WO2014002432A1

WO2014002432A1 - Wearing article

Info

Publication number: WO2014002432A1
Application number: PCT/JP2013/003810
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tomoko MIZUMOTO; Yoshikazu Ogasawara; Masahiko Ishikawa
Original assignee: Unicharm Corporation
Priority date: 2012-06-25
Filing date: 2013-06-19
Publication date: 2014-01-03
Also published as: JP2014004172A; CN103619298B; CN103619298A; JP5586661B2

Abstract

A wearing article (1) has a pair of side panels (31a, 31b). The side panels (31a, 31b) are formed with elastic regions (33a, 33b) adapted to be elongated and contracted in a transverse direction (B). The side panels (31a, 31b) having fasteners (41a, 41b) used to connect a front waist region (7) and a rear waist region (8) to each other and a hook element (45) attached to the fasteners (41a, 41b) are engaged with the elastic regions (33a, 33b) in a peelable manner.

Description

WEARING ARTICLE

The present disclosure relates to wearing articles suitable to be used in the form of, for example, disposable diapers or diaper covers.

Background

Wearing articles such as disposable diapers or disposable diaper covers are known to include a chassis having front and rear waist regions and a pair of side panels, also referred to as wings, which circumferentially extend from either the front waist region or the rear waist region and are formed with fasteners. In addition, wearing articles of which the side panels are formed with elastic regions adapted to be stretched and contracted are also known.

For example, JP 2005-95648 A (PTL 1) discloses a disposable diaper having a pair of side panels extending from a rear waist region in a transverse direction and a pair of tape fasteners extending outwardly. The side panels are formed with elastic regions, respectively, adapted to be stretched and contracted. The tape fasteners are respectively formed with fastening regions including a plurality of hooks or fastening regions coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

JP 1999-502427 A

Summary

However, the inventor(s) has noted that, in the wearing article of which the side panels are respectively formed with the elastic regions, it may be difficult to feed partially-finished products or completed products at a high velocity through manufacturing machines due to the fact that the elastic regions are stretched and contracted in the process of continuously manufacturing them. When putting on the wearing article, the elastic regions may behave randomly and the wearing article may not be easy to put on.

In some embodiments, a wearing article has a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction being orthogonal to each other, and an inner side configured to face a wearer's skin when the article is worn on the wearer. The article includes a chassis, side panel and a fastener. The chassis includes a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region interposed between the waist regions. The side panel extends outwardly in the transverse direction from a lateral edge portion of the chassis in one of the front and rear waist regions. The fastener extends outwardly in the transverse direction from the side panel. The waist regions are connectable to and disconnectable from each other via the side panels by use of the fastener. The side panel is formed with an elastic region, between the chassis and the fastener, with the elastic region being adapted to be elastically stretched and contracted in the transverse direction. An interior surface of the elastic region is formed of a nonwoven fabric. The fastener is provided on the inner side with a hook element and is folded toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction. The hook element is engaged in a peelable manner with the nonwoven fabric of the elastic region in a relaxed state and the hook element is non-stretchable in the transverse direction.

In some embodiments, a wearing article has a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction being orthogonal to each other, and an inner side configured to face a wearer's skin when the article is worn on the wearer. The article includes a chassis, side panel and a fastener. The chassis includes a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region interposed between the waist regions. The side panel extends outwardly in the transverse direction from a lateral edge portion of the chassis in one of the front and rear waist regions. The fastener extends outwardly in the transverse direction from the side panel. The waist regions are connectable to and disconnectable from each other through the side panels with use of the fastener. The side panel is formed, between the chassis and the fastener, with an elastic region adapted to be elastically stretched and contracted in the transverse direction. An interior surface of the elastic region is formed of a nonwoven fabric. The fastener has a region non-stretchable in the transverse direction, and attached in a peelable manner to the nonwoven fabric of the elastic region in a relaxed state when the fastener is folded toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction.

As used herein, the term "relaxed state" means that the elastically stretchable elastic regions or elastics are permitted to contract without external forces, except gravity, applied to the wearing article. For example, when the elastics attached to the wearing article may be elastically stretched but may not further contract due to a specific arrangement of the wearing article, the elastics are in the relaxed state.

As used herein, the term "non-stretchable" means that, in comparison to the elastic region formed in the side panel of the wearing article according to the present disclosure, a member used in the wearing article is of such a nature that the member may not be stretched elastically as well as inelastically by a force required to stretch the elastic region from the relaxed state.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a disposable diaper as an example of a wearing article in a folded state. Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of the diaper in a developed state. Fig. 3 is a scale-enlarged and partially cutaway plan view of an elastic region. Figs. 4(a)-(d) are a series of partial sectional views illustrating the steps of folding the diaper shown in Fig. 1.

Details of a wearing article in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereunder on the basis of a disposable diaper as an example of the wearing article.

Referring to Fig. 1 illustrating a disposable diaper 1 in a folded state, the diaper 1 may be folded in various configurations in consideration of planar or steric configuration of the diaper 1 and configuration of packaging, the exemplified diaper is folded so as to be formed of a generally rectangular parallelepiped. A plurality of diapers 1 folded in this manner is packaged in a bag or box and provided to a consumer through a distributor. In Fig. 1, the diaper 1 is folded so that both dimensions in a longitudinal direction A and in a transverse direction B may become relatively small. A state of the diaper 1 developed in the longitudinal direction A from its folded state is indicated by imaginary lines.

Fig. 2 illustrates the inner side or an interior surface of the diaper 1 having been developed in the longitudinal direction A in parallel to a longitudinal axis P-P as well as in the transverse direction B from the state illustrated in Fig. 1. As used herein, the term "interior surface" or "inner side" means the surface or side opposed to the wearer's skin when the diaper 1 is put on the wearer's body. In this regard, a term "exterior surface" or "outer side" used herein means the surface or side opposed to the wearer's garment.

The diaper 1 has a chassis 2 which is hourglass-shaped symmetrically about the longitudinal axis P-P bisecting a dimension in the transverse direction B. The chassis 2 has

lateral edge portions

3a, 3b extending in the longitudinal direction A, and front and

rear end portions

4, 6 extending in the transverse direction B. The chassis includes a front waist region 7, a rear waist region 8 and a crotch region 9 interposed between these two

waist regions

7, 8. In the thickness direction, the chassis 2 further includes a liquid-permeable bodyside liner 11, a liquid-impermeable exterior cover 12 and an absorbent structure 13. The exterior cover 12 includes a liquid-impermeable plastic film 12a put in contact with the absorbent structure 13 and a nonwoven fabric 12b disposed under the plastic film 12a and defining the exterior surface of the chassis 2. The bodyside liner 11 and the plastic film 12a extend outwardly beyond a periphery of the absorbent structure 13 and are overlapped with each other and joined together in respective extensions thereof with a hot melt adhesive (not shown). The chassis 2 additionally includes a pair of

barrier cuffs

16a, 16b extending in the longitudinal direction A along the

lateral edge portions

3a, 3b and having

proximal edge portions

17a, 17b and

distal edge portions

18a, 18b. The

barrier cuffs

16a, 16b are respectively formed of, for example, a nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers or a plastic film, more preferably, formed of water repellent finished sheet materials such as nonwoven fabrics. These are joined at the

proximal edge portions

17a, 17b to the bodyside liner 11 and the exterior cover 12 with a hot melt adhesive (not shown), both facing the

barrier cuffs

16a, 16b along the

lateral edge portions

3a, 3b and the front and

rear end portions

4, 6. The respective

distal edge portions

18a, 18b of the

barrier cuffs

16a, 16b facing each other across the longitudinal axis P-P are attached to the bodyside liner 11 in the front and

rear end portions

4, 6 of the chassis 2. Within sleeves formed along the

distal edge portions

18a, 18b, spacing elastics 21 extending in the longitudinal direction A are contractibly attached thereto under tension. When the diaper 1 is in use, the diaper 1 is curved in a U-shape with the bodyside liner 11 inside. In response thereto, the spacing elastics 21 contract in the crotch region 9 and the

distal edge portions

17a, 17b are spaced away from the bodyside liner 11. In this way, the

barrier cuffs

16a, 16b formed in the manner as has been described above function to prevent body exudates from leaking sideways in the crotch region 9. The structure of the diaper is made in accordance with methods which are standard in the art and are therefore well known to a skilled person.

The chassis 2 further includes a plurality of leg elastics 22 contractibly attached under tension to the respective

lateral edge portions

3a, 3b of the crotch region 9 so as to extend in the longitudinal direction A and front and

rear waist elastics

23, 24 contractibly attached under tension to the front and

rear end portions

4, 6 so as to extend in the transverse direction B. The leg elastics 22 are interposed between the exterior cover 12 and the

barrier cuffs

16a, 16b and are joined to at least one of the exterior cover 12 and the barrier cuffs with a hot melt adhesive (not shown). The front and

rear waist elastics

23, 24 are interposed between the bodyside liner 11 and the exterior cover 12 and attached to at least one of them with a hot melt adhesive (not shown).

In the rear waist region 8 of the diaper 1,

side panels

31a, 31b extend outwardly from the

lateral edge portions

3a, 3b, respectively, in the transverse direction B. The paired

side panels

31a, 31b include

attachment portions

32a, 32b, in which these

side panels

31a, 31b are attached to the chassis 2, and

elastic regions

33a, 33b extending from the

respective attachment portions

32a, 32b in the transverse direction B. From the

elastic regions

33a, 33b,

fasteners

41a, 41b extend in the transverse direction B, respectively.

In the

side panels

31a, 31b, the

attachment portions

32a, 32b are preferably formed of a nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers, which may have a mass per unit area in a range of 25 to 60 g/m² and/or a fineness in a range of 1 to 5 dtex. Preferably, the

elastic regions

33a, 33b are respectively formed of a first nonwoven fabric 34 lying on the inner side of the diaper 1, a second nonwoven fabric 36 lying on the outer side of the diaper 1 and a plurality of side panel elastics 37 interposed between these first and second nonwoven fabrics 34, 36 (See Fig. 4). The side panel elastics 37 preferably extend in parallel to each other in the transverse direction B and are secured under tension, i.e., in a stretched state to at least one of the first and second

nonwoven fabrics

34, 36, preferably, they are secured to the first nonwoven fabric 34 with an adhesive, for example, a hot melt adhesive 38. In consequence, the

side panels

31a, 31b may be elastically contracted in the transverse direction B. In Fig. 2, the elastic region 33a of the side panel 31a is illustrated in a relaxed state, i.e., in a contracted state, and the elastic region 33b of the side panel 31b is in a stretched state. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the first nonwoven fabric 34 of the side panel 31a is formed with a plurality of gathers 39 extending in the longitudinal direction A under contraction of the elastic region 33a in the relaxed state, and the first nonwoven fabric 34 of the side panel 31b has no gathers 39 due to the stretched state of the side panel 31b. In the

elastic regions

33a, 33b, as each of the first and second

nonwoven fabrics

34, 36, a nonwoven fabric may be used which is made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers having a fineness in a range of 1 to 5 dtex and having a mass per unit area in a range of 10 to 30 g/m²such as, for example, a spunbonded/meltblown/spunbonded (SMS) nonwoven fabric. As will be described in more detail, the first nonwoven fabric is utilized as a region with which the associated hook element 45 in the fasteners 41a is temporarily engaged in a peelable manner. For this purpose, the thermoplastic synthetic fibers in the first nonwoven fabric 34 preferably include filaments so that the temporary engagement or fastening may be facilitated and, at the same time, fuzz prevention may be ensured after the hook element has been peeled off. As the side panel elastics 37, for example, Lycra (registered trade mark) of 620 dtex, 4.5 K CIS elongated at 2 - 3 ratio may be used. Details of the hot melt adhesive 38 preferably used for the

elastic regions

33a, 33b will be described later with reference to Fig. 3.

Referring again to Fig. 2, the

respective fasteners

41a, 41b are symmetric with each other and the fastener 41b has the same arrangement as the fastener 41a, so a description of the fastener 41b is partly omitted. The fastener 41a includes a third nonwoven fabric 43, a fourth nonwoven fabric 44 and the hook element 45, and has an inelastic region 46 in which the fastener 41a is attached to the elastic region 33a, a fastening region 47 includes the hook element 45 and a finger grip tab 48 extending outwardly from the fastening region 47 in the transverse direction B. The third nonwoven fabric 43 and the fourth nonwoven fabric 44 are integrally joined to each other to form a non-stretchable base material sheet 40 (See Fig. 4). These third and fourth nonwoven fabrics are preferably a nonwoven fabric of thermoplastic synthetic fiber which may have a fineness in a range of 1 to 7 dtex and/or a mass per unit area in a range of 25 to 60 g/m². In each of the

respective fasteners

41a, 41b, to join the third nonwoven fabric 43 and the fourth nonwoven fabric 44 to each other in the fastening region 47 and the finger grip tab 48, to join the fourth nonwoven fabric 44 and the second nonwoven fabric 36 in the inelastic region 46 and to join the third nonwoven fabric 43 and the first nonwoven fabric 34 in the inelastic region 46, a hot melt adhesive may be used or the respective pairs of the nonwoven fabrics may be joined to each other by fusion-bonding at some intervals. In this regard, in order that the finger grip tab 48 of the fastener 41a may be reliably gripped and/or in order that handling of the hook element 45 may be facilitated, the third nonwoven fabric 43 and the fourth nonwoven fabric 44 are preferably joined to each other and both nonwoven fabrics should not be easily peeled off from each other and the base material sheet 40 is preferably formed of a composite sheet which may have one or more of the following properties: a mass per unit area in a range of 50 to 120 g/m², a thickness in a range of 0.2 to 0.5 mm anda bending stiffness higher than that of the other elements in the diaper 1. To this end, it is also possible to use a hot melt adhesive or fusion-bonding together to join the third nonwoven fabric 43 and the fourth nonwoven fabric to each other. The thickness dimension of the base material sheet 40 is a value measured with use of a caliper at atmospheric pressure: no external force or pressure is applied to the sheet. The hook element 45 is the one which is non-stretchable at least in the transverse direction B and, as the hook element 45, a hook element which is a constituent of the mechanical fastener type often designated by other trademarks such as Velcro may be used. While the number of hooks in the hook element 45 may be appropriately selected, in a preferred example, the number of the hook elements is in a range of 30 to 50 per length of 25 mm in the longitudinal direction A as well as in the transverse direction B. In the diaper 1 illustrated in Fig. 2, when the diaper 1 is put on the wearer's body, the hook elements 45 are engaged with the nonwoven fabric 12b in the exterior cover 12 of the front waist region 7 to connect the front waist region 7 and the rear waist region 8 to each other via the

side panels

31a, 31b. The nonwoven fabric 12b is formed so as to function as the loop member which is cooperative with the hook elements 45 so that the front waist region 7 and the rear waist region 8 may be detachably connected to each other.

Fig. 3 illustrates the elastic region 33b of the side panel 31b in an enlarged scale and the first nonwoven fabric 34 partially cutaway. The second nonwoven fabric 36 in the side panel 31b is distributed with the hot melt adhesive 38 having, for example, a width dimension in a range of 7 to 25 mm to form both lateral portions of the second nonwoven fabric 36 with first adhesive regions 51 extending in the longitudinal direction A. Between a pair of the first

adhesive regions

51, 51, the second nonwoven fabric 36 is distributed with a plurality of lines of the hot melt adhesive 38 each having a width dimension S₁, which is preferably in a range of 1 to 5 mm to form a second adhesive region 52 in which a plurality of stripe adhesive lines 53 extend in the longitudinal direction A at intervals S₂, which is preferably in a range of 1 to 5 mm. The side panel elastics 37 respectively have end portions 37a attached to the second nonwoven fabric 36 preferably in a non-stretched state. The side panel elastics 37 respectively have intermediate portions 37b defined between the

end portions

37a, 37a attached under tension at a predetermined elongation ratio to the second nonwoven fabric 36 along the stripe adhesive lines 53 of the second adhesive region 52. The first nonwoven fabric 34 is joined to the second nonwoven fabric 36 in the first adhesive regions 51 and the second adhesive region 52. The elastic region 33b formed in this manner contracts in association with contraction of the side panel elastics 37 occurring in the intermediate portions 37b thereof and, in consequence, forms a plurality of gathers 39 (See Fig. 2) in a manner similar to the case of the side panel elastic region 33a as exemplified in Fig. 2. In this regard, the distributing pattern of the hot melt adhesive 38 in the side panel 31b exemplified is distributable to the first nonwoven fabric 34. The hot melt adhesive 38 adapted to form the first nonwoven fabric 34 with an orderly arranged plurality of gathers 39 extending in parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction A is preferably distributed to the first nonwoven fabric 34.

Figs. 4(a)-(d) illustrate the steps of folding the side panel 31a to obtain the diaper 1 of Fig. 1 from the diaper 1 in Fig. 2 taking the side panel 31a as an example. Fig. 4(a) is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 2, in which the side panel 31a and the fastener 41a extend in the transverse direction B in a flat (developed) state. The elastic region 33a in the side panel 31a is in a contracted state and formed with a plurality of gathers 39 undulating in the transverse direction B. In the chassis 2, the barrier cuff 16a is in a state of collapsing on the absorbent structure 13. In the lateral edge portion 3a of the chassis 2, a portion of the attachment portion 32a in the side panel 31a is interposed between the sheet material forming the barrier cuff 16a and the nonwoven fabric 12b forming the exterior cover 12. These components overlapping with each other along the lateral edge portion 3a of the chassis 2 are joined together, preferably with a hot melt adhesive (not shown). The fastener 41a is folded in a direction indicated by an arrow G₁, i.e., toward the inner side the diaper 1 along a first fold line F₁ (See Fig. 2) extending in the longitudinal direction A in the inelastic region 46 which is contiguous to the elastic region 33a.

In Fig. 4(b), the hook element 45 in the folded fastener 41a is put in contact with the gathers 39 formed on the interior surface of the elastic region 33a and temporarily and directly engaged in a peelable manner with the first nonwoven fabric 34 along a plurality of ridges of the gathers 39 raised toward the hook element 45. However, the hook element 45 is not directly engaged with the first nonwoven fabric 34 along grooves of the gathers 39 spaced apart from the hook element 45. Also in the step of Fig. 4(b), the inelastic region 46 is folded along the first fold line F₁ and, in consequence, the inelastic region 46 is doubled up, more preferably, put in tight contact with itself along the fold line F₁. In the preferred fastener 41a, to reduce a thickness of the inelastic region 46 doubled up and put in tight contact with itself to a thickness as small as possible, regions indicated by E₁, E₂ are compressed in the thickness direction C. The regions E₁, E₂ are partial segments of the inelastic region 46 on opposite sides of the first fold line F₁. In the folded state of the hook element 45, the regions E₁, E₂ extend along the first fold line F₁ and from the first fold line F₁ inwardly in the transverse direction B. Compression of the regions E₁, E₂ is preferably carried out under heating. In this regard, the compression is preferably carried out at a temperature corresponding to or lower than softening temperatures of the thermoplastic synthetic fibers forming the third nonwoven fabric 43 and the fourth nonwoven fabric 44, respectively, to prevent these thermoplastic synthetic fibers from being molten in the course of compression. Preferably, this compression under heating results in a permanent set of the base material sheet 40 along the first fold line F₁ so that the base material sheet 40 may be maintained in the folded state until the diaper 1 is actually put on the wearer's body. For this compressing, a pair of press rolls R₁, R₂ indicated by imaginary lines having a surface temperature set to a temperature corresponding to, or lower than, the softening temperature may be used. For example, when the third nonwoven fabric and the fourth nonwoven fabric are spun bonded nonwoven fabrics formed of polypropylene filaments, the surface temperature of the press rolls R₁, R₂ may be set to a temperature in a range of 100 to 90^oC. As used herein, the term "permanent setting" means that the base material sheet set by compression under heating can maintain, in a state free from compression and cooled to a room temperature, the configuration set by compression under heating or a configuration approximate thereto. The pair of press rolls R₁, R₂ at least one of which is knurled may be used for compression to form a corresponding knurled surface in the corresponding region E₁ and/or E₂ to prevent a slip which might occur between the base material sheet 40 and the press rolls R₁, R₂ when the base material sheet 40 passes between the pair of press rolls R₁, R₂. When the regions E₁, E₂ are thermally compressed, the base material sheet 40 is carefully positioned relatively to the pair of rolls R₁, R₂ to prevent the hook element 45 from being erroneously introduced between the pair of press rolls R₁, R₂ and from being compressed. Also in the step of Fig. 4(b), as a preferred embodiment, a region H in the folded base material sheet 40 is distributed with a hot melt adhesive 56 for a temporary joint or attachment described herein below. The hot melt adhesive 56 may be distributed not only to the base material sheet 40 but also on the base material sheet 40 and the side panel 31a in a continuous manner. However, the hot melt adhesive is preferably distributed only on the base material sheet 40 to prevent the hot melt adhesive 56 from coming in contact with the wearer's skin when the diaper 1 is put on the wearer's body. The base material sheet 40 may be distributed with the hot melt adhesive 56 at a mass per unit area of distribution quantity within a range of 15 to 45 g/m², more preferably at a mass per unit area in a range of 20 to 35 g/m². The hot melt adhesive 56 may be distributed within a width dimension in a range of 1 to 5 mm, more preferably in a range of 2 to 3 mm. In the transverse direction B of the fastener 41a, the hot melt adhesive 56 and the first fold line F₁ are preferably spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction by at least 3 mm. Such distance dimension facilitates the doubled up inelastic region 46 to be finger-gripped. In the diaper 1 for which distribution of the hot melt adhesive 56 has been completed, the side panel 31a overlapping with the fastener 41a is folded toward the inner side in a direction indicated by an arrow G₂ along a second fold line F₂. The second fold line F₂ extends across the attachment portion 32a of the side panel 31a in the longitudinal direction A (See Fig. 2).

In Fig. 4(c), the lateral edge portion 3a of the chassis 2, the fastener 41a and the side panel 31a overlap with each other and the lateral edge portion 3a and the fastener 41a are attached to each other in a peelable manner with the hot melt adhesive 56 for temporary attachment. The diaper 1 in a state illustrated in Fig. 4(c) is further folded toward the inner side in a direction indicated by an arrow G₃ along a third fold line F₃ to come into a state illustrated in Fig. 4(d). The third fold line F₃ is generally aligned with the lateral edge of the absorbent structure 13 in the crotch region 9 of the chassis 2 so as to extend across the chassis 2 in the longitudinal direction A (See Fig. 2).

In the diaper 1 having the side panel 31a, the fastener 41a and the chassis 2 in such folded state, the side panel 31b, the fastener 41b and the chassis 2 are then folded symmetrically with the side panel 31a, the fastener 41a and the chassis 2 so as to reduce a dimension in the transverse direction B of the diaper 1. The diaper 1 is further folded in the longitudinal direction A so that the front waist region 7 overlaps the crotch region 9 and the rear waist region 8 overlaps the front waist region 7 to come into a state of the diaper 1 illustrated in Fig. 1. In this regard, the first, second and third fold lines F₁, F₂ and F₃ are the fold lines not intersecting with the hook element 45.

In the diaper 1 folded in this manner, the hook elements 45 may be detachably engaged with the gathers 39 and, consequently, the

fasteners

41a, 41b are unlikely to rock or displace in the course of manufacturing the diaper 1, and the

elastic regions

33a, 33b of the

side panel

31a, 31b are unlikely to be stretched and contracted during the manufacturing process. Such countermeasures facilitate semi-manufactured products of the diaper 1 to be smoothly transported at a high speed in the process of manufacturing the diaper 1. With respect to the handling or developing the folded diaper 1 by a care person or a helper, the width of the diaper 1 may be gradually enlarged by following the steps in reverse order from Fig. 4(d) to Fig. 4(a), and the

side panels

31a, 31b and the

fasteners

41a, 41b are unlikely to behave randomly. Thus, the unfolded diaper 1 may be easily straightened and quickly put on the wearer's body. In the folded diaper 1, the hook elements 45 are temporarily engaged only with the ridges of the gathers 39 formed on the

side panels

31a, 31b over the area which is smaller than an assumed area if the hook elements 45 are temporarily engaged with the

side panels

31a, 31b in the flat state, and consequently, the hook elements 45 may be easily peeled off from the

side panels

31a, 31b. A dimension N in the transverse direction B (See Fig. 4(a)) of the respective hook elements 45 acting on the

elastic regions

33a, 33b in this manner may be set to be larger than a dimension M in the transverse direction B (See Fig. 4(a)) of the respective

elastic regions

33a, 33b in the relaxed state. In this regard, the dimension N may be the same as the dimension M or smaller than the dimension M without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. When the dimension N is smaller than the dimension M, the position of the first fold line F₁ in the diaper 1 is preferably selected so that the hook elements 45 may be engaged with a portion of the elastic regions 33a close to the longitudinal axis P-P (See Fig. 2) of the diaper 1, for example, to the inner lateral edge portions 35 exemplified in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4(a).

In the

respective fasteners

41a, 41b joined to the gathers 39, the portion which is doubled up and closely attached to itself including the regions E₁, E₂ should not be automatically restored to a flat state is nor the possibility that the hook elements 45 should be unintentionally peeled off from the gathers 39 in the course of manufacturing the diaper 1 and in the course of handing the diaper 1. The inelastic region 46 including the third nonwoven fabric 43 and the fourth nonwoven fabric 44 attached to each other preferably has a mass per unit area in a range of 50 to 120 g/m² and a relatively high stiffness in the diaper 1. In consideration of this, when the inelastic region 46 in a flat state is folded along the first fold line F₁, not only is the inelastic region 46 folded but also it is preferably compressed with use of the heated pair of press rolls R_1,R₂ so that the base material sheet 40 in the fastener 41a may be permanently set along the fold line F₁ to prevent the folded fastener 41a from restoring to the flat state prior to the step of further folding. The inelastic region 46 doubled up and put in close contact with itself in the regions E₁, E₂ not only may be reduced in its thickness compared to the remaining portion of the inelastic region merely folded and overlapped on itself, but also can be marked with the pattern of the knurled peripheral surfaces of the rolls. In this way, finger-grip tabs are produced having a small thickness and free from the problem of finger slip are formed along the first fold line F₁.

In Fig. 4(c), the fastener 41a is attached in a peelable manner to the chassis 2 with the hot melt adhesive 56 for temporary fixation and therefore the folded state may be easily maintained in the course of manufacturing the diaper 1 or handling the diaper 1. The hot melt adhesive 56 in its state in Fig. 4(c) should not interrupt the gripping of the folded inelastic region 46.

Various embodiments having been exemplarily described above on the basis of the diaper may be implemented in the form of a diaper cover without the absorbent structure. The

elastic regions

33a, 33b including the first and second

nonwoven fabrics

34, 36 and the elastics 37 may be replaced by an elastic region formed of an elastic nonwoven fabric including elastic yarns such as urethane elastic yarns. While such

elastic regions

33a, 33b do not form gathers even in a relaxed state, i.e., contracted state, extension and contraction can be inhibited by temporarily securing the hook element 45 to the elastic nonwoven fabric. It is also possible to provide the exterior cover 12 in the front waist region 7 with a target zone on which the hook element 45 is engaged in a peelable manner. As such target zone, a nonwoven fabric different from the nonwoven fabric 12b defining the exterior cover 12 or a loop element other than the nonwoven fabric may be used.

Various embodiments described above may be arranged in at least one or more of the following features:
(i) A wearing article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction and an inner side configured to face a wearer's skin when the article is worn on the wearer, including:
a chassis including a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region interposed between the waist regions;
a side panel extending outwardly in the transverse direction from a lateral edge portion of the chassis in one of the front and rear waist regions;
a fastener extending outwardly in the transverse direction from the side panel; and
the front and rear waist regions being connectable to and disconnectable from each other through the side panel with use of the fastener, wherein;
the side panel is formed, between the chassis and the fastener, with an elastic region being elastically stretchable and contractible in the transverse direction;
an interior surface of the elastic region is formed of a nonwoven fabric;
the fastener has a hook element disposed on the inner side of the interior surface and is folded toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction;
the hook element is engaged in a peelable manner with the nonwoven fabric of the elastic region in a relaxed state; and
the hook element is non-stretchable in the transverse direction.

The aspect(s) described in the above item (i) may include at least the following embodiments, which may be taken in isolation or in combination with one another:
(ii) In the elastic region, a plurality of elastics extending in parallel to each other in the transverse direction is contractibly attached under tension to the nonwoven fabric with an adhesive so that the nonwoven fabric is formed with a plurality of gathers extending in the longitudinal direction under contraction of the elastics, and the hook element is engaged with the nonwoven fabric formed with the gathers.
(iii) The fastener includes a non-stretchable base material sheet formed of a nonwoven fabric and the hook element attached to and the base material sheet, and the base material sheet has a mass per unit area in a range of 50 to 120 g/m².
(iv) The side panel, with which the fastener in a folded state is engaged, is further folded toward the inner side along the lateral edge portion of the chassis and overlapped with the chassis through the folded fastener.
(v) The folded fastener is temporarily attached, in a peelable manner and by an adhesive, with a portion of the chassis overlapping with the folded fastener.
(vi) The side panel overlapping with the chassis through the folded fastener is further folded, along a further folded line and toward the inner side, together with a portion of the chassis overlapped by the side panel.
(vii) The nonwoven fabric in the elastic region contains filaments of thermoplastic synthetic fibers.
(viii) The gathers have ridges raised toward the hook element, and grooves spaced apart from the hook element, and the hook element temporarily and directly engages in a peelable manner with the nonwoven fabric along the ridges of the gathers, without directly engaging with the nonwoven fabric along the grooves of the gathers.
(ix) The fastener has an inelastic region doubled up and put in contact with itself along the fold line.
(x) The base material sheet is formed with a permanent set along the fold line where the inelastic region is doubled up and put in contact with itself.
(xi) The permanent set includes thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet.
(xii) At least one of the thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet has a knurled surface and defines a finger-grip tab at the fold line.
(xiii) The adhesive is spaced from the fold line in the transverse direction by at least 3 mm.
(xiv) The chassis further includes an absorbent structure, and the further fold line is aligned with a lateral edge of the absorbent structure in the crotch region.

The described aspects and/or embodiments provide one or more of the following effects.
The fastener for connecting the front and rear waist regions includes a region, e.g., a hook element, which is non-stretchable in the transverse direction of the wearing article and which may be engaged with the elastic region of the side panel in the relaxed state to inhibit elongation and contraction of the elastic region.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2012-142497 the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Claims

A wearing article having a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction and an inner side configured to face a wearer's skin when the article is worn on the wearer, the article comprising:
a chassis including a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region interposed between the waist regions;
a side panel extending outwardly in the transverse direction from a lateral edge portion of the chassis in one of the front and rear waist regions;
a fastener extending outwardly in the transverse direction from the side panel; and
the front and rear waist regions being connectable to and disconnectable from each other through the side panel with use of the fastener, wherein
the side panel is formed, between the chassis and the fastener, with an elastic region being elastically stretchable and contractible in the transverse direction;
an interior surface of the elastic region is formed of a nonwoven fabric;
the fastener has a hook element disposed on the inner side and is folded toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction;
the hook element is engaged in a peelable manner with the nonwoven fabric of the elastic region in a relaxed state; and
the hook element is non-stretchable in the transverse direction.
The wearing article according to claim 1, wherein, in the elastic region, a plurality of elastics extending in parallel to each other in the transverse direction is contractibly attached under tension to the nonwoven fabric with an adhesive so that the nonwoven fabric is formed with a plurality of gathers extending in the longitudinal direction under contraction of the elastics, and the hook element is engaged with the nonwoven fabric formed with the gathers.
The wearing article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
the fastener includes a non-stretchable base material sheet formed of a nonwoven fabric and the hook element attached to the base material sheet, and
the base material sheet has a mass per unit area in a range of 50 to 120 g/m².
The wearing article according to any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein the side panel, with which the fastener in a folded state is engaged, is further folded toward the inner side along the lateral edge portion of the chassis and overlapped with the chassis through the folded fastener.
The wearing article according to claim 4, wherein the folded fastener is temporarily attached, in a peelable manner and by an adhesive, with a portion of the chassis overlapping with the folded fastener.
The wearing article according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the side panel overlapping with the chassis through the folded fastener is further folded, along a further fold line and toward the inner side, together with a portion of the chassis overlapped by the side panel.
The wearing article according to any one of claims 1 through 6, wherein the nonwoven fabric in the elastic region contains filaments of thermoplastic synthetic fibers.
The wearing article according to any one of claims 2 through 7, wherein
the gathers have ridges raised toward the hook element, and grooves spaced apart from the hook element, and
the hook element temporarily and directly engages in a peelable manner with the nonwoven fabric along the ridges of the gathers, without directly engaging with the nonwoven fabric along the grooves of the gathers.
The wearing article according to any one of claims 2 through 8, wherein the fastener has an inelastic region doubled up and put in contact with itself along the fold line.
The wearing article according to claim 9, wherein the base material sheet is formed with a permanent set along the fold line where the inelastic region is doubled up and put in contact with itself.
The wearing article according to claim 10, wherein the permanent set includes thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet.
The wearing article according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet has a knurled surface and defines a finger-grip tab at the fold line.
The wearing article according to any one of claims 5 through 12, wherein the adhesive is spaced from the fold line in the transverse direction by at least 3 mm.
The wearing article according to any one of claims 6 through 13, wherein
the chassis further includes an absorbent structure, and
the further fold line is aligned with a lateral edge of the absorbent structure in the crotch region.