) outer side of (c). FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the expandable absorbent article according to the fourth aspect when worn. (a) Plan view (inner surface side) of an expanded absorbent article relating to the fifth aspect, (b) outer surface side of (a), and (c) oblique view of an expanded absorbent article folded at the first, second, and third folding positions relating to the fifth aspect. FIG. 13A is a view showing the deployed absorbent article according to the present invention when inserted between the legs of a wearer, and FIG. 13B is a perspective view showing the deployed absorbent article according to the fifth and sixth embodiments in a worn state. FIG. 13A is a perspective view of a package for an expandable absorbent article according to a sixth embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a perspective view of another package for an expandable absorbent article according to the sixth embodiment.

An example of an expandable absorbent article is described below in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

Figures 1 to 9 show an unfolded absorbent article. These figures show pad-type and flat-type unfolded absorbent articles, but similar aspects can also be applied to tape-type disposable diapers. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

(Structural example of the expandable absorbent article)
As shown in Fig. 1(c), the spread-type absorbent article has a structure in which an absorbent body 6 is interposed between a top sheet 4 and a back sheet 5, and the absorbent body 6 absorbs and retains excreted liquid that has permeated the top sheet 4. There are no particular limitations on the planar shape of the spread-type absorbent article, but it is common for it to be approximately rectangular as shown in Figs. 1 to 9.

As the top sheet 4 covering the front side (skin contact side) of the absorbent 6, a nonwoven fabric with or without holes or a porous plastic sheet is preferably used. The material fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric can be synthetic fibers such as olefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polyesters, polyamides, regenerated fibers such as rayon or cupra, or natural fibers such as cotton. Nonwoven fabrics obtained by appropriate processing methods such as spunlace, spunbond, thermal bond, meltblown, and needle punch can be used. Of these processing methods, the spunlace method is excellent in terms of flexibility and drapeability, and the thermal bond method is excellent in terms of bulk and softness. If a large number of through holes are formed in the top sheet 4, urine and the like can be absorbed quickly.

The back sheet 5 covering the back side (non-skin contact side) of the absorbent body 6 may be liquid permeable or liquid impermeable like the top sheet 4. In the case of liquid impermeability, liquid impermeable plastic sheets such as polyethylene or polypropylene are used, but in recent years, moisture permeable sheets are preferably used to prevent stuffiness. As a water-proof/moisture permeable sheet, for example, a microporous sheet obtained by melt-kneading inorganic particles such as calcium carbonate in an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene to form a sheet and then stretching the sheet in a uniaxial or biaxial direction can be preferably used.

The absorbent body 6 may have a single layer structure as shown in FIG. 1(c), or may have a structure made up of multiple layers.
The absorbent body 6 may be any known material, such as a pulp fiber stack, an aggregate of filaments such as cellulose acetate, or a nonwoven fabric based on which a highly absorbent polymer may be mixed, fixed, or the like as necessary.
The absorbent body 6 can be wrapped in a wrapping sheet having liquid permeability and liquid retention, such as crepe paper, if necessary, in order to maintain the shape and polymer.
The absorbent body 6 is formed in a rectangular shape in Figs. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9, but may be formed in any other suitable shape, such as an hourglass shape having a narrower constricted portion in the crotch region C than the front and rear sides.

As shown in Figures 1 to 9, three-dimensional gathers BS that mainly fit around the legs may be formed on both sides of the top sheet 4. As shown in Figure 1(c), the three-dimensional gathers BS are formed of side edges fixed to both sides of the top sheet 4 of the unfoldable absorbent article, and a free portion that extends from the side edges to the inside of the width direction WD of the top sheet 4 and is not fixed and moves freely. A long and narrow gather elastic member 7 is disposed between the side edges and the back sheet 5. A long and narrow gather elastic member 7 is also disposed at the tip of the free portion. The three-dimensional gathers BS are configured so that the free portion protruding from the side edge of the top sheet 4 due to contraction of the gather elastic member 7 stands up in the product state. A water-repellent nonwoven fabric is preferably used as the three-dimensional gathers BS.

The gathered elastic member 7 can be made of commonly used materials such as styrene rubber, olefin rubber, urethane rubber, ester rubber, polyurethane, polyethylene, polystyrene, styrene butadiene, silicone, and polyester. To make it difficult to see from the outside, it is recommended that the thickness is 925 dtex or less, the tension is 150-350%, and the spacing is 7.0 mm or less. The gathered elastic member 7 can be in the form of a thread as shown in the figure, or in the form of a tape having a certain width.

The material fibers constituting the three-dimensional gathers BS, like those of the top sheet 4, can be synthetic fibers such as olefins, polyesters, and polyamides, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, regenerated fibers such as rayon or cupra, and natural fibers such as cotton. Nonwoven fabrics obtained by appropriate processing methods such as spunbonding, thermal bonding, meltblown, and needle punching can be used, but it is particularly preferable to use nonwoven fabrics with excellent breathability and reduced basis weight to prevent stuffiness. Furthermore, for the gather sheet, it is preferable to use water-repellent nonwoven fabrics coated with silicone, paraffin metal, or alkylchromic chloride water repellents to prevent urine and other substances from passing through, prevent rashes, and improve the feel (dryness) on the skin.

(Example of an expandable absorbent article)
As shown in Fig. 1(a), when the expanded absorbent article is viewed from the top sheet 4 side, it is divided into four parts by line Q-Q in the width direction WD at the crotch region C of the expanded absorbent article and line R-R in the front-rear direction LD at the center of the width direction WD, and the part corresponding to the left abdomen when worn is designated as the first part M, the part corresponding to the right abdomen is designated as the second part N, the part corresponding to the left back is designated as the third part O, and the part corresponding to the right back is designated as the fourth part P. The first part M and the second part N are designated as the abdominal region F, and the third part O and the fourth part P are designated as the back region B. The first part M, the second part N, the third part O, and the fourth part P refer to corresponding parts in the same manner in the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, and in the plan views of the expanded absorbent article in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9, they indicate the same positions as those illustrated in Figs. 1(a) and 1(b).
If the overall length of the product of the expandable absorbent article is Y, then 0.2 to 0.3Y from the center in the front-to-rear direction LD is defined as the crotch area C. 0.35 to 0.4Y from the crotch area C to the front end of the ventral area F of the expandable absorbent article is defined as the lower abdomen area L, and 0.35 to 0.4Y from the crotch area C to the rear end of the dorsal area B is defined as the buttocks area H. These values vary depending on individual differences such as height, build, and gender.
1 to 3 is a flat-type absorbent article 100 that maintains a bifold state at a first folding position 1, a second folding position 2, and a third folding position 3. The first embodiment 100 also includes a form that does not have the three-dimensional gathers BS shown in the figures. All other embodiments in this specification also include forms that do not have the three-dimensional gathers BS.
2 and 3, the unfoldable absorbent article is folded in half in advance at the first, second and third folding positions 1, 2 and 3, eliminating the need for the caregiver to fold the article in advance and allowing the article to be prepared for wearing in a short time. Furthermore, the unfoldable absorbent article before wearing is in the form shown in Fig. 2, and the top sheet 4 is not exposed, making it hygienic.
As shown in Fig. 1 (a) and (b), the first folding position 1 is located between the first part M and the second part N in the abdominal region F and the third part O and the fourth part P in the dorsal region B, so that the first folding position 1 can be easily aligned with the position of the wearer's crotch, and the second and third folding positions 2 and 3 can be located to easily align the center line of the body with the center of the unfoldable absorbent article 100. This shortens the time required for wearing. As described in the effect of the first aspect 100, the first folding position 1 is achieved by pulling the second folding position 2 toward the abdominal side when wearing the unfoldable absorbent article, and the second folding position 2 is folded in advance, so that the crotch part C of the unfoldable absorbent article is substantially arched and therefore follows the wearer's crotch, and the third folding position 3 is inverted arched and therefore follows the buttocks H of the wearer. This reduces the discomfort felt by the wearer when wearing the unfoldable absorbent article. In addition, the article is worn in a state that conforms to the wearer's body, so that leakage is less likely to occur.

In the second embodiment 200 shown in FIG. 4, when folded, the back sheet 5 in the abdominal region F is fixed at the first portion M and the second portion N. There is no particular limitation on the fixing method, and examples thereof include methods using a mechanical fastener, an adhesive, a heat seal, a hot melt adhesive, and the like. In the case of fixing using a mechanical fastener, as shown in FIG. 4(b), a hook material 9 may be used for the first portion M and a tape material 8 for the second portion N, or vice versa. In addition, when the back sheet 5 is a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric, as shown in FIG. 4(d), the hook material 9 may be adhered to at least one of the first portion M and the second portion N, and directly adhered to the nonwoven fabric.
By providing the fixing portion 10, the arch shape toward the skin at the front side of the crotch area C is more strongly maintained than in the first embodiment 100, so that the unfoldable absorbent article is more likely to fit closely to the wearer's crotch, and even when the wearer moves, the arch shape is maintained, preventing leakage.
Since the fixing part 10 has the purpose of maintaining an arch shape along the crotch of the wearer, it is preferable that the fixing part 10 is located at a position where the apex part of the arch shape in the front-rear direction LD can be maintained at the center in the width direction WD of the crotch part C in the abdominal region F of the expanded absorbent article. The fixing part 10 is located at least in the crotch part C of the abdominal region F of the expanded absorbent article, and if the entire length in the width direction WD is Z, it is preferable that the fixing part 10 is located 0.25Z inward in the width direction WD from the center in the width direction WD of the crotch part C of the abdominal region F to the first part M and 0.25Z inward to the second part N, and more preferably, it is located at the center in the width direction WD of the crotch part C of the abdominal region F. There is no restriction on the shape of the fixing part 10, as long as it can fix the first part M and the second part N.

In the second aspect 200, by providing the fixing part 10 in the crotch area C, the unfoldable absorbent article can be closely fitted to the wearer's crotch. However, this can cause unnatural kinking at the rear end of the fixing part 10, which can cause discomfort to the wearer or can lead to leakage of excreted urine from the kinked area.
Therefore, in the third aspect 300, as shown in Figures 5 (b) and 6 (b), in the back region B that contacts the rear end of the fixed part 10, a rigidity changing portion 13 is provided in the absorbent body 6 on the extension line of the fixed part 10, thereby eliminating twisting that occurs at the rear end of the fixed part 10, smoothing the folding at the first folding position 1, and eliminating the discomfort in the crotch area C of the wearer.
The stiffness change portion 13 can be provided by providing the absorbent body 6 with slits 11 in FIG. 5 or embossments 12 in FIG. 6, or by partially increasing or decreasing the basis weight. Such stiffness change portion 13 has the property of diffusing urine along its shape, so when it is formed into a vertical stripe or vertically elongated shape, the diffusion of urine to the rear is promoted. Since the slits 11 in FIG. 5 are low stiffness portions, the depth of the groove portion is maintained even after urination, and even if the wearer urinates multiple times, the urine is diffused to the absorbent body in the same manner. The embossments 12 in FIG. 6 extend in a multiple manner from the rear end of the fixed part 10 toward the back side on the extension line of the fixed part 10, and since they are high stiffness portions, the embossed shape is easily maintained even if the absorbent body 6 is twisted by the wearer's movement. If the amount of urine is large, the absorbent body of the embossed part expands, and the diffusion effect is reduced. Therefore, it is preferable to use an expanded absorbent article having a stiffness change portion of slits for people with a large amount of urine, and an embossed part for people with a small amount of urine.
The arrangement and dimensions of the rigidity changing portion 13 can be determined as appropriate. It is more preferable that the width of the rigidity changing portion 13 is greater than half the width of the fixed portion 10, since it is easier to fold at the first folding position 1 and to eliminate twisting. It is preferable that the length of the rigidity changing portion 13 in the front-rear direction LD is within the length to the crotch portion C in the back region B of the developed absorbent article, since this prevents urine from reaching the buttocks of the wearer. It is also preferable that the length is long enough to reach the crotch portion C so that it can be accommodated even if a misalignment occurs in the front-rear direction when the article is worn.

In the first to third aspects 100, 200 and 300, the open-type absorbent article comes into close contact with the wearer's body when worn, but no particular attention is paid to the relationship with an absorbent article positioned outside the open-type absorbent article, such as a tape-type diaper.
In the fourth embodiment 400 shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, in addition to the third embodiment 300, a releasable temporary fastening portion 14 is provided on the back sheet 5 of at least one of the first portion M and the second portion N, so that the abdominal region F is kept folded in two at the second folding position 2, and the caregiver can easily pass the unfolded absorbent article between the legs of the wearer and easily grab and pull it out from the abdominal side. Furthermore, if the temporary fastening portion 14 is formed by an adhesive or a hook material 9 of a mechanical fastener provided on at least one of the back surface of the first portion M and the back surface of the second portion N, it can be used to prevent slippage of the outerwear after the temporary fastening portion 14 is peeled off. As shown in Fig. 7(b), (d) and Fig. 8, the temporary fastening portion 14 may be a combination of a tape material 8 and a hook material 9 of a mechanical fastener. If one side of the temporary fastening portion 14 is made of tape material 8 and the other is made of hook material 9, when attaching the garment to an outerwear after wearing, only the hook material 9 will be attached to the outerwear, and one of the first portion M or the second portion N of the abdominal region F will be fixed, while the other may float, but by having the tape material 8 and the hook material 9 on both the first portion M and the second portion N as shown in Figures 7(b), (d) and 8, the first portion M and the second portion N can be temporarily fastened before wearing, and after wearing, they can be peeled off and both the first portion M and the second portion N can be fastened to the outerwear, ensuring stable attachment. There is no limit to the combination of the tape material 8 and the hook material 9 or the number used.
The temporary fastening parts 14 are preferably located at the first and second parts M and N of the developed absorbent article, respectively, since it is sufficient that the first and second parts M and N of the developed absorbent article are bonded to the outer. Before the developed absorbent article is worn, the first and second parts M and N are releasably bonded, so that the temporary fastening parts 14 are preferably located at positions that are symmetrical with respect to the second folding position 2. However, if the temporary fastening parts 14 are located near the fixing parts 10, the arch shape may be forcibly opened, and the effect of the fixing parts 10 may be reduced. For this reason, the temporary fastening parts 14 are preferably located away from the fixing parts 10 in the abdominal region F. Specifically, the temporary fastening parts 14 are preferably located in the lower abdominal region L of the first and second parts M and N of the developed absorbent article, and as shown in Figs. 7(b) and (d), if the temporary fastening parts 14 are located at both corners of the abdominal region F, they are the furthest from the fixing parts 10, and when the temporary fastening parts 14 are peeled off and bonded to the outer, the area where the top sheet 4 on the absorbent body 6 is directly touched by the hand is narrow, which is more preferable from the viewpoint of hygiene.
In addition, in Fig. 7(a) and (b), the slit 11 is in the back region B. Specifically, the slit is an inverted triangle shape extending from the rear end of the fixing part 10 in the back direction on the extension line of the fixing part 10, and by making it triangular, the momentum of urine in the longitudinal direction is maintained more than in the strip shape, and diffusion is promoted. In addition, if the rigidity change part 13 is made horizontally striped or horizontally elongated, diffusion in the lateral direction is promoted, and if it is made to have a shape that expands in width toward the rear, it has the effect of promoting diffusion in both the rear and lateral directions, which is preferable. Fig. 7(c) and (d) have embossments 12 and are rigidity change parts 13 that extend not only in the front-rear direction LD but also in the width direction WD, which is a preferable shape because urine is diffused in the rear and lateral directions. Specifically, the embossments 12 in Fig. 7(c) and (d) are in an arc state, so that the flow direction of urine is changed from one direction in the longitudinal direction to a flow in the lateral direction, and then the urine can be diffused in the longitudinal direction along the embossed part extending in the back direction. By forming multiple embossments in the longitudinal direction, it is possible to deal with cases where misalignment occurs between the front and rear. When the back region B of the developed absorbent article is long, a vertically striped or vertically elongated rigidity changing part 13 that directs urine backward is preferred, and when the length of the developed absorbent article is short, the shapes of the rigidity changing part as shown in Figures 7(b) and (d) that direct urine backward and sideways are preferred.

In the fifth mode 500 shown in Figures 9(a) and (b), in addition to the fourth mode 400, both corners on the back side are cut out. This is because when the unfolded absorbent article is folded in half at the third folding position 3 and folded as shown in Figure 9(c), both corners of the ventral region F sandwiched by the back region B are exposed, and these exposed two corners can be easily pinched. When these two corners are pinched, the back region B smoothly separates from the folded state, and the ventral region F and the back region B open by about 90°, and in a short time, the unfolded absorbent article is in the worn state shown in Figures 3 and 8, so that the unfolded absorbent article can be instantly prepared from the time it is picked up to the time it is worn, and the wearing time is further shortened.
Cutting down to the absorbent body 6 affects the urine absorption capacity, so the size of the cutout 15 may be any size as long as it reaches a position where there is no absorbent body 6. In the case of an expanded absorbent article having three-dimensional gathers BS, cutting the gather elastic member 7 reduces the effect of the three-dimensional gathers BS, so it is preferable to cut down to a position where there is no gather elastic member 7. For this reason, it is preferable that the cutout is made at a position between 0.1Y and 0.2Y from the rear end of the back region B and at a width that is bounded by the top sheet 4 and the back sheet 5, relative to the total length Y of the expanded absorbent article.

(Folding form)
The folded form of the developed absorbent article of the present invention is, as shown in Fig. 2(b) and Fig. 9(c), a compact form in which the article remains folded in two at the first, second and third folding positions 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
2(a) and 2(b), a first folding position 1 is created in the front-rear direction LD in the crotch region C between the first portion M and the second portion N of the abdominal region F and the third portion O and the fourth portion P of the back region B so that the top sheet 4 faces each other, a second folding position 2 is created in the front-rear direction LD of the center part in the width direction WD so that the back sheet 5 of the first portion M of the abdominal region F faces the back sheet 5 of the second portion N, and a third folding position 3 is created in the front-rear direction LD of the center part in the width direction WD so that the top sheet 4 of the third portion O of the back region B faces the top sheet 4 of the fourth portion P, and when the developed absorbent article is viewed as a whole, the back region B wraps the abdominal region F. Cross-sectional views of this folded form are shown in Figs. 2(c), 5(c), and 6(c), in which the first portion M and the second portion N are sandwiched between the third portion O and the fourth portion P.
2(a), the place where the expanded absorbent article is folded in half at the crotch region C along the width direction WD so that the top sheet 4 faces each other in the front-rear direction LD is the first fold position 1, the place where the ventral region F and the back region B are both folded and the ventral region F is folded in half along the front-rear direction LD so that the back sheets 5 of the first portion M and the second portion N face each other at the center in the width direction WD is the second fold position 2, and the place where the back region B is folded in half is the third fold position 3. That is, as shown in FIG. 1(a), the first fold position 1 is a valley fold at line Q-Q when viewed from the top sheet 4 side, the second fold position 2 is a mountain fold at the ventral region F along line R-R, and the third fold position 3 is a valley fold at the back region B along line R-R.

The first folding position 1 can be appropriately determined, but in general, it can be in the range from 0.15Y (Y is the total length of the product) on the front side to 0.15Y on the rear side based on the center of the front-rear direction LD of the product. More preferably, the first folding position 1 is in the range from 0.1Y on the front side to 0.1Y on the rear side based on the center of the front-rear direction LD of the product. In order to make a compact product, it is preferable to have the first folding position 1 in the center of the front-rear direction LD of the product, but even if the first folding position 1 is located behind the center of the front-rear direction LD of the product, it is preferable because the front end of the ventral region F protrudes from the rear end of the dorsal region B in the product state, making it easier to pinch the ventral region F.
The crotch area C is also in the same range as the first folding position 1.
The second folding position 2 and the third folding position 3 extend in the front-rear direction LD at the center in the width direction WD and coincide with the center line of the wearer's body.

As shown in Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 9(c), all of the first to fifth embodiments of the unfoldable absorbent article are compact because they are folded from the unfolded state. In addition, because the top sheet 4 is not exposed in the folded state, the part that comes into contact with the skin does not need to be touched directly with the hands before wearing, making it hygienic. Furthermore, because the folded state is maintained at the first, second, and third folding positions 1, 2, and 3 when worn, there is no need for the caregiver to take the trouble of folding the unfoldable absorbent article before wearing it by the wearer.

(When worn)
As shown in Figs. 3 and 8, the developed absorbent article of the present invention when worn maintains its folded form at first, second and third folding positions 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
As described in the effect of the first embodiment 100, the abdominal region F and the back region B are each picked up with one hand, and while maintaining the double fold at the first folding position 1, the unfolded absorbent article is brought closer to the wearer's crotch. As shown in FIG. 10(a), while maintaining the double fold at the second folding position 2, the unfolded absorbent article inserted from the back side into the crotch is pulled out from between the legs, and the inverted arch shape created at the third folding position 3 is aligned with the wearer's buttocks. The presence of the first folding position 1 makes it easy to align the unfolded absorbent article with the crotch, and the presence of the second and third folding positions 2 and 3 makes it easy to align the unfolded absorbent article with the center line of the body. The second folding position 2 makes it difficult for a gap to occur between the unfolded absorbent article and the wearer's body by bending the abdominal region F in an arch shape to align with the crotch, and therefore, is unlikely to cause discomfort or leakage due to misalignment. When the first portion M and the second portion N have the fixing portion 10, the arch-shaped bulge is strongly maintained, which is even more effective. When the unfoldable absorbent article has three-dimensional gathers BS, the first folding position 1 arches toward the wearer's crotch area and the second folding position 2 arches toward the wearer's lower abdomen, causing the three-dimensional gathers BS to stand up, making it easier to prevent lateral leakage.
When the unfolded absorbent article is a pad type or flat type and there is an absorbent article such as a tape-type diaper on the outside, leakage from the front can be easily prevented by peeling off the releasable temporary fastening portion 14 of the first part M and the second part N of the abdominal region F as shown in Figure 10 (b) and adhering this product to the outer absorbent article.

(Packing method)
In the sixth embodiment 600 shown in Fig. 11, a plurality of the expanded absorbent articles shown in Fig. 9(c) are folded in half at the first, second and third folding positions 1, 2 and 3 to be compactly folded, and are contained in a packaging bag. The packaging bag is hexahedral and has an opening 17 on at least one side, and the folded expanded absorbent articles are packed in a thickness direction so that both corners of the ventral region F and the back region B are located at the opening 17, so that the expanded absorbent articles can be easily taken out by pinching both corners. The taken-out expanded absorbent article can be immediately prepared for wearing because the back region B and the ventral region F open smoothly. The packaging method may be such that the expanded absorbent articles are packed in only one layer as shown in Fig. 11(a) or in multiple layers of two or more layers as shown in Fig. 11(b). In addition, in FIG. 11, the expandable absorbent article according to the fifth aspect 500 is packaged, but there is no limitation on the product to be packaged, and the expandable absorbent articles according to the first to fourth aspects may be packaged.

The present invention can be used for absorbent articles such as pad-type and flat-type absorbent articles as in the above examples, as well as for unfolded absorbent articles such as tape-type disposable diapers and their packaging in general.

1...first folding position, 2...second folding position, 3...third folding position, 4...top sheet, 5...back sheet, 6...absorbent body, 7...gathered elastic member, 8...mechanical fastener tape material, 9...mechanical fastener hook material, 10...fixing portion, 11...slit, 12...embossed, 13...rigidity change portion, 14...temporary fastening portion, 15...notch portion, 16...package, 17...removal opening, 100...first aspect, 200...second aspect, 300...third aspect, 400...fourth aspect, 500...fifth aspect, 600...sixth aspect, WD...width direction, LD...front-rear direction, BS...three-dimensional gathers, M...first portion, N...second portion, O...third portion, P...fourth portion, C...crotch portion, L...lower abdomen, H...buttocks, F...ventral region, B...dorsal region

Claims (5)

A crotch portion, a portion in front of the crotch portion, and a portion in back of the crotch portion,
The mask has a surface facing the wearer's skin and a back surface located on the opposite side thereof,
is absorbable from at least said surface;
At a first folding position along the width direction of the crotch portion, a ventral region located in front of the first folding position and a dorsal region located behind the first folding position are folded in half so that their surfaces face each other,
The abdominal region is folded in half at a second folding position passing through a center portion in the width direction, and a back surface of a first portion located on one side of the second folding position in the abdominal region faces a back surface of a second portion located on the other side of the second folding position in the abdominal region,
The back region is folded in half at a third folding position passing through a center portion in the width direction, and the ventral region is sandwiched between a surface of a third portion located on one side of the third folding position in the back region and a surface of a fourth portion located on the other side of the third folding position in the back region,
A fixing portion at a center portion in a width direction at a rear end portion of the abdominal region, where a back surface of the first portion and a back surface of the second portion are joined,
A spread-type absorbent article characterized by the above. The fixing portion and an absorbent body extending around the fixing portion are built in,
The absorber has a stiffness varying portion adjacent to the rear of the fixing portion, the stiffness varying portion being lower or higher than a portion located at the fixing portion.
The expandable absorbent article according to claim 1 . A crotch portion, a portion in front of the crotch portion, and a portion in back of the crotch portion,
The mask has a surface facing the wearer's skin and a back surface located on the opposite side thereof,
is absorbable from at least said surface;
At a first folding position along the width direction of the crotch portion, a ventral region located in front of the first folding position and a dorsal region located behind the first folding position are folded in half so that their surfaces face each other,
The abdominal region is folded in half at a second folding position passing through a center portion in the width direction, and a back surface of a first portion located on one side of the second folding position in the abdominal region faces a back surface of a second portion located on the other side of the second folding position in the abdominal region,
The back region is folded in half at a third folding position passing through a center portion in the width direction, and the ventral region is sandwiched between a surface of a third portion located on one side of the third folding position in the back region and a surface of a fourth portion located on the other side of the third folding position in the back region,
The first portion and the second portion have a temporary fastening portion at which they are releasably joined.
A spread-type absorbent article characterized by the above. A crotch portion, a portion in front of the crotch portion, and a portion in back of the crotch portion,
The mask has a surface facing the wearer's skin and a back surface located on the opposite side thereof,
is absorbable from at least said surface;
At a first folding position along the width direction of the crotch portion, a ventral region located in front of the first folding position and a dorsal region located behind the first folding position are folded in half so that their surfaces face each other,
The abdominal region is folded in half at a second folding position passing through a center portion in the width direction, and a back surface of a first portion located on one side of the second folding position in the abdominal region faces a back surface of a second portion located on the other side of the second folding position in the abdominal region,
The back region is folded in half at a third folding position passing through a center portion in the width direction, and the ventral region is sandwiched between a surface of a third portion located on one side of the third folding position in the back region and a surface of a fourth portion located on the other side of the third folding position in the back region,
The dorsal region has a cutout portion in which both corners of the rear end are cut out, and both corners of the front end of the ventral region are exposed from the cutout portion.
A spread-type absorbent article characterized by the above. The present invention includes a packaging bag having a hexahedral storage portion, and a large number of deployed absorbent articles stored in the storage portion and aligned in a thickness direction,
The unfoldable absorbent article has a crotch portion, a portion in front of the crotch portion, a portion behind the crotch portion, a surface facing the wearer's skin, and a back surface located on the opposite side, and is capable of absorbing at least from the surface,
At a first folding position along the width direction of the crotch portion, a ventral region located in front of the first folding position and a dorsal region located behind the first folding position are folded in half so that their surfaces face each other,
The abdominal region is folded in half at a second folding position passing through a center portion in the width direction, and a back surface of a first portion located on one side of the second folding position in the abdominal region faces a back surface of a second portion located on the other side of the second folding position in the abdominal region,
The back region is folded in half at a third folding position passing through a center portion in the width direction, and the ventral region is sandwiched between a surface of a third portion located on one side of the third folding position in the back region and a surface of a fourth portion located on the other side of the third folding position in the back region,
At least one surface of the packaging bag is an outlet surface on which an outlet for taking out the developed absorbent article is formed,
The developed absorbent article is aligned such that both corners of the front end of the ventral region and both corners of the rear end of the dorsal region face the removal surface.
A package for an expandable absorbent article, comprising:

Images