WO2024070895A1

WO2024070895A1 - Absorbent article

Info

Publication number: WO2024070895A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/034338
Authority: WO
Inventors: 侑樹豊島; 裕美内山; 淳村井; 暁湯山
Original assignee: 花王株式会社
Priority date: 2022-09-28
Filing date: 2023-09-21
Publication date: 2024-04-04
Also published as: JP7453306B1; JP2024049201A

Abstract

An absorbent article (1) according to the present invention comprises: an absorbent body (4); and a flap part (6) that extends outward from the outer edge of the absorbent body to form the contour of the absorbent article. The absorbent body (4) has a liquid diffusion suppression area (45) and at least a pair of back compression grooves (71) spaced apart in the lateral direction (Y), in a back region (R). In a plan view, the distance between the back compression grooves (71) gradually decreases toward the back in the longitudinal direction (X). The absorbent article (1) has: a back constricted part (62); a width extending part (63) in which the total width of the absorbent article gradually increases toward the longitudinal back end (R1); and a back tapering part (64) in which the total width of the absorbent article gradually decreases toward the longitudinal back end (R1). In the plan view, at least some of the liquid diffusion suppression area (45) is located between the pair of back compression grooves (71), (71).

Description

Absorbent articles

The present invention relates to an absorbent article that is worn in the groin area and used to absorb body waste.

Absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins generally have an absorbent body disposed between a top sheet and a back sheet, and a flap portion extending outward from the absorbent body. As an example of such an absorbent article, Patent Document 1 discloses an absorbent article having an embossed pattern including a pair of rear embossments extending from the central region toward the rear side of the article and formed opposite the widthwise centerline, a rear embossment surrounding the rear embossments, and an embossed portion formed in a shape similar to the rear embossments.

The applicant has previously proposed an absorbent article in which the absorbent core of the absorbent body has a front and rear high center portion that protrude narrowly and convexly from the center in the width direction, and a folding base point is provided between the front and rear high center portions (Patent Document 2).

Also known are absorbent articles in which the rear region of the article is formed in a mountain shape.
Patent Literature 3 discloses an absorbent article having an absorbent main body part narrowed into an hourglass shape, a pair of flap parts extending outward in the width direction from the absorbent main body part, and a rear region tapering toward the rear end in the absorbent longitudinal direction. Patent Literature 4 discloses an absorbent article having a pair of flap parts at both ends in the width direction, and the width of the article including the flap parts in the rear region has a tapered shape toward the rear end in the longitudinal direction.

JP 2006-181080 A JP 2006-239162 A International Publication No. 2019-026176 JP 2020-146089 A

The present invention relates to an absorbent article having a vertical direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of a wearer and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and having a middle region that is positioned opposite the excretory part of the wearer when worn, a front region that is positioned forward of the middle region in the vertical direction, and a rear region that is positioned rearward of the middle region in the vertical direction.
In one embodiment, it is preferable for the absorbent article to have a top sheet located on the skin-facing side, a back sheet located on the non-skin-facing side, an absorbent body located between these two sheets, and a flap portion extending outward from the outer edge of the absorbent body to form the contour of the absorbent article.
In one embodiment, it is preferable that the absorbent body has a liquid diffusion suppression region in the rear region that can suppress the diffusion of liquid in the planar direction more than the surrounding areas, and at least a pair of rear compression grooves spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction.
In one embodiment, it is preferable that, in a plan view, the distance between the pair of rear compressed grooves gradually decreases toward the rear in the longitudinal direction.
In one embodiment, the absorbent article has a rear constriction portion whose lateral length is shorter than the portions located in front of and behind it, and it is preferable that the minimum width portion where the lateral length of the rear constriction portion is the minimum forms the boundary between the intermediate region and the rear region.
In one embodiment, it is preferable that the rear region has a width expansion portion, in which the overall width of the absorbent article gradually increases toward the rear longitudinal end, and a rear tapered portion, located longitudinally rearward of the width expansion portion, in which the overall width of the absorbent article gradually decreases toward the rear longitudinal end.
In one embodiment, it is preferable that at least a portion of the liquid diffusion suppressing region is sandwiched between the pair of rear compressed grooves in a plan view.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the skin-facing side of a sanitary napkin, which is one embodiment of an absorbent article of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the rear region of the sanitary napkin shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view for explaining the effect of the sanitary napkin shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the rear compressed groove shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the non-skin-facing side of the sanitary napkin shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 and showing another embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The inventions disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 4 each had room for improvement in terms of achieving both high absorbency in terms of preventing leakage and reducing discomfort when worn. For example, as in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, the rear mid-high part located on the buttocks is prone to twisting around the surrounding area when used for long periods of time or when sleeping, and this twisting is likely to cause discomfort. In addition, when worn during the day, the body moves more actively, so rubbing between the absorbent article and the skin can also cause discomfort.

The present invention relates to an absorbent article that combines high absorption performance with reduced discomfort when worn.

The absorbent article of the present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 7 show a sanitary napkin 1 (hereinafter, also referred to as "napkin 1"), which is one embodiment of the absorbent article of the present invention. Napkin 1 has a longitudinal direction X that corresponds to the front-to-rear direction of a wearer and extends from the front side (abdominal side) of the wearer through the crotch area to the rear side (dorsal side), and a lateral direction Y that is perpendicular to longitudinal direction X.
In the present invention, "forward in the longitudinal direction" refers to a position forward (toward the wearer's abdomen) of a reference position in the longitudinal direction, and "backward in the longitudinal direction" refers to a position rearward (toward the wearer's back) of a reference position in the longitudinal direction. Hereinafter, the forwardmost (abdominal) position of the napkin 1 in the longitudinal direction X is also referred to as the "foremost end F1 in the longitudinal direction X," and the rearmost (dorsal) position of the napkin 1 in the longitudinal direction X is also referred to as the "rearmost end R1 in the longitudinal direction X."

1, the napkin 1 of this embodiment has a shape that is long in the vertical direction X. The vertical direction X coincides with the longitudinal direction of the napkin 1.
The napkin 1 of this embodiment is formed symmetrically with respect to a center line CL that divides the napkin 1 in half in the horizontal direction Y and extends in the vertical direction X. This center line CL is an imaginary straight line.

The napkin 1 has a middle region M that faces the wearer's excretory area when worn, a front region F that is located forward of the middle region M in the longitudinal direction X, and a rear region R that is located rearward of the middle region M in the longitudinal direction X (see FIG. 1). The middle region M includes an area that faces the wearer's excretory area such as the vulva when worn. The contours of these regions F, M, and R are formed by the flap portion 6, which will be described later.

In this embodiment, the napkin 1 has a front constricted portion 61 located on the front side in the vertical direction X and a rear constricted portion 62 located on the rear side in the vertical direction X (see FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 1, the front constricted portion 61 is located further forward in the vertical direction X than the rear constricted portion 62. Each of these

constricted portions

61, 62 is a portion whose width (length in the horizontal direction Y) is shorter than the portions located before and after it, and both side edges of the napkin 1 are constricted inward in the horizontal direction Y. Each of the

constricted portions

61, 62 has a minimum width portion 61A, 62A (not shown) where the width (length in the horizontal direction Y) of the napkin 1 in each of the

constricted portions

61, 62 is minimum, and the minimum width portion is the boundary between the front region F and the middle region M and the boundary between the middle region M and the rear region R. Specifically, the minimum width portion of the front constricted portion 61 is the boundary between the front region F and the middle region M, and the minimum width portion of the rear constricted portion 62 is the boundary between the middle region M and the rear region R.

If the napkin 1 does not have a front constricted portion 61, the length from the front end of the napkin 1 to the narrowest part of the rear constricted portion 62 in the vertical direction X is divided into three equal parts, the area closest to the front end is defined as the front region F, and the two areas behind the area closest to the front end are defined as the middle region M.

In this specification, the "skin-facing surface" refers to the surface of the absorbent article or its constituent member (e.g., absorbent body 4) that faces the wearer's skin when the absorbent article is worn, and the "non-skin-facing surface" refers to the surface of the absorbent article or its constituent member that faces the opposite side to the skin when the absorbent article is worn. In other words, the skin-facing surface is the surface that is relatively close to the wearer's skin, and the non-skin-facing surface is the surface that is relatively far from the wearer's skin. "When worn" and "worn state" refer to the normal appropriate wearing position, i.e., the state in which the absorbent article is worn while maintaining the appropriate wearing position.

The napkin 1 of this embodiment comprises an absorbent body 10 that is elongated in the longitudinal direction X. The absorbent body 10 is the main part of the napkin 1. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the absorbent body 10 comprises a topsheet 2 that forms a skin-facing surface, a backsheet 3 that forms a non-skin-facing surface, and an absorbent body 4 located between these

sheets

2, 3.
The absorbent body 4 is a member capable of absorbing and retaining bodily fluids such as menstrual blood, urine, sweat, etc., and the entire skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 4 is covered by a top sheet 2, and the entire non-skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 4 is covered by a back sheet 3. The shapes of the front and rear edges of the top sheet 2 and the back sheet 3 in the longitudinal direction X are the same, and these

sheets

2, 3 are overlapped at the front and rear ends and joined by end seal portions 65 described below. The back sheet 3 also extends outward in the lateral direction Y beyond the top sheet 2.
As the top sheet 2, various types of sheets conventionally used in absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins can be used without any particular restrictions. For example, liquid-permeable sheets such as single-layer or multi-layer nonwoven fabrics and perforated films can be used. As the back sheet 3, liquid-impermeable sheets such as moisture-permeable resin films can be used.

The absorbent body 4 of this embodiment includes a liquid-absorbent core 40 and a liquid-permeable core wrap sheet (not shown) that covers the outer surface of the absorbent core 40 .
The absorbent body 4 of this embodiment has a portion 4C whose overall width is constant in the longitudinal direction X (hereinafter also referred to as the "constant width portion 4C"), and mountain-shaped

tapered end portions

4E, 4E located on both sides in the longitudinal direction X of the constant width portion and whose overall width gradually decreases outward in the longitudinal direction X (see FIG. 1).
The absorbent core 40 constitutes the main body of the absorbent body 4, and has a shape that is long in the longitudinal direction X in plan view as shown in Fig. 1. The plan view shape of the absorbent core 40 approximately coincides with the plan view shape of the absorbent body 4. The absorbent core 40 is disposed in the napkin 1 with its longitudinal direction coinciding with the longitudinal direction X of the napkin 1. The absorbent core 40 and the core wrap sheet may be joined together with an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive. The core wrap sheet may be made of the same material as the top sheet 2.

The absorbent core 40 contains water-absorbent materials. The water-absorbent materials include water-absorbent fibers and water-absorbent polymers.
The absorbent fiber may be any absorbent fiber that has been conventionally used as a material for forming an absorbent body (absorbent core) in this type of absorbent article. Examples of absorbent fibers include natural fibers such as wood pulp, such as softwood pulp and hardwood pulp, and non-wood pulp, such as cotton pulp and hemp pulp; modified pulp, such as cationic pulp and mercerized pulp; and regenerated fibers, such as cupra and rayon. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Considering that the main role of the absorbent fiber is to improve the liquid absorption of the absorbent body 4, the absorbent fiber is preferably a natural fiber or a regenerated fiber (cellulosic fiber).
The absorbent core 40 will be described in detail later.

1, the napkin 1 of this embodiment has a pair of

side sheets

60, 60 on both sides along the longitudinal direction X of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent main body 10 (the skin-facing surface of the topsheet 2). The pair of

side sheets

60, 60 are overlapped with both sides of the absorbent main body 10 in a plan view, and are continuously disposed over substantially the entire length of the absorbent main body 10 in the longitudinal direction X.
As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the side sheet 60 is disposed across the inside and outside of the outer edge (periphery) of the absorbent body 4. In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, a pair of wavy seal parts 21 that join the side sheet 60 and the top sheet 2 are formed on the inside of the side sheet 60 in the lateral direction Y. The wavy seal parts 21 extend in the longitudinal direction X of the absorbent body 10 on both sides along the same direction X, and are formed by heat sealing. The side sheet 60 has a portion that extends inward in the lateral direction Y from the wavy seal parts 21 to form a leakage preventing cuff 5. The inner end of the leakage preventing cuff 5 in the lateral direction Y is a free end. The free end of the leakage preventing cuff 5 stands up toward the wearer's skin side (see Fig. 2 and Fig. 3), thereby suppressing the leakage of body fluids (excrement) such as menstrual blood excreted on the top sheet 2 outward in the lateral direction Y.
The side sheets 60 may be made of the same material as the back sheet 3 .

In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, an end seal portion 65 that joins the side sheet 60 to the back sheet 3 is formed at the outer end of the side sheet 60 in the horizontal direction Y. The end seal portion 65 joins the outer peripheral edges of the top sheet 2 and the back sheet 3 at the front and rear ends in the vertical direction X, and also joins the outer peripheral edges of the side sheet 60 and the back sheet 3 at both side edges in the horizontal direction Y, and the outer peripheral edges of the end seal portion 65 form the outer shape (contour) of the napkin 1.

The napkin 1 includes a flap portion 6 (see FIG. 1 ) that extends outward from the outer edge of the absorbent body 4 and forms the contour of the napkin 1. The flap portion 6 in this embodiment is a portion that extends outward from the peripheral edge of the absorbent body 4, and serves as a non-positioning area of the absorbent body 4.
The flap portion 6 in this embodiment is composed of members arranged to straddle the inside and outside of the outer edge (periphery) of the absorbent body 4. More specifically, the flap portion 6 is composed of two or more sheet members selected from the top sheet 2, the back sheet 3, and the side sheet 60. The multiple sheet members constituting the flap portion 6 are joined to each other by a joining means such as adhesive, heat or ultrasonic fusion. The flap portion 6 in this embodiment has an end seal portion 65 formed by fusion continuously around the entire periphery of the flap portion 6.

The flap portion 6 in this embodiment has a pair of

side flap portions

6S, 6S located on both sides of the lateral direction Y of the napkin 1, and a pair of

end flap portions

6E, 6E located on both sides of the longitudinal direction X (see FIG. 1). The side flap portion 6S in this embodiment is formed by a side sheet 60 and a back sheet 3 extending outward in the lateral direction Y from both side edges of the absorbent body 4. The

end flap portions

6E, 6E in this embodiment are formed by a top sheet 2 and a back sheet 3 extending from the front and rear ends, respectively, of the absorbent body 4 in the longitudinal direction X. The sheets forming the side flap portions 6S and the end flap portions 6E are joined together by end seal portions 65.

The front constricted portion 61 and the rear constricted portion 62 are each formed by constricting the contour of the side flap portion 6S inward in the horizontal direction Y. On the other hand, both side edges of the absorbent body 4 are aligned along the vertical direction X. That is, when the napkin 1 is viewed in the vertical direction X, the length of the side flap portion 6S in the horizontal direction Y decreases at the front constricted portion 61 and the rear constricted portion 62, but the length of the absorbent body 4 in the horizontal direction Y is constant. As shown in Fig. 1, the side flap portion 6S has a region in the middle region M sandwiched between the front constricted portion 61 and the rear constricted portion 62 in the vertical direction X.
Hereinafter, the "length in the horizontal direction Y" will also be referred to as the "width", and the "total length in the horizontal direction Y" will also be referred to as the "total width".

The rear region R has a width expansion portion 63 in which the overall width of the napkin 1 gradually increases toward the rear end R1 in the longitudinal direction X, and a rear tapered portion 64 located rearward of the width expansion portion 63 in the longitudinal direction X and in which the overall width of the napkin 1 gradually decreases toward the rear end R1 in the longitudinal direction X. The width expansion portion 63 is adjacent to the middle region M in the longitudinal direction X, and is a portion in which the width gradually increases from the minimum width portion of the rear constriction portion 62 toward the rear in the longitudinal direction X. The rear tapered portion 64 is adjacent to the width expansion portion 63 in the longitudinal direction X. That is, the napkin 1 has the width expansion portion 63 between the rear tapered portion 64 and the middle region M in the longitudinal direction X (see FIG. 1). In the width expansion portion 63, the overall width of the absorbent body 4 is constant in the longitudinal direction X, while the overall width of the side flap portion 6S gradually increases toward the rear end R1 in the longitudinal direction X. The overall width of this side flap portion 6S is not the sum of the overall widths of the side flap portions 6S on both sides, but the overall width of each side flap portion 6S on each side.
The napkin 1 has a maximum width portion 67 at the boundary between the width expansion portion 63 and the rear tapered portion 64, where the overall width is maximum in the rear region R (see Figs. 1 and 4). For convenience of explanation, the absorbent core 40 is shown by a solid line in Fig. 4 and Fig. 8 described later.

In the rear tapered portion 64, the rear end of the constant width portion 4C of the absorbent body 4 and the tapered end portion 4E are arranged on the rear side of the constant width portion 4C (see FIG. 1). In the rear tapered portion 64, the overall width of the side flap portion 6S gradually decreases toward the rear in the vertical direction X, and the extension length of the end flap portion 6E from the absorbent body 4 is constant. The reduced width portion of the side flap portion 6S and the constant width portion 4C of the absorbent body 4 overlap in the vertical direction X in the rear tapered portion 64. In the rear tapered portion 64, the portion of the end flap portion 6E with a constant extension length from the absorbent body 4 is located behind the reduced width portion of the side flap portion 6S in the vertical direction X, and has a shape that follows the shape of the tapered end portion 4E of the absorbent body 4. In the rear tapered portion 64 of this embodiment, the tapered end portion 4E of the absorbent body 4 and the end flap portion 6E are curved so that they are similar to each other.

The absorbent body 4 has a liquid diffusion suppression region 45 in the rear region R that can suppress the diffusion of liquid in the planar direction more than the surrounding areas (see FIG. 1 ). The region surrounding the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 is also referred to as the "peripheral region 41." The peripheral region 41 in this embodiment has an outer edge that corresponds to the outer edge of the absorbent core 40, and surrounds both the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 and the intermediate large thickness portion 43 described below.
Note that "the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 can suppress the diffusion of liquid in the planar direction more than the surrounding areas" means that the diffusion time of body fluid discharged from the wearer's excretory part (vaginal opening) after diffusing from the middle region M to the rear region R is longer after reaching the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 than before reaching the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45. In other words, it is sufficient that the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 has a longer diffusion time along the longitudinal direction X of the body fluid targeted by the absorbent article than an area closer to the middle region M than the front end of the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 (for example, a range of 100 mm from the front end to the middle region M in the longitudinal direction X).

The liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is a region having a configuration capable of suppressing the diffusion of bodily fluids in the absorbent body 4. The liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is preferably one or more of (1) a large thickness portion, (2) a high basis weight portion, and (3) a high density portion. The liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 may be any one of the above (1) to (3) alone, or may be a combination of two or more of the above (1) to (3).
The (1) large thickness portion is a portion of the absorbent core 40 where the thickness is greater than the surrounding area, and is a so-called raised center portion. The (1) large thickness portion is, for example, a portion where the entire thickness of the absorbent core 40 is raised toward the skin-facing surface side from the surrounding area. The (2) high basis weight portion is a portion where the basis weight of the core-forming material that forms the absorbent core 40 is higher than the surrounding area. The (3) high density portion is a portion where the density of the absorbent core 40 is higher than the surrounding area.

In this embodiment, the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 is at least the large thickness portion 45a described above in (1), and the peripheral region 41 is a small thickness portion 41a that is thinner than the large thickness portion 45a (see FIGS. 2 and 3).
In order to improve the fit by having the large thickness portion 45a enter the gluteal cleft of the wearer when worn, and to allow the large thickness portion 45a to better block bodily fluids, the difference between the thickness t5 (see Figure 3) of the large thickness portion 45a and the thickness t4 (see Figure 3) of the peripheral region 41 is preferably 2 mm or more and 6 mm or less, and more preferably 3 mm or more and 5 mm or less.
In order to achieve a better balance between absorbency and reduced discomfort when worn, the thickness t5 (see FIG. 3) of the large thickness portion 45a is preferably 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less, and more preferably 6 mm or more and 8 mm or less.
From the same viewpoint as above, the thickness t4 (see FIG. 3) of the peripheral region 41 is preferably 2 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and more preferably 3 mm or more and 4 mm or less.
The thickness of each of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 and the peripheral region 41 is the thickness of the absorbent core 40 .

The thickness of each part of the absorbent core 40 is measured by the following method. When the absorbent core 40 is wrapped in a core wrap sheet, as in the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the thickness of the absorbent core is measured while it is wrapped in the core wrap sheet.
<Method of measuring thickness of absorbent core>
The absorbent core is placed on a horizontal surface without wrinkles or bends, and the thickness is measured under a load of 5 cN/ ^cm2 . A thickness gauge, PEACOCK DIAL UPRIGHT GAUGE R5-C (manufactured by OZAKI MFG.CO.LTD.), is used to measure the thickness. At this time, a plate (an acrylic plate with a thickness of about 5 mm) having a circular or square shape in plan view is placed between the tip of the thickness gauge and the measurement portion of the absorbent core, and the load is adjusted to 5 cN/ ^cm2 .

In the embodiment in which the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is the high basis weight portion of (2) above, the peripheral region 41 surrounding the periphery of the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is a low basis weight portion having a basis weight lower than that of the high basis weight portion. In this case, the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 has a higher absorption capacity for bodily fluids than the peripheral region 41, so that the flow (diffusion) of liquid into the peripheral region 41 can be suppressed.
In order to ensure such an effect, the basis weight of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45, which is the high basis weight portion, is preferably 300 g/m ² or more and 700 g/m ² or less, and more preferably 400 g/m ² or more and 600 g/m ² or less.
From the same viewpoint as above, the basis weight of the peripheral region 41 which is the low basis weight portion is preferably 150 g/m ² or more and 350 g/m ² or less, and more preferably 200 g/m ² or more and 300 g/m ² or less.
The basis weight of each of the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 and the peripheral region 41 is the basis weight of the core-forming material of the absorbent core 40 .

In the embodiment in which the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is the high-density region (3) described above, the peripheral region 41 surrounding the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is a low-density region having a lower density than the high-density region. In this case, the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is more likely to attract body fluids due to capillary action, so that the flow (diffusion) of liquid into the peripheral region 41 can be suppressed.
To ensure that such an effect is achieved, the density of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45, which is a high density portion, is preferably 0.03 g/cm ³ or more and 0.3 g/cm ³ or less, and more preferably 0.05 g/cm ³ or more and 0.2 g/cm ³ or less.
From the same viewpoint as above, the density of the peripheral region 41 which is the low density portion is preferably 0.01 g/cm ³ or more and 0.2 g/cm ³ or less, and more preferably 0.03 g/cm ³ or more and 0.15 g/cm ³ or less.
The density of each of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 and the peripheral region 41 is the density of the core-forming material of the absorbent core 40 .

From the viewpoint of further suppressing the diffusion of bodily fluids in the absorbent body 4, the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 is preferably the large thickness portion 45a of (1) or the high basis weight portion of (2), and more preferably the large thickness portion 45a of (1) and the high basis weight portion of (2). In the latter case, the peripheral region 41 is a small thickness portion 41a and a low basis weight portion compared to the liquid diffusion suppression region 45.

The absorbent body 4 of this embodiment has an intermediate thick portion 43 in the intermediate region M where the thickness of the absorbent core 40 is greater than that of the surrounding area (see FIG. 1). The intermediate thick portion 43 has a central portion located in the center of the absorbent core 40 in the horizontal direction Y and extending in the vertical direction X, and a pair of side portions whose length in the vertical direction X gradually decreases from both sides of the central portion toward the outside in the horizontal direction Y. That is, the pair of side portions are portions that protrude outward in the horizontal direction Y from the central portion. The outer ends in the horizontal direction Y of the side portions reach both side edges 4S, 4S along the vertical direction X of the absorbent core 40. The intermediate thick portion 43 has an outline in which both ends in the vertical direction X of the central portion are curved in an arc shape.
The thickness of the intermediate thick portion 43 is greater than that of the peripheral region 41, and may be the same as or different from the thickness of the above-mentioned thick portion 45a (liquid diffusion suppressing region 45).

The absorbent body 4 of this embodiment has a pair of central

compressed grooves

74, 74 extending in the longitudinal direction X from the front region F through the middle region M to the rear region R, and a front compressed groove 75 located forward of the compressed grooves 74 (see FIG. 1). The front compressed groove 75 has a curved arc shape, similar to the front end of the absorbent body 4. These

compressed grooves

74, 75 are compressed grooves independent of the rear compressed groove 71 described below, and are separated from the rear compressed groove 71 in the longitudinal direction X. In other words, these

compressed grooves

74, 75 are not continuous with the rear compressed groove 71. The central compressed groove 74 and the front compressed groove 75, like the rear compressed groove 71, are formed by integrally recessing the topsheet 2 and the absorbent body 4 toward the non-skin-facing surface by a known embossing process (compression process).
For ease of explanation, the central compressed groove 74 and the rear compressed groove 71 are omitted in Figures 2 and 3 .

The absorbent body 4 has at least a pair of rear

compressed grooves

71, 71 spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction Y in the rear region R (see Figs. 1 and 4). The rear compressed grooves 71 are recesses formed by compressing from the skin-facing surface to the non-skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 4, and can also be called "compressed parts" based on the method of their formation. The rear compressed grooves 71 are formed in the peripheral region 41, and have a higher density than the surrounding area.
The rear compressed groove 71 of this embodiment can be formed by known embossing (compression) processes, such as embossing with or without the application of heat, ultrasonic embossing, etc. For example, by subjecting the skin-facing surface (topsheet 2) of the absorbent body 10 to a compression process accompanied by heat, the rear compressed groove 71 can be formed by integrally recessing the topsheet 2 and the absorbent body 4 toward the non-skin-facing surface. In this case, at the bottom of the rear compressed groove 71, the topsheet 2, the core wrap sheet (not shown), and the absorbent core 40 can be heat-sealed and integrated.

The pair of rear compressed grooves 71 are linear compressed grooves extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction X. In a plan view, the distance between the pair of rear compressed grooves 71 gradually decreases rearward in the longitudinal direction X. In the present embodiment, the

rear ends

71r, 71r of the rear compressed grooves 71 are spaced apart in the transverse direction Y (see FIG. 4 ).
The napkin 1 is arranged such that at least a portion of the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is sandwiched between a pair of rear compressed grooves 71, 71 (see FIG. 4). In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the central portion and the rear portion in the longitudinal direction X of the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 are inserted between the pair of rear

compressed grooves

71, 71 in the longitudinal direction X.

As described above, the napkin 1 of this embodiment has a rear tapered portion 64 in the rear region R, and a liquid diffusion suppression region 45 sandwiched between a pair of rear

compressed grooves

71, 71 in the rear region R. When the napkin 1 is worn, the rear tapered portion 64 abuts against the buttocks of the wearer. The rear tapered portion 64 has a smaller area that protrudes outward in the lateral direction Y from the absorbent body than a napkin that does not have the rear tapered portion 64, and the overall width gradually decreases. As a result, the rear region R does not reach the hyperactive part of the buttocks associated with movements such as walking, so that friction and stuffiness between the rear region R and the skin can be suppressed, and discomfort during wearing can be reduced, and the rear tapered portion 64 follows along the gluteal cleft and gluteal sulcus, so that a good fit can be obtained. Moreover, since the pair of rear

compressed grooves

71, 71 are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction Y in the rear region R, the rigidity caused by the compressed grooves 71 can be reduced, and excessive hardness can be suppressed. This allows the rear region R to conform to the buttocks with high precision, reducing discomfort when worn.
On the other hand, if a portion with a large absorption capacity such as the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 is provided in the rear region R, twisting may occur around the portion, and the twisting may reach the portion. In contrast, the napkin 1 of this embodiment is provided with a pair of rear compressed grooves 71, which can stabilize the diffusion suppression effect of the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 when worn. For example, when a compressive force (black arrow in FIG. 5) or a torsional stress (white arrow in FIG. 5) is applied to the rear region R from the outside to the inside in the lateral direction Y of the napkin 1, the pair of rear compressed grooves 71, which have a higher rigidity than the surroundings, can effectively suppress the application of the compressive force or torsional stress to the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 (see FIG. 5). This can suppress the occurrence of twisting or wrinkles in the liquid diffusion suppression region 45, so that the absorption performance and diffusion suppression effect of the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 when worn can be stably exhibited.
Thus, the napkin 1 of this embodiment has high absorbency due to the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45, while the above-mentioned configuration reduces any discomfort felt when worn, resulting in an excellent wearing comfort.

From the viewpoint of further improving the wearing comfort, it is preferable that the rear compressed groove 71 is disposed only in the rear region R. That is, the front end 71f of the rear compressed groove 71 in the longitudinal direction X is located within the rear region R (see FIG. 4).
From the same viewpoint as above, it is preferable that the pair of rear compressed grooves 71 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line CL that bisects the entire length of the napkin 1 in the lateral direction Y.

In this embodiment, the rear compressed groove 71 is formed by a plurality of small embossed portions 72 arranged in a predetermined direction (see Figs. 4 and 6). Specifically, the rear compressed groove 71 is formed by a plurality of circular small embossed portions 72 intermittently arranged along a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction X. This configuration further reduces the rigidity of the rear compressed groove 71, thereby improving the ability of the rear region R to conform to the body and the wearing comfort during movement.
In order to ensure that such an effect is achieved, it is preferable that the distance L6 (see FIG. 6) between the small embossed portions 72 of the rear compressed groove 71 is longer than the diameter L5 (see FIG. 6) of the small embossed portion 72. The distance L6 between the small embossed portions 72 is the shortest distance between the small embossed portions 72, and is the distance along the direction in which the rear compressed groove 71 extends.
When the small embossed portion 72 is elliptical, the major axis diameter of the small embossed portion 72 is defined as a diameter L5.
From the same viewpoint as above, it is preferable that the rear compression groove 71 has the following dimensions.
The diameter L5 of the small embossed portion 72 (see FIG. 6) is preferably 20% to 80% of the distance L6 between the small embossed portions 72, and more preferably 35% to 65%.
The small embossed portion 72 preferably has a diameter L5 (see FIG. 6) of 0.3 mm or more and 3 mm or less, and more preferably has a diameter L5 of 0.5 mm or more and 2 mm or less.
A distance L6 (see FIG. 6) between the small embossed portions 72 is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 5 mm or less, and more preferably 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less.
The above configuration of the rear compressed groove 71 may be applied to the central compressed groove 74 and the front compressed groove 75.

In this embodiment, the small embossed portion 72 is circular, but is not limited to such a shape and may be elliptical, polygonal such as a triangle or a rectangle, or a regular polygon, or may be linear.
When the small embossed portions 72 are linear embossed portions along the extension direction of the rear compressed grooves 71, the distance L6 between the small embossed portions 72 is preferably 10 mm or more and 20 mm or less. In this case, from the viewpoint of further improving the ability of the rear region R to conform to the body and the wearing comfort during movement, the length of the small embossed portions 72 is preferably 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less. The length of such small embossed portions 72 is the length of the small embossed portions 72 (linear embossed portions) in the extension direction of the rear compressed grooves 71.

In this embodiment, the pair of central

compressed grooves

74, 74 have

rear ends

74r, 74r spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction Y. This central compressed groove 74 reaches the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 in the vertical direction X (see FIGS. 1 and 4). The rear end 74r of the central compressed groove 74 is located closer to the rear end R1 of the napkin 1 than the front end of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 in the vertical direction X.
In the napkin 1 of this embodiment, the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is preferably located between the

rear ends

74r, 74r of the pair of central compressed grooves 74, 74 (see FIG. 4). This makes it possible to further suppress the diffusion of bodily fluids outward in the lateral direction Y and to guide the bodily fluids along the central compressed groove 74 to the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45.

From the viewpoint of further reducing the stress propagated from the front region F or the middle region M of the napkin 1 to the rear region R when the napkin 1 is worn, it is preferable that the

rear ends

74r, 74r of the pair of central

compressed grooves

74, 74 are located further inward in the lateral direction Y than the

front ends

71f, 71f of the pair of rear

compressed grooves

71, 71. In this case, it is preferable that the distance W3 (see FIG. 4) between the

rear ends

74r, 74r of the pair of central

compressed grooves

74, 74 is shorter than the distance W2 (see FIG. 4) between the

front ends

71f, 71f of the pair of rear

compressed grooves

71, 71. This makes it possible to further suppress the occurrence of twisting in the rear region R. The distances W3, W2 are the shortest distance between the

rear ends

74r, 74r and the shortest distance between the

front ends

71f, 71f, and are lengths along the lateral direction Y in this embodiment.
From the same viewpoint as above, the distance W3 (see Figure 4) between the

rear ends

74r, 74r of the pair of

central compression grooves

74, 74 is preferably 45% or more and 85% or less, and more preferably 55% or more and 75% or less, of the distance W2 (see Figure 4) between the

front ends

71f, 71f of the pair of

rear compression grooves

71, 71.

In order to more reliably achieve one or two of the above-mentioned effects, it is preferable that the central compression groove 74 and the rear compression groove 71 have the following configuration.
A distance W3 (see FIG. 4) between

rear ends

74r, 74r of the pair of central

compressed grooves

74, 74 is preferably 20 mm or more and 40 mm or less, and more preferably 25 mm or more and 35 mm or less.
A distance L8 (see FIG. 4) between the rear end 74r of the central compressed groove 74 and the front end 71f of the rear compressed groove 71 in the longitudinal direction X is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less, and more preferably 0.7 mm or more and 1.2 mm or less.

The length L2 (see FIG. 4) of the rear compressed groove 71 in the longitudinal direction X is preferably 25 mm or more and 45 mm or less, and more preferably 30 mm or more and 40 mm or less.
A distance W2 (see FIG. 4) between the

front ends

71f, 71f of the pair of rear

compressed grooves

71, 71 is preferably 35 mm or more and 55 mm or less, and more preferably 40 mm or more and 50 mm or less.
A distance W4 (see FIG. 4) between the

rear ends

71r, 71r of the pair of rear compressed grooves 71 is preferably 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less, and more preferably 7 mm or more and 12 mm or less.

The liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 of the present embodiment extends in the vertical direction X across the width enlarged portion 63 and the rear tapered portion 64 (see FIG. 4 ).
The liquid diffusion suppression region 45 may be entirely disposed between the pair of rear compressed grooves 71 in the longitudinal direction X, or may be partially disposed between the pair of rear compressed grooves 71 in the longitudinal direction X. From the viewpoint of more reliably achieving the one or two effects described above, the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 is preferably disposed so as to overlap with the width expansion portion 63 in the longitudinal direction X, and is more preferably disposed forward in the longitudinal direction X of the rear lateral center line CR that bisects the entire length of the rear region R in the longitudinal direction X.
In order to achieve both absorption performance and the liquid diffusion suppression effect, the length L3 (see Figure 4) of the portion of the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 that overlaps with the pair of rear compressed grooves 71 in the longitudinal direction X is preferably 10 mm or more and 40 mm or less, more preferably 20 mm or more and 30 mm or less.

When the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 is the high basis weight portion of (2) above, the napkin 1 preferably has the following configuration.
In order to make the high basis weight portion fit better into the intergluteal cleft and intergluteal sulcus and further suppress the diffusion of bodily fluids rearward in the longitudinal direction X, it is preferable that the rear end 71r of the rear compressed groove 71 be located closer to the rear end R1 of the napkin 1 than the rear end 45r of the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 (see Figure 4).
In this case, the length L7 (see FIG. 4) between the rear end 45r of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 and the rear end 71r of the rear compressed groove 71 in the longitudinal direction X is preferably 5 mm or more and 20 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or more and 15 mm or less.
In order to further reduce the hardness in the compressed groove when the high basis weight portion is fitted into the gluteal fold, it is preferable that the distance W4 (see Figure 4) between the

rear ends

71r, 71r of the pair of rear compressed grooves 71 is shorter than the width W1 (see Figure 4) of the liquid diffusion suppression region 45, which is the high basis weight portion.
In this case, the distance W4 (see Figure 4) between the

rear ends

71r, 71r of a pair of rear compression grooves 71 is preferably 30% or more and 70% or less, and more preferably 40% or more and 60% or less, of the width W1 (see Figure 4) of the liquid diffusion suppression region 45.

In the present embodiment, the liquid-diffusion-suppressing region 45 has a generally rectangular shape with an arc-shaped rear end in a plan view. The plan view shape of the liquid-diffusion-suppressing region 45 is not limited to this shape, and may be a polygon such as a triangle, a rectangle, or a diamond, or may be a circle or an ellipse.
From the viewpoint of achieving both the absorption performance and the liquid diffusion suppressing effect, it is preferable that the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 has the following dimensions.
The length L1 (see FIG. 4) of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 in the longitudinal direction X is preferably 30 mm or more and 50 mm or less, and more preferably 35 mm or more and 45 mm or less.
The width W1 (see FIG. 4) of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 is preferably 10 mm or more and 25 mm or less, and more preferably 15 mm or more and 20 mm or less.

From the viewpoint of further reducing the contact area with the buttocks and further suppressing discomfort caused by chafing and stuffiness against the skin, it is preferable that the maximum width portion 67 is located forward in the longitudinal direction X from the rear lateral center line CR in the rear region R (see FIG. 4). In this configuration, the rear region R has an appearance that suggests ease of movement, and it is possible to give the impression that it is comfortable to wear when moving.

The angle θ (see FIG. 4) between the center line CL and an imaginary straight line La that connects the outer end in the lateral direction Y of the maximum width part 67 of the rear region R and the rear end R1 of the napkin 1 is preferably 30° to 120°, more preferably 40° to 100°. With this configuration, the contact area of the rear tapered part 64 with the skin can be further reduced, and chafing with the skin and stuffiness can be further suppressed.
The center line CL is an imaginary straight line extending in the longitudinal direction X and dividing the napkin 1 in half in the transverse direction Y.

In FIG. 7, the non-skin facing surface of the napkin 1 is shown.
The napkin 1 of this embodiment has a pair of fastening parts 31 for fastening the napkin 1 to the wearer's clothing on the non-skin facing surface of the back sheet 3. As the fastening parts 31, any conventionally used means for fastening this type of absorbent article to clothing such as shorts can be used without any particular limitation, and for example, an adhesive, a pressure-sensitive adhesive, etc. can be used. The pair of fastening parts 31 extend in the vertical direction X, and in the region overlapping with the absorbent body 4, they continue from the front region F through the middle region M to the rear region R (see FIG. 7). The pair of fastening parts 31 are formed symmetrically with respect to the center line CL.
It is preferable that the fastening part 31 for fastening the napkin 1 to the wearer's clothing is not arranged on the non-skin facing surface of the flap part 6. This configuration can improve the ability of the rear region R to conform to the skin. In addition, since there is no need to secure an area for arranging the fastening part in the flap part, the contact area with the skin can be reduced compared to conventional absorbent articles in which the fastening part is provided in the flap part. This can effectively suppress rubbing and stuffiness between the rear region R and the skin.

Next, an example of a method for producing the absorbent core 40 according to the present invention will be described.
When the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 is the large thickness portion 45a of (1) or the high basis weight portion of (2), the absorbent core 40 can be manufactured in a conventional manner using a known fiber stacking device equipped with a rotating drum.
The fiber stacking device typically includes a rotating drum having an accumulation recess formed on its outer circumferential surface, and a duct having an internal flow path for transporting a core-forming material (absorbent fiber, absorbent polymer) to the accumulation recess, and while rotating the rotating drum around its rotation axis along the drum circumferential direction, the core-forming material transported on an air flow generated in the flow path by suction from the inside of the rotating drum is stacked in the accumulation recess. The stack formed in the accumulation recess by such fiber stacking is an absorbent core 40. The specific arrangement of the core-forming material, such as the liquid diffusion suppression region 45 or the intermediate large thickness portion 43, can be realized by appropriately adjusting the shape of the accumulation recess in the manufacturing method using the fiber stacking device.

The absorbent core 40 of the present embodiment can be manufactured, for example, by using two fiber-stacking devices, stacking and integrating a stack produced by one fiber-stacking device with a stack produced by the other fiber-stacking device. In this manufacturing method, first, a core-forming material is accumulated in an accumulation recess of a first fiber-stacking device to manufacture a first stack. Separately, a core-forming material is accumulated in an accumulation recess of a second fiber-stacking device to manufacture a second stack. Next, these stacks are stacked and pressed in the thickness direction to integrate the stacks and obtain a laminate. Alternatively, a known suction means such as a vacuum conveyor may be used, and the stacks may be placed on the suction surface of the suction means, and stacks may be stacked and integrated with each other while the suction force of the suction surface is acting, to obtain a laminate. In these manufacturing methods, the absorbent core 40 of the above-mentioned embodiment is obtained by stacking and integrating the first stack corresponding to the peripheral region 41 and the second stack corresponding to the liquid diffusion suppression region 45.
When the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 is the high density portion as described above in (3), it can be formed by compressing the portion of the absorbent core 40 that corresponds to the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 .

Although the present invention has been described based on the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment and can be modified as appropriate.
For example, the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 in the above-described embodiment is disposed between a pair of rear

compressed grooves

71, 71 in the lateral direction Y, as shown in Fig. 4. This liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 does not overlap with the rear compressed groove 71 in a plan view. Alternatively, the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 may overlap with the rear compressed groove 71 in a plan view (see Fig. 8), or may be disposed so as to be in contact with the rear compressed groove 71. That is, it is sufficient that at least a portion of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 is disposed between the pair of rear

compressed grooves

71, 71 in the lateral direction Y. In this case, it is preferable that the rear end 45r of the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 is disposed forward of the rear end 71r of the rear compressed groove 71.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the pair of central compression grooves 74 have

rear ends

74r, 74r spaced apart in the lateral direction Y, but the pair of central compression grooves 74 may have

rear ends

74r, 74r that are continuous with each other to form an approximately U-shape.
Furthermore, while the absorbent body 4 in the above-described embodiment has a pair of rear compressed grooves 71, the rear region R may have two pairs of rear compressed grooves 71. In this case, the absorbent body 4 has a total of four compressed grooves 71 that are line-symmetrical on the left and right sides with respect to the center line CL in the rear region R. The two pairs of rear compressed grooves 71 may be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, or may partially overlap. Furthermore, it is preferable that at least a portion of each of the two pairs of rear compressed grooves 71 is arranged so as to sandwich the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 in the horizontal direction Y in a plan view, but at least a portion of only one pair of rear compressed grooves may be arranged so as to sandwich the liquid diffusion-suppressing region 45 in the horizontal direction Y in a plan view.
In order to further enhance the effect of suppressing liquid leakage, two or more pairs of rear compressed grooves 71 may be provided in the absorbent body 4 depending on the length in the longitudinal direction X of the rear region R or the liquid diffusion suppressing region 45 .

The absorbent article of the present invention broadly includes articles used to absorb bodily fluids discharged from the human body (urine, loose stools, menstrual blood, sweat, etc.), and includes not only the sanitary napkins mentioned above, but also sanitary shorts, so-called flat-type disposable diapers with fastening tape, pants-type disposable diapers, incontinence pads, etc.

The present invention provides an absorbent article that combines high absorption performance with reduced discomfort when worn.

Claims

An absorbent article having a vertical direction corresponding to a front-to-rear direction of a wearer and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, and having a middle region disposed to face an excretory part of a wearer when worn, a front region disposed forward of the middle region in the vertical direction, and a rear region disposed rearward of the middle region in the vertical direction,
The absorbent article is provided with a top sheet positioned on the skin-facing surface, a back sheet positioned on the non-skin-facing surface, an absorbent body positioned between the two sheets, and a flap portion extending outward from the outer edge of the absorbent body to form the contour of the absorbent article,
the absorbent body has, in the rear region, a liquid diffusion suppression region capable of suppressing the diffusion of liquid in a planar direction more than surrounding portions, and at least a pair of rear compressed grooves spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction,
In a plan view, the pair of rear compressed grooves have a distance between them that gradually decreases toward the rear in the longitudinal direction,
the absorbent article has a rear constricted portion whose length in the lateral direction is shorter than those of portions located in front and behind the rear constricted portion, and a minimum width portion in which the length in the lateral direction of the rear constricted portion is minimum serves as a boundary between the intermediate region and the rear region;
the rear region has a width expansion portion in which the overall width of the absorbent article gradually increases toward the rear end in the longitudinal direction, and a rear tapered portion located rearward of the width expansion portion in the longitudinal direction, in which the overall width of the absorbent article gradually decreases toward the rear end in the longitudinal direction,
An absorbent article, wherein, in a plan view, at least a portion of the liquid diffusion suppressing region is sandwiched between the pair of rear compressed grooves.
The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the liquid diffusion suppression region is one or more of a thick portion in which the absorbent core is thicker than the surrounding area, a high basis weight portion in which the basis weight of the core forming material that forms the absorbent core is higher than the surrounding area, and a high density portion in which the density of the absorbent core is higher than the surrounding area.
the liquid diffusion suppression region is at least the high basis weight portion,
a rear end of the rear compressed groove is located closer to the rear end of the absorbent article than a rear end of the liquid diffusion suppressing region,
The absorbent article according to claim 2 , wherein a distance between rear ends of the pair of rear compressed grooves is shorter than a maximum width of the liquid diffusion suppressing region.
The rear compressed grooves are arranged only in the rear region and are arranged symmetrically with respect to a center line that bisects the entire length of the absorbent article in the lateral direction,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rear compressed groove is formed by a plurality of small embossed portions arranged in a predetermined direction, and the distance between the small embossed portions is longer than the diameter of the small embossed portions.
the absorbent article has a maximum width portion at a boundary between the width expansion portion and the rear tapered portion, the maximum width being the overall width in the rear region;
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the maximum width portion is located in the longitudinal direction forward of a rear lateral center line that bisects the entire longitudinal length of the rear region.
the absorbent body has a pair of central compressed grooves extending from the intermediate region to the rear region, the central compressed grooves being spaced apart from the rear compressed grooves;
The central compressed groove extends to the liquid diffusion suppression region in the longitudinal direction,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the liquid diffusion suppression region is located between the rear ends of the pair of central compressed grooves, and the pair of rear ends are located laterally inward of each of the front ends of the pair of rear compressed grooves.
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the non-skin-facing surface of the flap portion does not have a fastening portion for fastening the absorbent article to the wearer's clothing.
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the rear compressed groove is a linear compressed groove extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction.
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the liquid diffusion suppression region extends in the vertical direction across the width expansion section and the rear tapered section.
The absorbent article has a maximum width portion at a boundary between the width expansion portion and the rear tapered portion, the maximum width being the overall width in the rear region,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein an angle formed between an imaginary line connecting the outer lateral end of the widest portion and the rear end of the absorbent article and an imaginary center line extending in the vertical direction by bisecting the absorbent article in the horizontal direction is 30° or more and 120° or less.
the absorbent article has a front constricted portion that is located forward of the rear constricted portion in the longitudinal direction and has a shorter length in the lateral direction than portions located before and after the rear constricted portion,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the flap portion comprises a pair of side flap portions located on both sides of the absorbent article in the lateral direction, and the side flap portions comprise, in the intermediate region, a region sandwiched between the front constriction portion and the rear constriction portion in the longitudinal direction.