JP7153611B2 - ABSORBENT ARTICLE, NONWOVEN SHEET, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING NONWOVEN SHEET - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an absorbent article, a nonwoven fabric sheet, and a method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric sheet.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, absorbent articles provided with nonwoven fabric sheets having ink composed of pigments or dyes are widely known. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-100001, a nonwoven fabric sheet is colored with ink in a cool color to hide excrement.

JP-A-2008-93290

Here, in the case where the hydrophobic ink is placed on the nonwoven fabric sheet, the hydrophobic ink may narrow or block the gaps between the fibers forming the nonwoven fabric sheet. In this case, since the air permeability of the portion where the hydrophobic ink is applied is deteriorated, when the absorbent article including the nonwoven fabric sheet is worn, there is a possibility that it may become stuffy.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article, a nonwoven fabric sheet, and a method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric sheet that can suppress deterioration of breathability.

An absorbent article according to one aspect is an absorbent article comprising a nonwoven fabric sheet containing a hydrophobic ink, wherein the hydrophobic ink is disposed on the nonwoven fabric sheet in a plan view of the nonwoven fabric sheet. A region and a non-ink region where the hydrophobic ink is not disposed are provided, and the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink region is thinner than the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink region.

A nonwoven fabric sheet according to one aspect is a nonwoven fabric sheet containing a hydrophobic ink and used for an absorbent article, wherein the hydrophobic ink is disposed on the nonwoven fabric sheet in plan view of the nonwoven fabric sheet. An ink area and a non-ink area where the hydrophobic ink is not disposed are provided, and the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink area is thinner than the thickness of the non-ink area.

A method for producing a nonwoven fabric sheet according to one aspect is a method for producing a nonwoven fabric sheet used in an absorbent article, comprising the steps of disposing a hydrophobic ink that is cured by ultraviolet light on a nonwoven fabric, and disposing at least the hydrophobic ink on the nonwoven fabric. and irradiating the ink region with ultraviolet light.

In the ink area where the hydrophobic ink is placed, the UV irradiation warms the air between the UV irradiation device and the nonwoven fabric. The warmed air warms the air between the fibers of the nonwoven, thereby increasing the bulk of the nonwoven. However, in the ink region, the hydrophobic ink is cured and dried by irradiation with ultraviolet light. As a result, the fibers of the nonwoven fabric are joined together by the hydrophobic ink, making it difficult for the fibers of the nonwoven fabric to separate from each other. As a result, even if the air between the fibers of the nonwoven fabric in the ink region is warmed, the bulk of the nonwoven fabric sheet is less likely to increase. In addition, since the energy of the ultraviolet rays irradiated to the ink area is used for curing the hydrophobic ink, it is difficult to warm the air between the fibers of the nonwoven fabric in the ink area. As a result, the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink area can be made thinner than the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area. As a result, it is possible to produce a nonwoven fabric sheet that can suppress the deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an absorbent article 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the absorbent article 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an absorbent article according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an absorbent article according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an absorbent article according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the absorbent article 1 according to the second embodiment viewed from the skin side. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the absorbent article 1 taken along line F7-F7 in FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the absorbent article 1 taken along line F7-F7 in FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an absorbent article according to a modification. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric sheet.

(1) Overview of Embodiments At least the following matters will become clear from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

An absorbent article according to one aspect is an absorbent article comprising a nonwoven fabric sheet containing a hydrophobic ink, wherein the hydrophobic ink is disposed on the nonwoven fabric sheet in a plan view of the nonwoven fabric sheet. A region and a non-ink region where the hydrophobic ink is not disposed are provided, and the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink region is thinner than the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink region.

Due to this difference in thickness, the nonwoven fabric sheet in the ink area (hereinafter referred to as the ink part) is in a recessed state compared to the nonwoven fabric sheet in the non-ink area, and recesses, that is, spaces are formed in the nonwoven fabric sheet. Air is easier to pass through the space than a nonwoven sheet with intertwined fibers. Therefore, by improving the air permeability around the ink portion with the concave portion, it is possible to compensate for the air permeability that tends to decrease due to the hydrophobic ink. As a result, deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article can be suppressed.

According to a preferred aspect, the hydrophobic ink is disposed on one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the thickness direction, and the one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet is recessed in the thickness direction from the periphery of the ink area. A recess is provided.

Since the concave portion is provided on one side where the hydrophobic ink is arranged, air that is difficult to pass through in the thickness direction due to the hydrophobic ink can pass through the concave portion in the planar direction. In addition, since the side wall portion of the recess is around the ink region, the air in the recess can easily pass through the nonwoven fabric sheet around the ink region through the side wall portion. As a result, deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article can be suppressed.

According to a preferred aspect, the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area is lower than the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink area.

As a result, since the gaps between the fibers in the non-ink area are large, air can easily pass through the non-ink area around the ink area. It can supplement breathability.

According to a preferred aspect, the hydrophobic ink is arranged on one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the thickness direction, and the thickness of the fibers on the one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet is the same as that on the other side of the nonwoven fabric sheet. thicker than the fiber thickness of

By increasing the thickness of the fibers on one side of the non-woven fabric sheet (that is, the side on which the hydrophobic ink is arranged), the gaps between the fibers on the one side can be increased. As a result, air can easily pass through the portion near the hydrophobic ink, and deterioration of air permeability can be suppressed.

According to a preferred aspect, the hydrophobic ink is disposed on one side of the nonwoven sheet in the thickness direction, and the nonwoven sheet is squeezed from the other side of the nonwoven sheet in the thickness direction. It has a pressing part.

On the other side where the nonwoven fabric sheet is squeezed, the squeezing causes the gaps between the fibers to become smaller. For this reason, by arranging the hydrophobic ink on one side of the non-woven fabric sheet where the inter-fiber gaps are less likely to become smaller due to compression than on the other side, air can easily pass through the portion near the hydrophobic ink, resulting in deterioration of breathability. can be suppressed.

According to a preferred aspect, it has a contact sheet that contacts one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the thickness direction, and the hydrophobic ink is arranged on the one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet.

Since the nonwoven fabric sheet in the ink area is thinner than the nonwoven fabric sheet surrounding the ink area, a gap (space) is likely to be formed between the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet in the ink area. As a result, in the ink region, air can easily pass through the gap between the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet, and deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article can be suppressed. In addition, since the hydrophobic ink is arranged on one side of the non-woven fabric sheet that contacts the contact sheet, the hydrophobic ink does not directly contact the wearer's skin, and the hydrophobic ink adheres to the wearer's skin. can be suppressed.

According to a preferred aspect, a composite sheet includes a contact sheet that contacts one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the thickness direction, and the nonwoven fabric sheet, and the composite sheet contacts the nonwoven fabric sheet and the nonwoven fabric sheet. At least a part of the ink area overlaps the contraction area in the thickness direction, and at least a part of the ink area includes the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet. is non-bonded.

Accordingly, since the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet are not joined in at least a part of the ink area, the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet can be separated from each other in the thickness direction. In at least a part of the ink area, when wrinkles are formed by shrinkage in the shrinkage area, the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet are easily separated, and the space between the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet can be widened. As a result, it becomes easier for air to pass through the gap between the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet, and deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article can be suppressed. In addition, since the ink area has higher rigidity than the non-ink area, creases are relatively difficult to form in the ink area, and the contact state between the non-woven fabric sheet and the contact sheet can be easily maintained. Even when the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet are in contact with each other, the recesses formed in the nonwoven fabric sheet can compensate for breathability.

According to a preferred aspect, the nonwoven fabric sheet has a folded portion in which the nonwoven fabric sheet is folded, and a facing portion that faces the folded portion and abuts the folded portion, and the folded portion of the folded portion At least part of the hydrophobic ink is arranged at a position overlapping the hydrophobic ink of the facing portion in the thickness direction.

As a result, at least part of the hydrophobic ink in the folded portion is likely to form a larger space in the region where it overlaps the hydrophobic ink in the opposing portion in the thickness direction. As a result, it becomes easier for air to pass through the space between the folded portion and the opposing portion, and deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article can be suppressed.

According to a preferred aspect, the absorbent article has an absorbent body disposed on the non-skin surface side of the nonwoven fabric sheet and overlapping the ink region and the non-ink region in the thickness direction, Hydrophobic ink is disposed on the non-skin surface side of the non-woven fabric sheet, and the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area is lower than the fiber density of the non-woven fabric in the ink area.

Since the hydrophobic ink is arranged on the non-skin side, the hydrophobic ink does not come into direct contact with the wearer's skin, and adhesion of the hydrophobic ink to the wearer's skin can be suppressed. Since the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area is large, excrement easily comes into contact with the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area, and the start of drawing in the excrement can be accelerated. In addition, since the ink area has a high fiber density and the hydrophobic ink is arranged on the non-skin side of the non-woven fabric sheet, the entire surface of the non-woven fabric sheet on the skin side can attract excrement. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in absorption speed. In addition, in the ink area, even if excrement is difficult to pass through to the non-skin surface side of the non-woven fabric sheet due to the hydrophobic ink, the excrement can move to the non-skin surface side of the non-woven fabric sheet via the non-ink area. , the decrease in absorption performance can be suppressed.

According to a preferred aspect, the absorbent article has an absorbent body disposed on the non-skin surface side of the nonwoven fabric sheet and overlapping the ink region and the non-ink region in the thickness direction, The hydrophobic ink is arranged on the skin side of the nonwoven fabric sheet, and the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the non-ink area is lower than the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the ink area.

Since the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area is large, excrement easily comes into contact with the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area, and the start of drawing in the excrement can be accelerated. In addition, excrement that begins to be drawn into the non-ink area can be drawn into the non-skin surface side portion of the ink area with high fiber density by capillary action, thereby suppressing a decrease in the speed of drawing in excrement. Since the hydrophobic ink is arranged on the skin surface side of the nonwoven fabric sheet, it becomes difficult for excrement to return from the nonwoven fabric sheet to the skin surface side in the ink area, and rewet back can be reduced.

According to a preferred aspect, the absorber is disposed on the non-skin surface side of the nonwoven fabric sheet and overlaps the ink region and the non-ink region in the thickness direction; a skin sheet having a contact surface, wherein the nonwoven fabric sheet is arranged between the skin sheet and the absorber in the thickness direction.

Since the skin sheet can quickly absorb the excrement, the excrement does not remain on the contact surface of the skin sheet, thereby suppressing leakage of the excrement along the wearer's body.

Moreover, since the skin surface sheet exists on the skin surface side of the non-woven fabric sheet having the hydrophobic ink, adhesion of the hydrophobic ink to the wearer's skin can be suppressed.

According to a preferred aspect, the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink region is thinner than the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink region at the boundary between the ink region and the non-ink region. .

By varying the thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet near the boundary between the ink and non-ink regions, the side walls of the recess can be provided where the hydrophobic ink is no longer deposited. As a result, the air permeability around the ink portion can be improved, so that the air permeability, which tends to decrease due to the hydrophobic ink, can be compensated for. As a result, deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article can be suppressed.

A nonwoven fabric sheet according to one aspect is a nonwoven fabric sheet containing a hydrophobic ink and used for an absorbent article, wherein the hydrophobic ink is disposed on the nonwoven fabric sheet in plan view of the nonwoven fabric sheet. An ink area and a non-ink area where the hydrophobic ink is not disposed are provided, and the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink area is thinner than the thickness of the non-ink area.

A method for producing a nonwoven fabric sheet according to one aspect is a method for producing a nonwoven fabric sheet used in an absorbent article, comprising the steps of disposing a hydrophobic ink that is cured by ultraviolet light on a nonwoven fabric, and disposing at least the hydrophobic ink on the nonwoven fabric. and irradiating the ink region with ultraviolet light.

In the ink area where the hydrophobic ink is placed, the UV irradiation warms the air between the UV irradiation device and the nonwoven fabric. The warmed air warms the air between the fibers of the nonwoven, thereby increasing the bulk of the nonwoven. However, in the ink region, the hydrophobic ink is cured and dried by irradiation with ultraviolet light. As a result, the fibers of the nonwoven fabric are joined together by the hydrophobic ink, making it difficult for the fibers of the nonwoven fabric to separate from each other. As a result, even if the air between the fibers of the nonwoven fabric in the ink region is warmed, the bulk of the nonwoven fabric sheet is less likely to increase. In addition, since the energy of the ultraviolet rays irradiated to the ink area is used for curing the hydrophobic ink, it is difficult to warm the air between the fibers of the nonwoven fabric in the ink area. As a result, the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink area can be made thinner than the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area. As a result, it is possible to produce a nonwoven fabric sheet that can suppress the deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article.

(2) Overall Schematic Configuration of Absorbent Article Hereinafter, an absorbent article according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the following description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals are given to the same or similar parts. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the ratio of each dimension is different from the actual one. Therefore, specific dimensions and the like should be determined with reference to the following description. In addition, portions having different dimensional relationships and ratios may also be included between the drawings.

The absorbent article is, for example, a pants-type disposable diaper, a tape-type disposable diaper, or a shorts-type sanitary napkin. The absorbent article of the embodiment is a pants-type disposable diaper.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an absorbent article 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the absorbent article 1 according to this embodiment. The schematic plan view shown in FIG. 2 shows a stretched state in which the absorbent article 1 is stretched to a state where wrinkles are not formed with the side joints 18 to be described later unfolded. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the absorbent article 1 viewed from the skin surface side T1. 3 to 5 are schematic cross-sectional views of absorbent articles according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view along the F3-F3 cross section shown in FIG. FIG. 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view along the F4A-F4A cross section shown in FIG. 4B and 4C are enlarged schematic cross-sectional views of the center sheet 41A and the absorbent body 50. FIG. FIG. 5A is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the front exterior body 20. FIG. FIG. 5B is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the side seat 41B. For convenience of explanation, it should be noted that even if each member is separated in the thickness direction, it is in contact with the actual product in the thickness direction.

The absorbent article 1 has a front-rear direction L, a width direction W, and a thickness direction. The front-rear direction L is defined by the direction extending to the front side of the body and the rear side of the body. In other words, the front-rear direction L is a direction extending front-rear in the unfolded absorbent article 1 . The width direction W is a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction L. As shown in FIG. Moreover, the thickness direction T is orthogonal to both the front-rear direction L and the width direction W. As shown in FIG. The thickness direction T extends to the skin side T1 toward the wearer and the non-skin side T2 opposite to the skin side. In addition, the planar direction P shows the direction of the plane along the front-back direction L and the width direction W. As shown in FIG.

The absorbent article 1 has a front side region S1, a back side region S2, and a crotch region S3. The front region S1 is a region facing the wearer's front waistline (abdomen). The rear region S2 is a region facing the wearer's back waistline (back), and includes a region on which the body (buttocks) is placed when worn. The crotch region S3 is a region positioned at the wearer's crotch and sandwiched between the front side region S1 and the rear side region S2.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a side joint portion 18 may be provided that joins an end portion of the front side region S1 in the width direction W and an end portion of the rear side region S2 in the width direction W. The side joint portion 18 is defined by a portion where the outer portion of the front side region S1 and the outer portion of the rear side region S2 are engaged with each other. As shown in FIG. 1, in the state where the side joints 18 are formed, the absorbent article 1 has a waist opening 16 through which the wearer's torso is passed and a pair of waist openings into which the wearer's legs are respectively inserted. A leg opening 17 is formed. The waist opening 16 may be defined by a front edge S1F of the front side region S1 and a rear edge S2R of the rear side region S2.

Here, FIG. 2 shows a state in which the side joints 18 are unjoined and the absorbent article 1 is unfolded. The side joint portion 18 may extend along the front-rear direction L in each of the front exterior body 20 and the rear exterior body 30 . In a pants-type absorbent article, the boundary between the front side region S1 and the crotch region S3 may be defined by the rear edge of the side joint portion 18 provided in the front exterior body 20 . Similarly, the boundary between the rear side region S2 and the crotch region S3 may be defined by the front edge of the side joint portion 18 provided on the back exterior body 30 . Note that the crotch region S3 may be a region in which the leg openings 17 are provided.

In addition, the outer portion in the present invention is a portion occupying a certain range in the width direction W including the outer edge in the width direction W, and the outer edge is the outer edge in the width direction W. The inner portion in the present invention is a portion occupying a certain range in the width direction W including the inner edge in the width direction W, and the inner edge is the inner edge in the width direction W. Further, the front end portion and the rear end portion in the present invention are portions occupying a certain range in the front-rear direction L including edges in the front-rear direction L, and the front end edge and the rear end edge are edges in the front-rear direction L. The outer edge includes a leading edge and a trailing edge, and the outer edge includes a leading edge and a trailing edge.

In this embodiment, the absorbent article 1 may have an outer body 15 and an absorbent main body 40 . The outer body 15 overlaps the absorbent main body 40 in the thickness direction T. As shown in FIG. The outer body 15 is arranged at least in the waist region covering the wearer's waist. The exterior body 15 may have a front exterior body 20 arranged at least in the front side region S1 and a rear exterior body 30 arranged at least in the rear side region S2. The front exterior body 20 may be arranged in the crotch region S3 in addition to the front side region S1, and the back exterior body 30 may be arranged in the crotch region S3 in addition to the rear side region S2. The exterior body 15 may be formed by integrating the front exterior body 20 and the rear exterior body 30 .

The front exterior body 20 may be arranged on the non-skin surface side T2 of the absorbent main body 40 in the front side region S1. The back exterior body 30 may be spaced apart from the front exterior body 20 in the front-rear direction L, and may be arranged on the non-skin surface side T2 of the absorbent main body 40 in the rear side region S2.

The front exterior body 20 includes a first front sheet 25 located on the non-skin side T2 of the absorbent main body 40 and a second front sheet 26 located on the non-skin side T2 of the first front sheet 25. may have The first front sheet 25 and the second front sheet 26 may be made of nonwoven fabric sheets. The post-exterior body 30 includes a first rear sheet 35 positioned on the non-skin side T2 of the absorbent body 40 and a second rear sheet 36 positioned on the non-skin side T2 of the first rear sheet 35. and may have The first rear sheet 35 and the second rear sheet 36 may be made of nonwoven fabric sheets.

The outer body 15 may have a waist elastic member WE having stretchability. The waist elastic member WE may be arranged to extend in the width direction W and have elasticity in the width direction W. A plurality of waist elastic members WE may be arranged in the front-rear direction L. The waist elastic member WE may have a front waist elastic member 22 arranged on the front exterior body 20 and a rear waist elastic member 32 arranged on the rear exterior body 30 . The front waist elastic member 22 may be arranged between the first front sheet 25 and the second front sheet 26 in the thickness direction T. As shown in FIG. The rear waist elastic member 32 may be arranged between the first rear sheet 35 and the second rear sheet 36 in the thickness direction T. As shown in FIG. The waist elastic member WE may be composed of, for example, a thread rubber stretchable in the width direction W or an elastic sheet stretchable in the width direction W. The waist elastic member WE may be composed of the outer body 15 itself composed of, for example, a stretchable sheet. The waist elastic member WE of the present embodiment is made of rubber thread.

The absorbent main body 40 is arranged at least in the crotch region S3. The absorbent main body 40 may be arranged over the front side region S1, the back side region S2 and the crotch region S3. The absorbent main body 40 may be configured separately from the front exterior body 20 and the rear exterior body 30, and may be joined to the front exterior body 20 and the rear exterior body 30 at the front side region S1 and the rear side region S2, respectively.

The absorbent main body 40 (absorbent article 1 ) has an absorbent body 50 . The absorbent body 50 has at least an absorbent core. The absorbent core includes an absorbent material that absorbs liquids. The absorbent core may comprise, for example, ground pulp or superabsorbent polymer (SAP), or mixtures thereof. The absorbent core is arranged at least in the crotch region S3. The absorbent core may be arranged in the front side region S1 and may be arranged in the rear side region S2. The absorbent core may extend in the front-rear direction L from the front side area S1 to the rear side area S2. The absorbent body 50 may have a core wrap covering the absorbent core. The core wrap may sandwich the absorbent core in the thickness direction T. The core wrap may consist, for example, of tissue or non-woven fabric.

The absorbent main body 40 comprises a skin sheet 41 located on the skin side T1 of the absorbent body 50, a liquid-impermeable sheet 42 located on the non-skin side T2 of the absorbent body 50, and the liquid-impermeable sheet 42. and a body sheet 43 disposed on the non-skin surface side T2. The skin sheet 41 has a contact surface that contacts the wearer's skin. The skin sheet 41 has a center sheet 41A that covers the center of the absorbent body 50 in the width direction W, and a pair of side sheets 41B that cover the outer sides of the center sheet 41A on the skin surface side T1 of the center sheet 41A. you can The skin sheet 41 only needs to have liquid permeability, and may be made of, for example, a nonwoven fabric. The liquid-impermeable sheet 42 only needs to be impermeable, and may be made of a film, for example. The body sheet 43 may be hydrophobic, and may be made of, for example, a hydrophobic nonwoven fabric.

(3) Nonwoven fabric sheet Next, the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. FIG. The absorbent article 1 includes a nonwoven fabric sheet 10 made of nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric may be, for example, an air-through nonwoven fabric, a spunbond nonwoven fabric, a spunlaced nonwoven fabric, or the like.

The nonwoven fabric sheet 10 may be at least one of the first front sheet 25, the second front sheet 26, the first rear sheet 35, the second rear sheet 36, the center sheet 41A, the side sheets 41B, and the main body sheet 43. .

A nonwoven sheet 10 has a hydrophobic ink 2 . In a plan view of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10, the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 is provided with an ink region IR in which the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged and a non-ink region NR in which the hydrophobic ink 2 is not arranged. The hydrophobic ink 2 may be deposited (applied) by printing, for example. The method of printing the hydrophobic ink 2 may be flexographic printing or gravure printing. The hydrophobic ink 2 may contain materials that are cured by ultraviolet (UV) light. Materials that are cured by ultraviolet rays include, for example, urethane acrylate, acrylic resin acrylate, and epoxy acrylate. Whether or not the hydrophobic ink 2 contains a material that is cured by ultraviolet rays can be determined by the following method.

First, the hydrophobic ink 2 is collected using tweezers from the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 (ink portion 11) in the ink region IR.

Second, a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FT-IR) is used to irradiate the sampled hydrophobic ink 2 with infrared light to measure the functional group peak.

Third, determine if the measured peaks match those of known materials that cure with UV light. If the measured peaks match, it can be determined that the hydrophobic ink is cured by UV light.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ink region IR may have a first ink region IR1, a second ink region IR2, a third ink region IR3, and a fourth ink region IR4. The first ink region IR1 is provided on the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 that constitutes the center sheet 41A.
The second ink area IR2 and the third ink area IR3 are provided on the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 that constitutes the side sheet 41B. The second ink region IR2 is provided in the portion where the three-dimensional gathers are arranged. The third ink region IR3 is provided in the portion where the leg gathers are arranged. A fourth ink region IR4 is provided on the second front sheet 26 and the second rear sheet 36 .

In addition, the three-dimensional gathers can be erected on the skin surface side T1. The three-dimensional gathers consist of an upright portion that can be raised by contraction of the first elastic member 65 having stretchability in the front-rear direction L, and a constituent member that is arranged on the non-skin surface side T2 of the side sheet 41B and the side sheet 41B. and a joint that joins. The three-dimensional gathers form a wall when erected, and prevent excrement from moving outward in the width direction W. Further, the leg gathers are arranged outside in the width direction W of the three-dimensional gathers, and are contracted by the contraction of the second elastic member 66 having elasticity in the front-rear direction L. As shown in FIG. The leg gathers fit around the wearer's legs and prevent excrement from leaking out of the absorbent article.

The non-woven fabric sheet 10 has an ink portion 11 composed of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the ink area IR and a non-ink portion 12 composed of the non-ink area NR of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 . The ink portion 11 may have an ink layer 11A in which the hydrophobic ink 2 exists and a non-ink layer 11B in which the hydrophobic ink 2 does not exist. The ink layer 11A may be composed of a portion of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 impregnated with the hydrophobic ink and the hydrophobic ink 2 itself.

As used herein, the term "hydrophobicity" refers to a property of being difficult to blend with water or to retain water, for example, having a contact angle of 80° or more with ion-exchanged water. The contact angle with ion-exchanged water can be measured by the method described in "Measurement of initial contact angle" in JP-A-2005-324010.

The hydrophobic ink 2 may be arranged on one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the thickness direction T. As shown in FIG. Therefore, the hydrophobic ink 2, that is, the ink layer 11A may be arranged on the non-skin surface side T2 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the thickness direction T, or may be arranged on the skin surface side T1 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the thickness direction T. may be placed. As shown in FIGS. 4B, 4C, and 5, one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 may be provided with a recess S that is recessed in the thickness direction T from the periphery of the ink region IR. That is, a recess S recessed in the thickness direction T from the side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged may be provided. In FIGS. 4B and 4C, the recess S is recessed from the non-skin side T2 to the skin side T1. In FIG. 5A, the recess S is recessed from the skin side T1 to the non-skin side T2. In FIG. 5B, the recess S is recessed from the non-skin side T2 to the skin side T1 in the non-woven fabric sheet 10 on the skin side T1, and is recessed from the skin side T1 in the non-woven fabric sheet 10 on the non-skin side T2. It is recessed toward the skin surface side T2.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the thickness Ti of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 (that is, the ink portion 11) in the ink region IR is thinner than the thickness Tn of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 (that is, the non-ink portion 12) in the non-ink region NR. . For example, the ratio (Tn/Ti) of the thickness Tn of the non-ink portion 12 to the thickness Ti of the ink portion 11 may be 0.85 or less. In this case, the space formed by the concave portion S can be enlarged, so that the breathability of the absorbent article can be improved. Also, the thickness ratio (Tn/Ti) may be 0.2 or more. In this case, it becomes difficult for the wearer to feel a step at the boundary between the ink region IR and the non-ink region NR. Therefore, it becomes difficult for the wearer to feel uncomfortable, and deterioration of comfort of the absorbent article 1 can be suppressed.

For example, when the thickness Ti of the ink portion 11 is 1.1 to 1.3 μm, the thickness Tn of the non-ink portion 12 may be 1.6 to 1.8 μm. In addition, the thickness of all the ink portions 11 does not have to be greater than the thickness of all the non-ink portions 12 .

In a plan view of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10, the thickness Ti of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the ink region IR is equal to the thickness Ti of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the non-ink region NR, with the boundary between the ink region IR and the non-ink region NR (hereinafter referred to as an ink boundary). It may be thinner than the thickness Tn of 10. A side wall portion of the concave portion S has a portion not covered with the hydrophobic ink 2 . It is preferable that the sidewall portion of the recess S is not entirely covered with the hydrophobic ink 2 . The bottom of the concave portion S may be composed of the ink layer 11A and not composed of the non-ink layer 11B. That is, only the ink layer 11A may constitute the bottom of the recess S.

3 and 4A show the location of the hydrophobic ink 2 (ink layer 11A) in an easy-to-understand manner, and do not show the thickness of the hydrophobic ink 2, and thus the thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10. It should be noted that no

The thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 can be measured, for example, by the following method. Using a digital microscope (for example, Digital Microscope VHX-100 manufactured by KEYENCE CORPORATION), an enlarged image is taken from a direction perpendicular to the cut surface of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 . The magnified image is an image magnified such that the entirety of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the thickness direction T can be photographed. The thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 is measured based on the obtained enlarged image. The magnified image may be image processed to facilitate thickness measurement. The average value of the thicknesses measured at three different cut surfaces in each of the non-ink region NR and the smooth portion (i.e., the portion not affected by compression, printing, etc.) and the ink region IR It is the thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 .

The fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the non-ink regions NR may be lower than the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the ink regions IR. Therefore, the fiber density of the non-ink layer 11</b>B of the ink portion 11 may be lower than the fiber density of the non-ink portion 12 .

The fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 can be measured, for example, by the following method. Specifically, when measuring the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in each of the ink regions IR and the non-ink regions NR, the following method can be used.

First, the ink portion 11 and the non-ink portion 12 are cut into a size of 10 mm×10 mm to obtain a sample.

Second, a cross section parallel to the thickness direction T of the sample is enlarged and observed using a scanning electron microscope (manufactured by JEOL Ltd.: JCM-5100). The magnification is such that the cross section of 30 to 60 fibers can be measured within one screen (example: 150 to 500 times).

Third, the number of fiber cross-sections is measured in each of the inked portion 11 and the non-inked portion 12 . Specifically, the number of cross-sections of the cut fiber is counted on a cut surface of a predetermined area. In the ink portion 11, in order to avoid the influence of the fibers absorbing the hydrophobic ink 2, the ink layer 11A and the non-ink layer 11B are divided in the thickness direction T, and then the cross section of the fibers in the non-ink layer 11B is measured. measure the number of When the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 is formed by laminating a plurality of fiber layers, the number of cross-sections of fibers cut in the same fiber layer in the ink portion 11 and the non-ink portion 12 is counted.

Fourthly, the number of obtained fiber cross sections is converted into the number of fiber cross sections per 1 mm ² , and this is defined as the fiber density (fibers/mm ² ). The measurement is performed at three locations, and the average value of the measured values is taken as the fiber density of the sample.

As the fiber density, the number of fibers per unit area in a cross section parallel to the thickness direction T is used, but the number of fibers per unit volume may be used as the fiber density. The number of fibers per unit volume can be determined by, for example, X-ray CT analysis. The fiber density per unit area and the fiber density per unit volume have different numerical values, but are the same in a relative comparison of fiber densities (example: comparison of size).

The fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on one side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed may be lower than the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on the other side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is not placed. Thereby, the gap between the fibers on the side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged can be increased, the air can easily pass through the side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged, and deterioration of air permeability can be suppressed. The fiber density in this case can be measured by the following method.

One side of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on which the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed (for example, the non-skin side T2 of the skin sheet 41 in FIG. 4) and the other side on which the hydrophobic ink 2 is not placed Each surface of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 (for example, the surface of the skin surface side T1 of the skin surface sheet 41 in FIG. 4) is photographed using an electron microscope or a microscope (for example, VHX-2000 manufactured by KEYENCE). By doing so, a magnified image of the fiber is obtained. The area of fibers per unit area in the image is measured. From this, the area ratio of the fibers is calculated. Assuming that the fiber area ratio is the fiber density, the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on one side and the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on the other side can be compared.

The thickness of the fibers of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on one side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed may be larger than the thickness of the fibers of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on the other side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is not placed. Therefore, the fibers of the ink layer 11A or the non-ink layer 11B close to the ink layer 11A may be thicker than the fibers of the non-ink layer 11B far from the ink layer 11A. The fiber thickness can be measured, for example, by the following method.

An enlarged image of the fiber is obtained with an electron microscope or a microscope (eg, VHX-2000 manufactured by KEYENCE), and the distance between two points corresponding to the diameter of the fiber in the image is measured.

One side of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on which the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed (for example, the non-skin side T2 of the skin sheet 41 in FIG. 4) and the other side on which the hydrophobic ink 2 is not placed The surface of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 (for example, the surface of the skin surface side T1 of the skin surface sheet 41 in FIG. 4) is measured a plurality of times (approximately 100 times). Let the average value of the diameter of the measured fiber be the thickness of the fiber. Therefore, it can be determined that the larger the average fiber diameter, the thicker the fiber.

Moreover, when the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged on the skin side T1, in the non-ink portion 12, the thickness of the fibers on the skin side T1 may be thicker than the thickness of the fibers on the non-skin side T2.

Moreover, the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 may have a compressed portion (not shown) compressed in the thickness direction T. As shown in FIG. The ink region IR does not have to be provided with a compressed portion. Therefore, the non-woven fabric sheet 10 may be provided with compressed portions only in the non-ink regions NR. A compressed portion may be provided in the ink region IR. The nonwoven fabric sheet 10 may have a squeezed portion squeezed from the other side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is not placed. In addition, the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 may have a compressed portion that is compressed from the side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged.

The absorbent article 1 may also have a composite sheet 13 . The composite sheet 13 may include the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on which the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed and a contact sheet that contacts one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the thickness direction T. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the composite sheet 13 is configured by laminating a first sheet 13A and a second sheet 13B in the thickness direction T, the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed on the first sheet 13A. The second sheet 13B may be a contact sheet that contacts one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the thickness direction T. The first sheet 13</b>A and the second sheet 13</b>B may be joined together by a joining portion B.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the composite sheet 13 may have a contraction region CR where the first sheet 13A (nonwoven fabric sheet 10) and the second sheet 13B (contact sheet) contract. In the contraction region CR, the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B may contract due to the elastic members (for example, the waist elastic member WE, the first elastic member 65, the second elastic member 66, etc.) included in the composite sheet 13. However, since at least one of the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B is a sheet-like elastic member, the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B may contract.

As shown in FIG. 5A, at least a portion of the ink region IR may overlap the contraction region CR in the thickness direction T. As shown in FIG. At least part of the ink region IR may be non-joined between the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B. Accordingly, the joint portion B that joins the sheets does not have to overlap the ink region IR in the thickness direction T. All of the ink regions IR may be non-bonded.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 may have a folded portion 10f where the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 is folded, and a facing portion 10c that faces the folded portion 10f and contacts the folded portion 10f. The facing portion 10c may be a portion where the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 is not folded. As shown in FIG. 5B, at least part of the hydrophobic ink 2 on the folded portion 10f may be arranged at a position overlapping in the thickness direction T with the hydrophobic ink 2 on the opposing portion 10c.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4 , the absorbent body 50 may be arranged on the non-skin surface side T2 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 . The absorber 50 may overlap in the thickness direction T with the ink region IR and the non-ink region NR. The hydrophobic ink 2 may be placed on the non-skin side T2 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 . Therefore, the ink layer 11A may be arranged on the non-skin surface side T2 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 . As described above, the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the non-ink regions NR may be lower than the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the ink regions IR.

Also, the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the non-ink region NR near the ink boundary between the ink region IR and the ink non-ink region NR (for example, within a range of 5 mm from the ink boundary) and the non-ink region at a predetermined distance from the ink boundary The difference from the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in NR (for example, in the range of 10 mm to 15 mm from the ink boundary) may be within 5%. As a result, the fiber density of the non-ink area NR of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 does not change significantly in a predetermined range from the vicinity of the ink boundary, so that the breathability and absorption performance can be stabilized in the ink-free area NR.

In addition, the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the ink region IR near the ink boundary (for example, within a range of 5 mm from the ink boundary) and the ink region IR at a predetermined distance from the ink boundary (for example, within a range of 10 mm to 15 mm from the ink boundary) ) from the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 may be within 5%. As a result, the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the ink region IR does not change significantly in a predetermined range from the vicinity of the ink boundary, so it is possible to suppress significant deterioration in air permeability and absorption performance in the ink region IR.

As described above, in the absorbent article 1, the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the ink regions IR is recessed more than the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 in the non-ink regions NR due to the difference in thickness between the ink regions 11 and the non-ink regions 12. be. Due to this difference in thickness, recesses S, that is, spaces are formed in the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 . Here, in the ink layer 11A, the hydrophobic ink 2 makes the gaps between the fibers smaller or more likely to be blocked. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4B, the amount of air passing from the ink portion 11 to the recess S is reduced. On the other hand, since air passes through the space more easily than the non-woven fabric sheet 10 with intertwined fibers, the air that is difficult to pass through in the thickness direction due to the hydrophobic ink 2 can pass through the recesses S in the plane direction P. In addition, since the side wall portion of the recess S surrounds the ink region IR, the air in the recess S easily passes through the non-woven fabric sheet 10 of the non-ink portion 12 through the side wall portion. As a result, the air in the recess S is easily exchanged with the outside through the non-ink portion 12 . Therefore, by improving the air permeability around the ink portion 11 with the recess S, it is possible to compensate for the air permeability that tends to decrease due to the hydrophobic ink 2 . As a result, deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article 1 can be suppressed.

Further, when the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the non-ink regions NR is lower than the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the ink regions IR, the gaps between the fibers in the non-ink regions NR become large. This makes it easier for air to pass through the non-ink area NR around the ink area IR, and by improving the air permeability around the ink part 11, it is possible to compensate for the air permeability that tends to decrease due to the hydrophobic ink 2. - 特許庁

In addition, the thickness of the fibers of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on one side (ink layer 11A side) where the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed is the same as that of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 on the other side (non-ink layer 11B side) where the hydrophobic ink 2 is not placed. If it is thicker than the fibers of the sheet 10, the gap between the fibers on one side can be increased. As a result, air can easily pass through the portion near the hydrophobic ink 2, and deterioration of air permeability can be suppressed.

In addition, when the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 has a pressed portion that is pressed from the other side (the non-ink layer 11B side) where the hydrophobic ink 2 is not arranged, the space between the fibers on the other side becomes smaller due to the pressing. . Therefore, by arranging the hydrophobic ink 2 on one side of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 where the gap between the fibers is less likely to become smaller due to compression than on the other side, air can easily pass through the portion close to the hydrophobic ink 2, resulting in ventilation. It can suppress sexual deterioration.

In addition, since the thickness Ti of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the ink region IR is thinner than the thickness Tn of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the non-ink region NR with the ink boundary as a boundary, the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet 10 near the ink boundary can change the As a result, the side wall portion of the recess S can be provided from the place where the hydrophobic ink 2 is no longer arranged, so that the air permeability that tends to deteriorate due to the hydrophobic ink 2 can be compensated. As a result, deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article can be suppressed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged on the side where the second sheet 13B, which is the contact sheet, is arranged, the concave portion S separates the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B. A gap (space) is likely to be formed between them. As a result, in the ink region IR, air can easily pass through the space between the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B, and deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article 1 can be suppressed. In addition, since the hydrophobic ink 2 is not exposed, the hydrophobic ink 2 does not come into direct contact with the wearer's skin, and adhesion of the hydrophobic ink 2 to the wearer's skin can be suppressed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B are not bonded in at least part of the ink region IR. Accordingly, since the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B are not joined in at least a part of the ink region IR, the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B can be separated in the thickness direction T. be. In at least a part of the ink region IR, when wrinkles are formed by shrinkage in the shrinkage region CR, the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B are easily separated, and the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B are separated. You can expand the space. As a result, it becomes easier for air to pass through the gap between the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B, and deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article can be suppressed. In addition, since the ink region IR has higher rigidity than the non-ink region NR, creases are relatively difficult to form in the ink region IR, and the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B are in contact with each other. easy to maintain. Even when the first sheet 13A and the second sheet 13B are in contact with each other, the air permeability can be supplemented by the concave portion S formed in the first sheet 13A.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, at least part of the hydrophobic ink 2 on the folded portion 10f is arranged at a position overlapping the hydrophobic ink 2 on the facing portion 10c in the thickness direction T, so that the ink portions 11 A larger space is likely to be formed in the region where the overlaps. As a result, it becomes easier for air to pass through the space between the folded portion 10f and the facing portion 10c, and deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article 1 can be suppressed.

Also, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed on the non-skin side T2 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10, the entire surface of the skin side T1 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 can draw excrement. In addition, in the ink region IR, even if the ink layer 11A (hydrophobic ink 2) makes it difficult for the excrement E to pass through to the non-skin surface side T2 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10, the excrement E does not pass through the non-ink portion 12. Since it can move to the non-skin surface side T2 of a nonwoven fabric sheet, the fall of absorptive performance can be suppressed. In particular, when the fiber density of the ink portion 11 is lower than the fiber density of the non-ink portion 12, the excrement E drawn into the non-ink layer 11B is easily drawn into the non-ink portion 12 due to the capillary phenomenon. can prevent a decline in

Furthermore, since it can be diffused on the surface of the absorber 50 through the concave portion S, it is possible to prevent a decrease in absorption speed. Moreover, since the excrement E absorbed by the absorber 50 is less likely to return to the skin surface side T1 due to the ink layer 11A, rewet back can be reduced.

(4) Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the absorbent article 1 viewed from the skin surface side. 7 and 8 are schematic cross-sectional views of the absorbent article 1 taken along line F7-F7 in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement relationship of each member, and each member is shown in a simplified manner.

The embodiment will be described by taking a sanitary napkin as an example of an absorbent article according to the second embodiment. The absorbent article 1 is not limited to a sanitary napkin, but may be a panty liner, a light incontinence pad, or the like. The absorbent article 1 may be used by being fixed to an article worn by the user. Note that the description of the same parts as in the first embodiment is omitted.

The absorbent article 1 has a pair of wings 1W. The pair of wings 1W extends outward in the width direction from the outer edge of the absorbent body 50 (absorption core) in the width direction W. Therefore, it extends to both outer sides in the width direction W from the central portion in the front-rear direction L. As shown in FIG. Also, the pair of wings 1W can be folded back when the absorbent article 1 is used.

The absorbent article 1 has a skin sheet 41 , a second sheet 45 , an absorbent body 50 , a liquid-impermeable sheet 42 and a backside sheet 47 .

As shown in FIG. 3, in the thickness direction T, a skin surface sheet 41, a second sheet 45, an absorbent body 50, a back side sheet 47 and a liquid impermeable sheet 42 are laminated. The skin sheet 41, the second sheet 45, the absorber 50, the liquid-impermeable sheet 42 and the backside sheet 47 are joined and fixed by joints. An adhesive HMA, such as a hot-melt adhesive, can be used as the joint, for example.

The second sheet 45 may be arranged between the skin sheet 41 and the absorbent body 50 . The second sheet 45 is a nonwoven fabric sheet and can be exemplified by an air-through nonwoven fabric, a spunbond nonwoven fabric, a spunlaced nonwoven fabric, and the like.

In the present embodiment, the skin sheet 41 and the second sheet 45 are integrally bonded with the adhesive HMA, and wrap the absorbent body 50 so as to wrap the ends in the width direction W thereof. The skin sheet 41 is joined and fixed at the joining portion 84 on the non-skin side of the absorbent body 50 with an adhesive HMA. A body portion 80 is configured by integrating the skin sheet 41, the second sheet 45, and the absorbent body 50. As shown in FIG.

Note that it is not necessary to apply the adhesive to the entire area of the adhesive HMA for joining and fixing the respective members. In particular, by adjusting the amount, area, and application pattern of the adhesive applied as the adhesive HMA between the skin surface sheet 41 and the second sheet 45, a pair of main body joint portions 85, which will be described later, of the main body portion 80 can be adjusted. The flexibility of the outer side in the width direction W can be ensured, and the touch can be improved.

The body joint portion 85 joins the body portion 80 and the non-skin side sheet. In this embodiment, the non-skin-side surface of the main body portion 80 and the skin-side surface of the backside sheet 47 are joined at the main body joining portion 85 using an adhesive such as hot melt. As shown in FIG. 1, the body joint portion 85 has a continuous shape along the front-rear direction L. As shown in FIG. The body joint portions 85 are arranged at both ends in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. The non-skin-side sheet may be the liquid-impermeable sheet 42 alone, or may be a combination of the liquid-impermeable sheet 42 and the backside sheet 47 .

The skin sheet 41 may have a pair of first folded portions 2h in which both side end portions in the width direction W are folded back toward the non-skin side T2. The pair of first folded portions 2h are joined to the backside sheet 47 by the main body joining portion 85. As shown in FIG. The ends of the pair of first folded portions 2 h in the width direction may be positioned inside in the width direction W of the outer edge of the main body joint portion 85 . As a result, the tip (edge) of the skin sheet 41 (first folded portion 2h) is not exposed. Therefore, since the tip of the skin sheet 41 does not come into contact with the skin of the wearer, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the touch.

The second sheet 45 may have a pair of second folded portions 3h in which both side end portions in the width direction W are folded back toward the non-skin surface side T2.

The back side sheet 47 is a hydrophobic sheet member and can be exemplified by an air-through nonwoven fabric, a spunbond nonwoven fabric, a spunlace nonwoven fabric, and the like.

The non-skin side of the absorbent article 1 (that is, the non-skin side of the liquid-impermeable sheet 42) may be provided with a central adhesive portion 8 coated with an adhesive or the like. When the absorbent article 1 is used, the absorbent article 1 is fixed to the underwear or the like by attaching the central adhesive portion 8 to the skin side surface of a worn article such as underwear. Similarly, a wing adhesive portion 9 is provided on the non-skin side (the non-skin side T2 of the liquid-impermeable sheet 42) in the thickness direction T of each wing 1W.

The absorber 50 is a member that absorbs and holds excrement inside. In this embodiment, the absorbent body 50 may have a first absorbent core 51A, a second absorbent core 51B, and a cover sheet 52, as shown in FIGS. The first absorbent core 51A may have the same configuration as the absorbent core of the first embodiment. The second absorbent core 51B may be a sheet-like member in which a superabsorbent polymer (so-called SAP) or the like, which is liquid absorbent particles, is sandwiched between liquid permeable sheets such as tissues from the skin side and the non-skin side. . The cover sheet 52 is a liquid-permeable sheet member, and examples thereof include an air-through nonwoven fabric, a spunbond nonwoven fabric, and a spunlace nonwoven fabric. The cover sheet 52 may be sandwiched between the first absorbent core 51A and the second absorbent core 51B.

The second sheet 45 may have a hydrophobic ink 2 as shown in FIG. As a result, the skin sheet 41 can quickly absorb the excrement, so that the contact surface of the skin sheet 41 does not retain the excrement. Therefore, it is possible to suppress leakage of excrement along the wearer's body. Moreover, since the skin sheet 41 exists on the skin side T1 of the second sheet 45 having the hydrophobic ink 2, adhesion of the hydrophobic ink 2 to the wearer's skin can be suppressed.

A design may be applied to the absorbent article 1 with a hydrophobic ink 2, as shown in FIG. The hydrophobic ink 2 may be placed on the skin surface side T1 of the second sheet 45 . Thereby, compared with the case where the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged on the non-skin surface side T2 of the second sheet 45, the design can be easily recognized visually.

(5) Modification Next, a modification will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an absorbent article according to a modification. FIG. 9 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the center sheet 41A and the absorbent body 50, similar to FIGS. 4B and 4C. In the following description, the same description as the contents already described will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the hydrophobic ink 2 may be placed on the skin surface side T1 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 . Since the non-woven fabric sheet 10 is thick in the non-ink region NR, the excrement E easily comes into contact with the non-woven fabric sheet 10 in the non-ink region NR, and the start of drawing in the excrement E can be accelerated. Moreover, the excrement E excreted in the ink region IR easily touches the non-ink portion 12 which is the side wall of the recess S, and can reach the absorber 50 via the non-ink portion 12 .

When the fiber density of the non-ink portion 12 is smaller than the fiber density of the ink portion 11 (non-ink layer 11B), the excrement E that begins to be drawn in the non-ink region NR is transferred to the ink portion 11 having a high fiber density. Since it can be drawn in by capillary action, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the speed at which the excreta E is drawn in.

Furthermore, since the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged on the skin surface side T1 of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10, in the ink region IR, it becomes difficult for excrement to return from the nonwoven fabric sheet to the skin surface side, and rewet back can be reduced.

Further, when the non-woven fabric sheet 10 has a contact surface that contacts the wearer's skin, the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged on the bottom surface of the recess S, so that the wearer's skin is less likely to be stained with the hydrophobic ink. can be done.

(6) Method for manufacturing nonwoven fabric sheet Next, a method for manufacturing the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 10 . FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric sheet.

A direction in which the components are transported during the manufacturing process is indicated as a transport direction MD.

As shown in FIG. 10, the nonwoven fabric 10C is transported in the transport direction MD. The nonwoven fabric 10C may be a continuous sheet in which any of the constituent members made of the nonwoven fabric described above are continuous.

In step S10, the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed on the nonwoven fabric 10C. The hydrophobic ink may be deposited by applying the hydrophobic ink 2 onto the nonwoven fabric 10C using the applicator 210 . The method of applying the hydrophobic ink 2 may be flexographic printing or gravure printing. The coating device 210 may be composed of a pair of upper and lower rolls. By passing the nonwoven fabric 10C through the gap between the rolls, the hydrophobic ink 2 on at least one roll may be applied to the nonwoven fabric 10C.

The hydrophobic ink 2 is an ink that is cured by ultraviolet (UV) light. Therefore, the hydrophobic ink 2 may contain a material that is cured by UV light.

In step S20, at least the ink region IR in which the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged is irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

As shown in FIG. 10, an irradiation device 220 can be used to irradiate the ink region IR with ultraviolet rays. In the ink region IR where the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged, the air between the irradiation device 220 and the nonwoven fabric 10C is warmed by irradiating with ultraviolet rays. Since the warmed air warms the air between the fibers of the nonwoven fabric, the bulk of the nonwoven fabric 10C increases. However, in the ink region IR, the hydrophobic ink is cured and dried by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. As a result, the fibers of the nonwoven fabric 10C are joined together by the hydrophobic ink 2, making it difficult for the fibers of the nonwoven fabric 10C to separate from each other. As a result, even if the air between the fibers of the nonwoven fabric 10C in the ink region IR is warmed, the bulk of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 is less likely to increase. In addition, since the energy of the ultraviolet rays irradiated to the ink region IR is used for curing the hydrophobic ink, it is difficult to warm the air between the fibers of the nonwoven fabric 10C in the ink region IR. As a result, the thickness of the nonwoven fabric 10C in the ink regions IR can be made thinner than the thickness of the nonwoven fabric 10C in the non-ink regions NR.

Further, in step S20, the non-ink region NR around the ink region IR may be irradiated with ultraviolet rays. Thereby, in the non-ink region NR, the ultraviolet energy may be converted into heat energy, and the air between the fibers of the nonwoven fabric may be further warmed. This further increases the bulk of the nonwoven fabric 10C in the non-ink region NR.

Note that the irradiation device 220 may irradiate not only ultraviolet rays but also infrared rays. As a result, the nonwoven fabric 10C can be warmed, so that the air between the fibers can be further warmed. Also, the air between the fibers of the nonwoven fabric 10C may be warmed by a heating device in addition to the irradiation device 220 . As a result, the bulk of the nonwoven fabric 10C in the non-ink regions NR can be further increased.

In step S20, the hydrophobic ink 2 may be placed on the side of the thicker fibers. The thickness of the fiber on the side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed may be thicker than the thickness of the fiber on the side where the hydrophobic ink 2 is not placed. As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, when ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the side on which the hydrophobic ink 2 is arranged, the thicker the fiber, the larger the bulk, so the depth of the concave portion S can be increased. can. As a result, the air permeability around the ink portion 11 is improved by the concave portion S, so that the air permeability that tends to decrease due to the hydrophobic ink 2 can be compensated for.

In step S10, the volume of the nonwoven fabric 10C may be reduced by being sandwiched between the pair of rolls by applying the nonwoven fabric 10C with the pair of rolls. By step S20, the non-woven fabric sheet 10 may recover its bulk in the non-ink region NR. On the other hand, in the ink region IR, the bulk of the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 does not have to recover to the stage before step S10.

Since the hydrophobic ink 2 is an ink that is cured by ultraviolet rays, the hydrophobic ink can be dried by irradiating it with ultraviolet rays. As a result, the drying time can be shortened compared to the case of drying without irradiating ultraviolet rays. As a result, there is no need to lengthen the conveying path for drying, and it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the manufacturing apparatus and shorten the manufacturing time.

Thereafter, by cutting the nonwoven fabric 10C, it is possible to manufacture the nonwoven fabric sheet 10 capable of suppressing deterioration of the breathability of the absorbent article 1 . The absorbent article 1 can be manufactured using the manufactured nonwoven fabric sheet 10 .

(7) Other Embodiments Although the present invention has been described in detail using the above-described embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. is clear. The present invention can be implemented with modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined by the claims. Accordingly, the descriptions herein are for the purpose of illustration and description, and are not intended to have any limiting meaning with respect to the present invention.

For example, in the above-described second embodiment, the hydrophobic ink 2 is placed on the skin surface side T1 of the second sheet 45, but the present invention is not limited to this. The hydrophobic ink 2 may be placed on the non-skin surface side T2 of the second sheet 45 . As a result, a concave portion S (space) is easily formed between the absorbent body 50 and the second sheet 45, and the absorbent body 50 is easily bent into a convex shape along the wearer's body in accordance with the movement of the wearer. can do. As a result, the absorber 50 becomes difficult to separate from the wearer's body, and leakage of excrement can be reduced.

The configurations related to the absorbent articles according to the above-described embodiments, modifications, and other embodiments can be appropriately combined. For example, for a napkin like the second embodiment, a nonwoven sheet with hydrophobic ink 2 can be used as in the first embodiment.

1: Absorbent article 10: Non-woven fabric sheet 11: Ink part 11A: Ink layer 11B: Non-ink layer 12: Non-ink part 13: Composite sheet 13A: First sheet 13B: Second sheet 15: Exterior 20: Front exterior 30 : Back exterior body 40 : Absorbent main body 41 : Skin sheet 41A : Center sheet 41B : Side sheet 42 : Liquid impermeable sheet 43 : Main body sheet 50 : Absorber IR : Ink area NR : Non-ink area S1 : Front side Region S2: Back side region S3: Inseam region T: Thickness direction T1: Skin side T2: Non-skin side W: Width direction

Claims (12)

An absorbent article comprising a nonwoven sheet with hydrophobic ink,
In a plan view of the non-woven fabric sheet, the non-woven fabric sheet is provided with an ink region in which the hydrophobic ink is arranged and a non-ink region in which the hydrophobic ink is not arranged,
The thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the ink region is thinner than the thickness of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the non-ink region,
The nonwoven fabric sheet is
a folded portion where the nonwoven fabric sheet is folded;
a facing portion facing the folded portion and in contact with the folded portion;
At least part of the hydrophobic ink on the folded portion is arranged at a position overlapping the hydrophobic ink on the facing portion in the thickness direction . The hydrophobic ink is arranged on one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the thickness direction,
2. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein one side of said non-woven fabric sheet is provided with a recessed portion recessed in said thickness direction from a periphery of said ink region. 3. The absorbent article according to claim 1, wherein the fiber density of said non-woven fabric sheet in said non-ink area is lower than the fiber density of said non-woven fabric sheet in said ink area. The hydrophobic ink is arranged on one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the thickness direction,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fibers on one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet are thicker than the fibers on the other side of the nonwoven fabric sheet. The hydrophobic ink is arranged on one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the thickness direction,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nonwoven fabric sheet has a pressed portion that is pressed in the thickness direction from the other side of the nonwoven fabric sheet. Having a contact sheet that contacts one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the thickness direction,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the hydrophobic ink is arranged on the one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet. A composite sheet including a contact sheet that contacts one side of the nonwoven fabric sheet in the thickness direction and the nonwoven fabric sheet,
The composite sheet has a contraction region where the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet contract,
at least part of the ink region overlaps with the contraction region in the thickness direction;
7. The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the nonwoven fabric sheet and the contact sheet are not bonded in at least part of the ink area. an absorber disposed on the non-skin surface side of the non-woven fabric sheet and overlapping the ink region and the non-ink region in the thickness direction;
The hydrophobic ink is arranged on the non-skin surface side of the non-woven fabric sheet,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area is lower than the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink area. an absorber disposed on the non-skin surface side of the non-woven fabric sheet and overlapping the ink region and the non-ink region in the thickness direction;
The hydrophobic ink is arranged on the skin surface side of the nonwoven fabric sheet,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non-ink area is lower than the fiber density of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink area. an absorber disposed on the non-skin surface side of the non-woven fabric sheet and overlapping the ink region and the non-ink region in the thickness direction;
a skin sheet having a contact surface that contacts the wearer's skin,
The absorbent article according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the nonwoven fabric sheet is arranged between the skin sheet and the absorbent body in the thickness direction. 11. A boundary between the ink region and the non-ink region, wherein the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the ink region is thinner than the thickness of the non-woven fabric sheet in the non - ink region. 1. The absorbent article according to claim 1. A method for producing a nonwoven fabric sheet for use in absorbent articles,
placing a UV curable hydrophobic ink on the nonwoven fabric;
a step of irradiating at least the ink region in which the hydrophobic ink is disposed with ultraviolet rays;
and a step of manufacturing a nonwoven fabric sheet from the nonwoven fabric ,
In the absorbent article, the nonwoven fabric sheet is
a folded portion where the nonwoven fabric sheet is folded;
a facing portion facing the folded portion and in contact with the folded portion;
In the placing step, the hydrophobic ink is placed on the nonwoven fabric so that at least part of the hydrophobic ink on the folded portion overlaps the hydrophobic ink on the facing portion in the thickness direction. A method for manufacturing a nonwoven fabric sheet.

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