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EP-4505983-B1 - UNDERPANTS-TYPE ABSORBENT ARTICLE

EP4505983B1EP 4505983 B1EP4505983 B1EP 4505983B1EP-4505983-B1

Inventors

  • OHTSUBO, TOSHIFUMI
  • KAWAZU, FUMIHITO

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230608

Claims (14)

  1. An underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) having a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a front-back direction that intersect each other, the underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) comprising: a pair of waist portions (20, 30); and a liquid-absorbent absorbent body (10), the pair of waist portions (20, 30) being joined to each other by a pair of joining regions (SS) at both side end portions in the lateral direction, the joining regions (SS) each having a plurality of joining portions (70) extending along the vertical direction, the waist portions including a one-side sheet (21) and an other-side sheet (22), at least either one of the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22) having a plurality of heat-fusing portions (EB) in which heat-fusible fibers are joined to each other, a heat-fusing-portion row (E) extending along the vertical direction being formed by a group of the heat-fusing portions that are adjacent in the vertical direction in the stretched state and in which a distance of centers (e) in the lateral direction is smallest in the stretched state, the heat-fusing portion not joining the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22), the heat-fusing-portion row (E) having a first heat-fusing portion (EB1) and a second heat-fusing portion (EB2) that are located inside of the joining portions (70) in the lateral direction, a vertical gap (D70) between the joining portions (70) being wider than a vertical length (H70) of the joining portion (70), the vertical gap (D70) between the joining portions (70) being narrower than a gap (DEB) between the first heat-fusing portion (EB1) and the second heat-fusing portion (EB2).
  2. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1, wherein a vertical length (H70) of the joining portion (70) is shorter than a vertical length (HEB) of the first heat-fusing portion (EB1).
  3. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a lateral length (W70) of the joining portion (70) is longer than a vertical length (H70) of the joining portion (70).
  4. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of elastic members (23) that can stretch and contract in the lateral direction are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, between the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22), and a vertical length (H70) of the joining portion (70) is shorter than a thickness of the elastic member (23) in the natural state.
  5. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of elastic members (23) that can stretch and contract in the lateral direction are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, between the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22), and a vertical length (W70) of the joining portion (70) is shorter than a thickness of the elastic member (23) in the stretched state.
  6. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in at least one of the waist portions (20, 30), a plurality of elastic members (23) that can stretch and contract in the lateral direction are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, between the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22) joined by a plurality of weld portions (70), the plurality of weld portions (50) include a plurality of weld-portion pairs (51) that are located on both sides of the elastic member (23) in the vertical direction, when each of the elastic members (23) contracts in the lateral direction, a position of the elastic member (23) in the vertical direction relative to the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22) is restricted by being sandwiched between the weld-portion pair (51), and a lateral length (W70) of the joining portion (70) is longer than a lateral length (W50) of the weld portion (50).
  7. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in at least one of the waist portions (20, 30), a plurality of elastic members (23) that can stretch and contract in the lateral direction are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, between the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22) joined by a plurality of weld portions (50), the plurality of weld portions (50) include a plurality of weld-portion pairs (51) that are located on both sides of the elastic member (23) in the vertical direction, when each of the elastic members (23) contracts in the lateral direction, a position of the elastic member (23) in the vertical direction relative to the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22) is restricted by being sandwiched between the weld-portion pair (51), the plurality of weld-portion pair (51) includes a first weld-portion pair (51a1) and a second weld-portion pair (51a2) located adjacent to the first weld-portion pair (51a1) on a one side in the lateral direction, the first weld-portion pair (51a1) and the second weld-portion pair (51a2) sandwich a first elastic member (23) between them, the first weld-portion pair (51a1) has a first weld portion (501) and a second weld portion (502), the first weld portion (501) and the second weld portion (502) being located on the same side in the vertical direction with respect to the first elastic member (23) and spaced with a first gap (S1) in the lateral direction, and in the stretched state, a first length (D1) is longer than a lateral length of the first gap (S1), the first length (D1) being a lateral length from a lateral one-side end of the first weld-portion pair (51a1) to a lateral other-side end of the second weld-portion pair (51a2).
  8. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a gap (DEB) between the first heat-fusing portion (EB1) and the second heat-fusing portion (EB2) is greater than twice a sum of a vertical length (H70) of the joining portion (70) and the vertical gap (D70) between the joining portions (70).
  9. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vertical gap (D70) between the joining portions (70) is narrower than a lateral length (W70) of the joining portion (70).
  10. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a lateral length (W70) of the joining portion (70) is longer than a lateral length (WEB) of the first heat-fusing portion (EB1) .
  11. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an area of the joining portion (70) is equal to or less than an area of the first heat-fusing portion (EB1).
  12. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an area of the joining portion (70) is larger than an area of the first heat-fusing portion (EB1).
  13. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in at least one of the waist portions (20, 30), a plurality of elastic members (23) that can stretch and contract in the lateral direction are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, between the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22) joined by a plurality of weld portions (50), the plurality of weld portions (50) include a plurality of weld-portion pairs (51) that are located on both sides of the elastic member (23) in the vertical direction, when each of the elastic members (23) contracts in the lateral direction, a position of the elastic member (23) in the vertical direction relative to the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22) is restricted by being sandwiched between the weld-portion pair (51), and an area of the joining portion (70) is equal to or less than an area of the weld portion.
  14. The underpants-shaped absorbent article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in at least one of the waist portions (20, 30), a plurality of elastic members (23) that can stretch and contract in the lateral direction are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction, between the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22) joined by a plurality of weld portions (50), the plurality of weld portions (50) include a plurality of weld-portion pairs (51) that are located on both sides of the elastic member (23) in the vertical direction, when each of the elastic members (23) contracts in the lateral direction, a position of the elastic member (23) in the vertical direction relative to the one-side sheet (21) and the other-side sheet (22) is restricted by being sandwiched between the weld-portion pair (51), and an area of the joining portion (70) is larger than an area of the weld portion.

Description

FIELD The present invention relates to an underpants-shaped absorbent article. BACKGROUND Conventionally, an underpants-shaped absorbent article has been widely known in which a front waist portion and a back waist portion are connected by side joining portions provided in two end portions in the lateral direction to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an underpants-shaped disposable diaper having a front waist area (front panel), a back waist area (back panel) and a crotch area, and formed by joining the side edge portions of the front panel and the side edge portions of the back panel, for example, with semicircular joining spots. [CITATION LIST] [PATENT LITERATURE] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-96192[Patent Document 2] EP3730110A1 SUMMARY [TECHNICAL PROBLEM] After using the underpants-shaped absorbent article, when removing it from the wearer's body (taking off the underpants-shaped absorbent article that is being worn), it is common to tear the waist area at the side joining portion to open the waist opening. When attempting to open the waist opening using the side joining portions of a disposable diaper such as ones described in Patent Document 1, the portion of the one-side waist area (e.g., front waist portion) that is joined by the side joining portion remains joined to the other-side waist area (e.g., back waist portion), and after tearing, one-side waist area may be left with the portion of the side joining portion cut out (see FIG. 7B). In other words, in the action of tearing the side joining portion to open the waist opening, the one-side waist area is torn along the contour of the side joining portion, which may require a force for strongly pulling the one-side waist area or may result in the one-side waist area tearing in an unintended part. On the other hand, if the side joining portion is provided on both side edges in the waist area continuously over the entire area in the vertical direction, it is possible to reduce the risk of the one-side waist area tearing in an unintended part. But, the both side edge portions of the waist area will become stiff, causing a risk that the wearer feel discomfort. Patent Document 2 discloses another pull-on garment which can be easily removed. The present invention was achieved in light of conventional problems such as that described above, an aspect of the present invention is to provide an underpants-shaped absorbent article that is easy to tear along the joining portion after use, while reducing the risk of a joining region at a side end portion of the waist portion becoming excessively stiff. [SOLUTION TO PROBLEM] A main aspect of the present invention of achieving the above-described aspect is an underpants-shaped absorbent article having a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a front-back direction that intersect each other, the underpants-shaped absorbent article including: a pair of waist portions; and a liquid-absorbent absorbent body, the pair of waist portions being joined to each other by a pair of joining regions at both side end portions in the lateral direction, the joining regions each having a plurality of joining portions extending along the vertical direction, the waist portions including a one-side sheet and an other-side sheet, at least either one of the one-side sheet and the other-side sheet having a plurality of heat-fusing portions in which heat-fusible fibers are joined to each other, a heat-fusing-portion row extending along the vertical direction being formed by a group of the heat-fusing portions that are adjacent in the vertical direction in the stretched state and in which a distance of centers in the lateral direction is smallest in the stretched state, the heat-fusing portion not joining the one-side sheet and the other-side sheet, the heat-fusing-portion row having a first heat-fusing portion and a second heat-fusing portion that are located inside the joining portions in the lateral direction, a vertical gap between the joining portions being wider than a vertical length of the joining portion, the vertical gap between the joining portions being narrower than a gap between the first heat-fusing portion and the second heat-fusing portion. Features of the present invention other than the above will become clear by reading the description of the present specification with reference to the accompanying drawings. [ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE INVENTION] According to the present invention, it is easier to tear along the lateral inner ends of the joining portions after use while reducing the risk of the joining region becoming excessively stiff, compared with the case where the gap in the vertical direction between the joining portions is wider than the length of the joining portion in the vertical direction and where the gap in the vertical direction between the joining portions is not narrower than the gap between the first heat