TWI650109B - Absorbent article - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article that is easily deformed along the body shape and that the absorbent body is not easily broken.

The absorbent article (1) of the present invention includes an absorbent body (4), and at least a part of a cover sheet (5) joined to the absorbent body (4) by an adhesive, and has a penetration through the cover sheet (5) and A plurality of slit portions (6) are formed on the way to the thickness direction of the absorbent body (4).

Description

Absorbent article

The present invention relates to an absorbent article.

Since absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins and incontinence pads are installed in contact with the lower part of the wearer's crotch, they are expected to deform along the shape of the wearer's body. As such an absorbent article which is easily deformed into a shape along the body, Patent Document 1 discloses a sanitary napkin composed of a body fluid absorbent layer and a plurality of broken-line cutting lines formed therethrough. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a sanitary napkin in which a liquid-absorbing layer in a region surrounded by a bonding pattern is formed with a low-rigidity portion formed by a cutting portion penetrating the absorbing layer.

[Leading technical literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-51930

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-81558

Each of the sanitary napkins disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 has a cut portion formed in the absorbent layer for the purpose of reducing rigidity, and the cut portion is formed to penetrate the absorbent layer. However, when the cut portion that completely penetrates the absorbent layer is formed in the absorbent layer, although the rigidity of the absorbent layer can be reduced, the strength of the absorbent layer itself is also reduced. Therefore, if a sanitary napkin is used for a long time, The absorbent body may be split with the cutting portion as a starting point, and the absorbent layer may be shifted. As a result, the sanitary napkin is easily twisted during use, induces leakage of body fluids such as menstrual blood, or causes the wearer to feel menstrual blood. There is a possibility of anxiety such as a body fluid leakage.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article that is easily deformed along the shape of the body and that the absorbent body is not easily broken.

The absorbent article of the present invention includes an absorbent body located between a liquid-permeable top sheet and a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and at least a part of a cover sheet bonded to the absorbent body with an adhesive, and has a penetration through the foregoing. The sheet is covered and formed into a plurality of slit portions on the way to the thickness direction of the absorbent body.

The absorbent article of the present invention has a plurality of slit portions that penetrate through a coating sheet that covers at least a portion of the absorbent body and is formed in the thickness direction of the absorbent body. The rigidity caused by the support provided and the rigidity reduction of the absorbent body itself can make the absorbent article imitate the shape of the wearer's body easily. Deformation. As a result, the fit of the absorbent article to the wearer can be improved. In addition, since the slit portion is formed to the thickness direction of the absorbent body, the absorbent body is not penetrated, so that the absorbent body can be easily deformed and a certain strength of the absorbent body can be ensured, so that in the use of the absorbent article, the absorbent The body is not easy to crack.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an absorbent article that is easily deformed along the shape of the body and that the absorbent body is not easily broken even if it is used for a long time.

1‧‧‧ tampon (absorbent article)

2a, 2b ‧‧‧ side sheet

3‧‧‧ surface sheet

4‧‧‧ Absorber

5‧‧‧ coated sheet

6‧‧‧Slit section

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an absorbent article according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an absorbent body and a covering sheet used in the absorbent article according to the embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along a central axis C _L extending in the longitudinal direction D _L of the absorber and the covering sheet shown in FIG. 2.

Fig. 4 (a) is a plan view of an absorbent body and a cover sheet used in an absorbent article according to another embodiment of the present invention. 4 (b) and 4 (c) are plan views each showing an absorbent body and a cover sheet used in an absorbent article according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the absorbent article of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sanitary napkin 1 as an absorbent article according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the sanitary napkin 1 has a longitudinal shape having a longitudinal direction D _L and a width direction D _W orthogonal to the longitudinal direction D _L in a planar viewing angle. The sanitary napkin 1 is constituted by including various members including a pair of left and right liquid-impermeable side sheets 2a and 2b on the skin surface side of the wearer, and a pair of liquid-impermeable side sheets 2a and 2b on the side sheets. On the clothes side, a liquid-permeable surface sheet 3 composed of a non-woven fabric, a liquid-permeable plastic film, etc .; a liquid-impermeable back sheet (not shown) on the clothes side (that is, on the opposite side of the aforementioned skin surface side); An absorbent body 4 for absorbing body fluid such as menstrual blood between the top sheet 3 and the back sheet; and a liquid-pervious coating covering the absorbent body 4 at least partially between the top sheet 3 and the absorbent body 4 Sheet 5.

Hereinafter, the absorbent body and the covering sheet used in the absorbent article of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the absorbent body 4 and the cover sheet 5 used in the absorbent article (sanitary napkin 1) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a view along the absorbent body 4 and the cover sheet 5 shown in FIG. 2. C _L of the central axis portion in the longitudinal direction of the cross sectional view D _L extends. As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the absorbent body 4 and the covering sheet 5 are long in the longitudinal direction (MD direction) of a direction that coincides with the longitudinal direction D _{L of the} absorbent article and have a vertically long shape.

In this embodiment, the absorbent body 4 is used in which a fiber structure containing pulp is dispersed and maintained with a superabsorbent polymer. The absorbent body of the absorbent article of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it has a function of absorbing and retaining body fluids such as menstrual blood. The absorbent body may be any one other than the aforementioned absorbent body in which a superabsorbent polymer is dispersedly held in a fiber structure containing pulp. An arbitrary absorbent material such as a non-woven fabric is used. In addition, as the absorbent body, the absorbent material is compressed by punching or the like because the absorbent body has high rigidity. Therefore, the absorbent body is not easily cracked during use of the absorbent article, and therefore, it is ideally used.

In the absorbent article of the present invention, the basis weight of the absorbent body is not particularly limited, but it is preferably from 100 g / m ² to 500 g / m ² and more preferably from 150 g / m ² from the viewpoints of liquid absorption, flexibility, and strength. m ² ~ 300g / m ² . The thickness of the absorber is not particularly limited, but from the same viewpoint as described above, it is preferably 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm, and more preferably 1.5 mm to 5.0 mm.

In this embodiment, the covering sheet 5 is made of synthetic fibers such as polyolefin-based fibers (for example, polyethylene and polypropylene) and polyester-based fibers (for example, polyethylene terephthalate). Liquid-permeable sheets such as nonwoven fabrics, but the coated sheet used in the absorbent article of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it allows body fluids such as menstrual blood to pass through. In addition to the aforementioned nonwoven fabrics, plastic films and woven fabrics may also be used. And any other sheet material.

When the covering sheet is composed of a fibrous structure such as a non-woven fabric or a woven fabric, the basis weight of the fibrous structure is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 10 g / m from the viewpoints of liquid permeability, flexibility, and strength. ² to 70 g / m ² , more preferably 20 g / m ² to 40 g / m ² . The thickness of the coating sheet is not particularly limited, but from the same viewpoint as described above, it is preferably 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm, and more preferably 0.2 mm to 2.0 mm.

In this embodiment, at least a part of the covering sheet 5 is bonded to the absorbent body 4 by an arbitrary adhesive such as hot-melt adhesive. The absorbent body 4 and the cover sheet 5 are bonded to each other through an adhesive, so that the absorbent body 4 and the cover sheet 5 cannot be easily cracked as a starting point in a slit portion described later during use of the absorbent article. In addition, in the absorbent article of the present invention, in order to integrate the absorbent body and the covering sheet, in addition to the above-mentioned adhesive, a crimping means such as embossing may be used in combination. Especially when embossing is used in the integration of the absorber and the cover sheet, the absorber and the cover sheet are joined by a plurality of press portions formed by pressing with a plurality of embossing pins, so the absorber is less likely to cause absorption. The distortion and cracking caused by the separation of the body and the coating sheet, and the formation of the press section with high fiber density in a plurality of locations make the rigidity of the absorbent body high, and it is not easy to cause the absorbent body to crack in the use of the absorbent article. Happening.

In this embodiment, the covering sheet 5 is disposed between the surface sheet 3 and the absorbent body 4. However, the covering sheet used in the absorbent article of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it covers the absorbent body at least partially, and may be Arranged at any position according to the desired absorption performance, strength, etc. For example, the coating sheet may be disposed between the absorbent body and the back sheet, or may be disposed to surround the entire absorbent body.

The absorbent body 4 and the covering sheet 5 joined as described above have a plurality of slit portions 6 that penetrate through the covering sheet 5 and are formed in the middle of the thickness direction D _T of the absorbent body 4. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in one embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of linear slit portions 6 are arranged on the absorber 4 and the covering sheet 5 in a substantially full range in a planar viewing angle. In the present embodiment, each of the plurality of slit portions 6 faces a horizontal direction (CD direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body 4 and the cover sheet 5 (that is, the longitudinal direction D _{L of the} absorbent article) in a plane viewing angle. That is, the width direction D _{w of the} absorbent article extends parallel to the direction.

In the absorbent article of the present invention, the length of the linear slit portion is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 3 mm to 50 mm, and more preferably 5 mm to 15 mm. When the length of the slit portion is 3 mm or more, the absorbent article is easily deformed along the curvature of the wearer's body shape. When the length of the slit portion is 50 mm or less, the absorbent body receives pressure from the outside of the width direction D _W In this case, there is no case where the slit portion is opened and cracked, and durability as an absorbent article can be ensured.

The depth of the slit portion is not particularly limited, but from the standpoint of ease of bending of the absorbent article, for example, 0.05 mm to 5.0 mm, and preferably 0.1 mm to 3.0 mm. In addition, in this specification, the depth of a slit part means the distance between the plane along the surface which has a side of a slit part, and the deepest part of a slit part, and specifically, it is calculated | required by the following measuring method. depth. (1) The absorbent body having the slit portion and the covering sheet (hereinafter referred to as [absorber body, etc.]) are cut at a plane perpendicular to the extending direction of the slit portion. (2) Observe the section of the cut absorbent body with an electron microscope such as a scanning electron microscope, and measure the thickest part (hereinafter referred to as "the thickest part") between any two adjacent slits. "") (Mm). (3) Measure the thickness (mm) of the thickest part in any 10 parts, and use the average value as the average thickness of the thickest part (mm). (4) Using an electron microscope photograph or image, the surface of the absorber, such as the side opposite to the surface having the slit portion, is the lower side. When the absorber or the like is placed on a horizontal surface, it will be composed of the part in contact with the horizontal surface. The plane is assumed to be an imaginary bottom surface, and a plane parallel to the imaginary bottom surface, that is, a plane located at a distance from the bottom surface that is consistent with the average thickness of the thickest part is used as a imaginary reference surface, and the measurement is performed from the imaginary reference surface to the slit Distance to the deepest part (mm). (5) The distance (mm) from the imaginary reference surface to the deepest part of the slit portion was measured for any of the ten slit portions, and the average value was used as the depth (mm) of the slit portion.

In the present embodiment, each of the plurality of slit portions 6 extends in a direction parallel to the width direction D _{W of the} absorbent article in a planar viewing angle. When a plurality of slits extend in such a direction, the absorbent body can easily bend toward the longitudinal direction D _{L of the} absorbent article. Therefore, the absorbent article can be easily adapted to a portion of the wearer's body shape where the curvature is large. Deformation can further enhance the fit of the absorbent article to the wearer.

In the present embodiment, the plurality of slit portions 6 are arranged in a zigzag manner in a planar viewing angle on the absorber 4 and the covering sheet 5 over substantially the entire range. When the plurality of slit portions are arranged in a zigzag manner in this manner, a region having high rigidity in which no slit portion exists in the absorbent body is not continuously formed in the longitudinal direction D _L of the absorbent article, and therefore, the absorbent article becomes more easily transformed. Further, this effect is not limited to the zigzag shape of the configuration, for example, also by a plurality of slit portions arranged in the longitudinal direction D _L of the absorbent article having a slit portion adjoining each other in the longitudinal direction D _L Obtained on the part that always overlaps.

The means for forming the plurality of slit portions is not particularly limited, and any cutting means may be adopted. For example, the plurality of slit portions can be provided on the peripheral surface of the rotating cutting roller from above the coated sheet while the absorbent body and the coated sheet joined in the above-mentioned manner are conveyed by an arbitrary conveyance means. A plurality of cutting blades are formed in contact with each other. Furthermore, by adjusting the clearance between the cutting edge of the cutting roller and the conveyance means, the slit portion can be formed so as not to penetrate the absorbent body.

Examples of the method for forming the slit portion include a process (a) including: conveying the integrated cover sheet and the absorbent body by any conveying means; and conveying the cover sheet and the absorbent body from above the cover sheet while conveying the cover sheet and the absorbent body. A process (b) of forming a plurality of slit portions by abutting a plurality of cutting blades, the slit portion penetrating the coating sheet and forming a portion up to a part in the thickness direction D _T of the absorber; and from the coating Process (c) for removing a cutting blade by a sheet and an absorbent body.

In this method, a plurality of slit portions are formed in the above-mentioned process (b). However, at this time, the portion between the bottom of the slit portion and the conveyance means is pressed by the pressing force of the cutting blade. Since the high-density portion is formed, the absorbent body can be accurately bent with the high-density portion as a starting point, and the wearer can feel comfortable.

In the absorbent article of the present invention, the extending direction of the slit portion is not limited to a direction parallel to the width direction D _W of the absorbent article, but also includes a direction substantially parallel to the width direction D _W of the absorbent article. In the present specification, [the direction substantially parallel to the width direction D _W of the absorbent article] means that when a plurality of slit portions are formed to extend in such a direction, the absorbent body and the covering sheet act so as to tend to have a narrow width. The direction in which the surface side of the seam portion is bent (that is, it is easy to fold inward toward the surface side having the seam portion), for example, a direction in which the width direction D _W of the absorbent article forms an angle of 0 ° or more and 45 ° or less at a plane viewing angle. Further, in the present specification, the angle [45 ° or less than 0 ° in the width direction of the absorbent article D _W] by means D _W the width direction of the absorbent article in a parallel linear slit and the cross-section The smallest angle formed is an angle of 0 ° to 45 °. In addition, when the angle formed by the extending direction of the slit portion and the width direction D _{W of} the absorbent article is 45 ° or more, when the slit portion is formed, the fibers oriented in the width direction D _W of the absorbent article in the absorbent body. Since it is easy to be cut, there is a possibility that the strength in the width direction of the absorbent body decreases. On the other hand, when the extending direction of the slit portion is substantially parallel to the width direction D _W of the absorbent article, the absorbent body and the covering sheet are easily bent toward the surface side having the slit portion. The absorbent body and the covering sheet are deformed along the shape of the wearer's body, and the pulp and the like in the absorbent body can be prevented from being exposed from the slit portion.

Fig. 4 (a) is a plan view of an absorbent body and a cover sheet used in an absorbent article according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, each of the plurality of slit portions 6 extends in a direction of forming a predetermined angle of more than 0 ° and less than 45 ° with respect to the width direction D _W of the absorbent article in a planar viewing angle. When a plurality of slits extend in such a direction, the absorbent body can be easily deformed in the longitudinal direction D _{L of} the absorbent article, and the absorbent body can be prevented from being plurally arranged in a row along the width direction D _W of the absorbent article. The slits are split. In addition, during the manufacturing process, when forming the slit portion, the absorbent body and the covering sheet during transportation are cut diagonally to the conveying direction. Therefore, the absorbent body and the covering sheet are perpendicular to the conveying direction than the absorbent body and the covering sheet. In the case of cutting, the force of pressing the cutting blade of the cutting roller can be reduced, and the plurality of cutting blades of the rotating cutting roller can be continuously pressed against the absorber and the coating sheet during transportation. , Can reduce the wear and tear of cutting blades, etc., and can reduce equipment costs.

Further, in the absorbent article of the present invention, the arrangement form of the plurality of slit portions is not limited to the aforementioned zigzag shape, and any arrangement form can be adopted as long as the ease of deformation of the absorbent body, the strength as the absorbent body, and the like are not impaired. For example, the plurality of slit portions may be arranged in a plane viewing angle, and there are no other slit portions on an extension line of one slit portion. When the plurality of slit portions are arranged in this manner, since there is no portion where the plurality of slit portions are arranged on a straight line, it is possible to prevent the plurality of slit portions arranged on the straight line from acting as perforated lines and causing the absorbent body to crack. The situation arises.

Fig. 4 (b) is a plan view of an absorbent body and a cover sheet used in an absorbent article according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the plurality of slits arranged in the longitudinal direction D _L of the absorbent article in a planar viewing angle are oriented at a predetermined angle to the width direction D _W of the absorbent article of more than 0 ° and less than 45 °. The plurality of slit portions arranged in the same direction and arranged in the width direction D _W of the absorbent article are arranged to be alternately oriented in a zigzag manner. When the plurality of slit portions arranged in the width direction D _W of the absorbent article are so interactively oriented and arranged, compared with a case where all the slit portions are oriented and arranged in the same direction, the deformation of the absorbent body becomes difficult to face. The absorbent article is shifted in a certain direction other than the longitudinal direction D _L.

Fig. 4 (c) is a plan view of an absorbent body and a cover sheet used in an absorbent article according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, includes a central axis C _L and a plurality of slit portions arranged in the longitudinal direction of the line D _L of the absorbent article in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article extends D _L oriented in the width direction of the absorbent article D _W a direction parallel to, and on both sides in the longitudinal direction _L of the absorbent article D, and D arranged in the longitudinal direction _L of the absorbent article of the plurality of slit portions arranged in lines extend toward the absorbent article is present in the width direction of the web _{W is} D the central axis C extending slit portion or _{W is} the width direction of the central axis C near the center of the _W D _W, D _L toward the longitudinal direction both end portions of the absorbent article is gradually inclined orientation. When the plurality of slit portions are arranged in this manner, the absorbent body can be configured such that the strength becomes higher toward the both end portions in the longitudinal direction D _L of the absorbent article, and therefore the durability as the absorbent body can be improved.

As shown in FIG. 2, the absorbent article of the present invention has a width that is longer in the width direction among the absorbent body and the coated sheet (both the absorbent body and the coated sheet have the same width). It is preferable that the two edge portions in the direction D _W do not have the aforementioned slit portions. Since there are no slits in the two edge portions, a predetermined strength can be ensured in the two edge portions. Therefore, even between the two edge portions in the width direction D _W of the absorbent article and the leg circumference of the wearer. When friction and the like occur, the absorbent body does not easily crack.

The absorbent article of the present invention prevents the absorbent body and coating From the viewpoint of the separation of the sheets, it is possible to form a plurality of press sections by integrating the absorbent body and the coated sheet by embossing or the like, but depending on the number and size of the plurality of press sections, there will be absorption. The rigidity of the body becomes too high, which may cause the absorbent article to become difficult to deform along the shape of the wearer's body. Therefore, when a plurality of press sections are formed in the absorbent body and the coating sheet, it is preferable that at least a part of the press sections overlap the slit section. By forming a slit portion in at least a part of the press section, the rigidity of the absorbent body can be reduced. Therefore, the excessively high rigidity of the absorbent body caused by the plurality of press sections can be suppressed to a certain range as an absorbent article. Get the ideal fit.

Further, in the absorbent article of the present invention, the plurality of slit portions may be arranged only in a region of a part of the absorbent body and the covering sheet in a plan view. In this case, the plurality of slit portions are arranged only in a region where the rigidity is to be reduced. Part is better. For example, in the absorbent article of the present invention, in order to improve the absorption performance of the wearer's excretory abutment abutting area, the amount of pulp in the absorbent body of the excretory abutment area can be blended with the peripheral There are many areas, but when the amount of pulp in the absorbent body increases, the rigidity of the abutment area of the excretion opening becomes higher. Therefore, by arranging a plurality of slits in the abutment area of the excretion opening, the absorption of the absorbent article can be improved. The performance can also suppress the high rigidity of the absorber. In addition, since the front area and the rear area located at both end sides of the longitudinal direction D _L of the absorbent article are areas corresponding to a portion with a large curvature of the body shape of the wearer, the front area Or, by arranging a plurality of slits in at least one of the rear regions, the rigidity of the region corresponding to the portion with a large curvature of the wearer's body shape can be reduced, and the absorbent article can further improve the wearer's body. Shape fit.

In the absorbent article of the present invention, the shape of the planar viewing angle of the slit portion is not limited to the aforementioned linear shape, and any shape can be adopted as long as it does not impair the ease of deformation of the absorbent body, the strength as the absorbent body, and the like. Examples of the shape of such a slit portion include a curved shape, a V shape, a wave shape, a zigzag shape, a circular shape, and a polygonal shape.

The present invention is applicable not only to the sanitary napkins of the foregoing embodiments, but also to various absorbent articles such as pads and incontinence pads. In addition, the absorbent article of the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments, and may be appropriately combined, changed, and the like within the scope not departing from the object and technical idea of the present invention.

Claims (7)

An absorbent article includes a liquid-permeable surface sheet; a liquid-impermeable back sheet; an absorbent body positioned between the front sheet and the back sheet; and at least a part of the absorbent body being bonded to the absorbent body by an adhesive, and The longitudinally absorptive article composed of a cover sheet made of a non-woven fabric covering the absorbent body has a plurality of slit portions that pass through the cover sheet and are formed in the thickness direction of the absorbent body. For example, in the absorbent article according to the first patent application range, the slit portion extends in a direction substantially parallel to the width direction of the absorbent article in a plane view. For example, in the absorbent article according to item 1 or 2 of the patent application scope, the slit portion does not exist at the two edge portions in the width direction, which is longer in the width direction in the absorbent body and the coating sheet. For example, if the absorbent article according to item 1 or 2 of the patent application scope, the aforementioned plurality of slit portions are arranged in a plane viewing angle, and there is no end of other slit portions on an extension line of one slit portion. For example, the absorbent article according to the first or second patent application scope further includes a plurality of press sections for joining the absorbent body and the coating sheet, and the plurality of press sections contain: at least a part of the plane view The press part which overlaps the said slit part. For example, in the absorbent article according to item 1 or 2 of the patent application scope, the plurality of slit portions are configured such that, in a planar viewing angle, the slit portions adjacent to each other in the length direction of the absorbent article have each other in the length direction. Always overlapping sections. For example, the absorbent article according to item 6 of the patent application, wherein the plurality of slits are arranged in a zigzag manner in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article in a plane viewing angle.