RU144245U1 - ABSORBENT PRODUCT - Google Patents

Abstract

1. An absorbent article comprising a top sheet located on the side of the surface facing the skin, a bottom sheet located on the side of the surface not facing the skin, and an absorbent element located between these sheets, in which a non-woven material that includes fibers, forming it, including a protruding fiber having a free end, is used for the top sheet and / or for a liquid-permeable sheet located between the top sheet and the absorbent element; non-woven material contains a short some fibers, while short fibers are fused to each other; and wherein the number of protruding fibers is 8 or more per 1 cm, and the height of the protruding fibers is from 0.2 to 5 mm. The absorbent article of claim 1, wherein the number of protruding fibers is from 12 per 1 cm to 100 per 1 cm, and the height of the protruding fibers is from 0.2 to 2.0 mm. The absorbent product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nonwoven material comprises two fibrous sheets, wherein two fibrous sheets are bonded in a plurality of sheet bonding sections to each other; at least one of the two fibrous sheets has protruding fibers located on the reverse side, which faces another fibrous sheet; Two fibrous sheets are formed from one layer or from multiple layers. 4. The absorbent product of claim 3, wherein one of the two fibrous sheets is flat and the other fibrous sheet has a concave / convex shape with a regular arrangement of a plurality of concavities including a plurality of sections for bonding the sheets to each other and a plurality of bumps surrounded by a plurality of concavities and protruding

Description

Technical field

[0001] This utility model relates to an absorbent article, such as a sanitary pad, an incontinence pad, or a disposable diaper.

State of the art

[0002] In the past, spunbond non-woven fabric and low-mass non-woven fabric (non-woven fabric obtained by forming a web by passing air and thermally bonded on calendars, non-woven fabric have often been used in absorbent products such as disposable diapers due to their high tensile strength, machinability and low cost.However, neither the non-woven material of the spunbond production method nor the non-woven material with a low bulk It produces a sufficient feeling due to the overall bulk manufacturing method thereof, and improving the springback absorbent articles has been hindered.

[0003] For example, patent source 1 discloses an absorbent article that uses a nonwoven material in which fluffy material is formed by hot stamping, wherein the fluffy material is removed and pulverized so that the sheaths of the composite continuous fibers become twisted and parts pressed during hot stamping and having fluffy material are dispersed. For example, Patent Source 2 discloses a nonwoven fabric with a texture similar to a flannel, having a surface with protruding fibers on which the forming fibers protrude upward.

[0004] Patent Literature 1: JP 2000-355866 A

Patent Literature 2: JP 63-126957 A

Summary of utility model essence

[0005] However, even if the nonwoven fabric disclosed in Patent Source 1 is used, for example, in the top sheet of an absorbent article, the fluffy material forming the nonwoven fabric and made thin due to the ability to be drawn into threads is too thin, the fluffed material cannot contribute to improving the springing of the absorbent article, and it is difficult to improve the sensation it creates on the skin. In Patent Literature 2, nothing is disclosed regarding the use of a nonwoven material having a texture similar to a flannel with a surface of protruding fibers in the material forming the absorbent article.

Non-woven materials formed from attached villi are also known, but since the fibers are attached to the substrate by an adhesive, problems have arisen with the adhesive causing adhesion and skin problems when the adhesive touches the skin.

[0006] Therefore, the present utility model relates to an absorbent article in which the springing of the absorbent article is improved and its feel on the skin is improved.

[0007] In accordance with this utility model, an absorbent article has been developed including an upper sheet located on the surface side of the skin, a lower sheet located on the side of the surface not facing the skin, and an absorbent element located between these sheets. A nonwoven material that includes its constituent fibers, including protruding fibers having a free end, is used for the top sheet and / or for the liquid permeable sheet located between the top sheet and the absorbent member. The nonwoven fabric contains short fibers, and short fibers are fused to each other. The number of protruding fibers is 8 or more per 1 cm, and the height of the protruding fibers is from 0.2 to 5 mm.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] [FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an unfolded state of a sanitary napkin, which is a first embodiment of the present utility model.

[FIG. 2] FIG. 2 is a section taken along line X1-X1 in FIG. one.

[FIG. 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of the top sheet of the sanitary napkin shown in FIG. one.

[FIG. 4] FIG. 4 is a section taken along line X2-X2 in FIG. 3.

[FIG. 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a fibrous sheet forming the top sheet of the sanitary napkin shown in FIG. one.

[FIG. 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a fiber that is thick at the free end in the fiber sheet shown in FIG. 5.

[FIG. 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a preferred apparatus for manufacturing the fibrous sheet shown in FIG. 5.

[FIG. 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a preferred apparatus for manufacturing the fibrous sheet shown in FIG. 5.

[FIG. 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a method of measuring the diameter of the ends of the fibers of the fibrous sheet shown in FIG. 5.

[FIG. 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a method for determining the number of protruding fibers in the fiber sheet shown in FIG. 5.

[FIG. 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a preferred apparatus for manufacturing the top sheet of the sanitary napkin shown in FIG. one.

[FIG. 12] FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the unfolded state of the sanitary napkin, which is a second embodiment of the present utility model (equivalent to FIG. 1).

[FIG. 13] FIG. 13 is a section taken along line X3-X3 in FIG. 12 (equivalent to FIG. 2).

[FIG. 14] FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a portion of the top sheet of the sanitary napkin shown in FIG. 12 (equivalent to FIG. 4).

[FIG. 15] FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the unfolded state of a disposable diaper, which is yet another embodiment of the present utility model.

Detailed description of utility model

[0009] First, the absorbent article of the present utility model is described below with reference to FIG. 1-11 based on a preferred first embodiment.

[0010] The absorbent article of the first embodiment is a sanitary napkin, and the sanitary napkin 1A (also referred to as “napkin 1A” below) of the first embodiment is substantially oblong in the longitudinal direction and has a liquid permeable top sheet 2 located on the side surface facing the skin (from the side facing the skin of the wearer), poorly permeable to liquids, bottom sheet 3, located on the side not facing the skin of the surface (from the side facing a hundred opposite to the skin of the wearer), and a longitudinally elongated absorbent element 4 located between the sheets 2, 3, as shown in FIG. 1 and 2. The gasket 1A also has two side sheets 5, 5 located on both side parts 1s, 1s along the longitudinal direction (Y direction), and two wing parts 6, 6 and extending outward in the width direction (X direction), as shown in FIG. 1 and 2. A gasket 1A is formed with bilateral / mirror symmetry with respect to an axial line CL extending in the longitudinal direction of the gasket 1A, as shown in FIG. 1. The “Y direction” shown in each of the drawings is parallel to the center line CL and also represents the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the gasket. The “X direction” shown in each of the drawings is orthogonal to the centerline CL and represents the same direction as the direction of the width of the gasket.

[0011] More specifically, the pad 1A has an absorbent assembly 10 including an upper sheet 2, a lower sheet 3 and an absorbent member 4 located between the sheets 2, 3, as shown in FIG. 1. The absorbent assembly 10 of the gasket 1A is divided into the middle section A, which is the region in which the wing parts 6, 6 are located, the front section B located closer to the front side of the carrier than the middle section A when wearing the gasket 1A, and the back a section C located closer to the rear side of the carrier than the middle section A when wearing the gasket 1A, as shown in FIG. 1. When wearing the pad 1A, the middle section A of the absorbent assembly 10 is usually located opposite the excretory portion of the carrier (opposite the vaginal opening or the like). In other words, the parts 6, which are wing parts, are formed in the sections facing the excretory part of the absorbent assembly 10 (in the sections that face the excretory part of the carrier).

[0012] The upper sheet 2 and the lower sheet 3 forming the absorbent assembly 10 cover respectively the entire surface on the surface side of the absorbent element 4 facing the skin and the entire surface on the surface side not facing the skin, and they both have protruding parts, which extend from the peripheral edges of the absorbent element 4, as shown in FIG. 1. The top sheet 2 is shorter in the X direction compared to the bottom sheet 3, as shown in FIG. 2. Two side sheets 5, 5 are located on the side of the surface of the top sheet 2 facing the skin and are fixed in all side parts along the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the top sheet 2, and the two side sheets both 5, 5 have continuous sections that extend outward in the X direction from the side portions along the longitudinal direction of the upper sheet 2 (Y direction), as shown in FIG. 1 and 2. In the gasket 1A, portions of the bottom sheet 3 extending outward in the X direction and portions of the side sheets 5 extending outward in the X direction are bonded by adhesion, fusion or the like, and these portions extend farther outward in the width direction (direction X) in the middle section A than in the front section B and in the rear section C, forming wing sections 6, as shown in FIG. 1 and 2. The surface of the part of the lower sheet 3 of the gasket 1A that is not facing the skin, which is middle in the width direction (X direction), and the continued sections of the lower sheet 3 in the wing sections 6 are coated with adhesive, as a result of which fixing sections (not shown) are formed ) designed to attach the panty liner 1A to underwear, such as underpants. The side sheets 5 may have stretched in the longitudinal direction (in the Y direction), elastic elements fixed in a predetermined position next to their internal in the width direction (in the X direction) (towards the center line CL), end sections, and three-dimensional assemblies, in which sections of a given width formed from the end sections are located at some distance from the top sheet 2, can be formed due to the pulling force acting on the side of the elastic elements when wearing the gasket.

[0013] A nonwoven material that includes its constituent fibers, including protruding fibers 70 having a free end 70b, is used for the top sheet 2 of the absorbent article of the present utility model, as shown in FIG. 3-5. The nonwoven fabric consists of protruding fibers 70 and fibers that do not protrude. In the present utility model, the number of protruding fibers 70 is 8 or more per 1 cm, and the height of the protruding fibers is from 0.2 to 5 mm. Preferably, the number of protruding fibers is 8 per 1 cm or more and that the height is from 0.2 to 5 mm, since in the case of, for example, having a small bulk non-woven material obtained by the method of forming the web by passing air, or thermally bonded to calenders, non-woven material, the material will be soft to the touch and will have a good spring. At the same time, fluffing up the pile to form protruding fibers is preferable, since the resulting material will have a higher rate of absorption of liquids, will provide less liquid remaining on the surface and less wetting in the opposite direction. Methods for measuring the "number of protruding fibers" and "the height of the protruding fibers" are described in detail below.

[0014] A nonwoven material, which is a single fibrous sheet or a sheet formed of a plurality of fibrous sheets, is used as the top sheet 2. In particular, when a nonwoven material is formed of a plurality of fibrous sheets, a nonwoven fabric is formed by bonding a plurality of fibrous sheets together into sections in which sheets are attached to each other along the surface of the sheets. In the spacer 1A, the nonwoven fabric includes two fibrous sheets 21, 22 and is formed by bonding two fibrous sheets 21, 22 together in a plurality of sections 23 for bonding the sheets to each other, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4. The fibrous sheet 21 in the pad 1A, which is a sheet facing the skin of the wearer when wearing the pad, has a surface 21d facing the skin and a surface 21e not facing the skin (surface facing the fibrous sheet 22), and the fibrous sheet 22, in the pad 1A, which is a sheet facing opposite to the wearer's skin, when the pad is worn, has a skin surface 22d (a surface facing the fibrous sheet 21) and a skin 22e not facing the skin, as shownin FIG. 3 and 4.

[0015] The top sheet 2 of the gasket 1A is formed by bonding the fibrous sheet 21 and the fibrous sheet 22 together in the bonding sections 23 to each other, and concave parts and convex parts are formed at equal intervals in the top sheet 2, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4. In particular, the fibrous sheet 22, which is one of the two fibrous sheets 21, 22 and is located on the surface side not facing the skin, is flat, and the other fibrous sheet 21, located on the side of the surface facing the skin has a concave-convex shape with a regular arrangement of a plurality of concavities 24, including a plurality of sections 23 of fastening sheets to each other, and a plurality of bumps 25, surrounded by a plurality of concavities 24 and protruding toward a surface side facing toward Also, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4. When considering further details, it should be noted that, as shown in FIG. 3, on the top sheet 2 of the gasket 1A, the plurality of sections 23 for bonding the sheets to each other are spaced at equal intervals in the form of a goose foot pattern, as seen in plan view, a plurality of concavities 24 are formed including sections 23 for bonding the sheets to each other on the other hand, a plurality of bumps 25 are formed which protrude toward the side of the skin facing surface and each of which is surrounded by four concavities 24 including non-continuous sections 23 of fastening sheets to each other, and concavities 24 and convex The bridges 25 are arranged alternately along the Y and X directions. Each of the inner parts of the bulges 25 of the top sheet 2 is a hollow structure surrounded by a non-skin facing surface 21e of the fibrous sheet 21 on the side of the skin facing surface and a fibrous surface 21d facing the skin of the sheet 22 on the surface side not facing the skin, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4.

[0016] Each of the bulges 25 of the top sheet 2 of the gasket 1A has two first wall parts 25a that are parallel to the X direction and facing each other, as shown in FIG. 3. Each of the bulges 25 also has two second wall parts 25b located parallel to the Y direction and facing each other. In addition, the bulge 25 has an upper surface portion 25c at which the upper edges of the first wall parts 25a and the upper edges of the second wall parts 25b intersect. In addition, the bulge 25 has a lower surface portion 25d, which is a surface opposite to the upper surface portion 25c, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4. The first wall portion 25a, the second wall portion 25b, and the upper surface portion 25c are formed from the fibrous sheet 21, and the lower surface portions 25d are formed of the fibrous sheet 22. In a spacer 1A similar to that shown in FIG. 3, the shape of the bulge 25 is such that the area of the lower surface portion 25d exceeds the area of the upper surface portion 25c to provide permeability to liquids, and the bulges are formed as tetrahedral pyramids having rounded ribs to improve skin feel.

[0017] The area of the lower surface portion 25d in the bulge 25 of the upper sheet 2 is from 4 to 100 mm ² in the gasket 1A to ensure effective convex shape and more preferably is from 4 to 20 mm ² . The convexity height h 25 of the top sheet 2 in the gasket 1A is preferably 1 to 10 mm for the same reasons and more preferably 1 to 3 mm.

[0018] The bulges 25 of the top sheet 2 of the gasket 1A are not separate and independent of each other, and upon careful examination of any of the bulges 25, it will be seen that the bulge is connected to two bulges 25 located in front on the diagonals with respect to the X direction (and the Y direction ), as well as with two bulges 25 located at the back on the diagonals, as is clearly seen in FIG. 3. The height of the connecting parts between the bulges 25 is less than the height of the vertices of the bulges 25.

[0019] As described above, in a gasket 1A similar to that shown in FIG. 3, sections 23 for bonding sheets to each other are spaced at equal intervals in the form of a “crow's foot” pattern (only a pattern in which sections 23 for bonding sheets with each other surround bulges 25 in four places), but sections for bonding sheets to each other need not be spaced at regular intervals. However, in order to provide an appearance and to maintain the shape of the formed bulges 25, the sections for bonding the sheets to each other are preferably spaced at equal intervals. Possible examples of patterns with a regular arrangement, other than a goose foot pattern, include: a combination of a pattern in which sections 23 of the bonding sheets surround each other bulges 25 in four places, and a pattern in which sections 23 of the bonding of sheets surround each other bulges 25 in six places; and a combination of a pattern in which sections 23 of fastening sheets to each other surround bulges 25 in five places, and a pattern in which sections 23 of fastening sheets to each other surround bulges 25 in six places.

[0020] Sections 23 for bonding sheets to each other in the top sheet 2 are formed by bonding the fibrous sheets together by adhesive or by bonding by a fusion method such as hot stamping, ultrasonic embossing or high frequency embossing, and the sheet bonding sections to each other are preferably formed by bonding fusion method, since when compared with the use of adhesive, the distance between the fibers next to the formed sections 23 of fastening sheets to each other will be greater its short, and capillarity increases, which facilitates the absorption of liquid. In a gasket 1A similar to that shown in FIG. 3, the sections 23 for bonding the sheets to each other are rectangular, as seen in plan view, but are not limited, in particular, to this shape and can be cruciform, polygonal or the like.

[0021] The fibrous sheet 21 and the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 are both formed from one layer or a plurality of layers, and in the spacer 1A, both fibrous sheets are formed from a single layer, as shown in FIG. 4. At least one of the fibrous sheet 21 and the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 has protruding fibers 70 located on a surface facing the other sheet and in the spacer 1A, as in a more preferred embodiment, the protruding fibers 70 are located both on the inverted surface 21e of the fibrous sheet 21 and on the inverted surface 22d of the fibrous sheet 22, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4. In particular, in the upper sheet 2 of the gasket 1A, the protruding fibers 70 are located both on the inverted surface 22d of the fibrous sheet 22 in the bulges 25 and on the inverted surface of the fibrous sheet 21 in the bulges 25, that is, on the turned surface 21e of the fibrous sheet 21 forming the interior of the hollow structures of the bulges 25 of the top sheet 2, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, more fibers will fill the hollow structures, the liquid will be easier to pass from the side 21e of the fibrous sheet 21 to the side 22d of the fibrous sheet 22, and also easier to pass to the side of the absorbent element 4, therefore, less liquid will remain in the upper sheet 2 when the liquid is absorbed, and there will be a feeling of less moisture on the skin.

[0022] As described above, a nonwoven fabric containing protruding fibers 70 is used for both the fibrous sheet 21 and the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2. Since the fibrous sheet 21 and the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 are the same nonwoven material in the spacer 1A, in particular, the fibrous sheet 22 is used as an example in the description below.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the fibrous sheet 22. Examples of non-woven material containing protruding fibers 70 include non-woven material that consists of short fibers and for which a hairiness treatment has been performed, and a non-woven material that has a web consisting of long fibers 7 bonded by fusion bonding sections 8, and for which a hairiness treatment has been performed. The term “short fibers” as used herein refers to fibers having a fiber length of less than 60 mm (5 mm or more).

Possible examples of a non-woven fabric comprising a web consisting of short fibers bonded by fusion bonding sections include a non-woven fabric obtained by forming the web by passing air, in which the fibrous web is formed by carding and hot air is used to bind the fibers together by fusion and non-woven material thermally bonded on calendars formed by embossing in which the fibers are fused I intermittently under the influence of heat and pressure. When the nonwoven material is heated on calendars, the fibers are flattened at the bonding sites under the influence of heat and pressure during bonding. For fastening by embossing, various types of devices can be used, described later.

In addition, possible examples include performing bonding by embossing on a non-woven material obtained by the method of forming the web by passing air, and, conversely, performing processing involving the passing of air on a non-woven material thermally bonded on calendars. In addition, a nonwoven fabric thermally bonded on calendars is preferred since it provides a relatively high tensile strength, and the resulting fiber has a thick free end 70b. In particular, it is preferable to use only the method of transmitting air, since it provides a sensation on the skin corresponding to a higher quality, and less liquid remaining on the surface.

Also preferred due to its high tensile strength, excellent workability and economic advantages is a non-woven material in which a web consisting of long fibers 7 is bonded by fusion bonding sections 8, while the non-woven material contains protruding fibers 70 that are formed when some of long fibers 7 forming a nonwoven material, and only one end 70a of each fiber is secured by fusion bonding sections 8, and a protruding fiber and EET free end 70b. More preferred due to its softness when touching the skin and its improved springing, a non-woven fabric comprising fibers 71 in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8 and the free end 70b at the other end is thick (see FIG. 6) . The term “long fibers” as used herein refers to fibers having a fiber length of 60 mm or more, and continuous long fibers having a fiber length of 150 mm or more are preferred since they produce a nonwoven fabric having high tensile strength.

Possible examples of a nonwoven material in which a fabric consisting of long fibers 7 are bonded by fusion bonding sections 8 include a nonwoven material of a spunbond production method, a multilayer nonwoven material comprising a layer obtained by a spunbond production method, and a layer obtained by an aerodynamic method of melt, and heat-bonded calendars non-woven material formed by carding.

[0023] The fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 of the spacer 1A is formed from a nonwoven fabric of a spinneret production method or from a multilayer nonwoven material containing a layer obtained by a spinneret production method and a layer obtained by aerodynamic method from a melt. Spunbond nonwoven fabric or multilayer nonwoven fabric includes long fibers 7. Long fibers 7 include fibers 71 that are formed by tearing a portion of long fibers 7 and in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8 provided in the nonwoven fabric spunbond production method or multilayer nonwoven fabric, and the free ends 70b at the other end are thick, as shown in FIG. 5. In the fibrous sheets 21, 22, if you look at them in the direction of orientation of the fibers forming them, as shown in FIG. 5, the direction along the fiber orientation direction is defined as the MD direction (machine direction), and the direction orthogonal to it is defined as the CD direction (cross direction).

[0024] The fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 preferably has a bulk of 5 to 100 g / m ^2, and more preferably 5 to 25 g / m ² , since the resulting sheet in this case is inexpensive, creates a pleasant feeling when touching the skin and lends itself well to processing.

[0025] The fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 preferably has a tensile strength of 5 N / 50 mm or more and more preferably from 8 to 30 N / 50 mm, since tearing during use is prevented and the sheet lends itself well processing. The tensile strength of the starting nonwoven material is preferably 7 N / 50 m or more, and more preferably 10 to 50 N / 50 mm, since the tensile strength of the top sheet 2 is brought to the above value. To compare the method of forming protruding fibers, described later, with other methods of forming protruding fibers, it should be noted that the tensile strength of the fibrous sheet 22 forming the resulting top sheet 2 is not likely to decrease compared to the tensile strength of the original nonwoven material . The tensile strength of the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 and the starting nonwoven material in the CD direction preferably corresponds to the previously described range. The ratio of the tensile strength of the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, to the tensile strength of the original nonwoven material (tensile strength of the fibrous sheet 22 / tensile strength of the original nonwoven material) is preferably from 0.5 to 1.0, and more preferably from 0.7 to 1.0. Tensile strength is determined as follows.

[0026] Method for determining tensile strength

A rectangular piece with dimensions of 200 mm in the CD direction and 50 mm in the MD direction is cut from the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 or from the original non-woven material in an environment with a temperature of 22 ° C and a relative humidity of 65%. This cut rectangular piece with certain dimensions is a sample with certain sizes. Specific sized samples are attached to the clamping devices of a tensile tester (for example, an RTA-100 Tensilon tensile tester manufactured by Orientec) so that the CD direction is the tensile direction. The distance between the jaws is 150 mm. The measured sample is stretched at a speed of 300 mm / min, and the maximum load before breaking the sample is taken as the tensile strength in the direction of CD. A rectangular piece with dimensions of 200 mm in the MD direction and 50 mm in the CD direction is cut out and considered as a measured sample. The measured sample is attached to the fixtures of the tensile tester so that the MD direction is the tensile direction. The tensile strength in the MD direction is determined in the same manner as the method for determining the tensile strength in the CD direction described above.

[0027] Another advantage of this embodiment is that in the fiber sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 used in the spacer 1A, a surface having protruding fibers 70 having free ends 70b (opposite surfaces 21e, 21d) creates a good feeling (textures) when touching the skin.

Traditionally, many characteristic values expressing a sensation on the skin are known; in particular, the characteristic values obtained by using KES (Kato Tech) are well known (reference: Analysis and Standardization of Texture Evaluation (edition 2), Toshio Kawabata, published July 10, 1980). In particular, three characteristic quantities are known from the characteristics expressing bulkness, called the characteristics characterizing the compression resistance: LC (linearity of the curve of the dependence of the deformation under compression on the compressive load), WC (working load on compression) and RC (elasticity on compression). These characteristics characterizing the compression resistance are characteristic values calculated on the basis of the strain value when a load is applied from 0.5 to 50 gf / cm ² (from 0.5 to 10 gf / cm ² when measured with high sensitivity). However, there was not much difference in the case of extremely thin materials, such as nonwovens with a low bulk (from 5 to 25 g / m ² ), and there was not much correlation with the sensation on the skin. In addition, the sensation on the skin is determined at a very light load of approximately 1 g / cm ² when the person touches the absorbent product, while it is believed that the characteristic values for a range of lower values compared to normal loads are useful for expressing the initial sensation on the skin , and a new characteristic value was found, determined on the basis of the strain at loads from 0.3 to 1 gf / cm ² . This characteristic value is expressed as a numerical value that realistically reflects the difference in skin feel between the nonwoven fabric of the spinneret production method and the nonwoven material obtained by the method of forming the web by passing air, and the nonwoven material can be characterized by a new characteristic value reflecting the feeling on the skin of the nonwoven spunbond material production method.

[0028] A characteristic value characterizing the resistance to compression during the application of extremely small loads

The characteristic value characterizing the compression resistance during the application of an extremely light load in an environment with a temperature of 22 ° C and a relative humidity of 65%, in this description is defined as a new characteristic value that reflects the feeling on the skin. The measurement was performed in an environment with a temperature of 22 ° C and a relative humidity of 65%. The KES FB3-AUTO-A device (product name) manufactured by Kato Tech was used to measure quantities that will become the basis for calculating the characteristic value characterizing compression resistance at extremely light load. The fibrous sheet 22, forming the top sheet 22, is cut into three sheets with a size of 20 × 20 cm for the preparation of samples with certain sizes. One of these sized samples is then placed on the test table so that the surface with protruding fibers (surface having protruding fibers 70 (facing surface 22d)) faces up (when the sheet either does not have protruding fibers or has protruding fibers on both sides, measurements are performed for both sides, and the smaller of the two values obtained is used). After that, the sheet is compressed between steel plates having an area of round flat surfaces of 2 cm ² . The measurement is performed at a compression speed of 20 μm / s, a maximum compressive load of 10 gf / cm ² , and a recovery process at the same speed. When performing measurements in the compression direction, in this case, x (mm) represents the amount of displacement between the steel plates, y (gf / cm ² ) represents the load, and the place with characteristic x = 0 is the place of the point at which the load is determined. The value of x increases as compression continues.

[0029] The characteristic value characterizing the compression resistance during the application of an extremely light load is calculated by subtracting the amount of deformation in thickness during the application of an extremely light load from the data (x, y) determined during the measurement. In particular, the data on the load and the strain value, when the load is from 0.30 to 1.00 gf / cm ² , are subtracted for the first “time”, which is not a recovery process, and the dependence between x was established by the least squares method and y, having the form of a substantially straight line, and its slope is the characteristic value described above (in units of (gf / cm ² ) / mm). One sample with defined dimensions is measured in three places. Measurements are performed for three samples in only nine locations. The characteristic values are calculated for nine places, and the average value is a characteristic value characterizing the compressive strength during the application of an extremely light load to the nonwoven material.

[0030] It was found that the characteristic value characterizing the compressive strength during the application of an extremely light load correlates with the sensation on the skin, and a strong correlation was found, in particular, for cases in which the starting nonwoven material was the same. It has been demonstrated that a lower numerical value of the characteristic value characterizing the compression resistance (during the application of an extremely light load) corresponds to an increased probability that the material will be compressed under the action of a small load, and the characteristic value characterizing the compression resistance may reflect a person’s satisfaction, when he experiences a sensation associated with the sensation of material on the skin (in particular, volume). For example, the characteristic value characterizing the compression resistance of the original non-woven material, which has not been subjected to the processing described below, and which has a usual bulk of 5 to 25 g / m ² , is from 20.0 to 30.0 (gf / cm ² ) / mm, while the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, which is obtained by performing the processing described hereinafter and performed for the original non-woven material, is easily compressed from the front surface side and has a characteristic value characterizing the resistance ix compression component 18.0 (gf / cm ²⁾ / mm or less. In other words, for reasons related to the sensation on the skin, the characteristic value for the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, which is obtained by performing the processing described below, for the original non-woven material having a bulk of from 5 to 25 g / m ² is 18.0 (gf / cm ² ) / mm or less, more preferably 15 (gf / cm ² ) / mm or less, and for reasons related to the approach to the sensation on the skin created by the non-woven material obtained by the forming method webs by passing in zduha, which creates a good feel on the skin, it should be in an even more preferred embodiment 10 (gf / cm ²⁾ / mm or less. There is no particular limitation with respect to the lower limit value of the characteristic quantity characterizing the compression resistance of the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, which is obtained by performing processing for the original non-woven material having a bulk of from 5 to 25 g / m ² , but for manufacturing reasons, the lower limit is approximately 1.00 (gf / cm ² ) / mm. When processing, such as conventional fluff fluffing to form protruding fibers, it was difficult to perform processing for the original non-woven material having a low bulk of 5 to 25 g / m ² to obtain a material with such a characteristic value without a sharp decrease in tensile strength.

[0031] The long fibers 7 forming the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 (fibers forming the starting nonwoven fabric) mainly comprise a thermoplastic resin. Possible examples of thermoplastic resins include polyolefin resin, polyester resin, polyamide resin, acrylonitrile resin, vinyl resin, vinylidene resin and the like. Possible examples of polyolefin resins include polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene and the like. Possible examples of polyester resins include polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate and the like. Possible examples of polyamide resins include nylon and the like. Possible examples of vinyl resins include polyvinyl chloride and the like. Possible examples of vinylidene resins include polyvinylidene chloride and the like. Any of these resins can be used alone or in mixtures of two or more resins, and materials obtained by converting data from various resins can also be used. Multicomponent fibers can also be used as long fibers forming a nonwoven fabric 1. Fibers with the components arranged side by side, fibers with a core and sheath, fibers with a core and sheath having eccentric twists, split fibers, and the like can be used in quality of multicomponent fibers. When using multicomponent fibers, it is preferable to use fibers with a core and a sheath, in which the cores are composed of polypropylene and the sheath consists of polyethylene, since a soft non-woven material with protruding fibers will be obtained. The long fibers 7 may be fibers containing a small amount of an additive, such as a fiber dye, an antistatic agent, a lubricant, or a hydrophilic substance. The fiber diameter for long fibers 7 before the processing described hereinafter is preferably from 5 to 30 microns and more preferably from 10 to 20 microns.

[0032] The starting nonwoven material forming the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 is preferably formed from a polypropylene resin, which is a polyolefin resin, for reasons of suitability for spinning. The polypropylene resin is preferably a resin that is smooth and which, for reasons related to improving the feel of the skin when in contact with the skin, and for reasons related to slight tearing, contains from 5 to 100 weight percent and more preferably from 25 up to 80 weight percent of the statistical copolymer, homopolymer and / or block copolymer. These copolymers and homopolymers can be mixed together, and other resins can also be mixed, but it is preferable to have a mixture of a polypropylene homopolymer and a random copolymer, since in this case the filaments will not easily break during molding. Thus, the crystallinity of the fibers is reduced in order to soften the protruding fibers themselves, while the feel on the skin is good when in contact with the skin, satisfactory tensile strength of the nonwoven material can be provided, and the protruding fibers are easily cut into embossed portions. or fused otherwise. Therefore, there is no peeling in the fusion bonding sections 8, such as embossed fusion spots, the protruding fibers are shorter, rolling the fibers into lumps on the surface of the article is unlikely, and the appearance is satisfactory. Welding is also improved due to the wider distribution of melting points.

In addition, it is preferable that the random copolymer be a copolymer with ethylene or an α-olefin in which the propylene component is used as the base, and a copolymer of ethylene and propylene is particularly preferred. For the same reasons, the polypropylene resin is preferably a resin containing 5 weight percent or more of a copolymer of ethylene and propylene, and more preferably is a resin containing 25 weight percent or more of a copolymer of ethylene and propylene. The ethylene concentration in the copolymer of ethylene and propylene is preferably from 1 weight percent to 20 weight percent, and, in particular, to eliminate stickiness, facilitate elongation during stretching, minimize loss of fluffed material and maintain tensile strength, the ethylene concentration is more preferably 3% to 8%. For environmental reasons, the polypropylene resin is preferably a resin containing 50 weight percent or more of a secondary polypropylene resin, and more preferably is a resin containing 70 weight percent or more of a secondary polypropylene resin. The same applies to cases in which the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 is formed on the basis of a multilayer nonwoven material comprising a layer obtained by a spinneret production method and a layer obtained by aerodynamic method from a melt.

[0033] For reasons related to the feel on the skin and providing appropriate processing, the fusion bonding sections 8 formed by embossing preferably have an area of 0.05 to 10 mm ² and more preferably 0.1 to 1 mm ² . The number of fusion bonding sections 8 is preferably from 10 to 250 per cm ² and more preferably from 35 to 65 per 1 cm ² . The distance between the centers of the fusion bonding sections 8, which are adjacent in the CD direction, is preferably from 0.5 to 10 mm and more preferably from 1 to 3 mm, and the distance between the centers of the fusion bonding sections 8, which are adjacent in the direction MD is preferably from 0.5 to 10 mm and more preferably from 1 to 3 mm.

[0034] Possible examples of methods for creating sections 8 for bonding fibers by fusion include periodically forming sections by means of a thermocompression joint by embossing (by means of a convex embossing roller, a flat roller, and the like), ultrasonic fusion, and periodic supply of hot air to partially fuse the sections. Of these examples, a thermocompression compound is preferable since the fibers break more easily. The shape of the fusion bonding sections 8 is not particularly limited, but may be any desired shape, such as round, rhombic or triangular. The fraction of the total area of the fusion bonding sections 8 occupying the area of one side of either of the two fibrous sheets 21, 22 forming the top sheet 2 is preferably from 5 to 30% and more preferably from 10 to 20%, since the fibers are rolled into lumps onto product surfaces are undesirable.

[0035] The fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 of the spacer 1A is formed from a nonwoven spunbond production method consisting of long fibers 7, for example, some of the fibers 7 are torn to form fibers 70, in which only one end 70a is secured by sections 8 fiber bonding by fusion, and fibers 70 include fibers 71, in which the free end 70b is thick (see FIG. 5). Those fibers that are thick at the ends preferably have cross sections that are flattened (ellipsoidal or compressed) at the ends. In this way, protruding fibers having soft ends are obtained and a non-woven material is obtained that is slightly irritating to the skin. Fibers 70, in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8, consists of fibers 71, in which the free end 70b at the other end is thick, and fibers 72, in which the free end 70b is not thick, as shown in FIG. . 5. The term “free end”, as used herein, means the “other end” of a fiber 70, in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8, or, in other words, “tip”. The fact whether the free ends 70b are thick or not is established by measuring the diameter of the fibers using the measurement method below and calculating the percentage increase in the diameter of the fiber tip.

[0036] Method for measuring fiber diameter

First, in a medium with a temperature of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 65%, a defined sized piece having a size of 2 cm in the CD direction and a size of 2 cm in the MD direction is cut with a sharp razor from the fiber sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 to be measured as shown in FIG. 9 (a). A sized sample that has an outward fold along a fold line Z extending in the CD direction, which extends through a plurality of fusion bonding sections 8, as shown in FIG. 9 (b) is placed on an aluminum sample stand and fixed relative to an aluminum sample stand designed for scanning electron microscope (SEM) and provided with a carbon tape, as shown in FIG. 9 (s). Then ten fibers 70, in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8, are randomly selected from an image obtained by scanning electron microscopy and enlarged approximately 750 times, and photographs of the sections near the ends of the free ends of these fibers are taken. In the photographs taken (see FIG. 6), the fiber diameters determined for the fibers 70 (the diameters 71a of the fibers 70 in the sections except the free ends 70b) are measured at a distance of 120 μm from the ends of the free ends 70b. The inclined lines in the sections, with the exception of the free ends 70b at the moment when the diameters 71a of the fibers 70 were measured, are displaced in parallel to the free ends 70b, and the diameters of the fibers for the fibers 71 (the diameters 71b of the fibers 71 at the free ends 70b) are measured in the thickest sections between the ends of the free ends 70b and places located at a distance from the ends of 20 μm. In cases where the tips are flattened, sometimes depending on the viewing angle, situations arise in which the tips do not seem thick, but in such situations the measurements are still performed in the same way by means of the resulting photographs.

[0037] Fibers 71, in which the free ends 70b are thick, are those fibers from the first ten fibers 70 randomly selected that satisfy the requirement that the percentage increase in fiber tip diameter is 15% or more when determining it according to the following formula (1) based on the diameters 71b of the fibers 70 at the free ends 70b and the diameters 71a of the fibers 70 in the zones except the free ends 70b, while the diameters are measured by photographs of ten fibers it is 70. To suppress the tearing of the fibers between the fusion bonding sections 8 (the parts in the form of fibers except for the boundaries between the fusion bonding sections 8 and the fibers), suppress a decrease in tensile strength and obtain a good skin feel, an increase in percentage expressed as an increase is preferably an increase constituting 20% or more, and more preferably an increase of 25% or more.

Expressed as a percentage (%) increase in the diameter of the fiber tip = [((21b-21a): 21a) × 100] (1)

[0038] In the fiber sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, for reasons related to both tensile strength and skin feel when the sheet is in contact with the skin, and also for reasons related to improving springing, the proportion of fibers 71, in which the free ends 70b are thick, among the fibers 70, in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8 (fibers 71, in which the free end 70b is thick, and fibers 72, in which the free end 70b is not thick), preferably co ulation 20% or more, more preferably - 30% or more and even more preferably - 40% or more. The proportion of fibers 71, in which the free end 70b is thick, is determined by calculating the percentage increase in the diameter of the fiber tip using an image obtained by scanning electron microscopy and enlarged approximately 750 times for randomly selected ten fibers 70 in the method of measuring fiber diameter described above and calculating the proportion of fibers 71 in which the free ends 70b are thick.

The fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 also contains fibers that are cut at the periphery of the fusion bonding sections 8. When choosing 30 of the sections 8 of the bonding of fibers by fusion formed on the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, randomly and examining them using an electron microscope, and counting the number of marks left by the fibers in cut form (the shape that the fiber has / have (and ) the part subjected to embossing, which is pressed (s), and the part, in which the fiber (s) are not pressed (s) and are (are) continuous (s)) at the periphery of these sections 8 of the bonding fibers by fusion (interval, 100 μm or less, either externally or internally with respect to the boundaries between the fusion bonding sections 8 and the fibers), the surface itself will very “protrude” when there are a large number of marks left by the fibers in the cut form, and the nonwoven material preferably has only three or more fiber locations in the cut among all thirty sections of fiber bonding by fusion, and more preferably from five to fifteen such places to obtain a non-woven material having high tensile strength.

[0039] The fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 has loop-forming fibers 73 protruding in the form of loops between the fusion bonding sections 8, 8, as shown in FIG. 5. The term protruding “loop-forming fiber 73” refers to a fiber that does not have a free end 70b at the other end and which projects 0.5 mm or more from the bend line Z when considered as in FIG. 9 (c) by performing measurements by the method of measuring fiber diameter described above. As used herein, loop-forming fiber 73 is a protruding loop-forming fiber. The fibers forming the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 include fibers 70, in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8 and which consist of fibers 71, in which the free end 70b is thick, and fibers 72, in which the free end 70b is not thick. In addition to the fibers 70, the sheet forming fibers also include loop forming fibers 73 protruding in loops between the fusion bonding sections 8, 8, as well as fibers that do not protrude. Among the protruding fibers 70, at least a portion of the protruding fibers 70 has the same fiber diameter as the fibers forming the sheet that do not protrude. The phrase “at least a portion of the protruding fibers 70 has the same fiber diameter as the fibers forming a sheet that does not protrude” as used herein means that for the fibers 72, in which the free ends 70b are not thick, the diameter the fibers in the indefinite zone from the fused portions of the protruding fibers to the free ends are the same as the diameter of the fibers forming a sheet that do not protrude.

The expression “same fiber diameter” as used herein encompasses fiber diameters within less than ± 15% of the average fiber diameter determined for sheet-forming fibers that do not protrude, including deviations in the initial fiber diameter. The average fiber diameter determined for the sheet-forming fibers is determined by randomly selecting 10 fibers that do not protrude, measuring it in the same way based on the (method for measuring fiber diameter) described above, and finding the average value.

[0040] For reasons related to the manufacture of the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, which does not “pick up” the skin in contact with the skin, which creates less discomfort and which leads to an improvement in skin feel, from the fibers forming the fibrous sheet 22, forming the top sheet 2, the proportion of loop-forming fibers 73 in the total number of loop-forming fibers 73 and fibers 70, in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8, is preferably less than 50%, more preferably less than 45% and even more preferably less than 40%. The percentage fraction of loop-forming fibers 73 is determined by randomly selecting ten fibers from an image obtained by scanning electron microscopy and enlarged by approximately 50 times, by performing the method for determining the fiber diameter described above, identifying as fibers 70 with only one end 70a fixed by fusion bonding sections 8 (fibers 71 in which the free end 70b is thick and fibers 72 in which the free end 70b is not thick), and fiber-forming fibers 73 out of ten randomly selected fibers and calculating the percentage of fibers 73 (loop-forming fibers) in the total number of fibers 71, fibers 72 and fibers 73. The determined value is calculated by determining the same percentage expressed at nine points in the image another section obtained by scanning electron microscopy, and calculating the average value for ten points. When out of ten randomly selected fibers, only one fiber is loop-forming fiber 73, the number of loop-forming fibers 73 is taken to be one.

[0041] In the fiber sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, spaces between the fibers are filled with fibers having a relatively high degree of freedom, and for reasons related to providing a low surface roughness, improving smoothness and improving the feel on the skin when the sheet is in contact with skin, the distribution (degree of dispersion) of the fiber diameters is preferably wider. However, for reasons related to the sensation on the skin, a distribution of 0.33 or more provides satisfactory effects, and a distribution of 0.35 or more provides even more satisfactory effects. The upper limit of the distribution (degree of dispersion) of the fiber diameters is not particularly limited, but preferably a value of 100 or less. More preferably, if the distribution (degree of dispersion) of the fiber diameters is characterized by a parameter from 0.35 to 0.9. The term “distribution (degree of dispersion) of fiber diameters”, as used herein, refers to the distribution (degree of dispersion) of fiber diameters for all fibers forming the fiber sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, which is the distribution for all fibers 70 for which only one end 70a is fixed by means of fusion bonding sections 8, loop-forming fibers 73 and fibers fixed at both ends by fusion bonding sections 8 and not protruding in loops ( windows that were not affected by the processing described later). The distribution (degree of dispersion) of the fiber diameters is determined in the following way.

[0042] Method for measuring fiber diameter (method for determining the distribution (degree of dispersion) of fiber diameters)

First, in an environment with a temperature of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 65%, a defined sized piece having a size of 2 cm in the CD direction and a size of 2 cm in the MD direction is cut with a sharp razor from the fiber sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 to be measured, and a sample with certain dimensions without bending, it is placed on an aluminum sample stand and fixed relative to an aluminum sample stand designed for scanning electron microscope (SEM) and provided with a carbon tape. Then ten fibers are randomly selected from an image obtained by scanning electron microscopy and enlarged approximately 750 times, and the diameters of the fibers are measured in the zones except for the free ends 70b (when the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 to be measured is formed from a multilayer non-woven material consisting of a layer obtained by a spinneret production method, and a layer obtained by an aerodynamic method from a melt, while fibers are not selected from a layer obtained by aerodynamics another way from the melt, and only fibers are selected from the layer obtained by the spinneret production method). The diameters of ten fibers are measured, as described above, on one aluminum support for samples, the average value of d _ave is determined based on the measured diameters d ₁ -d _{10 of} ten fibers, and the distribution of fiber diameters for ten fibers, randomly selected, is determined by using the formula ( 2) below, based on the obtained diameters d ₁ -d ₁₀ ten fibers and the average value of d _ave . The units are microns, and measurements are taken at a resolution of 0.1 μm. To distribute the fiber diameters obtained for ten fibers, an aluminum sample stand is installed in six places for the fiber sheet 22 forming one top sheet 2, and the average value (see formula (3) below) of the fiber diameter distribution for ten fibers, obtained in each place, is considered as the distribution of fiber diameters in the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet. The fiber diameter distribution for ten fibers is calculated using the Microsoft Excel 2003 VARPA (DISPRA) function for working with spreadsheets.

Fiber diameter distribution for ten fibers = [(d ₁ -d _ave ) ² + (d ₂ -d _ave ) ² + ... + (d ₁₀ -d _ave ) ² ] / 10 (2)

The distribution (degree of dispersion) of the diameters of the fibers in the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 = (the total sum of the distributions of the diameters of the fibers obtained for ten fibers by the formula (2)) / 6 (3)

[0043] For reasons related to improving springing and for providing a better skin feel when the sheet is in contact with the skin, the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 has eight or more protruding fibers per centimeter, as described higher in the present utility model, but more preferably, if the number is 12 or more per 1 cm. For reasons related to obtaining sufficient tensile strength, the upper limit is 100 or less per 1 cm, and for reasons related to the external idom and so that a fluffy material is not issued, more preferably, the upper limit is preferably 40 or less per 1 cm. measured protruding fibers by the below method of measurement. As used herein, the term “non-woven material containing protruding fibers” refers to a non-woven material having five or more protruding fibers per centimeter, as defined in the measurement method below.

[0044] Method for determining the number of protruding fibers

FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing illustrating a method for determining the number of protruding fibers among the fibers forming the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 in an environment with a temperature of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 65%. First, a piece with a size of 20 × 20 cm is cut with a razor from a non-woven material for which measurements are to be taken, and an outward bend is formed on a protruding fiber surface of a piece with a certain size to form a sample 104 with a certain size, similar to that shown in FIG. 10 (a). Then, the sample 104 with certain dimensions is placed on a black support with a size of A4, and on top of the sample is placed a black support with a size of A4, having an opening 107 with dimensions of 1 × 1 cm, as shown in FIG. 10 (b). At this stage, the fold line 105 in the defined sample 104 is positioned so that it can be seen through the hole 107 in the upper black support material, as shown in FIG. 10 (b). Both backing sheets were Kenran (black), ream weight 265 g paper (Kenran black paper with a stack weight of 265 g) manufactured by Fujikyowa Seishi. Then, goods weighing 50 g were placed in places located along the bend line 105 at a distance of 5 cm, outside of both sides of the hole 107 in the upper support, which ensures complete bending of the sample 104 with certain dimensions and dropping it down. After that, a microscope (VHX-099 manufactured by KEYENCE) was used to examine the inside of the hole 107 in the support sheet with a magnification of 30 times, and the number of fibers was counted in a space with a size of 1 cm above an imaginary line 108, which was formed in place located above the bend line 105 of the sample 104 with defined dimensions and at a distance of 0.2 mm from it, and parallel to the bend line 105, as shown in FIG. 10 (s). This calculation is performed in nine places, and the average value (second decimal places are rounded) is considered as the number of protruding fibers.

[0045] When, when counting the number of protruding fibers, there is a fiber that crosses an imaginary line 108 twice, located above the fold line 105 at a distance of 0.2 mm from it, such as, for example, the fiber 106a shown in FIG. 10 (s), this fiber is counted as two. In particular, in the example shown in FIG. 10 (c), there are four fibers that cross the imaginary line 108 once, and one fiber 106a that crosses the imaginary line 108 twice, but the fiber 106a that crosses the imaginary line twice is counted as two, and the number of protruding fibers is six .

[0046] In the fiber sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, for reasons related to improving the feel on the skin when the sheet is in contact with the skin, the average fiber diameter determined for the protruding fibers (fibers crossing the imaginary line 108) is preferably less the average diameter of the fibers, determined for the bulk in non-protruding zones on the same surface (fibers that do not cross the imaginary line 108 and do not reach the imaginary line 108). The average fiber diameter is the diameter of the fibers, measured by a microscope (optical microscope, scanning electron microscope or the like) in twelve places for both protruding fibers and non-protruding fibers. The diameter of the fibers determined for the protruding fibers is preferably from 97 to 40% of the diameter of the non-protruding fibers, while a fiber diameter of 90 to 40% is more desirable since the sensation on the skin is excellent.

[0047] In the fibrous sheets 21, 22 forming the top sheet 2, the number of protruding fibers is 8 per 1 cm, and the height of the protruding fibers is 5 mm or less, as described above. In this way, the springing is improved, and an absorbent article is obtained that creates an improved sensation on the skin. For reasons related to making it less likely that the fibers will roll into lumps on the surface of the article and there is little chance that fluffy material will separate, the height of the protruding fibers is preferably 4.0 mm or less. A satisfactory sensation on the skin is obtained if the height is 0.2 mm or more. In addition, to reduce wetting in the opposite direction as one of the absorption characteristics of body fluids, the pile height is preferably 0.5 mm or more. When the protruding surface is used on the side that touches the skin, the protrusion height is preferably 2.0 mm or less to provide a preferred feel in which the fibers do not cling to the skin. In order to improve springing and ensure a high absorption rate of the body fluids, it is also preferred that the number of protruding fibers per centimeter is 15 or more. The upper limit on the number of protruding fibers is 100 or less per 1 cm and more preferably 80 or less per 1 cm for reasons related to providing sufficient tensile strength. The height of the fibers is different from the length of the fibers, and the height of the fibers means the height of the fibers in their natural state without stretching during measurement. When the length of the protruding fibers is large or the stiffness of the fibers is high, the height of the protruding fibers tends to be large. The height of the protruding fibers is measured using the measurement method below.

[0048] Method for measuring the height of the protruding fibers

The height of the protruding fibers is measured simultaneously with the determination of the number of protruding fibers. In particular, an inspection is made of the inside of the hole 107 in the support sheet, and lines parallel to the fold lines 105 are drawn every 0.05 mm until the protruding fibers no longer intersect the corresponding lines, as shown in FIG. 10 (s). After that, choose a parallel line for which the number of fibers that intersect a given parallel line is half the number of protruding fibers defined as described above (estimated with respect to the imaginary line 108, which is higher at a distance of 0.2 mm), and the distance from the selected parallel line to the fold line is considered as the height of the protruding fibers. The above operation is performed three times for the nonwoven material for which measurements are made, each time measurements are taken for three places, with only nine places for three times, and the average value, which is taken as the height of the protruding fibers, is determined.

[0049] Regarding the protruding fibers, in addition to the height of the protruding fibers, the volumetric softness of the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 is preferably 8.0 cN or less to provide softness when the sheet is in contact with the skin, and also to provide an excellent sensation on the skin. In addition, to provide a flexible product, such as a diaper for a baby or clothing for a baby starting to walk, values between 0.5 and 30 cN are preferred. Volume softness is determined using the measurement method below.

[0050] Volume softness measurement method

To measure the volumetric softness of the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 is cut with dimensions of 150 mm in the MD direction and 30 mm in the CD direction, and by using a stapler, the ends are fastened together in two, namely the upper and lower, places for receiving a ring shape with a diameter of 45 mm. At this stage, the central part of the stapler is elongated in the MD direction. By using a tensile tester (for example, an RENS-100 TENSILON tensile tester manufactured by Orientec), the ring is mounted vertically in the form of a pipe on a test stand, the maximum load is measured when the ring is compressed from above by means of a flat plate, essentially parallel to the stand, with a compression speed of 10 mm / min, and this load is taken as volume softness in the direction of CD. Thereafter, a ring is formed when replacing the MD direction with the CD direction, and the volume softness in the MD direction is measured in the same way. Two rings are formed and measured for each of the MD direction and the CD direction, and the average volume softness value in the CD direction and the MD direction is taken as the volume softness of the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2.

[0051] If the emollient is interfered with or added to the starting nonwoven fabric, forming the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, this is more effective for improving the feel on the skin when the sheet is in contact with the skin. Paraffin emulsions, chemically active emollients, silicon-based components, surfactants and the like can be used, for example, as an emollient. It is particularly preferable to use silicone containing an amino group, silicone containing an oxyalkylene group, or a surfactant. The surfactant may be an anionic surfactant, such as an anionic surfactant based on a carboxylic acid salt, an anionic surfactant based on a sulfonate salt, an anionic surfactant based on a salt of sulfuric acid or an anionic surfactant an active substance based on an ester or a salt of phosphoric acid (in particular, a salt of an alkyl ester of phosphoric acid); a mono-ester of a polyhydric alcohol and a fatty acid such as sorbitol fatty acid ester, diethylene glycol monostearate, diethylene glycol monooleate, glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl monooleate or propylene glycol monostearate; a fatty acid amide such as oleamide, stearic acid amide or erucamide; a nonionic surfactant such as N- (3-Oleox-2-hydroxypropyl) diethanolamine, castor oil, polyoxyethylene hardened, a polyoxyethylene sorbitol beeswax, polioksietilensorbitanseskvistearat, polioksietilenmonooleat, polioksietilensorbitanseskvistearat, polioksietilenglitserilmonooleat, polyoxyethylene monostearate, polioksietilenmonolaurat, polioksietilenmonooleat, polyoxyethylene ether of cetyl alcohol or polyoxyethylene ether of lauryl alcohol; a cationic surfactant such as a quaternary ammonium salt, amine salt or amine; a zwitterionic surfactant, such as a fatty acid derivative of a secondary or tertiary amine or a fatty acid derivative of a heterocyclic secondary or tertiary amine containing carboxy, sulfonate and sulfate, or the like. Conventional drugs can be added as adjuvants (in small quantities) to the emollient if necessary.

Thanks to the inclusion of a softening agent, the feeling on the skin will be the best, less fluffy material will separate, the surface will have less friction against the skin, and the tensile strength will be higher.

The emollient is preferably used in conjunction with the statistical copolymer described in paragraph [0032] to further enhance its effects. This is particularly preferred since the feeling of grease caused by the random copolymer in the protruding fibers can be reduced by a softening agent, and a soft mass feeling on the skin can be provided.

[0052] The fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 is formed of a multilayer nonwoven material containing a layer obtained by a spinneret production method, and a layer obtained by an aerodynamic method from a melt, described hereinafter, and in the case when the layer obtained by a spinneret production method a multilayer nonwoven material consists of many layers, for example, it looks like a multilayer nonwoven material with the following layers: a layer obtained by a spinneret production method, a layer obtained by aerodynamic a melt layer, a layer obtained by a spinneret production method, or a multilayer nonwoven material with the following layers: a layer obtained by a spinneret production method, a layer obtained by a spinneret production method, a layer obtained by an aerodynamic method from a melt, a layer obtained by a spinneret production method, and t etc., the emollient described above is preferably interfered with only one of the layers obtained by the spinneret production method, but can also be interfered with all of the layers obtained by the spinneret method Production m. When a softening agent is interfered with only one layer obtained by a spinneret production method, the processing described hereinafter is performed on this layer, and this layer preferably includes fibers in which the free ends are thick, since the sheet creates a good feeling on the skin when it is in contact with the skin and the tensile strength is high. Thus, in order to provide a good feel on the skin when the sheet is in contact with the skin and to reduce the degree of wetting in the reverse direction, the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 is preferably formed from a single nonwoven material obtained by a spunbond production method, rather than formed from a multilayer nonwoven material containing a layer obtained by a spinneret production method, and a layer obtained by an aerodynamic method from a melt.

[0053] Next, a method for manufacturing the fibrous sheet 21 and the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 used in the gasket 1A will be described. Since the manufacturing method of the fibrous sheet 21 and the manufacturing method of the fibrous sheet 22 are the same, the manufacturing method of the fibrous sheet 22 is specifically described as an example.

A suitable method for manufacturing the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 used in the spacer 1A is described with reference to FIG. 7 and 8. Production facilities, preferably used in the manufacturing method of the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2, are generally classified as a pre-processing unit 200 and a pile unit 300 located behind the pre-processing unit 200 during the process. This pretreatment is also called partial stretch treatment.

[0054] The pre-processing unit 200 has a roller device 230 with steel matching embossing rollers, consisting of two rollers 210, 220, in which the convexities 211 and concavities 221 that engage with each other are formed on peripheral surfaces, as shown in FIG. 7. In a roller device 230 with steel matching embossing rollers, such as that shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of bumps 211 formed on the peripheral surface of the roller 210, and a plurality of concavities 221 formed on the peripheral surface of the roller 220 are formed so that they mesh with each other, and the plurality of bumps 211 are evenly spaced and at equal intervals in both directions the axis of rotation, and in the direction along the circumference of the roller 210. Two rollers 210, 220 are engaged with each other and rotate due to the transmission of the driving force from the drive means (not shown) to the axis of rotation of either of the two Ikov. The pre-processing unit 200 also has conveyor rollers 250, 260, designed to move the sheet 22 ”of the source material in the direction of movement of the source material in front of and behind the roller device 230 with steel matching embossing rollers, as shown, for example, in FIG. 7.

[0055] The height of each bulge 211 of the roller 210 from the peripheral surface of the roller 210 to the top of the bulge 211 is preferably from 1 to 10 mm and more preferably from 2 to 7 mm. The distance (step) between the bulges 211, which are adjacent in the direction of the axis of rotation, is preferably from 0.01 to 20 mm and more preferably from 1 to 10 mm, and the distance (step) between the bulges 211, which are adjacent in the direction along circumference, preferably is from 0.01 to 20 mm and more preferably from 1 to 10 mm. There is no particular limitation on the shape of the surface of the apex of each bulge 211 of the roller 210; for example, the shape is round, polygonal, ellipsoid or the like, and the surface area of the apex of each convex 211 is preferably from 0.01 to 500 mm ² and more preferably from 0.1 to 10 mm ² . The concavities 221 of the roller 220 are located at locations corresponding to the convexities 211 of the roller 210. The “depth” of engagement between the convexities 211 of the roller 210 and the concavities 221 of the roller 220 (the lengths of the portions on which the convexities 211 and concavities 221 overlap) are preferably 0.1 to 10 mm and more preferably 1 to 5 mm.

[0056] The nap block 300 has a bulge 310 made with bulges 311 on the peripheral surface, and also has conveying rollers 320, 330 for moving the source material sheet 22 ”along and behind the bulge 310, as shown in FIG. 8. The roller 310 with the bulges is driven into rotation by transmitting a driving force from a drive means (not shown) to its axis of rotation.

[0057] The height of each bulge 311 of the roll 310 with the bulges from the peripheral surface of the roll 310 with the bulges to the apex of the bulge 311 is preferably from 0.001 to 3 mm, and more preferably from 0.001 to 0.1 mm. The distance (step) between the bulges 311, which are adjacent in the direction of the axis of rotation, is preferably from 0.1 to 50 mm and more preferably from 0.1 to 3 mm, and the distance (step) between the bulges 311, which are adjacent in the circumferential direction is preferably from 0.1 to 50 mm and more preferably from 0.1 to 3 mm. There is no particular limitation on the surface shape of the apex of each bulge 311 of the bulge 310 with bulges; for example, the shape is round, polygonal, ellipsoid or the like, and the surface area of the apex of each convex 311 is preferably from 0.001 to 20 mm ² and more preferably from 0.01 to 1 mm ² .

[0058] In a production plant comprising a pre-processing unit 200 and a tufting unit 300 having configuration data, first a continuous non-woven material (source material sheet 22 ”), which, for example, is the source material of the fibrous sheet 22, is unwound from a roll (not shown) ), and the sheet 22 ”of the starting material is moved by means of conveyor rollers 250, 260 between the two rollers 210, 220 of the roller device 230 with steel matching embossing rollers. In the pre-processing unit 200, the source material sheet 22 ”is squeezed between the two rollers 210, 220, and the source material sheet 22” is deformed, as shown in FIG. 7. In order not to cause fiber bonding to form a non-woven material, by fusion when subjected to this deformation, or two rollers 210, 220 of the roller device 230 with steel matching embossing rollers are not heated actively, or the two rollers preferably are embossed using steel matching elements at a temperature which is equal to or less than the melting temperature of the component that has the lowest melting temperature of the components of the fibers forming the sheet 22 ”of the source material, in particular and, at a temperature lower than a given melting point, by 70 ° C or more.

[0059] Thereafter, the deformed source material sheet 22 ′ is moved by conveying rollers 320, 330 to the convex roller 310 having the convex 311 formed on the peripheral surface. In the pile unit 300, the surface of the deformed sheet of raw material 22 'is subjected to processing by a convex roller 310, and part of the fibers 7 forming the non-woven material of the spunbond production method is torn, resulting in the formation of a fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 including fibers 70, in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8 (see FIG. 5). For reasons related to the breaking of some of the fibers 7 and the efficient formation of fibers 70 shown in FIG. 5, the rotation direction of the convex roller 310 is preferably the opposite direction with respect to the direction of movement of the source material sheet 22 ′, and the convex roller 310 is preferably rotated at a speed having an interval of values from 0.3 of the speed of movement of the sheet 22 'of the source material, up to a value 10 times the speed of movement of the sheet 22' of the source material. When the rotation of the roller with the bulges in the direction along the circumference (in the forward direction relative to the direction of movement) is ensured, it is preferable to provide the rotation of the roller 310 with the bulges at a speed of 1.5 to 20 times the speed of movement of the sheet 22 'of the source material. The speed of the bulge 310 is the peripheral speed of the peripheral surface of the bulge 310.

[0060] For reasons related to a more efficient tearing of some of the fibers 7 and a more efficient formation of the fibers 70 shown in FIG. 5, the conveyor roller 330 is located at a higher height than the convex roller 310, as shown in FIG. 8, the deformed sheet 22 ′ of the starting material is preferably in contact with the contact surface of the roll 310 with the bulges at a wrapper angle α of 10 to 180 °, and a wrapper angle α of 30 to 120 ° is more preferable since however, there will be a smaller decrease in width due to the narrowing of the nonwoven material.

[0061] In the case where the fibers 70, in which only one end 70a is secured by fusion bonding sections 8, are formed on both surfaces of the fibrous sheets 21, 22 forming the top sheet 2, the fibers are formed by using another bulge 310 with bulges for processing another surface (back surface) different from the surface of the sheet 22 'of the source material, processed by means of a roller 310 with bulges.

[0062] The authors of the utility model believe that the reason for the formation of fibers 70 described above is that the non-woven material (sheet 22 ”of the starting material) is stretched by means of a roller unit 230 with steel matching embossing rollers, weaknesses are formed in the bonding sections 8 fusion fibers (sheet 22 ”of the starting material) in which the fibers are fused together, the short fibers 7 are then torn by means of a roller 310 with bulges in weak spots on the outermost parts of the surface of the non-woven fabric terial in sections 8 of the fiber bonding by fusion, and the fibers are formed, "cut off" from the sections 8 of the fiber bonding by fusion. The inventors of the utility model believe that the fibers “cut off” from the fusion bonding sections 8 are fibers 71 in which the free end 70b is thick. The authors of the utility model also believe that the long fibers 7 peel off from the weak points of the fiber bonding sections 8 by fusion by means of a convex roller 310, and that the fibers partially separated from the fiber bonding sections 8 become loop-forming fibers 73 projecting as loops between sections 8 , 8 fiber fusion bonding. The inventors of the utility model also believe that when treating a surface with a convex roller 310, the long fibers 7 are torn between the fusion bonding sections 8, 8 and fibers 72 are formed in which the free ends 70b are not thick. The non-woven fabric made by the preferred method of manufacturing the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 described above is characterized in that the percentage of the loop-forming fibers 73 and non-thick fibers 72 is less than that of the non-woven fabric made by the conventional teasing method . When there are many fibers 72 that are not thick, as, for example, in a nonwoven fabric made in the usual way of teasing, the fibers are torn between the sections 8 of the bonding fibers by fusion, for example, between two sections subjected to embossing, and the so-called section (gap, hole) may be formed between fusion bonding sections 8. In this way, the non-protruding base fibers can be lifted without damage and a sheet having high tensile strength is obtained. On the contrary, if an attempt is made to make the fibers protruding when weaknesses are not formed, the fibers are not easy to swell when the surface of the fibers is abraded by a greater force, the destructive effect that occurs during swelling, the non-protruding warp fibers are located that are not on the outer surface itself, and it is difficult to maintain tensile strength, so that all non-woven material is easily torn. The nonwoven fabric made by the preferred method of manufacturing the fibrous sheet 22 forming the top sheet 2 described above has a small proportion of non-thick fibers 72, and therefore, tensile strength can be maintained. When fluffing up the pile in the case when no weak points have been formed, there is a tendency to peel the fibers from the sections of fiber bonding by fusion, reduce the number of protruding fibers and increase the height of the pile. Therefore, problems easily arise, such as the tendency of the fibers to “pluck out”.

[0063] The roller device 230 with steel matching embossing rollers causes the fibers to stretch between one fusion bonding section 8 and another adjacent fusion bonding section 8 formed in the nonwoven fabric (starting material sheet 22 ”) and cause weaknesses at the borders between the fusion bonding sections 8 and the fibers. The control of the formation of weaknesses is ensured by adjusting the engagement of the two, namely the upper and lower rollers 210, 220 of the roller device 230 with the steel matching embossing rollers. The nonwoven material is partially stretched due to the engagement of the concave / convex embossed structural elements of two, namely the upper and lower rollers. Weak spots are easily formed in those places where the fiber length is short, between adjacent sections of the fastening fibers by fusion relative to the direction of stretching. The formation of these weaknesses is preferable since fragile areas can be formed in the resulting nonwoven material, the fibers are easily torn in weaknesses during the teasing performed by the nap block 300, so that short protruding fibers are obtained, the feeling on the skin will be excellent when the sheet is be in contact with the skin, the swelling will be invisible, and in terms of appearance, it should be noted that rolling the fibers into lumps on the surface of the product does not occur quickly, and tear accuracy is high. At the same time, the fibers are thinner due to the stretching of the fibers between adjacent fusion bonding sections 8, 8, while the fusion bonding sections 8 are also softer and a non-woven material is created that creates a good feel on the skin. In particular, the fibers are stretched to a thin state and lengthened by means of a roller device 230 with steel matching embossing rollers, as a result of which the distance between the fibers increases, which improves ventilation. In addition, the bulk density of the fibers of the surface exposed to the nap by the nap using the nap block 300 is reduced, and the nap nonwoven fabric will have improved air permeability even if the nonwoven material has the same bulk. As described above, due to the combination of fiber stretching and napping, the air permeability is increased 1.2-2 times and more preferably 1.3-1.8 times compared with the air permeability of the original non-woven material. Breathability is determined by measuring the airflow resistance using an automatic Air-Permeability Tester KES-F8-AP1 manufactured by Kato Tech and determining the reciprocal of the resistance. The breathability of the obtained nonwoven material is preferably 24 m / (kPa · s) or more.

As the nonwoven fabric of the spunbond production method forming the sheet 22 ”of the starting material, a nonwoven fabric formed from a foot containing only layers obtained by the spunbond method of production and not containing layers obtained by the aerodynamic method from the melt (for example, a nonwoven fabric with the following structure is preferred) is preferable. : a layer obtained by a spinneret production method - a layer obtained by a spinneret production method - a layer obtained by a spinneret production method), due to considerations Associated with obtaining a nonwoven material such as creating a good feeling to skin and having a good air permeability.

[0064] FIG. 11 is used as a reference material to describe a preferred method for manufacturing the top sheet 2 included in the spacer 1A from a continuous member representing a fibrous sheet 21 and a continuous member representing a fibrous sheet 22, while the top sheet 2 is made by processing, which uses an installation having a pre-processing unit 200 and a pile unit 300.

First, the continuous member, which is the fibrous sheet 22, is fed as shown in FIG. 11. The continuous element, which is a fibrous sheet 22, in this state is not yet formed with a three-dimensional shape. The continuous member of the fibrous sheet 21 is separate from the continuous member of the fibrous sheet 22, and the continuous member of the fibrous sheet 21 is fed so that the surface of the fibrous sheet 21 having protruding fibers 70 and the surface of the fibrous sheet 22 having protruding fibers 70 were facing each other. The continuous feed member, which is a fibrous sheet 21, is clamped in the engagement section between a first concave / convex shape with convex portions 411 and concave portions on the peripheral surface, and a second concave / convex shape roll 420, a first roller 410, and having a concave / convex shape formed from convex portions 421 and concave portions on a peripheral surface; in this way, continuous formation of a continuous member, which is a fibrous sheet 21, with a concave / convex shape is ensured. The first roller 410 rotates in one direction, which is the direction of the arrow in FIG. 11. The second roller 420 rotates at substantially the same speed in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the first roller 410. Details of the rollers 410, 420 having a similar construction are disclosed in JP 2004-174234 A and JP 2005-111908 A, which represent the previous application of the applicant for this application.

[0065] If the peripheral surface of the first roller 410 is “laid out” in the form of a flat surface, then the arrangement of the convex sections will coincide with the arrangement of the sections 23 for bonding the sheets to each other in the top sheet 2 shown in FIG. 11. In particular, the convex portions 411 of the first roller 410 are arranged in a certain order so that they correspond to the layout of the sections 23 for bonding the sheets to each other.

[0066] The continuous member, which is the fibrous sheet 21, is moved in a state in which a tensile force is applied in the longitudinal direction, is introduced into the engagement zone of the first and second rollers 410, 420, and squeezed between the two engaged rollers 410, 420. During This compression in the first roller 410 acts a suction force, preferably acting in the direction of the center from the peripheral surface, which contributes to the compression. Details of such a suction means for the first roller 410 are disclosed in documents, such as the previously mentioned documents JP 2004-174234 A and JP 2005-111908 A. This compression provides a concave-convex shape that corresponds to the shape of the first roller 410, a continuous element representing a fibrous sheet 21.

[0067] The process described above provides the formation of a continuous member, which is a fibrous sheet 21, which is formed with a three-dimensional concave-convex shape. The three-dimensional continuous element, which is a fibrous sheet 21, is moved when it covers the peripheral surface of the first roller 410. This movement ensures the three-dimensional state of the continuous element, which is a fiber sheet 21, is successfully maintained. surface to the center.

[0068] In a state in which the continuous member of the fibrous sheet 21 is in intimate contact with the peripheral surface of the first roller 410, the continuous member of the fibrous sheet 21 and the continuous member of the fibrous sheet 22, movable separately, pull together and stack on top of each other, as shown in FIG. 11. A bag comprising a continuous member, which is a fibrous sheet 21, and a continuous member, which is a fibrous sheet 22, is then subjected to heat compression treatment and bonding between the first roller 410 and a smooth roller 430 opposite the first roller, resulting in a section 23 bonding sheets to each other. Due to the formation of sections 23 of fastening sheets to each other in this way, continuous production of a top sheet 2 having a concave / convex shape with a regular arrangement of multiple concavities 24, including many sections 23 of fastening sheets to each other, and many convexities 25, surrounded by many concavities 24 and protruding towards the side of the surface facing the skin. In the bulges 25 of the topsheet 2 thus made, the protruding fibers 70 are located on a surface facing the fibrous sheet 21, that is, on the facing surface 21e of the fibrous sheet 21 forming the interior spaces of the hollow bulges 25 of the topsheet 2, and the protruding fibers 70 are also located on the reverse surface 22d of the fibrous sheet 22.

[0069] Through the use of a continuous element, which is a concave-convex top sheet 2, formed in this way, the pad 1A can be made in the subsequent steps in the same way as in the conventional method, which is the so-called method of manufacturing a sanitary pad with moving the flow of elements in longitudinal direction. In particular, on a continuous member constituting an absorbent assembly 10 and comprising a continuous member constituting a concave / convex top sheet 2, a continuous member representing a bottom sheet 3, and a plurality of absorbent bodies 4, 4, ..., in a moving direction (direction Y) between the continuous elements, which are two sheets, the continuous elements, which are the side sheets 5, are placed along both sides of the continuous element, which is an absorbent assembly 10, in the direction ne movements (Y direction), and these continuous elements are cut for the continuous production of gaskets 1A. As for what has not been described in detail, the manufacturing method of the panty liner 1A can be implemented in the same way as the conventional method, which is the so-called method of manufacturing a sanitary pad with the flow of elements in the longitudinal direction.

[0070] The materials for forming the gasket 1A of this embodiment are described.

The bottom sheet 3 and the absorbent element 4 forming the absorbent assembly 10 can be used in the usual way without any particular limitation if they are used in an absorbent article such as a disposable diaper. For example, the bottom sheet 3 may be a liquid impermeable or hydrophobic polymer film, a multilayer element of a polymer film and non-woven material or the like, and the absorbent element 4 may be a collection of fibers, such as cellulose fibers (which may be a non-woven material ), or an absorbent core formed by holding the absorbent polymer particles in a given population, wherein the fiber population or the absorbent core covers a core wrapping sheet consisting of permeable tissue paper or non-woven fabric. The side sheets 5 can be used in the usual way without any special restrictions, if they are used in an absorbent product, such as a disposable diaper. For example, the side sheets 5 may be the same material as the bottom sheet 3.

[0071] Fusion bonding means, such as adhesive, hot stamping, ultrasonic embossing or high frequency embossing, which are commonly used for absorbent products, such as disposable diapers, are used to fasten the top sheet 2, the bottom sheet 3, the absorbent member 4 and the side sheets 5. .

[0072] The following is a description of the effect of operation when using the gasket 1A according to the first embodiment of the present utility model described above.

The pad 1A has an improved springing and creates an improved feel on the skin, since the top sheet 2 of the pad 1A is formed of a nonwoven material containing protruding fibers 70, in which the number of protruding fibers per 1 cm is 8 or more and the pile height is 5 mm or less, as shown in FIG. 3-5. Since the protruding fibers 70 include fibers 71 in which the free ends 70b are thick, as shown in FIG. 5, there is no easy fluid retention at the ends of the fibers on the top sheet 2 of the gasket 1A, and the liquid separation is excellent due to the flattened shape of the ends of the fibers.

The top sheet 2 of the gasket 1A also has an additionally improved springing and creates an improved feel on the skin since two fibrous sheets 21, 22 are formed by bonding in a plurality of 23 sections of bonding the sheets to each other, and two fibrous sheets 21, 22 contain both protruding fibers 70 on facing surfaces 21e, 22d, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4.

In particular, the top sheet of the pad 1A has protrusions 25 that are not easily compressible, which provides further improved springing and an improved skin feel due to the concave / convex shape with the regular arrangement of the plurality of concavities 24 and the plurality of protuberances 25 and due to the protruding fibers 70 are located on the facing surfaces 21e, 22d of the bulges 25, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4.

[0073] Next, the absorbent article of the present utility model is described with reference to FIG. 12-14 based on a preferred second embodiment of the present utility model.

[0074] The absorbent article of the second embodiment is a sanitary napkin, and differences between the sanitary napkin 1B (also referred to as “the napkin 1B” below) of the second embodiment and the sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment will be described. Parts that are not described in detail are parts that are similar to gasket 1A, and the description of gasket 1A can be used accordingly.

[0075] A pad 1B, similar to pad 1A, is a sanitary pad having two wing parts 6, 6 but a liquid-permeable second sheet 9 is placed between the top sheet 2 and the absorbent member 4, as shown in FIG. 12 and 13. A second sheet 9 is usually provided to improve the ability to transmit fluid from the top sheet 2 to the absorbent member 4 and to reduce the return of fluid from the absorbent member 4 to the top sheet 2.

The second sheet 9 of the gasket 1A is a rectangular sheet that is elongated in the Y direction, as shown in FIG. 12, and is placed so that it covers the entire side of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent element 4.

[0076] A nonwoven fabric containing protruding fibers 70 is used both in the upper sheet 2 and in the second sheet 9 forming the spacer 1B, as shown in FIG. 14. Since the top sheet 2 and the second sheet 9 are the same non-woven material in the gasket 1B, the top sheet 2, in particular, is used as an example in the description below.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing the top sheet 2, and is equivalent to FIG. 4, showing the top sheet 2 of the gasket 1A.

The top sheet 2 of the gasket 1B is formed by bonding the flat fibrous sheet 22 and the fibrous sheet 21, in which there are concavities and bulges formed at equal intervals, while the fibrous sheet 22 and the fibrous sheet 21 are bonded in the sections 23 of the bonding sheets to each other, but the fibrous the sheet 21 forming the top sheet 2 is not formed from a single layer, but from a plurality of layers. In particular, the fibrous sheet 21 forming the top sheet 2 is formed of an upper layer 21U on the surface side of the skin facing and a lower layer 21D on the surface side of the skin and the protruding fibers 70 are located on the non-skin surface 21e (on the surface that faces the fibrous sheet 22) of the lower layer 21D. Therefore, in the bulges 25 of the upper sheet 2 of the strip 1B, the protruding fibers 70 are located on the inverted surface of the fibrous sheet 21, that is, on the non-skin surface 21e of the lower layer 21D forming the inverted surface of the internal parts in the hollow structures of the bulges 25 of the upper sheet 2, and protruding fibers 70 are located on the facing surface 22d of the fibrous sheet 22.

[0077] The material forming the spacer 1B of the second embodiment is described. The napkin 1B of the second embodiment has the same material as the material that forms the sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment.

[0078] The following is a description of the effects of functioning when using the gasket 1B according to the second embodiment of the present utility model described above.

The differences between the effects provided by the pad 1B of the second embodiment and the effects provided by the sanitary pad 1A of the first embodiment are described. Features that are not described in detail are features that are similar to the effects provided by the sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment, and a description of the effects provided by the sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment can be used accordingly.

[0079] The pad 1B has an additionally improved springing and creates an improved skin feel due to the inclusion of a top sheet 2 formed by bonding the flat fibrous sheet 22 and the fibrous sheet 21, which has concavities and bulges formed at equal intervals, and which has a multilayer structure , in sections 23 for bonding sheets to each other, as shown in FIG. fourteen.

In particular, since the gasket 1B further has a second sheet 9 between the top sheet 2 and the absorbent member 4, the second sheet is formed by bonding the flat fibrous sheet 22 and the fibrous sheet 21, in which there are concavities and bulges formed at equal intervals, in sections 23 fastening sheets to each other, as shown in FIG. 12 and 13, springing improves and the skin feel is especially improved.

[0080] The absorbent article of the present utility model is not limited to the sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment described above or the sanitary napkin 1B of the second embodiment and can be changed accordingly. The constituent elements in the above-described sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment and the sanitary napkin 1B of the second embodiment can be combined and can be made appropriately to the extent that do not deviate from the scope of the present utility model.

[0081] For example, the top sheet 2 of the above sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment and the sanitary napkin 1B of the second embodiment has protruding fibers 70 located on both of the two fibrous sheets 21, 22 forming the top sheet 2, as shown in FIG. 4 and 14, but it can also be envisaged to place the protruding fibers 70 on only one fibrous sheet. The top sheet 2 of the above sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment and the sanitary napkin 1B of the second embodiment also has protruding fibers 70 located on the facing surfaces 21e, 21d of both of the two fibrous sheets 21, 22 forming the top sheet 2, as shown in FIG. 4 and 14, but it can also be envisaged to place the protruding fibers 70 on the reverse surface of only one fibrous sheet. The protruding fibers 70 are preferably located on both facing each other surfaces to provide a low probability of a situation in which the liquid will remain in the top sheet when the liquid is absorbed. The top sheet 2 of the above sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment and the sanitary napkin 1B of the second embodiment also has protruding fibers 70 located only on the facing surfaces 21e, 21d of the two fibrous sheets 21, 22 forming the top sheet 2, as shown in FIG. 4 and 14, but there is also the possibility of placing the protruding fibers 70 on the skin-facing surface 21d (non-facing) of the fibrous sheet 21. This improves the feeling on the skin when the sheet is in contact with the skin. More preferably, in order to increase the rate of liquid absorption, the protruding fibers 70 will be located on the inverted surface of one fibrous sheet, or on the inverted surface 21e, or on the inverted surface 22d of the fibrous sheet 21 or 22; and the protruding fibers 70 are also located on the non-skin surface 22e (non-surface) of the fibrous sheet 22.

[0082] In the above sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment and sanitary napkin 1B of the second embodiment, the top sheet 2, which is formed by bonding two fibrous sheets 21, 22 together, is formed with a concave / convex shape with many concavities 24 and many convexities 25 as shown in FIG. 1 and 12, but it does not have to be formed with a concave-convex shape. In particular, the top sheet 2 can be formed by bonding two fibrous sheets 21, 22 together in a plurality of sections 23 of bonding sheets to each other. The protruding fibers are preferably located on facing each other surfaces of the fibrous sheet 21 and / or another fibrous sheet 22, which are facing each other, to obtain a surface material that provides slight wetting in the opposite direction, since very small spaces filled with protruding fibers are formed between fastening sections, and the distance from the absorbent element to the surface material will be greater when the fibers are not protruding. In addition, the protruding fibers 70 are also preferably located on the non-skin surface (on the non-surface 22 e of the fibrous sheet 22) to accelerate the movement of liquid from the surface material into the absorbent element and reduce the degree of wetting in the opposite direction.

[0083] The above sanitary napkin 1A of the first embodiment and the sanitary napkin 1B of the second embodiment have two wing portions 6, 6, as shown in FIG. 1 and 12, but they need not necessarily have wing parts 6, 6. When two wing parts 6, 6 are provided, the protruding fibers 70 can also be located on the skin-facing surfaces of the side sheets 5 forming the wing parts 6.

[0084] In the above-described sanitary napkin 1B of the second embodiment, a nonwoven fabric comprising protruding fibers 70 is used for both the top sheet 2 and the second sheet 9, as shown in FIG. 14, but another possibility is to use a non-woven material containing protruding fibers 70, either for the top sheet 2, or for the second sheet 9.

[0085] A sanitary napkin 1A and a sanitary napkin 1B are presented as embodiments, but as another option for a flat top sheet having no convex structure, protruding fibers 70 may be located on non-skin facing surfaces of the top sheet 2 and / or a liquid-permeable sheet (second sheet 9) located between the top sheet 2 and the absorbent member 4 to increase the absorption rate of the liquid. A liquid-permeable sheet (second sheet 9) located between the top sheet 2 and the absorbent element 4 may also have a concave / convex structure, and protruding fibers can be located either on one or both of its surfaces facing the skin, and its surface not facing the skin.

The protruding fibers can only be formed on the bulges of the top sheet, but it is preferable to form protruding fibers on both the concavities and the bulges. When, in this case, the surface containing the protruding fibers is a surface facing the skin, the protruding fibers are also preferably present in the bulges, as seen from the front surface, to form a sparse structure on the front surface to reduce wetting in the opposite direction and provide excellent fluid transmission so that it is unlikely that the liquid will remain in concavities. Preferably, the surface having protruding fibers is a non-skin surface, since it is unlikely that liquid will pass through the protruding fibers and remain inside the bulges when viewed from the front surface. This top sheet can be obtained by performing the process of forming concavities and bulges after the process of napping, which protrudes the fibers. In addition, pretreatment is preferably performed before the fluff fluffing process.

[0086] In addition to the sanitary napkin, the absorbent article of the present utility model may be a disposable diaper type, a stretch type disposable diaper, panty liner or the like. In the case where the absorbent article of the present utility model is a disposable diaper, the disposable diaper may be a disposable diaper intended for a child or adult. FIG. 15 shows a disposable diaper 1C of the disclosed type (also referred to as “diaper 1C” below) as yet another embodiment of an absorbent article according to the present utility model. The diaper 1C has a liquid-permeable top sheet 2 located on the side of the surface facing the skin, poorly transmitting liquids, a bottom sheet 3 located on the side of the surface not facing the skin, and an elongated longitudinally absorbent element 4 located between the above sheets 2, 3, as shown in FIG. 15. In the diaper 1C, both side edges of the front part B and both side edges of the back part A protrude laterally / laterally outward from both side edges of the middle part C. Both side edges of the middle part C are curved and curved inward in the lateral direction (direction X), and the whole form is such that the part, the middle in the longitudinal direction (Y direction), is narrowed inward. Both the upper sheet 2 and the lower sheet 3 protrude outward from both lateral edges and from both longitudinal ends of the absorbent element 4. The size of the upper sheet 2 in the lateral direction (X direction) is smaller than the size of the lower sheet 3 in the lateral direction (X direction ) The upper sheet 2 and the lower sheet 3 are bonded to each other in the protruding parts that protrude outward from the peripheral edge of the absorbent element 4, and the absorbent element 4 is located between them and fixed in a predetermined position. In the diaper 1C, which is an “open-type” diaper, two fastening tapes 11, 11 are provided on both side edges of the front portion B, and a receiving tape 12 for securing the fastening tapes 11, 11 is provided on the outer front surface (on surface facing the skin) of the back of A. Side sheets 5 having elastic elements 13 fixed in the state in which they are stretched in the Y direction are located on both sides of the diaper 1C along the longitudinal direction (Y direction) and secured in the sides of the top sheet 2, resulting in two three-dimensional assemblies, as shown in FIG. 15. A plurality of leg elastic members 14 for forming leg assemblies are arranged in a state in which they are stretched in the Y direction on both sides of the diaper 1C along the longitudinal direction (Y direction), as shown in FIG. 15, and leg assemblies are formed by tightening the leg elastic members 14. In this diaper 1C, the topsheet 2 may be a nonwoven material that includes fibers forming it, including protruding fibers 70 having a free end 70b, as shown in FIG. 3-5, and a nonwoven material containing protruding fibers 70 can also be used for a liquid-permeable sheet (not shown) located between the top sheet 2 and the absorbent member 4. The absorbent article below is also disclosed in connection with the embodiments described above .

[0087] (1) An absorbent article comprising a top sheet located on the side of the surface facing the skin, a bottom sheet located on the side of the surface not facing the skin, and an absorbent member located between these sheets, in which

a nonwoven material that includes fibers forming it, including protruding fibers having a free end, is used for the top sheet and / or for a liquid-permeable sheet located between the top sheet and the absorbent member;

the nonwoven fabric contains short fibers, while the short fibers are fused to each other; and

the number of protruding fibers is 8 or more per 1 cm, and the height of the protruding fibers is from 0.2 to 5 mm.

(2) An absorbent article according to (1), wherein the number of protruding fibers is from 12 per 1 cm to 100 per 1 cm, and the height of the protruding fibers is from 0.2 to 2.0 mm.

(3) An absorbent article according to (1) or (2), wherein

the nonwoven material comprises two fibrous sheets, wherein two fibrous sheets are bonded in a plurality of sections of bonding the sheets to each other;

at least one of the two fibrous sheets has protruding fibers located on the reverse side that faces the other fibrous sheet; and

two fibrous sheets are formed from one layer or from multiple layers.

(4) An absorbent article according to (3), wherein

one of the two fibrous sheets is flat and the other fibrous sheet has a concave / convex shape with a regular arrangement of a plurality of concavities, including a plurality of sections for bonding the sheets to each other, and a plurality of bumps surrounded by a plurality of concavities and protruding toward a surface side facing to the skin; and

the protruding fibers are located on facing each other surfaces in those sections where one fibrous sheet and / or another fibrous sheet facing each other in the bulges.

(5) An absorbent article according to (4), having a hollow structure in which the inner parts of the bulges are surrounded by a non-skin surface of a fibrous sheet on a surface surface facing a skin and a surface of a fibrous sheet facing a skin on a surface non-skin side .

(6) An absorbent article according to (4) or (5), in which the bulges are formed in the form of tetrahedral pyramids having rounded edges, the pyramids having upper surfaces at which the upper edges of the first wall parts intersect and the upper edges of the second wall parts and lower surfaces, which are surfaces opposite to those of the upper surfaces, wherein the area of the lower surfaces exceeds the area of the upper surfaces.

(7) An absorbent article according to any one of (3) to (6), wherein the section for bonding sheets to each other is formed by fusion bonding.

(8) An absorbent article according to any one of (3) to (7), wherein the non-woven material is a non-woven material in which the webs formed from long fibers are bonded by fusion bonding sections, wherein the area of the fusion bonding sections is from 0.05 mm ² to 10 mm ² , and the number of sections of fiber bonding by fusion is from 10 per 1 cm ² to 250 per 1 cm ² .

(9) The absorbent article according to (8), wherein the distance between the centers of the fusion bonding sections that are adjacent in the CD direction is from 0.5 mm to 10 mm, and the distance between the centers of the fusion bonding sections that are adjacent to direction of MD, is from 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

(10) An absorbent article according to any one of (3) to (9), wherein the fibrous sheets further have loop-forming fibers and fibers fixed at only one end by means of a fiber fusion bonding section, and from fibers forming the fibrous sheets; the percentage of loop-forming fibers, expressed as a percentage, relative to the total number of loop-forming fibers and fibers fixed at only one end by the fusion bonding section is less than 50%.

[0088] (11) An absorbent article according to any one of (3) to (10), wherein the protruding fibers are located on both facing each other surfaces of one fibrous sheet and the other fibrous sheet, which face each other in the bulges.

(12) An absorbent article according to any one of (3) to (11), wherein the distribution (degree of dispersion) of fiber diameters for the fibers forming the fibrous sheets is from 0.35 to 0.9.

(13) An absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (12), wherein the non-woven material comprises webs comprising short fibers, the webs being bonded by fusion bonding sections; and

the protruding fibers comprise a fiber in which part of the fiber is torn off, only one end of the fiber is secured by fusion bonding sections, and the free end of the fiber at the other end is thicker.

(14) An absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (12), wherein the forming fibers include short fibers and the short fibers are fused to each other.

(15) An absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (12), wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises webs consisting of short fibers and bonded by fusion bonding sections; and

protruding fibers include fibers, of which part of the fibers is torn, only one end thereof is secured by fusion bonding sections, and the free ends at the other ends are thick.

(16) An absorbent article according to (14) or (15), wherein the nonwoven fabric is a nonwoven fabric obtained by forming a web by passing air, in which hot air is used to join the fibers together by fusion.

(17) An absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (16), wherein the nonwoven material is used for the top sheet.

(18) An absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (17), wherein the nonwoven material is used in a liquid permeable sheet.

(19) An absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (18), wherein the absorbent article is a sanitary napkin.

(20) An absorbent article according to any one of (1) to (19), wherein the absorbent article is a baby diaper.

[0089] Example 1

Used non-woven material of spunbond production method (non-woven material with structure SS (spunbond-spunbond - non-woven material of spunbond method of production - non-woven material of spunbond production method)) had two layers of non-woven material of spunbond production method, consisting of polypropylene homopolymer, the bulk was 20 g / m ^2, the fiber diameter was 19 micrometers, the proportion of area sections formed by thermocompression compound (fusion-bonding sections formed by embossing), with stavlyala 9%, and a treatment for imparting hydrophilicity was made by an oil solution. Partial elongation and fluffing of the pile were performed for this nonwoven material. To ensure partial elongation, a roll device 230 was used with matching steel embossing rollers. In this roller device, the height of the protuberances 211 was 2.8 mm, and the “depth” of engagement between the convexities 211 of the roller 210 and the concavities of the roller 220 was 2.7 mm. The distance (step P ₂ ) between the bulges 211 adjacent in the direction of the axis of rotation was (was) 7 mm, and the distance (step P ₁ ) between the bulges 211 adjacent in the direction along the circle was (was) 7 mm. The temperature of the steel matching embossing rollers was 26 ° C, the peripheral speed V2 of the steel matching embossing rollers was 20 m / min, and the non-woven material moving speed V1 was 26 m / min. In addition, the height of the bulges 311 of the bulge 310 with the bulges used to fluff up the pile was 0.6 mm, the distance (step) between the bulges adjacent in the direction of the axis of rotation was (was) 1.4 mm, and the distance (step) between the bulges adjacent in the circumferential direction amounted to 2.1 mm. The speed V3 of movement of the nonwoven material was 20 m / min, and the roller 310 with the bulges rotated with a peripheral speed V4 exceeding four times, in the opposite direction with respect to the direction of movement of the nonwoven material. The girth angle was 80 degrees. The operation of fluffing the pile to form protruding fibers was performed only on the side of the upper layer of non-woven material. The ratio between the pitch of the non-woven fabric sections formed by the thermocompression joint and the convex step of the concave-convex roller (the pitch of the non-woven fabric sections formed by the thermocompression joint / convex step) was 0.31 in the MD direction (in the direction along the circumference of the roller) and 0 , 29 in the direction of CD (in the direction of the axis of rotation of the roller). Before partial elongation on the non-woven fabric, no fibers having free ends that are not thick were visible, and the protruding fibers of the non-woven material after thickening the pile had thick free ends. The top sheet was separated from the Laurie (registered trademark), more cushioned and winged product manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the resulting nonwoven material was used in place of the top sheet, and a surface having protruding fibers was brought into contact with the absorbent element, resulting in a sanitary pad.

[0090] Example 2

Used non-woven material obtained by the method of forming the web by passing air was made by carding using short fibers consisting of a polypropylene resin in the core and a polyethylene resin in the shell having a fiber length of 51 mm and treated with a hydrophilic oil solution. Fibers with a characteristic of 3.4 dtex were used in the upper layer that will touch the skin, and fibers with a characteristic of 2.2 dtex were used in the lower layer. The main mass of the upper layer was 10 g / m ² and the bulk of the lower layer was 15 g / m ² , which gave a total of 25 g / m ² . For this non-woven material, partial elongation and fluffing of the pile for the formation of protruding fibers was performed in the same way as in Example 1. The fluffing of the pile for the formation of protruding fibers was performed only from the upper layer of the non-woven material. The top sheet was separated from the “Merries (registered trademark), Merries Pants” manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the resulting non-woven material was used instead of the top sheet, and a surface having protruding fibers was placed on the side that would contact with skin, resulting in a disposable diaper.

[0091] Example 3

After partial elongation in Example 2, the bulge 310, used to fluff the pile to form protruding fibers, was rotated at 100% peripheral speed V4 in the opposite direction to the non-woven material. Everything else was performed as in Example 2. The top sheet was separated from the “Merries (registered trademark), Merries Pants” product manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the resulting non-woven material was used instead of the top sheet, and a surface having protruding fibers, was placed on the side that would come in contact with the skin, resulting in a disposable diaper.

[0092] Example 4

After partial elongation in Example 2, the bulge 310, used to fluff the pile to form protruding fibers, was rotated at a peripheral speed V4 eight times greater in the opposite direction to the non-woven material. Everything else was performed as in Example 2. The top sheet was separated from the Merries (registered trademark), Merries Pants product manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the resulting non-woven material was used instead of the top sheet, and a surface having protruding fibers, was placed on the side that would come in contact with the skin, resulting in a disposable diaper.

[0093] [Example 5]

The top sheet was separated from the “Merries (registered trademark), Merries Pants” manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the nonwoven fabric obtained in Example 1 was used instead of the top sheet, and a surface having protruding fibers was brought into contact with absorbent element, resulting in a disposable diaper was obtained.

[0094] Example 6

As in Example 5, the top sheet was separated from the “Merries (registered trademark), Merries Pants” manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the nonwoven fabric obtained in Example 1 was used instead of the top sheet, and a surface having protruding fibers was placed on the side that will come in contact with the skin, resulting in a disposable diaper.

[0095] Example 7

The nonwoven spunbond production method obtained in Example 1, which was teased to form protruding fibers, and the nonwoven spunbond production method before processing were used to form a concave / convex shape. Then, the nonwoven material was compressed in the engagement section between the first roller having a concave-convex shape with convex sections and concave sections on the peripheral surface, and the second roller having a shape that allows engagement with the concave / convex shape of the first roller, and having a concave / convex shape, consisting of convex sections and concave sections on the peripheral surface; thus, continuous formation of a nonwoven spunbond production method was ensured prior to processing to obtain a concave / convex shape. This non-woven material of the spunbond production method was subjected to thermocompression bonding and bonded to the nonwoven material of the spunbond production method, which was teased to form protruding fibers, resulting in a concave-convex top sheet. In this case, the nonwoven fabric of the spunbond production method was used on the surface that touches the skin before processing and was glued together with the nonwoven fabric of the spunbond production method that was teased to form protruding fibers such that the surface with protruding fibers was inside in relation to the glued surface. The top sheet was separated from the “Merries (registered trademark), Merries Pants” manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the resulting nonwoven fabric was used in place of the top sheet, and the concave / convex surface was placed on the side that will come in contact with the skin, resulting in a disposable diaper.

[0096] Comparative example 1

The nonwoven fabric in comparative example 1 was a nonwoven fabric spunbond production method (a nonwoven fabric with an SS structure (spunbond-spunbond - spunbond nonwoven fabric - spunbond nonwoven fabric)) having two layers of spunbond nonwoven fabric made of polypropylene homopolymer, the bulk of which was 20 g / m ² , the diameter of the fibers was 19 μm, the fraction of the area of the sections formed by thermocompression compounds ( cure bonding by the method of fusion formed by embossing) was 9%, and the treatment to impart hydrophilicity was performed by means of an oil solution. As in Example 1, the top sheet was separated from the “Laurie (registered trademark), more cushioned and winged” product manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the nonwoven fabric obtained in Comparative Example 1 was used in place of the top sheet, resulting in a hygienic gasket.

[0097] Comparative example 2

Analogously to example 2 was used non-woven material obtained by the method of forming the fabric by passing air and having a bulk mass of 25 g / m ² . This starting nonwoven fabric was used as a nonwoven fabric before comparative processing in comparative example 2. In the same way as in example 2, the sheet was separated from the “Merries (registered trademark), Merries Pants” product manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the nonwoven fabric obtained in the comparative example 2 was used in place of the top sheet, resulting in a disposable diaper.

[0098] Comparative example 3

Analogously to example 2 was used non-woven material obtained by the method of forming the web by passing air and having a bulk mass of 25 g / m ² , partial elongation, in particular, was not performed, and a roller 310 with bulges, used to fluff the pile to form protruding fibers rotated at 10000% peripheral speed V4 in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the nonwoven material. The top sheet was separated from the “Merries (registered trademark), Merries Pants” manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the resulting non-woven material was used instead of the top sheet, and a surface having protruding fibers was placed on the side that would contact with skin, resulting in a disposable diaper.

[0099] Comparative example 4

Analogously to example 5, the nonwoven fabric of comparative example 4 was a nonwoven fabric spunbond production method (nonwoven fabric with an SS structure (spunbond-spunbond nonwoven fabric spunbond production nonwoven fabric spunbond production method)) having two layers of nonwoven fabric spunbond production method, consisting of a polypropylene homopolymer, the bulk of which was 20 g / m ^2, fiber diameter was 19 micrometers, the proportion of area sections formed by thermocompression onnogo compound (fusion-bonding sections formed by embossing), was 9%, and a treatment for imparting hydrophilicity was made by an oil solution. Similar to comparative example 5, the top sheet was separated from the “Merries (registered trademark), Merries Pants” product manufactured by Kao Corporation, and the nonwoven fabric obtained in comparative example 4 was used instead of the top sheet, resulting in a disposable diaper use.

[0100] Evaluation of the protruding forming fibers

For non-woven materials used in the top sheets of sanitary napkins and disposable diapers according to examples 1-7 and comparative examples 1-4, the number of protruding forming fibers was determined by the previously described method to determine the number of protruding forming fibers. In Tables 1-3, cases with eight or more protruding forming fibers are indicated by the letter B, cases with ten or more protruding fibers are indicated by the letter A, and cases with the number of fibers less than eight are indicated by the letter D.

[0101] Assessment of tensile strength

For nonwoven materials used in the top sheets of sanitary napkins and disposable diapers according to examples 1-7 and comparative examples 1-4, using the previously described method for determining the tensile strength of a sample with a certain size, having a length of 200 mm in the direction of CD and a length of 50 mm in the MD direction was taken and stretched at a tensile speed of 300 mm / min by means of a tensile tester (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) having a distance between clamping devices, comprising 150 mm. The strength in the CD direction was determined and the average values for the four samples were taken as the strength in the CD direction. Further, for various untreated non-woven materials (according to example 1 and comparative example 1 (untreated non-woven material of the top sheet used in example 1), according to examples 2-4 and comparative examples 3 and 4 (untreated non-woven materials of the upper sheets used in examples 2- 4 and comparative example 3), according to examples 5-7 and comparative example 4 (untreated non-woven materials used in examples 5-7)). In Tables 1-3, the letter B is used to indicate cases in which the strength in the CD direction is 50% or more, and the letter D is used to indicate cases in which the strength is less than 50%.

[0102] Method for determining the amount of remaining liquid

The measurements were performed in an environment with a temperature of 22 ° C and a relative humidity of 65%. The sanitary napkins of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were laid on a horizontal surface so that the upper sheets of the gaskets were facing up, acrylic plates having cylindrical through holes were laid on top of the upper sheets of the sanitary napkins, and a static load of 100 Pa was applied. to each gasket. At this load, 3.0 g without fiber horse blood was poured through the through hole of the acrylic plate. Sixty seconds after the infusion of 3.0 g without fiber horse blood, the acrylic plate was removed and the weight (W2) of the nonwoven material was determined. The difference (W2-W1) with the weight (W1) of the non-woven material was calculated before infusion without fiber horse blood, which was measured in advance. The above operation was performed three times, and the average value for three times was taken as the amount (mg) of the remaining liquid. The amount of liquid remaining is an indication of how wet the skin of the wearer is, and the smaller the amount of liquid remaining, the better the drainage / transmission of the liquid.

[0103] Measurement method for estimating a value characterizing reverse wetting

The measurements were performed in an environment with a temperature of 22 ° C and a relative humidity of 65%. When using disposable diapers according to examples 2-7 and comparative examples 2-4, the diapers were flattened and fixed on a horizontal surface so that their top sheets were turned upwards, 40 g of artificial urine was absorbed by each top sheet in the center of the absorbent element, and ten minutes later another 40 g of artificial urine was absorbed. This operation was repeated until only 160 g of artificial urine was poured. Then twenty sheets of A4 filter paper manufactured by Toyo Roshi Kaisha, Ltd., were stacked on top of each other in the area of absorbed artificial urine, and an additional load was added to it for ten minutes, which ensured that the artificial urine was absorbed by filter paper. The load was 6 kg and was applied over an area of 30 cm × 15 cm. After ten minutes, the load was removed, and the weight of filter paper, which “absorbed” the artificial urine, was measured. The weight of the filter paper before absorption was subtracted from the given weight, and this value was considered as a value characterizing wetting in the opposite direction for each sample. Three measurements were performed for each sample, and an average value was determined, and it was taken as a value characterizing wetting in the opposite direction. The smaller the value characterizing wetting in the opposite direction, the less likely that the liquid will remain on the surface of the nonwoven material, and the better the removal / transmission of the liquid.

[0104] Evaluation of the characteristics of the upper sheet

Fluid drainage / transmission assessment

Either the above estimate of the amount of remaining liquid, or an estimate of the amount characterizing reverse wetting, was used as an estimate of the drainage / transmission of the liquid, and the results obtained in examples 1-7 and comparative examples 1-3 are shown in tables 1-3.

[0105]

Table 1 Units Example 1 Comparative Example 1 Amount of fluid remaining mg 136 160 Number of protruding fibers quantity / cm fifteen - BUT D The height of the protruding fibers mm 0.46 - CD tensile strength SN 900 1600 In (56%) In (100%)

[0106]

table 2 Units Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Comparative Example 2 Comparative Example 3 The value characterizing wetting in the opposite direction g 0.11 0.24 0.10 0.35 0.08

Number of protruding fibers quantity / cm 12 8 43 one 61 BUT AT BUT D BUT The height of the protruding fibers mm 1,5 0.94 3.6 0.15 5,4 CD tensile strength SN 520 710 410 800 260 In (65%) In (89%) In (51%) In (100%) D (33%)

[0107]

Table 3 Units Example 5 Example 6 Example 7 Comparative Example 4 The value characterizing wetting in the opposite direction g 0.13 0.11 0.08 0.64 Number of protruding fibers quantity / cm fifteen fifteen fifteen - BUT BUT BUT D The height of the protruding fibers mm 0.46 0.46 0.46 - CD tensile strength SN 900 900 2500 1600 In (56%) In (56%) In (156%) In (100%)

[0108] As it becomes clear from the results shown in table 1, the amount of remaining liquid in the sanitary towel in example 1 was less than the amount of remaining liquid in the sanitary towel in comparative example 1. As it becomes clear from the results shown in tables 2 and 3, the values characterizing the reverse wetting in disposable diapers in examples 2-4 were significantly less than the values characterizing the reverse wetting in a disposable diaper I of Comparative Example 2. The nonwoven material used in Comparative Example 3 had significantly less reduction in strength due to a large height protruding fibers mentioned scratching / rassekanie fingertips and indicated branch fluff material. It was clear that if the nonwoven material used in the examples would be used in the top sheet of the absorbent article, the drainage / transmission of the liquid was improved and the absorption rate of the liquid would be higher. In example 5, it was clear that the value characterizing wetting in the opposite direction was less than the corresponding value in example 4 due to the fact that the protruding fibers were located on the surface that will touch the skin. In the nonwoven materials used in the top sheets of the examples, many of the protruding fibers did not look like loops, but were cut off at the ends and there was no scratching with the fingertips. Separating fluffy material did not create a problem, and rolling the fibers into lumps on the surface of the product did not arise easily. There was also no scratching caused by the interweaving of hairs of the body hairline on the surface of the skin and protruding fibers. In addition, for non-woven materials used in example 1, examples 2-4 and examples 5 and 6, there was a greater number of protruding fibers and a lower decrease in tensile strength than for non-woven materials used in comparative example 1, comparative example 2 and comparative example 4.

Industrial applicability

[0109] In the case of the absorbent article of the present utility model, the springing improves and the sensation on the skin improves.

Claims (16)

1. An absorbent product comprising an upper sheet located on the surface side facing the skin, a lower sheet located on the surface side not facing the skin, and an absorbent element located between said sheets, in which a nonwoven material that includes fibers forming it, including a protruding fiber having a free end, is used for the top sheet and / or for a liquid-permeable sheet located between the top sheet and the absorbent member; the nonwoven fabric contains short fibers, while the short fibers are fused to each other; and moreover the number of protruding fibers is 8 or more per 1 cm, and the height of the protruding fibers is from 0.2 to 5 mm. 2. The absorbent product according to claim 1, in which the number of protruding fibers is from 12 per 1 cm to 100 per 1 cm, and the height of the protruding fibers is from 0.2 to 2.0 mm 3. Absorbent product according to claim 1 or 2, in which the nonwoven material comprises two fibrous sheets, wherein two fibrous sheets are bonded in a plurality of sections of bonding the sheets to each other; at least one of the two fibrous sheets has protruding fibers located on the reverse side that faces the other fibrous sheet; and two fibrous sheets are formed from one layer or from multiple layers. 4. Absorbent product according to claim 3, in which one of the two fibrous sheets is flat and the other fibrous sheet has a concave / convex shape with a regular arrangement of a plurality of concavities, including a plurality of sections for bonding the sheets to each other, and a plurality of bumps surrounded by a plurality of concavities and protruding toward a surface side facing to the skin; and the protruding fibers are located on facing each other surfaces in those sections where one fibrous sheet and / or another fibrous sheet facing each other in the bulges. 5. The absorbent product according to claim 4, having a hollow structure, in which the inner parts of the bulges are surrounded by a non-skin surface of the fibrous sheet on the surface side facing the skin and a surface of the fibrous sheet facing the skin on the surface side not facing the skin. 6. The absorbent product according to claim 4, wherein the bulges are formed in the form of tetrahedral pyramids having rounded ribs, the pyramids having upper surfaces on which the upper edges of the first wall parts intersect, and the upper edges of the second wall parts and lower surfaces that represent surface facing the upper surfaces, while the area of the lower surfaces exceeds the area of the upper surfaces. 7. The absorbent article of claim 3, wherein the section for bonding sheets to each other is formed by fusion bonding. 8. The absorbent product according to claim 3, in which the fibrous sheets additionally have loop-forming fibers and fibers fixed at only one end by means of a fiber bonding section, and of fibers forming fibrous sheets, expressed as a percentage of loop-forming fibers relative to the total number of loop-forming fibers and fibers fixed at only one end by means of a fiber fusion bonding section is less than 50%. 9. The absorbent product according to claim 3, in which the protruding fibers are located on both surfaces of one fibrous sheet and another fibrous sheet, which are facing each other in the bulges. 10. An absorbent product according to claim 3, in which the distribution of fiber diameters (degree of dispersion) for the fibers forming the fibrous sheets is from 0.35 to 0.9. 11. The absorbent product according to claim 1 or 2, in which the nonwoven material comprises webs comprising short fibers, the webs being bonded by fusion bonding sections; and the protruding fibers comprise a fiber in which part of the fiber is torn off, only one end of the fiber is secured by fusion bonding sections, and the free end of the fiber at the other end is thicker. 12. The absorbent product of claim 1 or 2, wherein the nonwoven material is a nonwoven material obtained by forming a web by passing air, in which hot air is used to join the fibers together by fusion. 13. Absorbent product according to claim 1 or 2, in which the nonwoven material is used for the top sheet. 14. An absorbent product according to claim 1 or 2, in which the nonwoven material is used for a liquid-permeable sheet. 15. The absorbent article of claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent article is a sanitary napkin. 16. The absorbent article of claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbent article is a baby diaper.