WO2014002433A1

WO2014002433A1 - Wearing article and method for manufacturing the same

Info

Publication number: WO2014002433A1
Application number: PCT/JP2013/003811
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: JP6116143B2; CN104487037B; CN104487037A; JP2014004173A

Abstract

A wearing article (1) has fasteners (41a, 41b) used to connect front and rear waist regions (7, 8) of the wearing article (1) to each other. The respective fasteners (41a, 41b) have base material sheets (40) extending outwardly in a transverse direction B from respective side panels (31a, 31b) of the wearing article (1) and each hook element (45) of mechanical fastener is attached to an interior surface side of the base material sheet (40). The base material sheet (40) is folded along a fold line (F₁) extending in a longitudinal direction so that the hook elements (45) may be temporarily joined to the interior surface side of the respective side panels (31a, 31b). The base material sheet (40) folded in this manner is compressed at least in regions along and adjacent the fold line (F₁) and kept in tight contact with itself.

Description

WEARING ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

The present disclosure relates to wearing articles suitable to be used in the form of, for example, diapers or diaper covers and a method for manufacturing the same.

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.

For example, JP 2002-45214 A (PTL 1) discloses a disposable diaper in which a rear waist region is formed on lateral portions thereof with side panels in the form of wings and fastening tape tabs having male fastening elements functioning as the hook elements of a mechanical fastener are attached to the respective wings so as to extend in a transverse direction of the diaper. The fastening tape tab is composed of a base material sheet formed of a nonwoven fabric and the hook element attached to the base material sheet. The fastening tape tab is folded in the transverse direction of the diaper so that the hook element may be temporarily joined in a peelable manner to an interior surface of the fastening tape tab, thereby being kept in a state of a temporary joint.

JP 2002-45214 A

Summary

For one or more intentions, for example, to ensure that the hook element may be easily engaged to or disengaged from the target zone, a nonwoven fabric having a relatively high stiffness is often used as the base material sheet. However, the inventor(s) has noted that the higher the stiffness, the more such a base material sheet tends to restore to its initial state before being folded. In consequence, such a base material sheet may function to peel off the hook element, when in a state of a temporary joint, from the associated element.

In some embodiments, a wearing article has a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, an inner side configured to face a wearer's skin when the article is worn on the wearer, a chassis, a 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 with the fastener.

An interior surface of the side panel in the wearing article is formed of a nonwoven fabric. The fastener has a base material sheet and a hook element attached to the inner side of the base material sheet. The base material sheet is folded toward the inner side along a fold line extending the longitudinal direction so that the hook element faces the nonwoven fabric in the side panel and is temporarily joined to the nonwoven fabric in a peelable manner. The base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself is compressed, at least in a region defined along and adjacent the fold line, so as to be kept in tight contact with itself.

In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing a wearing article is provided. The article has a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, including an inner side configured to face a wearer's skin in use, a chassis and a fastener; the chassis includes a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region and 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; the fastener extends outwardly in the transverse direction from the side panel to detachably connect the front and rear waist regions to each other, and has a base material sheet and a hook element attached to the inner side of the base material sheet. The method includes folding the base material sheet toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction so that the hook element faces the side panel and is temporarily joined to the side panel in a peelable manner. The method further includes compressing the base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself at least in a region defined along and adjacent the fold line so as to keep the folded base material sheet in tight contact with itself.

In some embodiments, a wearing article has a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, an inner side configured to face a wearer's skin when the article is worn on the wearer, a chassis, a 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 with the fastener. The fastener has a base material sheet and a fastening element attached to the inner side of the base material sheet. The base material sheet is folded toward the inner side along a fold line extending the longitudinal direction so that the fastening element faces the inner side of the side panel and is temporarily engaged with the inner side of the side panel in a peelable manner. The base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself is compressed, at least in a region defined along and adjacent the fold line, so as to be kept in tight contact with itself.

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. 2.

Details of a disposable 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 a 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, and 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 in such state 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 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 adjacent to the wearer's skin when the diaper 1 is put on the wearer's body. In this regard, the term "exterior surface" or "outer side" used herein means the surface or side adjacent to the wearer's garment.

The diaper 1 has a chassis 2 which is hourglass-shaped symmetrically about a 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 additionally has a front waist region 7, a rear waist region 8 and a crotch region 9 interposed between these two

waist regions

7, 8. The chassis 2 has a liquid-permeable bodyside liner 11, a liquid-impermeable exterior cover 12 and an absorbent structure 13. The exterior cover 12 is formed from 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 forming 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 put flat 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, nonwoven fabric made from thermoplastic synthetic fibers or plastic film, more preferably, formed of water repellent finished sheet materials such as nonwoven fabrics. These

barrier cuffs

16a, 16b are joined at the proximal edge portions 17a 17b to the bodyside liner 11 and the exterior cover 12 both facing the barrier cuffs along the

lateral edge portions

3a, 3b and the front and rear

end edge portions

4, 6 with a hot melt adhesive (not shown). 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 attached thereto under tension. When on the wearer's body, 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

18a, 18b 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 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 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 sheet materials forming 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 regions

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 regions

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 regions

32a, 32b are preferably formed of a nonwoven fabric of thermoplastic synthetic fibers which may have a mass per unit area in a range of 25 to 60 g/m² and a fineness is 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. 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 non-stretchable element used in the wearing article is of such a nature that the element may not be stretched elastically as well as inelastically by a force required to stretch these elastic regions from the relaxed state. Furthermore, when the elastics are attached to the diaper 1, for example, the side panel elastics 37 may be elastically stretched but do not contract any more due to the configuration of the diaper 1, these elastics are in the relaxed state. In the

elastic regions

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

nonwoven fabrics

34, 36 may be, a nonwoven fabric may be used which is preferably made of thermoplastic synthetic fibers which may have 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/m²,for example, a spun bonded/meltblown/spunbonded nonwoven fabric (SMS) may be used. As will be described in more detail, the first nonwoven fabric is utilized as a region to which the associated hook element 45 in the

fasteners

41a, 41b is temporarily joined in a peelable manner and, for this purpose, the thermoplastic synthetic fiber 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 are, for example, Lycra (registered trade mark) of 620 dtex, 4.5 K CIS elongated by 2 - 3 times its original length. Details of the hot melt adhesive 38 preferably used for the

elastic regions

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

Referring again to Fig. 2, the

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 fibers which may have a fineness in a range of 1 to 7 dtex and a mass per unit area in a range of 25 to 60 g/m². In the fastener 41a, 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 fusion bonded to each other at some intervals. In this regard, in order that the finger grip tab 48 of the

fastener

41a or 41b can 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 of these nonwoven fabrics should not be easily peeled off from each other. 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 members in the diaper 1. To this end, it is also possible to use a hot melt adhesive and/or a fusion-bonding processing 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. 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 the 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 hooks is in a range of 30 to 50 per a 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 element 45 is joined to 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 element which is cooperative with the hook elements 45 so that the front waist region 7 and the rear waist region 8 can 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 hot melt adhesive is distributed on the second nonwoven fabric 36 in the side panel 31b, 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 coated 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 in a range of 1 to 5 mm. The side panel elastics 37 respectively have an 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 are 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 34 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 distribution pattern of the hot melt adhesive 38 in the exemplified side panel 31b is deployed to the first nonwoven fabric 34. The hot melt adhesive 38 is 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, preferably by deploying 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 collapse on the absorbent structure 13. In the lateral edge portion 3a of the chassis 2, part of the attachment region 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 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 of 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 inner side of the elastic region 33a and temporarily and directly joined in a peelable manner to the first nonwoven fabric 34 along a plurality of ridges thereof raised toward the hook element 45. However, the hook element 45 is not directly joined to the first nonwoven fabric 34 along grooves of the gathers 39 spaced 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 to form an edge along the fold line F₁. In the preferred fastener 41a, to reduce a thickness of the edge 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, which are along and adjacent the fold line F₁, 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 the 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 setting 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 used. For this compressing, a pair of press rolls R₁, R₂ indicated by imaginary lines having a surface temperature set to a temperature corresponding to the softening temperature or lower 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 terms "permanent setting" or "permanent set" mean that the base material sheet set by compression under heating maintains, 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 on the base material sheet 40 but also to 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 region 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 (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 (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 the 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 the 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 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 panel 31a and the fastener 41a are unlikely to behave randomly. Thus, the unfolded diaper 1 can be easily straightened and put on the wearer's body quickly. In the folded diaper 1, the hook elements 45 were temporarily fastened only to the ridges of the gathers 39 formed on the side panel 31a over an area which is smaller than an assumed area if the hook elements 45 are temporarily joined to the

side panels

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

side panels

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

elastic region

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 region

33a, 33b in the relaxed state. In this regard, the dimension N may be 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 joined to a portion of the elastic region 33a close to the longitudinal axis P-P (See Fig. 2) of the diaper 1, for example, to the distal edge portions 35 exemplified in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4(a).

In the

respective fasteners

41a, 41b joined to the gathers 39, the portions being doubled up and tightly attached to themselves including the regions E₁, E₂ should not be spontaneously restored to a flat state, and the hook elements 45 should not 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

fasteners

41a, 41b 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 portions of the attachment region merely folded and overlapped on itself but also may 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, 41b are attached in a peelable manner to the chassis 2 with the hot melt adhesive 56 for temporary fixation and, consequently, 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 may 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 joined 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 in accordance with a first aspect described above may be arranged in at least one or more of the following features:
(1) 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 including:
a chassis including a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region interposed between the waist regions;
side panels extending outwardly in the transverse direction from opposite lateral edge portions of the chassis in one of the front and rear waist regions;
fasteners extending outwardly in the transverse direction from the respective side panels; and
the waist regions being connectable to and disconnectable from each other via the fastener, wherein, for each of the side panels:
an interior surface of the side panel is formed of a nonwoven fabric;
the fastener has a base material sheet and a hook element attached to the inner side of the base material sheet, wherein the base material sheet is folded toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction so that the hook element faces the nonwoven fabric in the side panel and is temporarily engaged with the nonwoven fabric in a peelable manner; and
the base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself is compressed at least in a region defined along and adjacent the fold line. As a result, the self-overlapping, folded, base material sheet is kept in tight or close-fitting contact with itself. Also, the edge of the base material sheet is reduced in thickness compared to the remaining portion of the self-overlapping, folded, base material sheet.

The aspect(s) described in the above item (1) may include at least the following embodiments, which may be taken in isolation or in combination with one another:
(1-1) The base material sheet is formed of a nonwoven fabric of thermoplastic synthetic fibers and is formed with a permanent set along and adjacent the fold line so that the base material sheet overlapping with itself is kept in tight contact with itself.
(1-2) The permanent set includes thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet.
(1-3) At least one of the thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet has a knurled surface defining a finger-grip tab at the fold line.
(1-4) The nonwoven fabric has a mass per unit area in a range of 50 - 120g/m².
(1-5) Each of the side panels is formed between the chassis and the fastener with an elastic region adapted to be elastically elongate and contract in the transverse direction and to form a plurality of gathers under contraction of the elastic region, and the hook element is temporarily engaged with the nonwoven fabric at the gathers.
(1-6) In the elastic region, a plurality of elastics extending in parallel to each other in the transverse direction is attached under tension to the nonwoven fabric with an adhesive, and the nonwoven fabric is formed with the plurality of the gathers extending in the longitudinal direction.
(1-7) 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 at the ridges of the gathers, without directly engaging with the nonwoven fabric at the grooves of the gathers.

Various embodiments in accordance with a second aspect described above may be arranged in at least one or more of the following features:
(2) 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 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 via the fastener, wherein
the fastener has a base material sheet and a fastening element attached to the inner side of the base material sheet, wherein the base material sheet is folded toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction so that the fastening element faces the inner side of the side panel and is temporarily engaged with the inner side of the side panel in a peelable manner; and
the base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself is compressed, at least in a region defined along and adjacent the fold line, so as to be kept in contact with itself.

The aspect(s) described in the above item (2) may include at least the following embodiments, which may be taken in isolation or in combination with one another:
(2-1) The base material sheet is non-stretchable, and the side panel is formed between the chassis and the fastener with an elastic region adapted to elastically elongate and contract in the transverse direction.
(2-2) The base material sheet is formed of a nonwoven fabric of thermoplastic synthetic fibers and is formed with a permanent set along and adjacent the fold line so that the base material sheet overlapping with itself is kept in contact with itself.
(2-3) The permanent set includes thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet.
(2-4) At least one of the thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet has a knurled surface defining a finger-grip tab at the fold line.
(2-5) The elastic region is adapted to form a plurality of gathers under contraction of the elastic region, the gathers have ridges raised toward the fastening element, and grooves spaced apart from the fastening element, and the fastening element temporarily and directly engages in a peelable manner with the nonwoven fabric at the ridges of the gathers, without directly engaging with the nonwoven fabric at the grooves of the gathers.

Various embodiments in accordance with a third aspect described above may be arranged in at least one or more of the following features:
(3) A method for manufacturing 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 including:
a chassis which includes a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region and 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; and
a fastener extending outwardly in the transverse direction from the side panel to detachably connect the front and rear waist regions to each other, and has a base material sheet and a hook element attached to the inner side of the base material sheet, the method including:
folding the base material sheet toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction so that the hook element faces the side panel and is temporarily joined to the side panel in a peelable manner; and
compressing the base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself at least in a region defined along and adjacent the fold line so as to keep the folded base material sheet in tight contact with itself.
In one embodiment, a side panel extends outwardly from each of the lateral edge portions of either the front waist region or the rear waist region. Preferably, the side panels extend outwardly from the lateral edge portions of the rear waist region.

The aspect(s) described in the above item (3) may include at least the following embodiments, which may be taken in isolation or in combination with one another:
(3-1) A pair of press rolls is used to compress the base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself.
(3-2) The base material sheet is guided between the paired press rolls in such a manner that the hook element is not guided together with the base material sheet between the paired press rolls.
(3-3) At least one of the paired press rolls has a knurled peripheral surface to form a corresponding knurled surface in the base material sheet for defining a finger-grip tab at the fold line.
(3-4) The method further includes heating at least one of the paired press rolls to form thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet along the fold line.
(3-5) The at least one of the paired press rolls is heated to have a surface temperature corresponding to or lower than a softening temperature of thermoplastic synthetic fiber of a nonwoven fabric forming the base material sheet.

The described aspects and/or embodiments provide one or more of the following effects.
In the wearing article according to some embodiments of the first aspect, each of the fasteners used to connect the front and rear waist regions to each other has the base material sheet and a fastening element, e.g., the hook element. The hook element is attached to the base material sheet so as to be temporarily joined to the side panel in a peelable manner. The base material sheet folded so as to overlap itself in order to fasten the hook element to the side panel is compressed along the fold line and put in tight contact with itself along and adjacent the fold line. The base material sheet is reliably maintained in such a state, whereby the base material sheet should not be spontaneously unfolded to peel off the hook element from the side panel.
The manufacturing method according to some embodiments of the second aspect ensures that the regions of the base material sheet folded and overlapping itself along and adjacent the fold line are reliably maintained in the compressed and kept in tight contact with itself. The folding of the base material sheet is along a fold line which does not intersect with the hook element.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2012-142498 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;
side panels extending outwardly in the transverse direction from opposite lateral edge portions of the chassis in one of the front and rear waist regions;
fasteners extending outwardly in the transverse direction from the respective side panels; and
the waist regions being connectable to and disconnectable from each other via the fasteners, wherein, for each of the side panels:
an interior surface of the side panel is formed of a nonwoven fabric;
the fastener has a base material sheet and a hook element attached to the inner side of the base material sheet, wherein the base material sheet is folded toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction so that the hook element faces the nonwoven fabric in the side panel and is temporarily engaged with the nonwoven fabric in a peelable manner; and
the base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself is compressed, at least in a region defined along and adjacent the fold line, so as to be kept in tight contact with itself.
The wearing article according to claim 1, wherein the base material sheet is formed of a nonwoven fabric of thermoplastic synthetic fibers and is formed with a permanent set along and adjacent the fold line so that the base material sheet overlapping with itself is kept in tight contact with itself.
The wearing article according to claim 2, wherein the permanent set includes thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet.
The wearing article according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet has a knurled surface defining a finger-grip tab at the fold line.
The wearing article according to claim 2, wherein the nonwoven fabric has a mass per unit area in a range of 50 - 120g/m².
The wearing article according to any one of claims 1 through 5, wherein
each of the side panels is formed between the chassis and the fastener with an elastic region adapted to be elastically elongate and contract in the transverse direction and to form a plurality of gathers under contraction of the elastic region, and
the hook element is temporarily engaged with the nonwoven fabric at the gathers.
The wearing article according to claim 6, wherein, in the elastic region, a plurality of elastics extending in parallel to each other in the transverse direction is attached under tension to the nonwoven fabric with an adhesive, and the nonwoven fabric is formed with the plurality of the gathers extending in the longitudinal direction.
The wearing article according to claim 6 or 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 at the ridges of the gathers, without directly engaging with the nonwoven fabric at the grooves of the gathers.
A method for manufacturing 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 which includes a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region and 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; and
a fastener which extends outwardly in the transverse direction from the side panel to detachably connect the front and rear waist regions to each other, and has a base material sheet and a hook element attached to the inner side of the base material sheet,
the method comprising:
folding the base material sheet toward the inner side along a fold line extending in the longitudinal direction so that the hook element faces the side panel and is temporarily joined to the side panel in a peelable manner; and
compressing the base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself at least in a region defined along and adjacent the fold line so as to keep the folded base material sheet in tight contact with itself.
The method according to claim 9, wherein a pair of press rolls is used to compress the base material sheet folded and overlapping with itself.
The method according to claim 10, wherein the base material sheet is guided between the paired press rolls in such a manner that the hook element is not guided together with the base material sheet between the paired press rolls.
The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein at least one of the paired press rolls has a knurled peripheral surface to form a corresponding knurled surface in the base material sheet for defining a finger-grip tab at the fold line.
The method according to any one of claims 10 through 12, further comprising
heating at least one of the paired press rolls to form thermally compressed regions of the base material sheet along the fold line.
The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one of the paired press rolls is heated to have a surface temperature corresponding to or lower than a softening temperature of thermoplastic synthetic fiber of a nonwoven fabric forming the base material sheet.