JP7684897B2 - Method for manufacturing absorbent pads - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an absorbent pad that is removably attached to another wearable article via a fastening structure.

A separate type of absorbent article, such as a disposable diaper, is known that includes an absorbent pad that absorbs and retains body fluids such as urine, and a holder that is worn in a ring shape around the waist of the wearer and holds the absorbent pad placed in the crotch area of the wearer, and the absorbent pad is configured to be freely attached and detached to the holder. In the separate type absorbent article described in Patent Document 1, a pad-side fastening structure that can be attached and detached to the fastening structure of the holder (holder-side fastening structure) is provided at the end area of the absorbent pad in the vertical direction (the direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of the wearer).

In addition, in disposable diapers, in order to prevent leakage of excrement in the vertical direction corresponding to the front-to-back direction of the wearer (vertical leakage), it is known to form a pocket portion that opens toward the crotch portion around the waist vertically outward from the vertical end of the absorbent body (Patent Documents 2 to 4). The pocket portion can prevent vertical leakage of excrement by receiving excrement that has flowed down from the crotch portion located in the vertical center of the diaper through the opening.
Patent Document 2 describes the pocket portion as being made by folding back an extension portion from a longitudinal end of a water-repellent covering sheet arranged on the non-skin-facing side of the absorbent body onto the skin-facing side of the absorbent body, and arranging an elastic member at the tip of the folded-back portion of the covering sheet to form a tip gathered portion.
Patent Document 3 describes a pocket portion having a first opening end that opens vertically inward and a second opening end that opens vertically outward.
Patent Document 4 describes a method for continuously manufacturing disposable diapers, in which a continuous body strip in which a plurality of diaper bodies are connected in one direction is transported in the same direction, a band complex is joined so as to straddle the boundary between adjacent diaper bodies in the main body strip in the same direction, and the main body strip and the band complex are then cut at the boundary, thereby providing waistbands at both longitudinal ends that form the pocket portion.
The techniques described in Patent Documents 2 to 4 relate to typical non-separate type disposable diapers in which the portion corresponding to the wearer's waist (the portion corresponding to the holder) and the portion corresponding to the wearer's crotch area (the portion corresponding to the absorbent pad) are inseparably integrated.

JP 2004-329386 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-70414 JP 2019-115461 A JP 2019-115461 A

One advantage of separate-type disposable diapers is that the holder, which is placed around the wearer's waist, and the absorbent pad, which is placed in the wearer's crotch area and directly receives excrement, can be separated. Therefore, when excrement occurs, the unsoiled holder can be left on and only the absorbent pad soiled with excrement can be replaced with a new one. Due to this advantage, separate-type disposable diapers generate less waste and carbon dioxide compared to general disposable diapers that are not separate types, and the burden on the environment is reduced. However, if the excrement received in the crotch area (vertical center) of the absorbent pad leaks out from the ventral or dorsal end (vertical end) of the absorbent pad, the leaked excrement will adhere to the holder, and not only the absorbent pad but also the holder will have to be replaced. Therefore, it is considered to provide a pocket portion that opens toward the crotch area at the vertical end of the absorbent pad, as described in Patent Documents 2 to 4, to prevent the transfer of excrement from the absorbent pad to the holder. However, when providing a fastening structure at the longitudinal end of the absorbent pad to fasten the absorbent pad to the holder, if the fastening structure and the positioning of the pocket are not appropriate, these functions may not be fully realized. No technology has yet been provided that can solve these problems specific to separate-type disposable diapers.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a technology that can efficiently manufacture absorbent pads suitable as components of separate-type disposable diapers.

The present invention provides an absorbent pad having a vertical direction extending from a wearer's abdomen side through a crotch region to a back side and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the absorbent pad being removably fixed to another wearing article via a fastening structure,
The absorbent body includes an absorbent body that absorbs and retains bodily fluids and a skin-side sheet that is disposed on the skin-facing side of the absorbent body, and a pair of stretchable laminates that are disposed on both end regions of the absorbent body in the longitudinal direction,
The elastic laminate includes a base sheet covering an end region in the longitudinal direction on the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body, the fastening structure fixed to the skin-facing surface of the base sheet, and an elastic member fixed to the base sheet so as to be elastic in the lateral direction,
The base sheet is fixed to the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body by an adhesive region corresponding to the base sheet,
The adhesive regions are located at the ends of the absorbent pad in the longitudinal direction, and include continuous adhesive regions in which the adhesive extends continuously over the entire width of the absorbent pad in the lateral direction, and discontinuous adhesive regions in which the adhesive is intermittently arranged in the lateral direction, the central portion of the discontinuous adhesive region in the lateral direction being an adhesive-free portion, and adhesive-present portions are located on both sides of the adhesive-free portion in the lateral direction,
This is a method for manufacturing an absorbent pad, in which a portion of the base sheet corresponding to the non-adhesive portion is a non-fixed portion that is not fixed to other members, and the elastic member is fixed to this non-fixed portion of the base sheet.
One embodiment of the method for producing an absorbent pad of the present invention includes a first conveying step of conveying a continuous stretch laminate in which a plurality of the stretch laminates are connected in one direction, in a first conveying direction parallel to the one direction.
One embodiment of the manufacturing method of the absorbent pad of the present invention includes a second conveying step of conveying a main body precursor including the skin side sheet in a continuous band shape in one direction in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction.
One embodiment of the method for manufacturing an absorbent pad of the present invention includes a first sheet-forming step in which the stretch laminate continuous body is conveyed in the first conveying direction, while being cut intermittently in the first conveying direction and over the entire length in a conveying direction perpendicular to the first conveying direction, to obtain a stretch laminate sheet in which the stretch laminate at one end region in the longitudinal direction of one of the absorbent pads is connected to that of another of the absorbent pads.
One embodiment of the manufacturing method for an absorbent pad of the present invention includes an adhesive application step in which adhesive is partially applied to a non-fixed surface of the fastening structure in the stretch laminate continuum and/or a surface on which the stretch laminate sheet is to be placed in the main body precursor as an adhesive application surface.
One embodiment of the method for manufacturing an absorbent pad of the present invention includes a step of rotating each of a plurality of the stretch laminate sheets by 90 degrees around the center of the stretch laminate sheet in a planar view, and then intermittently supplying them to the main body precursor being transported in the second transport direction, thereby obtaining a composite sheet continuous body in which a plurality of the stretch laminate sheets are intermittently arranged on one side of the main body precursor in the second transport direction and the stretch laminate sheets and the main body precursor are bonded together by the adhesive.
One embodiment of the method for manufacturing an absorbent pad of the present invention includes a second sheet-forming process in which the continuous composite sheet is conveyed in the second conveying direction and cut along its entire length in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction at positions of the elastic laminate sheets intermittently arranged in the second conveying direction to obtain individual absorbent pads.
In one embodiment of the method for manufacturing an absorbent pad of the present invention, the elastic laminate sheet is formed by connecting the elastic laminate at one end region in the longitudinal direction of one of the absorbent pads and that of another of the absorbent pads in the longitudinal direction,
In the continuous composite sheet, the elastic laminate sheet and the main body precursor are joined via an adhesive area connection portion in which the adhesive area of one end region in the longitudinal direction of one of the absorbent pads is connected to the adhesive area of the other of the absorbent pads in the second conveying direction.
In one embodiment of the manufacturing method of the absorbent pad of the present invention, in the second sheet-forming process, the continuous composite sheet is cut along a planned cutting line that passes through the adhesive area connection portion and extends in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, to simultaneously form one adhesive area consisting of one of the two divided adhesive area connection portions, and another adhesive area consisting of the other adhesive area.
Other features, advantages and embodiments of the present invention are described below.

According to the method for manufacturing an absorbent pad of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently manufacture an absorbent pad suitable as a component of a separate type disposable diaper.
The absorbent pad manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention has an attachment structure that, together with the absorbent pad, forms a separate-type disposable diaper, which can be freely attached and detached to other wearing articles such as a holder that is placed around the wearer's waist. Furthermore, the pocket portion that is formed when the absorbent pad is worn can prevent the transfer of excrement to the holder, and further, the pocket portion can prevent the inconvenience of the attachment structure engaging with other components of the absorbent pad (for example, the skin-side sheet that forms the skin-facing surface of the absorbent pad).

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of an absorbent pad manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the skin-facing surface side of the absorbent pad shown in FIG. 1 in an unfolded and maximally extended state. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views showing schematic cross sections along the horizontal and thickness directions at a predetermined position of the absorbent pad shown in FIG. 2, where FIG. 3A shows a cross section along line II in FIG. 2, FIG. 3B shows a cross section along line II-II in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B shows a cross section along line III-III in FIG. 2. 4A and 4B are schematic plan views of adhesive areas in the absorbent pad shown in FIG. 2, where FIG. 4A shows the longitudinal end of the ventral side of the absorbent pad, and FIG. 4B shows the longitudinal end of the dorsal side of the absorbent pad. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of use of the absorbent pad shown in FIG. 1, and is a perspective view of a disposable diaper including a holder, which is another wearing article, and the absorbent pad attached thereto. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a production line for carrying out one embodiment (production method A) of the method for producing the absorbent pad shown in FIG. Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of the surface of the workpiece to be coated with adhesive in each process performed by the manufacturing apparatus shown in Figure 6, where Figure 7(a) shows the state in which the stretch laminate continuous body is cut to obtain stretch laminate sheets in the first sheet-forming process, Figure 7(b) shows the stretch laminate sheet of Figure 7(a) rotated 90 degrees around its center in a plan view, Figure 7(c) shows the main body precursor being transported in the second transport process, and Figure 7(d) shows the state in which the stretch laminate sheet of Figure 7(b) is supplied to the main body precursor of Figure 7(c) in the composite sheet continuous manufacturing process. FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a production line for carrying out another embodiment (production method B) of the method for producing the absorbent pad shown in FIG. Figure 9 is a schematic plan view of the surface of the workpiece to be coated with adhesive in each process performed by the manufacturing apparatus shown in Figure 8, where Figure 9(a) shows the state in which the stretch laminate continuous body is cut to obtain stretch laminate sheets in the first sheet-forming process, Figure 9(b) shows the stretch laminate sheet of Figure 9(a) rotated 90 degrees around its center in a plan view, Figure 9(c) shows the main body precursor being transported in the second transport process, and Figure 9(d) shows the state in which the stretch laminate sheet of Figure 9(b) is supplied to the main body precursor of Figure 9(c) in the composite sheet continuous manufacturing process. FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a production line for carrying out still another embodiment (production method C) of the method for producing the absorbent pad shown in FIG. Figure 11 is a schematic plan view of the surface of the workpiece to be coated with adhesive in each process performed by the manufacturing apparatus shown in Figure 10, where Figure 11(a) shows how the stretch laminate continuous body is cut to obtain stretch laminate sheets in the first sheet-forming process, Figure 11(b) shows the stretch laminate sheet of Figure 11(a) rotated 90 degrees around its center in a plan view, Figure 11(c) shows a main body precursor being transported in the second transport process, and Figure 11(d) shows the state in which the stretch laminate sheet of Figure 11(b) is supplied to the main body precursor of Figure 11(c) in a composite sheet continuous manufacturing process. FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of a production line for carrying out still another embodiment (production method D) of the method for producing the absorbent pad shown in FIG. Figure 13 is a schematic plan view of the surface of the workpiece to be coated with adhesive in each process performed by the manufacturing apparatus shown in Figure 12, where Figure 13(a) shows the main body precursor being transported in the second transport process, and Figure 13(b) shows the state in which the stretch laminate sheet of Figure 13(a) is supplied to the main body precursor in the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing process.

The present invention will now be described based on preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are given the same or similar reference numerals. The drawings are basically schematic, and the ratios of the dimensions may differ from the actual ones.

1 to 4 show an absorbent pad 1, which is an embodiment of an absorbent pad manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a disposable diaper 10, which includes the absorbent pad 1 and a holder 11 (another worn article) that holds the absorbent pad 1 on a wearer, as an example of the use of the absorbent pad. As shown in FIG. 5, the diaper 10 is formed by connecting the absorbent pad 1 and the holder 11 via a fastening structure (pad-side fastening structure) 62 of the pad 1 and a fastening structure (holder-side fastening structure) 14 of the holder 11, and has a waist opening WH of the holder 11 and a pair of leg openings LH, LH defined by the lower end of the holder 11 in the height direction D1 and both side edges along the longitudinal direction (vertical direction X to be described later) of the absorbent pad 1. The holder 11 is not a component of the absorbent pad 1.

The diaper 10, which is a separate type absorbent article, reduces the burden on the environment compared to conventional non-separate type absorbent articles because the absorbent pad 1 and the holder 11 can be freely connected and separated via the fastening structures 62, 14. That is, when a conventional non-separate type absorbent article in which a portion corresponding to the wearer's waist (a portion corresponding to the holder) and a portion corresponding to the wearer's crotch (a portion corresponding to the absorbent pad) are inseparably integrated, is disposed of after use, even if the portion corresponding to the holder is not soiled, it must be disposed of together with the portion corresponding to the absorbent pad that is soiled with excrement. However, with the diaper 10, it is only necessary to replace only the absorbent pad 1 with a new one while leaving the holder 11 as it is, so that the amount of waste disposal and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced compared to non-separate type absorbent articles, and this contributes to reducing the burden on the environment.
In addition, since the absorbent pad 1 is removably fixed to the holder 11 while the diaper 10 is being worn, the absorbent pad 1 can be easily replaced with a new one, and the burden of replacing the diaper 10 is significantly reduced compared to conventional non-separate type absorbent articles.

The absorbent pad 1 is used by being detachably fixed to a holder 11 that is previously attached in a ring shape around the waist of a wearer. Here, the holder 11 will be briefly described with reference to Fig. 5. The holder 11 is attached in a ring shape around the waist of a wearer and holds the absorbent pad 1 in a state where it is attached to the wearer, and has a height direction D1 along the height direction of the wearer and a circumferential direction D2 along the waist direction. The holder 11 has a ventral side portion 11F arranged on the ventral side (front side) of the wearer and a back side portion 11R arranged on the back side (rear side) of the wearer, and is provided with a holder main body portion 12 that constitutes the main body of the holder 11. The holder main body portion 12 is mainly composed of a sheet-like member such as a nonwoven fabric, and is typically composed of a laminated structure of an outer layer sheet that forms a non-skin facing surface (outer surface) of the holder main body portion 12 and an inner layer sheet that forms a skin facing surface (inner surface) of the holder main body portion 12. The holder 11 is annular in shape, with both longitudinal ends of the holder body 12 of each of the abdominal portion 11F and the back portion 11R joined together by known joining means such as fusion or adhesive, and has a pair of joining parts S, S between the abdominal portion 11F and the back portion 11R, and a waist opening WH. The joining parts S correspond to the side seal parts in a general non-separate type pants-type disposable diaper. The holder body 12 of each of the abdominal portion 11F and the back portion 11R has a plurality of elastic members 13 arranged intermittently in the height direction D1 so as to be stretchable in a direction perpendicular to the height direction D1, thereby making the holder 11 stretchable in the circumferential direction D2. A holder side fastening structure 14 is arranged on the non-skin facing surface (outer surface) of the holder body 12, and the absorbent pad 1 can be detachably fastened to the holder 11 by fastening the pad side fastening structure 62 to the holder side fastening structure 14.
Since the holder 11 does not include an absorbent that absorbs and retains moisture, if washable materials are used as components of the holder main body 12, the holder 11 can be washed and reused. The fact that the holder 11 is washable leads to a reduction in the amount of waste and carbon dioxide emissions, and can contribute to reducing the burden on the environment.
It should be noted that the holder 11 is merely one embodiment of the "other worn articles" to which the absorbent pad of the present invention can be applied, and the "other worn articles" to which the absorbent pad of the present invention can be applied are not limited to the holder 11 as long as they have a fastening structure that can be attached to the fastening structure of the absorbent pad.

In this specification, the term "skin-facing surface" refers to the surface of a worn article such as an absorbent article, holder, or absorbent pad, or a component thereof (e.g., the absorbent body of an absorbent pad), which faces the skin of the wearer when the worn article is worn, and the term "non-skin-facing surface" refers to the surface of the worn article or a component thereof, which faces the side opposite the skin when the worn article is worn.

The absorbent pad 1 will now be described.
The absorbent pad 1 has a vertical direction X extending from the wearer's abdomen through the crotch area to the back, and a horizontal direction Y perpendicular to the vertical direction X. The vertical direction X of the absorbent pad 1 corresponds to the front-to-rear direction of the wearer and corresponds to a height direction D1 of the holder 11, and the horizontal direction Y of the absorbent pad 1 corresponds to a circumferential direction D2 of the holder 11.
The absorbent pad 1 comprises an absorbent body 5 that absorbs and retains bodily fluids, an absorbent main body 2 including a skin-side sheet 3 arranged on the skin-facing side of the absorbent body 5, and a pair of stretch laminates 6, 6 arranged at both end regions in the longitudinal direction X of the absorbent main body 2.

As shown in Fig. 2, the absorbent pad 1 has a crotch portion M arranged in the crotch portion of the wearer, a ventral portion F arranged on the ventral side (front side) of the wearer relative to the crotch portion M, and a dorsal portion R arranged on the dorsal side (rear side) of the wearer relative to the crotch portion M. The crotch portion M is located in the center of the absorbent pad 1 in the vertical direction X, and includes an excretory portion facing portion (not shown) that faces an excretory portion such as the penis of the wearer when worn. As shown in Fig. 5, when the absorbent pad 1 is properly fastened to the holder 11, the ventral portion F of the absorbent pad 1 includes a portion overlapping the ventral portion 11F of the holder 11, and the dorsal portion R of the absorbent pad 1 includes a portion overlapping the dorsal portion 11R of the holder 11, but the crotch portion M of the absorbent pad 1 does not overlap the holder 11.
In this embodiment, the absorbent pad 1 has a rectangular shape in a plan view in the unfolded and maximally extended state as shown in Fig. 2, and is formed symmetrically on one side and the other side with respect to a lateral center line CLy. The lateral center line CLy is an imaginary straight line extending in the vertical direction X, dividing the absorbent pad 1 in the unfolded and maximally extended state as shown in Fig. 2 in half in the lateral direction Y.

In this specification, "unfolded and maximum stretched state" refers to a state in which a worn article such as an absorbent article, holder, or absorbent pad is spread out flat to an unfolded state, and the elastic members of each part of the worn article in the unfolded state are stretched to their maximum extent until they are the same as the designed dimensions, i.e., the dimensions when unfolded flat with all the influence of the elastic members eliminated. In the case of an absorbent article having a side seal portion such as the joint portion S of the holder 11 described above, the absorbent article is separated at the side seal portion and spread out flat to the unfolded state.

In this embodiment, the absorbent body 2 includes, in addition to the skin side sheet 3 and the absorbent body 5 , a non-skin side sheet 4 arranged on the non-skin facing side of the absorbent body 5 .
The skin side sheet 3, together with a side sheet 8 described later, forms the skin facing surface of the absorbent body 2 and can come into contact with the wearer's skin when worn. On the other hand, the non-skin side sheet 4 forms the non-skin facing surface of the absorbent body 2.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the skin side sheet 3 comes into contact with the skin facing surface of the absorbent body 5 and covers its entire area, and the non-skin side sheet 4 comes into contact with the non-skin facing surface of the absorbent body 5 and covers its entire area.
In this embodiment, the absorbent body 5 is configured to include an absorbent core 51 capable of absorbing and retaining bodily fluids, and a core wrap sheet 52 that covers the outer surface including the skin-facing surface and non-skin-facing surface of the absorbent core 51. In the present invention, it is sufficient that the absorbent body 5 includes at least the absorbent core 51, and the core wrap sheet 52 is not necessary.
The plurality of members 3, 4, 5 constituting the absorbent body 2 are joined together by a known joining means such as an adhesive.

As the constituent members of the absorbent body 2, those that are normally used in this type of absorbent article can be used without any particular restrictions. As the skin-side sheet 3, a liquid-permeable sheet can be used, for example, various nonwoven fabrics and perforated films. As the non-skin-side sheet 4, a liquid-impermeable or liquid-slightly permeable or water-repellent sheet can be used, for example, nonwoven fabric, resin film, laminate of resin film and nonwoven fabric, etc. The absorbent core 51 is typically mainly made of a water-absorbent material, and contains one or more types of water-absorbent material selected from fibrous materials such as wood pulp and water-absorbent polymers. The core wrap sheet 52 is liquid-permeable and typically consists of paper, nonwoven fabric, etc.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the absorbent pad 1 includes a pair of side sheets 8, 8 that are arranged on both sides of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 2 in the vertical direction X and stand up toward the skin side of the wearer when the absorbent pad 1 is worn.
More specifically, the pair of side sheets 8 are each continuous in the vertical direction X over the entire length of the absorbent pad 1 in the vertical direction X, as shown in Fig. 2. The side sheets 8 are folded in half in the horizontal direction Y and fixed to the absorbent main body 2, and have a two-layer structure consisting of opposing side sheets 8, 8, as shown in Fig. 3.
The side sheet 8 may be a liquid-impermeable or liquid-slightly permeable or water-repellent sheet, and examples thereof include nonwoven fabric, resin film, and laminates of resin film and nonwoven fabric.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, a pair of fused portions 81 between the skin side sheet 3 and the side sheet 8 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction X, and the portion of the side sheet 8 sandwiched between the pair of fused portions 81, 81 (free edge portion 83) is configured to rise toward the skin side of the wearer, as shown in Figures 3(b) and 3(c).
More specifically, the pair of fused portions 81, 81 are located at both ends of the side sheet 8 in the vertical direction X (longitudinal direction), are covered with the elastic laminate 6, and overlap with the adhesive region 7 (see FIG. 4) described later. Of the portion of the side sheet 8 sandwiched between the pair of fused portions 81, 81, one side in the horizontal direction Y is fixed to the constituent members of the absorbent main body 2 (skin side sheet 3, non-skin side sheet 4, etc.) to form a fixed edge portion 82, and the other side in the horizontal direction Y is a free edge portion 83 that is not fixed to other members. The free edge portion 83 of the side sheet 8 extends in the vertical direction X over the entire length between a pair of inner fastening structures 62B, 62B described later that are spaced apart in the vertical direction X, and over at least the entire length of the crotch portion M in the vertical direction X, and further extends to the portions of the abdominal side portion A and the dorsal side portion C near the crotch portion M in the illustrated embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the free edge portion 83 of the side sheet 8 faces outward in the horizontal direction Y (see FIG. 3). An elastic member 84 extending in the vertical direction X is fixed to the free edge portion 83 of the side sheet 8 so as to be stretchable in the same direction, and when the absorbent pad 1 is worn or in its natural state, the contractile force of the elastic member 84 causes the free edge portion 83 to rise toward the wearer's skin from the part located at the innermost part in the horizontal direction Y of the fixed edge portion 82 (in this embodiment, the fixed part between the side sheet 8 and the skin side sheet 3 in the area overlapping with the absorbent body 5 in a plan view). On the other hand, at both ends in the vertical direction X of the side sheet 8 (parts where the fused parts 81 are present), one side and the other side in the horizontal direction Y of the side sheet 8 are joined by an adhesive 86 as shown in FIG. 3(a), so that even if the free edge portion 83 rises, the side sheet 8 does not rise at both ends in the vertical direction X of the side sheet 8. By having the free edge portion 83 of the side sheet 8 rise in this way in the crotch portion M, the outflow of excrement such as urine to the outside in the horizontal direction Y (so-called lateral leakage) is effectively prevented. The number of elastic members 84 is not particularly limited, and may be one or more. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of (three) elastic members 84 are disposed at the tip of the free edge portion 83, and one elastic member 84 is disposed at the intermediate position between the tip of the free edge portion 83 and the upright base end.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, an elastic member 85 extending in the vertical direction X is fixed to the fixed edge portion 82 of the side sheet 8 so as to be stretchable in the same direction. The elastic member 85 is arranged at least on the side edge portion along the vertical direction X of the absorbent pad 1 in the crotch portion M, i.e., on the leg edge portion that is arranged around the legs of the wearer of the absorbent pad 1. When the absorbent pad 1 is worn or in its natural state, the contraction of the elastic member 85 forms a substantially continuous leg gather in the vertical direction X at the leg edge portion.

Each of the pair of stretchable laminates 6, 6 includes a base sheet 61 covering an end region in the longitudinal direction X of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent main body 2 (the end of the skin-facing surface in the longitudinal direction X and its vicinity), a pad-side fastening structure 62 fixed to the skin-facing surface of the base sheet 61, and an elastic member 63 fixed to the base sheet 61 so as to be stretchable in the lateral direction Y. The base sheet 61 forms the skin-facing surface of the ventral side portion F or the dorsal side portion R of the absorbent pad 1.
In this embodiment, the base sheet 61 has a rectangular shape in a plan view as shown in Fig. 2. Of both ends in the longitudinal direction X of the base sheet 61, an outer longitudinal end 61X1 located outside the longitudinal direction X coincides with a longitudinal end (a longitudinal end on the ventral side F side or the dorsal side R side) of the absorbent main body 2 on which the sheet 61 is arranged, and both ends 61Y, 61Y in the transverse direction Y of the sheet 61 coincide with both ends in the transverse direction Y of the absorbent main body 2 (both side edges along the longitudinal direction X). Of both ends in the longitudinal direction X of the base sheet 61, an inner longitudinal end 61X2 located inside the longitudinal direction X extends parallel to the transverse direction Y.
As the base sheet 61, a liquid-impermeable or liquid-slightly permeable or water-repellent sheet can be used, and examples thereof include nonwoven fabric, a resin film, and a laminate of a resin film and a nonwoven fabric, etc.

2 and 4, the base sheet 61 is disposed corresponding to the sheet 61 and is fixed to the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 2 by an adhesive region 7 that overlaps with the sheet 61 in a plan view. Fig. 4(a) shows an end region in the longitudinal direction X of the ventral part F of the absorbent pad 1, and Fig. 4(b) shows an end region in the longitudinal direction X of the dorsal part C of the absorbent pad 1.
The adhesive region 7 is an area where an adhesive is applied, and the adhesive in the adhesive region 7 is present between the members forming the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 2 (in this embodiment, the skin-side sheet 3 and the side sheet 8) and the base sheet 61. As the adhesive in the adhesive region 7, any adhesive that can be used to join members together in this type of absorbent article can be used without any particular limitation, and an example of such an adhesive is a hot melt adhesive.

The adhesive region 7 is located at the end of the absorbent pad 1 in the longitudinal direction X, and includes a continuous adhesive region 71 in which the adhesive extends continuously over the entire length of the absorbent pad 1 in the transverse direction Y, and a discontinuous adhesive region 72 in which the adhesive is intermittently arranged in the transverse direction Y.
In this embodiment, the discontinuous adhesive region 72 is located inward in the longitudinal direction X from the continuous adhesive region 71 and adjacent to the continuous adhesive region 71 .
The continuous adhesive region 71 corresponds to an outer end 61X1 of the base sheet 61 in the longitudinal direction, and the discontinuous adhesive region 72 corresponds to an inner end 61X2 of the sheet 61 in the longitudinal direction.
The center of the adhesive discontinuous region 72 in the horizontal direction Y is an adhesive-free portion 73 , and adhesive-present portions 74 are located on both sides of the adhesive-free portion 73 in the horizontal direction Y.
In this embodiment, a pair of adhesive-present portions 74, 74 are located at both ends of the absorbent pad 1 in the lateral direction Y, and the portion having a rectangular shape in plan view sandwiched between the pair of adhesive-present portions 74, 74 is an adhesive-free portion 73 where no adhesive is applied. The entire adhesive continuous region 71 is the adhesive-present portion 74.

The portion of the base sheet 61 corresponding to the adhesive-free portion 73, i.e., the central portion in the horizontal direction Y on the vertical inner end 61X2 side of the sheet 61, is a non-fixed portion 610 that is not fixed to other members. In the non-fixed portion 610 of the base sheet 61, an elastic member 63 extending in the horizontal direction Y is arranged so as to be stretchable in the horizontal direction Y. The number of elastic members 63 is not particularly limited, and may be one or more. In the illustrated embodiment, the end portion in the vertical direction X on the vertical inner end 61X2 side of the base sheet 61 is folded back to the skin-facing side or non-skin-facing side of the sheet 61, and two elastic members 63 are arranged between the opposing sheets 61, 61 formed by folding back the end portion in the vertical direction X of the sheet 61. When the absorbent pad 1 is worn or in its natural state, the contraction of the elastic member 63 causes the non-fixed portion 610 of the base sheet 61 to stand up toward the wearer's skin, forming an internal space 64 defined by the standing non-fixed portion 610 and the absorbent body 2, and a pocket portion 66 having an opening 65 that opens inward in the vertical direction X (see Figures 1 and 3(b)).
When the diaper 10 (see FIG. 5) is worn, if excrement excreted in the crotch portion M of the absorbent pad 1 transfers to the ventral portion F or the dorsal portion R, the excrement transferring from the crotch portion M is received in the internal space 64 of the pocket portion 66 through the opening 65 and does not transfer to the holder 11. Therefore, by providing the pocket portion 66 in the absorbent pad 1, the inconvenience of excrement adhering to the holder 11 is prevented, and the usable period of the holder 11 is extended.

A pad-side fastening structure 62 is fixed to the skin-facing surface of the base sheet 61 which forms the skin-facing surface of the stretchable laminate 6. The pad-side fastening structure 62 is for connecting the absorbent pad 1 to the holder 11.
In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the pad-side fastening structure 62 of each stretchable laminate 6 includes an outer fastening structure 62A located on the outer side in the longitudinal direction X and an inner fastening structure 62B located on the inner side in the longitudinal direction X. Both fastening structures 62A, 62B have a rectangular shape in a plan view, and are continuous over the entire length of the absorbent pad 1 in the lateral direction Y with their longitudinal directions aligned with the lateral direction Y. Both fastening structures 62A, 62B have the same shape and dimensions as each other in a plan view.
Of both ends in the longitudinal direction X of the outer fastening structure 62A, the end on the outer side in the longitudinal direction X coincides with the longitudinal outer end 61X1 of the base sheet 61 and forms the longitudinal end of the absorbent pad 1 together with the longitudinal outer end 61X1.
The inner fastening structure 62B is disposed at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the outer fastening structure 62A in the vertical direction X. The inner fastening structure 62B is disposed outward in the vertical direction X from the elastic member 63 disposed in the non-fixed portion 610 of the base sheet 61.

In this embodiment, the pad-side fastening structure 62 (62A, 62B) is fixed to the skin-facing surface of the base sheet 61 that covers the skin-facing surface (skin-side sheet 3, etc.) of the absorbent body 2, and is not directly fixed to the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 2. If the absorbent pad 1 does not have the base sheet 61 and the pad-side fastening structure 62 is directly fixed to the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 2, for example, when the absorbent pad 1 is distributed in a form in which the absorbent body 2 is folded in half with its skin-facing surface on the inside, the pad-side fastening structure 62 may be fastened to the sheet that forms the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 2, and there is a concern that the operation of unfolding the folded absorbent pad 1 during use may be difficult or the fastening part of the pad-side fastening structure 62 may be damaged. However, in the absorbent pad 1 of this embodiment, the base sheet 61 is interposed between the pad-side fastening structure 62 and the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body 2, so such concerns are eliminated.

The pad side fastening structure 62 may be any structure that can be removably fastened to the holder side fastening structure 14 (see FIG. 5) of the holder 11, and any known detachable fastening structure may be used without any particular limitation.
In this embodiment, a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener is used as the fastening structure including the pad-side fastening structure 62 and the holder-side fastening structure 14. The term "mechanical hook-and-loop fastener" refers to a fastener that is a set of a surface member (male member) having a hook material (engagement member) made of hook-shaped protrusions arranged on one surface, and a surface member (female member) having a loop material made of pile-shaped protrusions arranged on one surface. A specific example of a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener is Magic Tape (registered trademark).
Specifically, in this embodiment, the pad-side fastening structure 62 is a male member of a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener, and typically has a configuration in which a large number of hook members are arranged on the surface of a base material made of a resin film, a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, etc. Also, the holder-side fastening structure 14 is a female member of a mechanical hook-and-loop fastener, and includes a base material and a fastening region provided on the non-skin-facing surface (outer surface) of the base material, to which the pad-side fastening structure 62 can be fastened.

Next, a method for manufacturing an absorbent pad according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking as an example the method for manufacturing the absorbent pad 1 described above. Fig. 6 shows a manufacturing apparatus 90A for carrying out a manufacturing method A, which is one embodiment of the method for manufacturing the absorbent pad 1.
The manufacturing apparatus 90A includes a first manufacturing section 91 for manufacturing the elastic laminate sheets 60P, and a second manufacturing section 92 for manufacturing the absorbent pads 1 using the elastic laminate sheets 60P manufactured in the first manufacturing section 91. A first conveying direction MD1, which is the flow direction of the first manufacturing section 91, and a second conveying direction MD2, which is the flow direction of the second manufacturing section 92, are parallel to each other and are in a directly opposite relationship. A conveying orthogonal direction CD, which will be described later, is perpendicular to both directions MD1 and MD2.

The manufacturing method A includes a "first conveying step" of conveying a continuous elastic laminate 60, in which a plurality of elastic laminates 6 are connected in one direction, in a machine direction MD1 parallel to the one direction.
The manufacturing method A also includes a "second transport step" of transporting the main body precursor 16 including the belt-shaped skin side sheet 3 that is continuous in one direction in the transport direction MD2.
Manufacturing method A also includes a "first sheet-cutting process" in which the elastic laminate continuous body 60 is conveyed in the conveying direction MD1 and cut intermittently in the conveying direction MD1 and over its entire length in the conveying perpendicular direction CD to obtain elastic laminate sheets 60P.
The stretch laminate sheet 60P is formed by connecting the stretch laminate 6 at one end region in the vertical direction X of one absorbent pad 1 and the stretch laminate 6 at one end region in the vertical direction X of another absorbent pad 1. More specifically, the stretch laminate sheet 60P is formed by connecting the stretch laminate 6 at the ventral portion F (or the back portion R) of one absorbent pad 1 and the stretch laminate 6 at the back portion R (or the ventral portion F) of the other absorbent pad 1, and has a configuration in which two stretch laminate sheets 60P are connected in the vertical direction X.
In addition, manufacturing method A has an "adhesive application process" in which adhesive is partially applied to the non-fixed surface of the fastening structure 62 in the stretch laminate continuum 60 and/or the intended placement surface of the stretch laminate sheet 60P in the main body precursor 16 as the adhesive application surface.
In addition, manufacturing method A includes a "composite sheet continuous body manufacturing process" in which multiple stretch laminate sheets 60P are each rotated 90 degrees around the center of the stretch laminate sheet 60P in a planar view, and then intermittently supplied to a main body precursor 16 being transported in the transport direction MD2 to obtain a composite sheet continuous body 17.
The composite sheet continuous body 17 is formed by intermittently arranging a plurality of elastic laminate sheets 16P in the conveying direction MD2 on one side of a main body precursor 16, and by bonding the elastic laminate sheets 60P and the main body precursor 16 with an adhesive.
In addition, manufacturing method A includes a "second sheet-cutting process" in which the composite sheet continuous body 17 is conveyed in the conveying direction MD2 and cut over its entire length in the conveying perpendicular direction CD at positions of the stretch laminate sheets 60P intermittently arranged in the conveying direction MD2 to obtain individual absorbent pads 1.

In this embodiment, in addition to the above steps, manufacturing method A further includes an "absorbent pad continuous body manufacturing step" in which, after the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing step and before the second sheet-forming step, the components of the absorbent body 2 that are arranged on the non-skin-facing side of the skin-side sheet 3, such as the absorbent body 5 (absorbent core 51, core wrap sheet 52), are joined to the composite sheet continuous body 17 to obtain the absorbent pad continuous body 18. Therefore, in this embodiment, the object to be cut in the second sheet-forming step is the absorbent pad continuous body 18, but since the absorbent pad continuous body 18 includes the entire composite sheet continuous body 17, it does not change the fact that the composite sheet continuous body 17 is cut in the second sheet-forming step.

The first transport step is carried out in a first production section 91 .
In this embodiment, the elastic laminate continuum 60, which is the object to be conveyed in the first conveying step, is manufactured in the first manufacturing section 91 and conveyed in the conveying direction MD1. Specifically, in the first manufacturing section 91, as shown in Fig. 6, a strip-shaped base sheet 61 continuing in one direction is conveyed in the conveying direction MD1 parallel to the one direction, while a strip-shaped fastening structure 62 continuing in the conveying direction MD1 is fixed to one surface of the base sheet 61 (fastening structure fixing step), and elastic members 63 continuing in the conveying direction MD1 are fixed to both side edges of the base sheet 61 along the conveying direction MD1 (elastic member fixing step), thereby obtaining the elastic laminate continuum 60.

In the process of obtaining the stretch laminate continuum 60, the means for fixing the fastening structure 62 and the elastic member 63 to the base sheet 61 is not particularly limited, and known fixing means such as fusion by adhesive, ultrasonic treatment, or heat treatment can be appropriately adopted. For example, there is a method in which, before arranging the fastening structure 62 and the elastic member 63 on the base sheet 61, an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive is applied to the intended arrangement surfaces of both members 62, 63 on the base sheet 61 and/or both members 62, 63, and the fastening structure 62 and the elastic member 63 are fixed to the base sheet 61 via the adhesive.
Regarding the elastic member 63, one or more elastic members 63 are arranged on the base sheet 61 in a stretched state stretched to a predetermined stretch rate and fixed with adhesive or the like. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, both side edge portions of the base sheet 61 along the conveying direction MD1 are folded back to the surface opposite to the fixing surface of the fastening structure 62, and the elastic members 63 are introduced in a stretched state into the overlapping portion of the base sheet 61 formed by the folding back and fixed with adhesive or the like. Note that the base sheet 61 may be folded back to the fixing surface side of the fastening structure 62, opposite to the illustrated form.

In this embodiment, the process of obtaining the elastic laminate continuum 60 (the fastening structure fixing process) includes a fusion process between the base sheet 61 and the fastening structure 62 by ultrasonic treatment or heat treatment. The fusion process may be carried out 1) as a means of achieving fusion when only fusion is used as a means of fixing the fastening structure 62 to the base sheet 61, or 2) for the purpose of further improving the fixing strength by a fixing means other than fusion (e.g., adhesive) when the other fixing means is used. As an example of the case 2), a method in which the base sheet 61 and the fastening structure 62 are fixed by an adhesive and a part of the fastening structure 62, for example, an end of the fastening structure 62 that is particularly prone to peeling from the base sheet 61, is fused to the base sheet 61 and the fastening structure 62.
The fusion step is performed by fusion means 93 provided in the first manufacturing unit 91. The fusion means 93 includes a melting means such as an ultrasonic horn or a heater for heating and melting the workpiece (the base sheet 61, the fastening structure 62), and a receiving roll, and is configured to be able to melt the workpiece supplied between the opposing melting means and the peripheral surface of the receiving roll while applying pressure to it.

In this embodiment, in the fastening structure fixing process, a plurality of fastening structures 62 are intermittently fixed to one surface of the base sheet 61 in the conveying orthogonal direction CD. More specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the plurality of fastening structures 62 fixed to the base sheet 61 are a total of three, one wide outer fastening structure 62A1 and two inner fastening structures 62B, and the wide outer fastening structure 62A1 is fixed to the center of the base sheet 61 in the conveying orthogonal direction CD, and the two inner fastening structures 62B are fixed to both sides of the wide outer fastening structure 62A1 at positions spaced a predetermined distance from the wide outer fastening structure 62A1 in the conveying orthogonal direction CD. The wide outer fastening structure 62A1 straddles the planned cutting line CL2 of the composite sheet continuous body 17 (absorbent pad continuous body 18) described later in the conveying direction MD2. The width (length in the short direction) of the wide outer fastening structure 62A1 is twice that of the outer fastening structure 62A (see FIG. 2), and when the wide outer fastening structure 62A1 is divided in half in the width direction (short direction), two outer fastening structures 62A, 62A are formed.

The second transport step is carried out in a second production section 92 .
In this embodiment, in the second manufacturing section 92, a main body precursor 16, which is an object to be transported in the second transport step, is manufactured and transported in the transport direction MD2. The main body precursor 16 is configured to include, among the components of the absorbent main body 2, those that are arranged closer to the wearer's skin than the absorbent body 5, and includes at least the skin side sheet 3. In this embodiment, the main body precursor 16 further includes, in addition to the band-shaped skin side sheet 3 that is continuous in the transport direction MD2, a pair of band-shaped side sheets 8, 8 that are continuous in the same direction MD2.

In the second manufacturing section 92, as shown in FIG. 6, a strip-shaped skin side sheet 3 is conveyed in the conveying direction MD2, while a pair of strip-shaped side sheets 8, 8 continuous in the same direction MD2 are fixed to both sides along the same direction MD2 on one side of the skin side sheet 3 (the surface to be arranged of the elastic laminate sheet 60P) (side sheet fixing process). At this time, each of the pair of side sheets 8, 8 is folded in half in the conveying direction CD before merging with the skin side sheet 3, and the elastic members 84, 85 are introduced in a stretched state into the overlapping portion of the side sheet 8 formed by the folding in half and fixed with an adhesive or the like. There are no particular limitations on the means for fixing the side sheet 8 to the skin side sheet 3, and any known fixing means such as adhesive, ultrasonic treatment, or fusion by heat treatment can be appropriately adopted.

2 and 3, in the absorbent pad 1, a pair of fused portions 81 between the skin side sheet 3 and the side sheet 8 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction X of the absorbent pad 1, and a portion (free edge portion 83) of the side sheet 8 sandwiched between the pair of fused portions 81, 81 is arranged to rise toward the skin side of the wearer, and correspondingly, in the main body precursor 16, the pair of belt-like side sheets 8, 8 are fixed at the fused portions 81 to the intended arrangement surface of the elastic laminate sheet 60P of the skin side sheet 3. The second manufacturing section 92 includes a fusion means (not shown) for forming the fused portion 81, and the fusion means includes a melting means such as an ultrasonic horn or a heater for heating and melting the workpiece (skin side sheet 3, side sheet 8) and a receiving roll, and is configured to be able to melt the workpiece supplied between the opposing melting means and the peripheral surface of the receiving roll while applying pressure. The fused portions 81 are arranged at intervals in the machine direction X (longitudinal direction) of the side sheet 8 in the absorbent pad 1, and correspondingly, in the main body precursor 16, they are arranged at intervals in the machine direction MD2.
In this embodiment, an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive (adhesive forming the adhesive region 7) is applied to the fused portion 81. This can further improve the bonding strength between the skin side sheet 3 and the side sheet 8 at the fused portion 81 compared to a case where no adhesive is applied to the fused portion 81. The adhesive can be applied to the fused portion 81 by a method of directly applying the adhesive to the fused portion 81 as in a manufacturing method D (see FIG. 12 ) described later, but in the manufacturing method A, the adhesive is applied by supplying the elastic laminate sheet 60P to the main body precursor 16 so that the adhesive-applied surface of the elastic laminate sheet 60P overlaps with the fused portion 81 in the subsequent step of obtaining the composite sheet continuous body 17.

The first sheet-forming step and the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing step are performed by a cutting and rotating means 95 provided in the manufacturing apparatus 90A. As shown in Fig. 6, the cutting and rotating means 95 includes a cutting means 951 for cutting the elastic laminate continuous body 60 in the conveyance orthogonal direction CD, and a rotating means 952 for receiving the elastic laminate sheet 60P produced by the cutting by the cutting means 951, rotating the elastic laminate sheet 60P, and supplying the sheet 60P to the main body precursor 16.
The cutting means 951 is a part of the first manufacturing unit 91, and has a configuration in which a cutter blade is provided on the peripheral surface of a cylindrical roll, and performs the first sheet-forming step. The cutting means 951 intermittently cuts the elastic laminate continuous body 60 in the conveying direction MD1 to continuously manufacture a plurality of elastic laminate sheets 60P.
The rotating means 952 is part of the second manufacturing section 92, has a cylindrical roll shape with a larger diameter than the cutting means 951, and is capable of rotating around the roll axis while holding the stretch laminate sheet 60P on the roll peripheral surface by suction.During rotation around the roll axis, the stretch laminate sheet 60P held on the roll peripheral surface is rotated 90 degrees around the center in a planar view, and then can be supplied to the main body precursor 16 being transported near the roll peripheral surface, thereby carrying out the composite sheet continuous manufacturing process.
The configuration of the cutting and rotating means 95 is not particularly limited, provided that the first sheet-forming step and the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing step can be carried out, and any known means can be appropriately used.

In this embodiment, each of the multiple elastic laminate sheets 60P obtained in the first sheet-forming process has, prior to the 90-degree rotation operation, a wide outer fastening structure 62A1 extending in the conveying direction MD2 at the center of the fixing surface of the fastening structure 62 in the conveying orthogonal direction CD, as shown in FIG. 6, and a pair of inner fastening structures 62B, 62B extending in the conveying direction MD2 on both sides of the wide outer fastening structure 62A1.

As described above, in this embodiment, after the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing process and before the second sheeting process, the components of the absorbent body 2 that are not transported in the second transport process are joined to the composite sheet continuous body 17 to obtain the absorbent pad continuous body 18 (absorbent pad continuous body manufacturing process). Specifically, in the second manufacturing section 92, while transporting the belt-shaped composite sheet continuous body 17 in the transport direction MD2, the components of the absorbent body 2 that are not included in the main body precursor 16, including the absorbent body 5, are fixed to the surface of the composite sheet continuous body 17 opposite to the surface on which the stretch laminate sheet body 60P is arranged, thereby obtaining the absorbent pad continuous body 18. In this embodiment, the "components of the absorbent body 2" that are joined to the composite sheet continuous body 17 include the non-skin side sheet 4 and the absorbent body 5 (absorbent core 51, core wrap sheet 52). Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, first, a band-shaped core wrap sheet 52 continuing in one direction is transported in a transport direction MD2 parallel to the one direction, while multiple absorbent cores 51 are intermittently arranged in the transport direction MD2 on one side of the core wrap sheet 52, and the arranged absorbent cores 51 are covered with the core wrap sheet 52 to produce an absorbent body continuous body 53 in which multiple absorbents 5 are lined up in a row in the transport direction MD2.Next, while the absorbent body continuous body 53 is transported in the transport direction MD2, a band-shaped non-skin side sheet 4 continuing in the transport direction MD2 is fixed to the side of the absorbent body continuous body 53 opposite to the planned arrangement surface of the composite sheet continuous body 17, and then the absorbent body continuous body 53 with the non-skin side sheet 4 fixed thereto is merged with the composite sheet continuous body 17 to obtain an absorbent pad continuous body 18. There are no particular limitations on the means for fastening the continuous composite sheet 17 to the continuous absorbent body 53, and the means for fastening each component used to manufacture the continuous absorbent body 53 together, and any known fastening means, such as adhesives, ultrasonic treatment, or fusion by heat treatment, can be used as appropriate.

As described above, in this embodiment, the body precursor 16, which includes the skin side sheet 3 but does not include the absorbent body 5, is used as the fixing destination of the stretch laminate sheet 60P. It is also possible to use a configuration closer to the absorbent body 2 as the fixing destination of the stretch laminate sheet 60P, for example, an absorbent body continuous body having a configuration in which multiple absorbent bodies 2 are lined up in a line in the conveying direction MD2. However, when the stretch laminate sheet 60P is fixed to the absorbent body continuous body, there is a concern that inconveniences such as misalignment of the stretch laminate sheet 60P and a decrease in fixing strength may occur due to the fact that the absorbent body continuous body contains a relatively bulky absorbent body 5 (absorbent core 51). The stretch laminate sheet 60P will eventually become the stretch laminate 6 in the absorbent pad 1. Therefore, in the present invention, such concerns are eliminated by using a main body precursor 16 that does not include an absorbent body 5 as the fixing target for the stretch laminate sheet 60P, and the stretch laminate 6 is fixed precisely and stably to a predetermined position in the absorbent pad 1.

The second sheeting process is carried out in the second manufacturing section 92. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the absorbent pad continuum 18 including the composite sheet continuum 17 is conveyed in the conveying direction MD2, while the position of the elastic laminate sheet 60P intermittently arranged in the conveying direction MD2, specifically, the elastic laminate sheet 60P is cut in half in the conveying direction MD2 along the planned cutting line CL2 extending in the conveying orthogonal direction CD by a cutting means (not shown) to continuously manufacture multiple absorbent pads 1. In other words, in one cutting operation of the absorbent pad continuum 18 along the planned cutting line CL2, the elastic laminate 6 on one side of the longitudinal direction X of one absorbent pad 1 and the elastic laminate 6 on the other side of the longitudinal direction X of another absorbent pad 1 are simultaneously formed.

In this embodiment, in the continuous composite sheet 17 (continuous absorbent pad 18), the fastening structure 62 straddles the planned cutting line CL2 in the conveying direction MD2, and in the second sheet-forming process, the fastening structure 62 is cut and divided into two. More specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a wide outer fastening structure 62A1 and a pair of inner fastening structures 62B, 62B located on both sides thereof are fixed as multiple (three) fastening structures 62 extending in the conveying orthogonal direction CD on the surface (outer surface) of the stretch laminate sheet 60P constituting the continuous composite sheet 17 (continuous absorbent pad 18) opposite the main body precursor 16 side, and the wide outer fastening structure 62A1 straddles the conveying direction MD2, and in the second sheet-forming process, the wide outer fastening structure 62A1 is divided into two. One of the two wide outer fastening structures 62A1 thus divided becomes the outer fastening structure 62A on one side in the vertical direction X of one absorbent pad 1, and the other becomes the outer fastening structure 62A on the other side in the vertical direction X of another absorbent pad 1. In other words, in one cutting operation of the absorbent pad continuum 18 along the planned cutting line CL2, the outer fastening structure 62A on one side in the vertical direction X of one absorbent pad 1 and the outer fastening structure 62A on the other side in the vertical direction X of the other absorbent pad 1 are simultaneously formed.

Figure 7 shows the adhesive application surfaces of the workpieces (stretch laminate continuous body 60, stretch laminate sheet 60P, main body precursor 16, and composite sheet continuous body 17) in the first sheet-forming process, the second conveying process, and the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing process for manufacturing method A.
In the composite sheet continuous body 17, as shown in Figure 7 (d), the elastic laminate sheet 60P and the main body precursor 16 are joined by adhesives 70A, 70B, and these adhesives 70A, 70B are adhesives that form the adhesive area 7 (see Figure 4) in the absorbent pad 1, and are applied to a specified adhesive application target surface in the adhesive application process.

In the present invention, the adhesive (adhesive forming adhesive region 7) is applied to the elastic laminate continuum 60 or the main body precursor 16, or both of them. The adhesive is applied to both the elastic laminate continuum 60 and the main body precursor 16 in manufacturing method A (see FIG. 6) and manufacturing method B (see FIG. 8) described below, the elastic laminate continuum 60 in manufacturing method C (see FIG. 10) described below, and the main body precursor 16 in manufacturing method D (see FIG. 12) described below.

As shown in FIG. 7(d), in the composite sheet continuous body 17, the elastic laminate sheet body 60P and the main body precursor 16 are joined via a bonding area connecting portion 75 in which the bonding area 7 (see FIG. 4) in one end region in the longitudinal direction X of one absorbent pad 1 and the bonding area 7 in the other end region in the longitudinal direction X of another absorbent pad 1 are connected in the conveying direction MD2. In the second sheet-forming process, the composite sheet continuous body 17 is cut along a planned cutting line CL2 that passes through the bonding area connecting portion 75 and extends in the conveying direction CD to simultaneously form one bonding area 7 (adhesive continuous area 71 and adhesive discontinuous area 72) consisting of one of the two divided bonding area connecting portions 75, and another bonding area 7 (adhesive continuous area 71 and adhesive discontinuous area 72) consisting of the other bonding area 7 (adhesive continuous area 71 and adhesive discontinuous area 72) consisting of the other bonding area 7 (adhesive continuous area 71 and adhesive discontinuous area 72).

The adhesive application step carried out in the manufacturing method A will now be described.
First, in the first conveying step, as shown in Fig. 7(a), a non-fixed surface of the fastening structure 62 (62A1, 62B) in the stretch laminate continuum 60 is set as a surface to be coated with adhesive, and a part 70A of the adhesive forming the adhesive region 7 is partially coated on the surface to be coated with adhesive by an adhesive coating means 94A (see Fig. 6) provided in the first manufacturing section 91 (first adhesive coating step). In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive 70A is continuously coated in the conveying direction MD1 at the center of the adhesive coating surface of the stretch laminate continuum 60 in the conveying orthogonal direction CD.
The elastic laminate continuous body 60 thus coated with the adhesive 70A is cut by the cutting means 951 along the planned cutting lines CL1 extending in the conveyance orthogonal direction CD to form elastic laminate sheets 60P, as described above, and is then rotated 90 degrees around its center by the rotating means 952 (see FIG. 7(b)). The adhesive 70A in the elastic laminate sheet 60P after the 90-degree rotation in FIG. 7(b) has a quadrangular shape in a plan view, and the length of the adhesive 70A along the conveyance direction MD2 is twice the length of the adhesive continuous region 71 (see FIG. 4) in the conveyance direction MD2 (length in the longitudinal direction X).
On the other hand, in the second conveying step, as shown in Fig. 7(c), the surface to which the elastic laminate sheet 60P of the main body precursor 16 is to be placed is set as the adhesive application target surface, and another part 70B of the adhesive forming the adhesive region 7 is partially applied to the adhesive application target surface by an adhesive application means 94B (see Fig. 6) provided in the second manufacturing section 92 (second adhesive application step). In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive 70B is applied intermittently in the conveying direction MD2 to both sides along the conveying direction MD2 of the adhesive application target surface of the main body precursor 16, more specifically, to the side sheets 8 arranged on both sides. The intermittently applied adhesive 70B in Figure 7 (c) has a rectangular shape extending in the conveying direction MD2 when viewed in a plane, and the length of the adhesive 70B along the conveying direction MD2 is longer than the length in the same direction MD2 of the adhesive 70A in the stretch laminate sheet 60P in Figure 7 (b) and is twice the length in the same direction MD2 (length in the vertical direction X) of the adhesive area 7 (see Figure 4).
The adhesive application means 94A, 94B may be any known application means capable of applying an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive to the sheet being conveyed.

In the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing process, the elastic laminate sheet 60P after being rotated 90 degrees around the center as shown in FIG. 7(b) is supplied to the adhesive 70B application surface of the main body precursor 16 being transported in the transport direction MD2, and the adhesives 70A and 70B applied in the first transport step (first adhesive application step) and the second transport step (second adhesive application step) are combined to form an adhesive region connection portion 75 as shown in FIG. 7(d). In this way, of the adhesive region connection portion 75 formed by manufacturing method A, the area where the adhesive 70A applied to the elastic laminate continuous body 60 in the first transport step exists becomes the adhesive continuous area 71, and the other areas become the adhesive discontinuous area 72.

Figures 8 to 13 show other embodiments of the present invention (manufacturing methods B to D, manufacturing apparatuses 90B to 90D). For the other embodiments described below, configurations that differ from the above embodiment (manufacturing method A, manufacturing apparatus 90A) will be described, and configurations similar to those of the above embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and will not be described. For configurations that are not specifically described in the other embodiments described below, the description of the above embodiment will be applied as appropriate.

Figure 8 shows a manufacturing device 90B that performs manufacturing method B, which is one embodiment of the method for manufacturing the absorbent pad 1. Manufacturing method B is the same as manufacturing method A described above in that the adhesive that forms the adhesive region 7 in the adhesive application step is applied to both the stretch laminate continuum 60 and the main body precursor 16, but differs from manufacturing method A in the adhesive application pattern.

The adhesive application step carried out in the manufacturing method B will now be described.
9(a), the non-fixed surface of the fastening structure 62 (62A1, 62B) in the elastic laminate continuum 60 is set as a surface to be coated with adhesive, and a part 70A of the adhesive forming the adhesive region 7 is partially coated on the surface to be coated with adhesive by an adhesive coating means 94A (see FIG. 8) provided in the first manufacturing section 91 (first adhesive coating step). In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive 70A is intermittently coated in the conveying direction MD1 on both sides of the adhesive coating surface of the elastic laminate continuum 60 along the conveying direction MD1.
The stretch laminate continuous body 60 thus coated with adhesive 70A is cut in the conveying direction perpendicular to the conveying direction CD by cutting means 951 to form stretch laminate sheets 60P, as described above, and is further rotated 90 degrees around its center by rotating means 952 (see Figure 9 (b)).
9(c), the surface to be arranged of the elastic laminate sheet 60P in the main body precursor 16 is treated as the surface to be coated with adhesive, and another part 70B of the adhesive forming the adhesive region 7 is partially coated on the surface to be coated with adhesive by the adhesive coating means 94B (see FIG. 8) provided in the second manufacturing section 92 (second adhesive coating step). In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive 70B is intermittently coated in the conveying direction MD2 at the center of the surface to be coated with adhesive in the conveying orthogonal direction CD in the main body precursor 16. The intermittently applied adhesive 70B in Figure 9 (c) has a rectangular shape when viewed in a plane, and the length of the adhesive 70B along the conveying direction MD2 is equal to or greater than the separation length between a pair of adhesives 70A, 70A spaced apart in the same direction MD2 in the stretch laminate sheet 60P of Figure 9 (b), and the length of the adhesive 70B along the conveying perpendicular direction CD is equal to or greater than the separation length between a pair of adhesives 70A, 70A spaced apart in the same direction CD in the stretch laminate sheet 60P of Figure 9 (b).

In the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing process, the elastic laminate sheet 60P after being rotated 90 degrees around the center as shown in FIG. 9(b) is supplied to the adhesive 70B-applied surface of the main body precursor 16 being transported in the transport direction MD2, and the adhesives 70A and 70B applied in the first transport step (first adhesive application step) and the second transport step (second adhesive application step) are combined to form an adhesive region connection portion 75 as shown in FIG. 9(d). In this way, of the adhesive region connection portion 75 formed by manufacturing method B, the area where the adhesive 70B applied to the main body precursor 16 in the second transport step exists becomes the adhesive continuous area 71, and the other areas become the adhesive discontinuous area 72.

Figure 10 shows a manufacturing apparatus 90C for carrying out manufacturing method C, which is one embodiment of the manufacturing method for the absorbent pad 1. In manufacturing method C, the adhesive that forms the adhesive region 7 in the adhesive application step is applied to the elastic laminate continuous body 60, and the adhesive is not applied to the main body precursor 16. That is, in the first conveying step, one side (the non-fixed surface of the fastening structure 62 (62A1, 62B)) of the elastic laminate continuous body 60, which is the object to be conveyed in the conveying step, is set as the adhesive application target surface, and the adhesive that forms the adhesive region 7 is partially applied to the adhesive application target surface, and in the second conveying step, the adhesive is not applied to the main body precursor 16, which is the object to be conveyed in the conveying step.

Regarding the adhesive application process carried out in manufacturing method C, in the first conveying process, the adhesive application means 94 (see FIG. 10) provided in the first manufacturing unit 91 continuously applies the adhesive forming the adhesive region 7 in the conveying direction MD1 to the center of the adhesive application target surface of the elastic laminate continuous body 60 in the conveying orthogonal direction CD as shown in FIG. 11 (a) to form a continuous application region 76, and also applies the adhesive intermittently in the conveying direction MD1 to both sides of the continuous application region 76 in the conveying orthogonal direction CD to form a pair of intermittent application regions 77, 77 in which the adhesive-present portion 74 and the adhesive-free portion 73 are alternately arranged in the conveying direction MD1, so that the phase of the adhesive-present portion 74 in the conveying direction MD1 is the same between one and the other of the pair of intermittent application regions 77, 77 (adhesive application process). The entire continuous application region 76 is the adhesive-present portion 74. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11(a), the adhesive application pattern is symmetrical with respect to a virtual straight line (not shown) that extends in the conveying direction MD1, dividing the stretch laminate continuous body 60 in half in the conveying orthogonal direction CD, and the phases of not only the adhesive-present portions 74 but also the adhesive-free portions 73 in the conveying direction MD1 of one and the other of a pair of intermittent application regions 77, 77 are the same in phase with each other.

The elastic laminate continuous body 60 thus coated with the adhesive forming the adhesive region 7 is cut in the conveyance orthogonal direction CD by the cutting means 951 to form elastic laminate sheets 60P as described above, and is then rotated 90 degrees around its center by the rotating means 952 (see FIG. 11(b)). The adhesive coating pattern forming the adhesive region 7 on the elastic laminate sheet 60P after this 90-degree rotation is the same as that on the adhesive region connecting portion 75.
On the other hand, in the second conveying process performed in manufacturing method C, no adhesive is applied to the main body precursor 16 to form the adhesive region 7, and the main body precursor 16 is conveyed in the conveying direction MD2 toward the supply point of the stretch laminate sheet 60P (see Figure 11 (c)).
In the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing process carried out by manufacturing method C, the elastic laminate sheet 60P after being rotated 90 degrees around the center as shown in Fig. 11(b) is supplied to the adhesive-coated surface of the main body precursor 16 being transported in the transport direction MD2 as shown in Fig. 11(d) to manufacture the composite sheet continuous body 17. In this way, of the adhesive region connecting portion 75 formed by manufacturing method C, the continuous adhesive-coated region 76 becomes the adhesive continuous region 71, and the intermittent adhesive-coated region 77 becomes the adhesive discontinuous region 72.

Figure 12 shows a manufacturing apparatus 90D for carrying out manufacturing method D, which is one embodiment of the method for manufacturing the absorbent pad 1. In manufacturing method D, the adhesive that forms the adhesive region 7 in the adhesive application step is applied to the main body precursor 16, and the adhesive is not applied to the elastic laminate continuous body 60. That is, in the second conveying step, one side of the main body precursor 16, which is the object to be conveyed in the conveying step (the surface to be arranged for the elastic laminate sheet 60P), is set as the adhesive application target surface, and the adhesive that forms the adhesive region 7 is partially applied to the adhesive application target surface, and in the first conveying step, the adhesive is not applied to the elastic laminate continuous body 60, which is the object to be conveyed in the conveying step.

The adhesive application step performed in the manufacturing method D will be described. In the second conveying step, the adhesive application means 94 (see FIG. 12) of the second manufacturing unit 92 applies the adhesive forming the adhesive region 7 to the adhesive application target surface of the main body precursor 16 as shown in FIG. 13(a) to form a plurality of adhesive region connecting portions 75 intermittently in the conveying direction MD2 (adhesive application step). Each of the plurality of adhesive region connecting portions 75 includes a continuous application region 76 extending in the conveying cross direction CD of the adhesive application target surface of the main body precursor 16, and a pair of intermittent application regions 77, 77 located on both sides of the continuous application region 76 in the direction parallel to the conveying direction MD2. The entire continuous application region 76 is an adhesive present portion 74. In the intermittent application region 77, the adhesive present portion 74 and the adhesive non-present portion 73 are alternately arranged in the conveying cross direction CD. The phase of the adhesive present portion 74 in the conveying cross direction CD is the same in one and the other of the pair of intermittent application regions 77, 77.
13(d), in the composite sheet continuous body manufacturing process carried out by manufacturing method D, an elastic laminate sheet 60P not coated with adhesive forming the adhesive region 7 is supplied to the adhesive-coated surface of the main body precursor 16 being transported in the transport direction MD2 to manufacture the composite sheet continuous body 17. In this way, of the adhesive region connecting portions 75 formed by manufacturing method D, the continuous coating region 76 becomes the adhesive continuous region 71, and the intermittent coating region 77 becomes the adhesive discontinuous region 72.

In this embodiment, the second manufacturing section 92 of the manufacturing apparatus 90D includes a fusion means 96 upstream of the adhesive application means 94 in the conveying direction MD2, as shown in Fig. 12, and the fusion means 96 intermittently forms fusion parts 81 (see Fig. 2, etc.) between the skin side sheet 3 and the pair of side sheets 8, 8 in the conveying direction MD2 in the main body precursor 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the fusion means 96 includes a pair of rolls equipped with a heating means, and is configured to be able to melt the workpiece (skin side sheet 3, side sheet 8) introduced between the pair of rolls while applying pressure. The configuration of the fusion means 96 is not particularly limited, and may be one that melts the workpiece by ultrasonic waves.
Then, in the second manufacturing section 92 of the manufacturing apparatus 90D, an adhesive that forms the adhesive region 7 is directly applied by an adhesive application section 94 to the fused portion 81 formed by the fusion section 96. The technical significance of applying an adhesive to the fused portion 81 is as described above.

According to the manufacturing method of the absorbent pad of the present invention, which is represented by the manufacturing methods A to D described above, the absorbent pad 1 can be efficiently manufactured, which has a fastening structure 62 and an elastic laminate 6 that functions as a pocket portion 66 at both end regions in the vertical direction X (longitudinal direction) corresponding to the front-rear direction of the wearer, can be attached and detached to other wearing articles such as a holder 11 via the fastening structure 62, and has excellent vertical leakage prevention effect due to the pocket portion 66. In particular, the manufacturing method of the absorbent pad of the present invention manufactures an elastic laminate sheet 60P in which two elastic laminates 6, 6 are connected in one direction in parallel with the manufacture of the absorbent pad continuum 18 including the main body precursor 16, and by devising the application pattern of the adhesive (adhesive that forms the adhesive region 7) used to fix the elastic laminate sheet 60P, two elastic laminates 6 can be provided at the same time in one cutting operation of the absorbent pad continuum 18 to obtain the absorbent pad 1, so that the absorbent pad 1 can be efficiently manufactured.

The following supplementary notes are further disclosed regarding the above-described embodiment of the present invention.
＜1＞
An absorbent pad having a vertical direction extending from a wearer's abdomen side through a crotch region to a back side and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the absorbent pad being removably fixed to another wearing article via a fastening structure,
The absorbent body includes an absorbent body that absorbs and retains bodily fluids and a skin-side sheet that is disposed on the skin-facing side of the absorbent body, and a pair of stretchable laminates that are disposed on both end regions of the absorbent body in the longitudinal direction,
The elastic laminate includes a base sheet covering an end region in the longitudinal direction on the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body, the fastening structure fixed to the skin-facing surface of the base sheet, and an elastic member fixed to the base sheet so as to be elastic in the lateral direction,
The base sheet is fixed to the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body by an adhesive region corresponding to the base sheet,
The adhesive regions are located at the ends of the absorbent pad in the longitudinal direction, and include continuous adhesive regions in which the adhesive extends continuously over the entire width of the absorbent pad in the lateral direction, and discontinuous adhesive regions in which the adhesive is intermittently arranged in the lateral direction, the central portion of the discontinuous adhesive region in the lateral direction being an adhesive-free portion, and adhesive-present portions are located on both sides of the adhesive-free portion in the lateral direction,
A method for manufacturing an absorbent pad, comprising the steps of: a portion of the base sheet corresponding to the non-adhesive portion is a non-fixed portion that is not fixed to another member; and the elastic member is fixed to the non-fixed portion of the base sheet,
A first conveying step of conveying a continuous stretch laminate in which a plurality of the stretch laminates are connected in one direction in a first conveying direction parallel to the one direction;
a second conveying step of conveying a main body precursor including the skin side sheet in a belt shape continuous in one direction in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction;
a first sheet-cutting step of cutting the continuous elastic laminate in the first conveying direction intermittently along the first conveying direction and across the entire length of the continuous elastic laminate in a conveying direction perpendicular to the first conveying direction, to obtain an elastic laminate sheet in which the elastic laminate in one end region in the longitudinal direction of one of the absorbent pads is connected to that of another of the absorbent pads;
an adhesive application step of partially applying an adhesive to a non-fixed surface of the fastening structure in the elastic laminate continuum and/or a planned arrangement surface of the elastic laminate sheet in the main body precursor as an adhesive application target surface;
a step of rotating each of the plurality of stretch laminate sheets by 90 degrees around a center of the stretch laminate sheet in a plan view, and then intermittently supplying the stretch laminate sheets to the main body precursor being transported in the second transport direction, thereby obtaining a composite sheet continuous body in which the plurality of stretch laminate sheets are intermittently arranged on one side of the main body precursor in the second transport direction and the stretch laminate sheets and the main body precursor are bonded together by the adhesive;
a second sheet-cutting step of cutting the continuous composite sheet in the second conveying direction at positions of the elastic laminate sheets intermittently arranged in the second conveying direction over the entire length in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction to obtain individual absorbent pads,
The elastic laminate sheet is formed by connecting the elastic laminate at one end region in the longitudinal direction of one of the absorbent pads and the elastic laminate at one end region in the longitudinal direction of another of the absorbent pads,
In the continuous composite sheet, the elastic laminate sheet and the main body precursor are joined via an adhesive region connection portion in which the adhesive region of one end region in the longitudinal direction of one of the absorbent pads and the adhesive region of the other of the absorbent pads are connected in the second transport direction,
In the second sheet-forming process, the continuous composite sheet is cut along a planned cutting line that passes through the adhesive area connection portion and extends in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, to simultaneously form one adhesive area consisting of one of the two adhesive area connection portions, and another adhesive area consisting of the other of the two adhesive area connection portions.
＜2＞
The first conveying step includes a manufacturing step of the stretch laminate continuous body,
The manufacturing process of the stretch laminate continuous body includes:
a fastening structure fixing step of transporting the base sheet in a band shape continuous in one direction in the first transport direction parallel to the one direction, and fixing the fastening structure in a band shape continuous in the first transport direction to one surface of the base sheet;
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in <1> above, further comprising: an elastic member fixing step of fixing the elastic members, which are continuous in the first transport direction, to both side edges of the base sheet along the first transport direction.
＜3＞
In the fastening structure fixing step, a plurality of the fastening structures are intermittently fixed to one surface of the base sheet in the conveyance orthogonal direction,
The plurality of fastening structures include one wide outer fastening structure fixed to a center portion of the base sheet in the conveyance orthogonal direction, and two inner fastening structures fixed to both sides of the wide outer fastening structure at positions spaced a predetermined distance from the wide outer fastening structure in the conveyance orthogonal direction,
The manufacturing method of an absorbent pad described in <2>, wherein the width (length in the short direction) of the wide outer fastening structure is twice that of the fastening structure (outer fastening structure) provided on the absorbent pad.
＜4＞
The absorbent pad includes a pair of side sheets that are disposed on both sides of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body along the longitudinal direction and that stand up toward the wearer's skin when worn,
the first transport step includes a step of manufacturing the main body precursor,
The process for producing the main body precursor includes:
a side sheet fixing step of fixing a pair of band-shaped side sheets continuous in one direction to both side portions along the second transport direction on one surface (a surface on which the elastic laminate sheet is to be disposed) of the skin side sheet, the side sheet being continuous in the second transport direction, while the skin side sheet is transported in the second transport direction parallel to the one direction;
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in any one of <1> to <3>, wherein in the side sheet fixing step, each of the pair of side sheets is folded in half in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction before being joined to the skin side sheet, and an elastic member is introduced in a stretched state and fixed to the overlapping portion of the side sheet formed by the folding in half, for standing the side sheet toward the skin side of the wearer when the absorbent pad is worn.
＜5＞
a continuous absorbent pad manufacturing step of obtaining a continuous absorbent pad by joining the continuous composite sheet with a constituent member of the absorbent main body that has not been conveyed in the second conveying step, after the step of obtaining the continuous composite sheet and before the second sheet-forming step,
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad as described in any one of <1> to <4>, wherein in the absorbent pad continuous body manufacturing process, while transporting the belt-shaped composite sheet continuous body in the second transport direction, components of the absorbent main body, including the absorbent body, that are not included in the main body precursor are fixed to the surface of the composite sheet continuous body opposite to the surface on which the stretch laminate sheet is placed, thereby obtaining the absorbent pad continuous body.
＜6＞
The absorbent pad continuous body manufacturing process includes a manufacturing process of a constituent member of the absorbent body that is not included in the body precursor,
The manufacturing process of the constituent members of the absorbent main body that are not included in the main body precursor includes:
a process for producing a continuous absorbent body having a configuration in which a plurality of absorbent bodies are arranged in a row in the second transport direction by transporting a continuous band-shaped core wrap sheet in one direction in the second transport direction parallel to the one direction, and intermittently arranging a plurality of absorbent cores in the second transport direction on one side of the core wrap sheet and covering the arranged absorbent cores with the core wrap sheet;
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in <5> above, further comprising a step of: transporting the absorbent continuous body in the second transport direction, while fixing a band-shaped non-skin side sheet that is continuous in the second transport direction to the surface of the absorbent continuous body opposite to the intended placement surface of the composite sheet continuous body.

＜７＞
In the first conveying step, a non-fixed surface of the fastening structure in the stretch laminate continuous body is set as an adhesive application target surface, and a part of the adhesive forming the adhesive region is partially applied to the adhesive application target surface;
In the second conveying step, a surface of the main body precursor to be arranged on which the elastic laminate sheet is to be placed is set as an adhesive application target surface, and another part of the adhesive forming the adhesive region is partially applied to the adhesive application target surface;
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in any one of <1> to <6>, wherein in the process of obtaining the composite sheet continuous body, the adhesive applied in the first conveying process and the second conveying process are combined to form the adhesive region connection portion.
＜8＞
In the first conveying step, a part of the adhesive forming the adhesive region is continuously applied in the first conveying direction to a central portion of the adhesive application target surface of the stretch laminate continuous body in the conveying orthogonal direction;
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in <7>, wherein in the second conveying process, another portion of the adhesive forming the adhesive area is intermittently applied in the second conveying direction to both side portions along the second conveying direction of the adhesive application target surface of the main body precursor.
＜9＞
In the first conveying step, a part of the adhesive forming the adhesive region is intermittently applied in the first conveying direction to both sides along the first conveying direction of the adhesive application target surface of the stretch laminate continuous body,
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in <7>, wherein in the second conveying process, another portion of the adhesive forming the adhesive area is intermittently applied in the second conveying direction to the central portion of the adhesive application target surface of the main body precursor in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

＜10＞
A method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in any one of <1> to <6>, wherein in either the first conveying process or the second conveying process, one side of the object to be conveyed in the conveying process is set as an adhesive application target surface, and adhesive that forms the adhesive area is partially applied to the adhesive application target surface, and the adhesive is not applied to the other side.
<11>
In the first conveying step, the adhesive is applied to the stretch laminate continuous body, which is the object to be conveyed, and in the second conveying step, the adhesive is not applied to the main body precursor, which is the object to be conveyed,
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in <10>, wherein in the first conveying step, the adhesive is continuously applied in the first conveying direction to a central portion of the adhesive application surface of the stretch laminate continuum in the conveying orthogonal direction to form a continuous coating region, and the adhesive is intermittently applied in the first conveying direction to both sides of the continuous coating region in the conveying orthogonal direction to form a pair of intermittent coating regions in which adhesive-present portions and adhesive-free portions are arranged alternately in the first conveying direction, such that the phases of the adhesive-present portions in the first conveying direction are the same in one and the other of the pair of intermittent coating regions.
＜12＞
In the second conveying step, the adhesive is applied to the main body precursor, which is the object to be conveyed, and in the first conveying step, the adhesive is not applied to the stretch laminate continuous body, which is the object to be conveyed;
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in <10>, wherein in the second conveying step, the adhesive area connecting portions are intermittently formed in the second conveying direction on the surface of the main body precursor to be coated with adhesive.

＜13＞
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad described in any one of <1> to <12>, wherein, in the continuous composite sheet, the fastening structure straddles the planned cutting line in the second conveying direction, and in the second sheet-forming process, the fastening structure is cut to divide the continuous composite sheet into two.
＜14＞
The absorbent pad includes a pair of side sheets that are disposed on both sides of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body along the longitudinal direction and that stand up toward the wearer's skin when worn,
a pair of fused portions between the skin side sheet and the side sheet are arranged at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction, and a portion of the side sheet sandwiched between the pair of fused portions stands up toward the skin side of the wearer,
The main body precursor includes a pair of belt-shaped side sheets that are fixed to a surface of the skin side sheet to be arranged with the elastic laminate sheet at the fusion portion and are continuous in the second transport direction,
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad according to any one of <1> to <13>, further comprising a step of applying an adhesive to the fused portion.
＜15＞
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad according to any one of <1> to <14>, wherein the step of obtaining the stretch laminate continuum includes a fusion step of the base sheet and the fastening structure by ultrasonic treatment or heat treatment.

LIST OF SYMBOLS 1 Absorbent pad 2 Absorbent body 3 Skin side sheet 4 Non-skin side sheet 5 Absorbent body 51 Absorbent core 52 Core wrap sheet 6 Stretchable laminate 60 Stretchable laminate continuous body 60P Stretchable laminate sheet 61 Base sheet 610 Non-fixed portion of base sheet 62 Fastening structure 62A Outer fastening structure 62A1 Wide outer fastening structure 62B Inner fastening structure 63 Elastic member 64 Internal space 65 Opening 66 Pocket portion 7 Adhesive region 70A, 70B Adhesive 71 Continuous adhesive region 72 Discontinuous adhesive region 73 Non-adhesive portion 74 Adhesive portion 75 Adhesive region connection portion 76 Continuous application region 77 Intermittent application region 8 Side sheet 81 Fused portion 84, 85 between side sheet and skin side sheet Elastic member 10 Pants-type disposable diaper 11 Holder 14 Holder side fastening structure 16 Main body precursor 17 Continuous composite sheet 18 Continuous absorbent pad 90A, 90, 90C, 90D Absorbent pad manufacturing device 91 First manufacturing section 92 Second manufacturing section 93, 96 Fusing means 94, 94A, 94B Adhesive application means 95 Cutting and rotating means MD1 First conveying direction MD2 Second conveying direction CD Conveying direction perpendicular to conveying direction

Claims (10)

An absorbent pad having a vertical direction extending from a wearer's abdomen side through a crotch region to a back side and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the vertical direction, the absorbent pad being removably fixed to another wearing article via a fastening structure,
The absorbent body includes an absorbent body that absorbs and retains bodily fluids and a skin-side sheet that is disposed on the skin-facing side of the absorbent body, and a pair of stretchable laminates that are disposed on both end regions of the absorbent body in the longitudinal direction,
The elastic laminate includes a base sheet covering an end region in the longitudinal direction on the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body, the fastening structure fixed to the skin-facing surface of the base sheet, and an elastic member fixed to the base sheet so as to be elastic in the lateral direction,
The base sheet is fixed to the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body by an adhesive region corresponding to the base sheet,
The adhesive regions are located at the ends of the absorbent pad in the longitudinal direction, and include continuous adhesive regions in which the adhesive extends continuously over the entire width of the absorbent pad in the lateral direction, and discontinuous adhesive regions in which the adhesive is intermittently arranged in the lateral direction, the central portion of the discontinuous adhesive region in the lateral direction being an adhesive-free portion, and adhesive-present portions are located on both sides of the adhesive-free portion in the lateral direction,
A method for manufacturing an absorbent pad, comprising the steps of: a portion of the base sheet corresponding to the non-adhesive portion is a non-fixed portion that is not fixed to another member; and the elastic member is fixed to the non-fixed portion of the base sheet,
A first conveying step of conveying a continuous stretch laminate in which a plurality of the stretch laminates are connected in one direction in a first conveying direction parallel to the one direction;
a second conveying step of conveying a main body precursor including the skin side sheet in a belt shape continuous in one direction in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction;
a first sheet-cutting step of cutting the continuous elastic laminate in the first conveying direction intermittently along the first conveying direction and across the entire length of the continuous elastic laminate in a conveying direction perpendicular to the first conveying direction, to obtain an elastic laminate sheet in which the elastic laminate in one end region in the longitudinal direction of one of the absorbent pads is connected to that of another of the absorbent pads;
an adhesive application step of partially applying an adhesive to a non-fixed surface of the fastening structure in the elastic laminate continuum and/or a planned arrangement surface of the elastic laminate sheet in the main body precursor as an adhesive application target surface;
a step of rotating each of the plurality of stretch laminate sheets by 90 degrees around a center of the stretch laminate sheet in a plan view, and then intermittently supplying the stretch laminate sheets to the main body precursor being transported in the second transport direction, thereby obtaining a composite sheet continuous body in which the plurality of stretch laminate sheets are intermittently arranged on one side of the main body precursor in the second transport direction and the stretch laminate sheets and the main body precursor are bonded together by the adhesive;
a second sheet-cutting step of cutting the continuous composite sheet in the second conveying direction at positions of the elastic laminate sheets intermittently arranged in the second conveying direction over the entire length in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction to obtain individual absorbent pads,
The elastic laminate sheet is formed by connecting the elastic laminate at one end region in the longitudinal direction of one of the absorbent pads and the elastic laminate at one end region in the longitudinal direction of another of the absorbent pads,
In the continuous composite sheet, the elastic laminate sheet and the main body precursor are joined via an adhesive region connection portion in which the adhesive region of one end region in the longitudinal direction of one of the absorbent pads and the adhesive region of the other of the absorbent pads are connected in the second transport direction,
In the second sheet-forming process, the continuous composite sheet is cut along a planned cutting line that passes through the adhesive area connection portion and extends in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, to simultaneously form one adhesive area consisting of one of the two adhesive area connection portions, and another adhesive area consisting of the other of the two adhesive area connection portions. In the first conveying step, a non-fixed surface of the fastening structure in the stretch laminate continuous body is set as an adhesive application target surface, and a part of the adhesive forming the adhesive region is partially applied to the adhesive application target surface;
In the second conveying step, a surface of the main body precursor to be arranged on which the elastic laminate sheet is to be placed is set as an adhesive application target surface, and another part of the adhesive forming the adhesive region is partially applied to the adhesive application target surface;
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad according to claim 1 , wherein in the step of obtaining the continuous composite sheet, the adhesives applied in the first conveying step and the second conveying step are combined to form the adhesive region connection portion. In the first conveying step, a part of the adhesive forming the adhesive region is continuously applied in the first conveying direction to a central portion of the adhesive application target surface of the stretch laminate continuous body in the conveying orthogonal direction;
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad as described in claim 2, wherein in the second conveying process, another portion of the adhesive forming the adhesive area is intermittently applied in the second conveying direction to both side portions along the second conveying direction of the adhesive application target surface of the main body precursor. In the first conveying step, a part of the adhesive forming the adhesive region is intermittently applied in the first conveying direction to both sides along the first conveying direction of the adhesive application target surface of the stretch laminate continuous body,
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad as described in claim 2, wherein in the second conveying process, another portion of the adhesive forming the adhesive area is intermittently applied in the second conveying direction to the central portion of the adhesive application target surface of the main body precursor in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad according to claim 1, wherein in either the first conveying step or the second conveying step, one side of the object to be conveyed in the conveying step is set as an adhesive application target surface, and the adhesive forming the adhesive region is partially applied to the adhesive application target surface, and the adhesive is not applied to the other side. In the first conveying step, the adhesive is applied to the stretch laminate continuous body, which is the object to be conveyed, and in the second conveying step, the adhesive is not applied to the main body precursor, which is the object to be conveyed,
6. A method for manufacturing an absorbent pad as described in claim 5, wherein in the first conveying process, the adhesive is continuously applied in the first conveying direction to a central portion of the adhesive application surface of the stretch laminate continuum in the conveying perpendicular direction to form a continuous coating region, and the adhesive is intermittently applied in the first conveying direction to both sides of the continuous coating region in the conveying perpendicular direction to form a pair of intermittent coating regions in which adhesive-present portions and adhesive-free portions are arranged alternately in the first conveying direction, such that the phases of the adhesive-present portions in the first conveying direction are the same in one and the other of the pair of intermittent coating regions. In the second conveying step, the adhesive is applied to the main body precursor, which is the object to be conveyed, and in the first conveying step, the adhesive is not applied to the stretch laminate continuous body, which is the object to be conveyed;
The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad according to claim 5 , wherein in the second transport step, the adhesive region connecting portions are intermittently formed in a plurality of portions in the second transport direction on the surface of the main body precursor to be coated with the adhesive. The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the fastening structure of the continuous composite sheet straddles the planned cutting line in the second conveying direction, and in the second sheet-forming process, the fastening structure is cut to divide the continuous composite sheet into two. The absorbent pad includes a pair of side sheets that are disposed on both sides of the skin-facing surface of the absorbent body along the longitudinal direction and that stand up toward the wearer's skin when worn,
a pair of fused portions between the skin side sheet and the side sheet are arranged at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction, and a portion of the side sheet sandwiched between the pair of fused portions stands up toward the skin side of the wearer,
The main body precursor includes a pair of belt-shaped side sheets that are fixed to a surface of the skin side sheet to be arranged with the elastic laminate sheet at the fusion portion and are continuous in the second transport direction,
The method for producing an absorbent pad according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a step of applying an adhesive to the fused portion. The method for manufacturing an absorbent pad according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the step of obtaining the stretch laminate continuous body includes a step of fusing the base sheet and the fastening structure by ultrasonic treatment or heat treatment.

Images