Disposable pants-type diaper having belt members

A pants-type diaper includes a crotch region which is provided on the inner surface in a zone put aside toward a front waist region and in a zone put aside toward a rear waist region with belt-like members, respectively, both extending across a body fluid absorbent structure. Each of the belt-like members has distal ends bonded to leakage barrier means formed along side edges of the body fluid absorbent structure. Intermediate segment extending between the distal ends is free from the inner surface of the crotch region. The belt-like members are integrated with each other only along respective middle segments thereof as viewed in a transverse direction.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on, and claims priority from, Japan Application Number 2006-309716,filed Nov. 15, 2006, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a disposable pants-type diaper and more particularly to such a pants-type diaper facilitating side edges of a crotch region to be held in close contact about the wearer's legs.

There are conventionally well known disposable diapers including elastic members arranged in a stretched state to the side edges of the crotch region in the diaper so as to extend about the wearer's legs. Upon contraction, these elastic members function to put the side edges of the crotch region in close contact about the respective legs and thereby to prevent bodily fluids from leaking beyond leg-openings.

For example, National Publication of Translated Version No. 1997-510385 (REFERENCE) discloses an open-type diaper wherein a liquid-pervious inner casing sheet covering an absorbent structure is provided on the side of its inner surface with a pair of flaps. These flaps are symmetrically laid about a longitudinal center line of the diaper and bonded to the inner casing sheet along the side edges of the diaper. Sections of the flaps transversely extending toward the longitudinal center line are connected with each other in the crotch region. These flaps are spaced from each other in front and behind the crotch region to define an opening adapted for passage of urine and an opening adapted for passage of feces. These flaps respectively include elastic strings extending in a back-and-forth direction along peripheral edges of the respective openings and attached in a stretched state to the respective flaps. Upon the contraction of the elastic strings, the diaper is deformed in the back-and-forth direction as well as in the transverse direction. Deformation in the transverse direction biases the side edges of the diaper to come in close contact about the wearer's legs and thereby serves to prevent possible leakage of bodily fluids about the wearer's legs.

With the conventional diapers as have been described above, if urine and/or feces flows on the flaps instead of flowing through the associated openings and being absorbed by the absorbent structure as expected, such body waste would miss out on a chance to come in contact with the absorbent structure, resulting in problems that the wearer's skin would be soiled with body waste and/or leakage of body waste would occur about the wearer's legs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the problem as has been described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pants-type diaper facilitating side edges of the diaper's crotch region to be reliably held in close contact around the wearer's legs. It is another object of the present invention to provide such a diaper with means adapted to prevent a possible leakage from occurring about the wearer's legs.

There is provided a disposable pants-type diaper having a crotch region, a front waist region extending forward from the crotch region and a rear waist region extending rearward from the crotch region, wherein the front waist region and the rear waist region are bonded to each other along respective pairs of side edges thereof to form a pants-type skin coverable chassis, the crotch region is provided in its middle zone as viewed in a transverse direction with a body fluid absorbent structure formed from an assembly of body fluid absorbent materials and the body fluid absorbent structure is provided along its side edges with leakage barrier means respectively formed from a sheet material and including elastic members stretched in a back-and-forth direction of the crotch region and attached in such a stretched state to the respective side edges.

The present invention further comprises the following: In the pants-type diaper folded back so that the front and rear waist regions have respective inner surfaces put flat together, the crotch region is provided on an inner surface thereof in a zone put aside toward a front waist region and in a zone put aside toward a rear waist region as viewed from a bottom of the crotch region with a pair of front and rear belt-like members, respectively, both extending in the transverse direction across a body fluid absorbent structure and bonded at distal ends to the leakage barrier means so that respective intermediate segments of the belt-like members extending between the distal ends are free from an inner surface of the body fluid absorbent structure and the belt-like members are integrated with each other only along respective middle segments thereof, leaving the belt-like members free from each other between the middle segments and the distal ends.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of the belt-like members have respectively the distal ends lying at the same distance from a transverse center line bisecting a dimension of the pants-type diaper as measured along the inner surface.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the belt-like members are elastically stretchable and contractible and attached to the diaper while the belt-like members are stretched in the transverse direction.

According to still another preferred embodiment of the invention, the respective side edges of the front waist region and the rear waist region are adapted to be bonded together immediately prior to wearing just before and to be separated from and reconnected to each other after the diaper has been put on the wearer's body.

According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the leakage barrier means comprises a pair of flaps extending from the side edges of the body fluid absorbent structure in the transverse direction.

According to further another preferred embodiment of the invention, the leakage barrier means comprises a pair of leakage barrier cuffs respectively formed along the side edges of the body fluid absorbent structure so as to be able to stand up from the inner surface.

In the case of the disposable pants-type diaper according to the present invention, starting from the state in which the front and rear waist regions have respective inner surfaces put flat together, the front and rear waist regions may be flared so as to broaden the waist-opening in a circle. Simultaneously, the paired front and rear belt-like members having thitherto extended linearly in the transverse direction are deformed and spaced from the inner surface of the diaper so as to describe two V-shapes opening forward and rearward from the bottoms defined by the integrated middle segments of the belt-like members. In response to such deformation, the leakage barrier formed along the side edges of the body fluid absorbent structure stand up in close contact about the wearer's legs. These leakage barrier means standing up in this manner reliably prevent possible leak of body fluids from occurring about the wearer's legs. The front opening defined by the V-shape described by the front belt-like member serves to guide urine while the rear opening defined by the V-shape described by the rear belt-like member serves to guide feces. The front and rear belt-like members are spaced from each other between the middle segments and the distal ends to define the voids adapted to receive an amount of body waste which passes neither through the front opening nor through the rear opening and to guide downward such amount of body waste toward the body fluid absorbent structure.

According to the embodiment of the present invention wherein the belt-like members are stretchable and contractible and attached in a stretched state to the diaper, a contractile force of these belt-like members facilitates the leakage barrier means to stand up. Furthermore, these belt-like members are stretched and contracted as these belt-like members come in contact with the wearer's body without interference with movement of the wearer's body.

Other embodiments of the invention and effects provided thereby will be described later.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Details of a disposable pants-type diaper according to the present invention will be more fully understood from the description given hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a perspective view showing a disposable pants-type diaper1as put on the wearer's body wherein transverse, back-and-forth and vertical directions are indicated by arrows X, Y and Z, respectively. The pants-type diaper1has a crotch region6, a front waist region7extending forward from the crotch region6and a rear waist region8extending rearward from the crotch region6which cooperate together to form a skin coverable chassis1A. The front and rear waist regions7,8respectively have a pair of lateral edges7a,7aand a pair of lateral edges8a,8a. The respective lateral edges7a,7aof the front waist region7are bonded to the respective lateral edges8a,8aof the rear wait region8at spots9arranged intermittently in the vertical direction so as to form a waist-opening11and simultaneously cooperate with the crotch region6to form a pair of leg-openings12. A peripheral edge of the waist-opening11is defined by a front waist region flap41Fand a rear waist region flap41Band provided with a waist elastic member13. More specifically, elastic members13F,13Rare bonded in a stretched state to the respective flaps41F,41B. Peripheral edges of the leg-openings12are defined by a right leg flap43R(SeeFIG. 3) and a left leg flap43Land provided with leg elastic members14. More specifically, a right leg elastic member14R(SeeFIG. 3) and a left leg elastic member14Lare bonded in a stretched state to the respective leg flaps43Rand43L.

FIG. 2is a perspective partially cutaway view showing the pants-type diaper ofFIG. 1. The pants-type diaper1comprises the skin coverable chassis1A having its inner side formed of a liquid-pervious bodyside liner2and its outer side formed of a liquid-impervious outer sheet3, and a body fluid absorbent structure1B interposed between these two sheets2,3. The front and rear waist region elastic members13F,13Bas well as the leg right and left elastic members14R,14Lare interposed between the bodyside liner2and the outer sheet3and bonded at least one of these elements2,3by means of hot melt adhesives (not shown). It will be appreciated in FIGS.1and2that the front and rear waist flaps41F,41Bas well as the leg right and left flaps43R,43Lare formed with gathers15,16, respectively, under contraction of these elastic members13F,13B,14R,14L.

The pants-type diaper1includes, in addition to the skin coverable chassis1A, belt-like front and rear cross members21,22extending across the body fluid absorbent structure1B between the right leg flap43Rand the left leg flap43L. These front and rear cross members21,22respectively have middle segments21c,22cextending on a back-and-forth center line C-C so as to bisect a dimension of the pants-type diaper1in the transverse direction X and, along these middle segments21c,22c, these front and rear cross members21,22are bonded to each other by use of bonding means (not shown) such as appropriate adhesives, sealing treatments or pressure-sensitive adhesive double coated tapes. The front cross member21defines a V-shape opening forward with its middle segment21cas a bottom of this V-shape. The halves21R,21Lof this front cross member21respectively have distal ends23R,23Lbonded to respective inner surfaces of the leg right and left flaps43R,43L(SeeFIG. 3). In the similar manner, the rear cross member22defines a V-shape opening rearward with its middle segment22cas a bottom of this V-shape. The halves22R,22Lof this rear cross member22respectively have distal ends24R,24Lbonded to respective inner surfaces of the leg right and left flaps43R,43L(SeeFIG. 3). The leg right and left flaps43R,43Lare normally drawn inwardly of the pants-type diaper1by the presence of these front and rear cross members21,22.

The body fluid absorbent structure1B is an assembly of body fluid absorbent materials located in a middle zone of the pants-type diaper1as viewed in the transverse direction X and comprising a plurality of body fluid absorbent particles4asuch as fluff pulp and/or super-absorbent polymer particles wrapped with a sheet material4bsuch as tissue paper or nonwoven fabrics characterized by high liquid-permeability and, more preferably, by high liquid-permeability as well as by high liquid-spreadability.

FIG. 3is a partially cutaway plan view of the pants type diaper1ofFIGS. 1 and 2obtained by peeling the front and rear waist regions7,8off from each other at the spots9, peeling the front and rear cross members21,22off from each other along the respective middle segments21c,22cthereof and finally developing the crotch region6, the front waist region7and rear waist regions8in the transverse direction X and the back-and-forth direction Y. As will be seen inFIG. 3, the hourglass-like shaped body fluid absorbent structure1B laid in a middle zone of the chassis1A as viewed in the transverse direction X has front and rear ends31,32both extending in the transverse direction, and right and left side edges33R,33Lboth extending in the back-and-forth direction Y. The bodyside liner2and the outer sheet3are the same in shape as well as in size and extend outward beyond the front and rear ends31,32and the left and right side edges33L,33R. The bodyside liner2and the outer sheet3are put flat and bonded together over respective sections extending outward beyond the front and rear ends31,32and the left and right side edges33L,33Rby use of appropriate adhesives or sealing treatments so as to form the front waist flap41F, the rear waist flap41B, the right leg flap43Rand the left leg flap43L. In the front and rear waist flaps41F,41B, the waist front and rear elastic members13F,13Bcooperate with sections of the bodyside liner2and the outer sheet3extending in vicinities of these elastic members13F,13Bto define waist front and rear elastic zones45,46adapted to generate gathers15(SeeFIG. 1) as the waist front and rear elastic members13F,13Bcontract. In the leg right and left flaps43R,43L, the leg right and left elastic members14R,14Lcooperate with sections of the bodyside liner2and the outer sheet3extending in vicinities of these elastic members14R,14Lto define leg right and left elastic zones47R,47Ladapted to generate gathers16(SeeFIG. 1) as these elastic members14R,14Lcontract. The body fluid absorbent structure1B interposed between the bodyside liner2and the outer sheet3is bonded to at least one of these elements2,3by use of appropriate adhesives or sealing treatments.

Referring toFIG. 3, of the front cross member21the distal ends23R,23Lare bonded to the respective inner surfaces of the leg right and left elastic zones47R,47Lusing appropriate adhesives or sealing treatments but an intermediate segment between the two distal ends23R,23Lis free from the bodyside liner2, i.e., this intermediate segment can be freely spaced from the bodyside liner2. In the similar manner, of the rear cross member22, the distal ends24R,24Lare bonded to the respective inner surfaces of the leg right and left elastic zones47R,47Lusing appropriate adhesives or sealing treatments but an intermediate segment between the two distal ends24R,24Lis free from the bodyside liner2, i.e., this intermediate segment can be free spaced from the bodyside liner2. Each of these front and rear cross members21,22has a dimension in the back-and-forth direction Y preferably in a range of 5 to 20 mm. A distance HFmeasured along the inner surface of the skin coverable chassis1A from a transverse center line D-D to the distal ends23R,23Lof the front cross member21is equal to a distance HBmeasured in the same manner from the transverse center line D-D to the distal ends24R,24Lof the rear cross member22. Accordingly, these two cross members21,22extend to near-horizontal at levels which are symmetrical about the transverse center line D-D as seen inFIG. 2. In the case of the pants-type diaper1for baby, the distance HF, HBis preferably in a range of 20 to 150 mm, more preferably in a range of 40 to 80 mm.

The pants-type diaper1ain such a state as shown inFIG. 3is folded back on itself along the transverse center line D-D bisecting the dimension of the diaper1ain the back-to-forth direction with the bodyside liner2inside. Simultaneously, the respective middle segments21c,22cof the front and rear cross members21,22are bonded to each other and the front and rear waist regions7,8are bonded to each other along the respective side edges7a,7a;8a,8a. In this manner, the pants-type diaper1folded back and flattened is obtained. When the waist-opening11and the leg-openings12are broadened substantially in circles in order to put the diaper1on the wearer's body as seen inFIGS. 1 and 2, the crotch region6as well as the front and rear waist regions7,8are deformed so as to become convex outward. Consequently, the crotch region6, the front waist region7and the rear waist region8have transverse dimensions thereof are apparently reduced with respect to those inFIG. 3and thereupon the front and rear cross members21,22are deformed so as to describe V-shapes, respectively. Such deformation of the cross members21,22generates a front void51between the front cross member21and the bodyside liner2, a rear void52between the rear cross member22and the bodyside liner2(SeeFIG. 2), a right void53between the respective right halves21R,22Rof the front and rear cross members21,22, and a left void54between the respective left halves21L,22Lof the front and rear cross members21,22(SeeFIG. 2). The pants-type diaper1may be put on the wearer's body with the right leg guided through the right void53and the left leg guided through the left void54. With the pants-type diaper1put on the wearer's body in this manner, the respective middle segments21c,22cof the front and rear cross members21,22will be located between the external genital and the anus so that urine will be discharged toward the front void51and feces will be discharged toward the rear void52.

The front and rear cross members21,22are adapted to contract in the transverse direction X as the pants-type diaper1flatly folded back on itself is unfolded to its three-dimensional state as seen inFIG. 2. In this state, the respective right halves21R,22Rcooperate with each other to draw the right leg elastic zone47Rtoward the back-and-forth center line C-C of the pants-type diaper1so as to facilitate the right leg flap43Rto stand up in the vertical direction Z of the pants-type diaper1on a proximal end defined by a vicinity of the right side edge33Rof the body fluid absorbent structure1B (SeeFIG. 2). Contraction of the right leg elastic member14Rin the right leg flap43Ralso facilitates this flap43Rto stand up. In this way, the right leg flap43Rstands up along the right side edge33Rof the body fluid absorbent structure1B and serves as leakage barrier means against sideway leak of body fluid which otherwise might occur. In other words, the right leg flap43Rfunctions as a leakage barrier. Particularly, a portion of the right leg flap43Rrising along the bottom6aof the crotch region6(SeeFIG. 2) is kept in close contact with a vicinity of the wearer's inguinal region and effectively prevents possible leakage of body fluids from occurring along the wearer's skin. This effect is true also with respect to the respective left halves21L,22Lof the front and rear cross members21,22. Specifically, these left halves21L,22Lare tightened and the left leg elastic member14Lcontract as the waist-opening11is broadened. Thereupon the left leg flap43Lstands up along the left side edge33Lof the body fluid absorbent structure1B so as to form in a vicinity of the bottom6aof the crotch region6a leakage barrier which is also reliably put in close contact with a vicinity of the wearer's inguinal region.

In such pants-type diaper1, the front and rear cross members21,22may be formed from stock materials selected from the group consisting of non-stretchable nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics, plastic films and rubber sheets. It is also possible to use sheet strips such as nonwoven fabrics, plastic films or rubber sheets each elastically stretchable in the transverse direction X to form the front and rear cross members21,22. Such elastically stretchable sheet strips may be attached in a stretched state to the pants-type diaper1to ensure that the leg right and left flaps43R,43Lfurther easily stand up as the pants-type diaper1is put on the wearer's body. As stock materials for the bodyside liner2, body fluid pervious nonwoven fabrics or perforated plastic films may be used and, as stock materials for the outer sheet3, sheet materials such as body fluid impervious plastic films or nonwoven fabrics may be used. With respect to the front and rear cross members21,22, as an variant of the embodiment shown inFIG. 3, the distances HF, HBfrom the transverse center line D-D may be differentiated, for example, the distance HBmay be set to be larger than the distance HFto improve a fit of the pants-type diaper1to the wearer's body.

FIG. 4is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the pants-type diaper1according to one preferred embodiment of the invention wherein components respectively having functions similar to those of the pants-type diaper1shown inFIG. 1are respectively designated by similar reference numerals. The pants-type diaper1shown inFIG. 4basically comprises the pants-shaped skin coverable chassis1A and the body fluid absorbent structure1B attached to the inner surface of the chassis1A. A plurality of waist elastic members13are attached in a stretched state to the periphery extending along the waist-opening11of the skin coverable chassis1A. With respect to the leg-openings12, a plurality of leg elastic members14are attached in a stretched state to front and rear sheets270,280forming the front and rear waist regions7,8inclusive of peripheral edges extending around approximately upper halves of the respective leg-openings12so that these elastic members13describe semicircles. The body fluid absorbent structure1B is laid on the inner surface of the skin coverable chassis1A.

FIG. 5is a partially cutaway plan view of the pants type diaper1aobtained by peeling the front and rear waist regions7,8off from each other at the spots9and finally developing the crotch region6, the front waist region7and rear waist regions8in the transverse direction X and the back-and-forth direction Y andFIG. 6is an exploded perspective view of this pants-type diaper1aofFIG. 5. With respect to this developed pants-type diaper1a,FIG. 5indicates also the transverse center line D-D which is orthogonal to the back-and-forth center line C-C and bisects the vertical dimension of the diaper1a.

The skin coverable chassis1A comprises the hexagonal front sheet270defining the front waist region7and a part of the crotch region6, the hexagonal rear sheet280defining the rear waist region8and a part of the crotch region6and a center sheet260defining a part of the crotch region6. These front and rear sheets270,280are provided on the respective inner surfaces thereof with the waist elastic members13and the leg elastic members14. Front and rear ends of the center sheet260are bonded to the respective inner surfaces (i.e., upper surfaces as viewed inFIG. 6) of the front and rear sheets270,280, respectively, by means of hot melt adhesives (not shown) so as to connect the front and rear sheets270,280to each other. An intermediate sheet261formed of rectangular water-impervious plastic film serving as the liquid-impervious outer sheet is placed on the inner surface of the center sheet260and an hourglass-shaped inner sheet262is placed on the inner surface of the intermediate sheet261. The intermediate sheet261has a shape nearly the same as the center sheet260but has a size slightly smaller than the center sheet260. In shape as well as in size, the inner sheet262is substantially the same as a combination of the front sheet270, the rear sheet280and the center sheet260in the hourglass-shaped assembly. These elements270,280,260,261and262are intermittently bonded together in respective overlap regions. The body fluid absorbent structure1B is bonded to the inner surface of the inner sheet262. More specifically, the inner sheet262is intermittently coated with hot melt adhesive263and substantially entire outer surface of the body fluid absorbent structure1B is intermittently bonded to the inner sheet262by means of said hot melt adhesive263.

As will be apparent fromFIG. 5, the body fluid absorbent structure1B presents a rectangle which is relatively long in the back-and-forth direction Y and contoured by a pair of side edges333R,333Lextending in parallel to the back-and-forth center line C-C, front and rear ends331,332extending in the transverse direction X of the pants-type diaper1orthogonally to the side edges333R,333L, and leakage barrier cuffs360made of a nonwoven fabric formed along the respective side edges333R,333L. Such body fluid absorbent structure1B is an assembly of body fluid absorbent materials comprising fluff pulp, body fluid absorbent particles4a, tissue paper4bwrapping a mixture of fluff pulp and body fluid absorbent particles4a, and body fluid pervious skin-contactable sheet4cplaced upon the tissue paper4b(SeeFIG. 8). The particles4aare distributed on the tissue paper4bso as to present the hourglass-like shape having a transverse dimension which is smaller in the crotch region6than in the front and rear waist regions7,8, i.e., provided along the side edges of the crotch region6with concave cutouts334. The skin-contactable sheet4cextends laterally beyond the edges of the concave cutouts334in the crotch region6and, outside these edges, the skin-contactable sheet4cis placed on itself, preferably bonded to itself by means of hot melt adhesives (not shown).

The body fluid absorbent structure1B further includes the front and rear cross members21,22. The distal ends23R,23Lof the front cross member21are bonded to the leakage barrier cuffs360, more specifically, to right and left leakage barrier cuffs360R,360Lwhich are symmetric about the back-and-forth center line C-C by use of appropriate adhesives or sealing treatments. The distal ends24R,24Lof the rear cross member22also are bonded to the respective leakage barrier cuffs360(SeeFIG. 9). The diaper1ais folded back onto itself along the transverse center line D-D, the front and rear waist regions are bonded together at the spots9and thereby the diaper1ais shaped into the pants-type diaper1. Simultaneously, the front and rear cross members21,22are bonded to each other along the respective middle segments21c,22cthereof by use of appropriate adhesives or sealing treatments. With the pants-type diaper1obtained in this manner, the right half21Rand the left half21Lof the front cross member21are deformed so as to describe a V-shape while the right half22Rand the left half22Lof the rear cross member22are deformed so as to describe a V-shape in response to the waist-opening11being broadened as seen inFIG. 4and thereby the crotch region6, the front waist region7and the rear waist region8being made convex outward. The front and rear cross members21,22deformed in this manner draw the respective leakage barrier cuffs360toward the back-and-forth center line C-C and thereby facilitate the respective leakage barrier cuffs360to stand up from the side edges333R,333Lof the body fluid absorbent structure1B (SeeFIG. 9).

FIG. 7is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the body fluid absorbent structure1B,FIG. 8is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII inFIG. 7,FIG. 9is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX inFIG. 7andFIG. 10is a sectional view taken along the line X-X inFIG. 7. Each of the leakage barrier cuffs360is formed of suitable sheet materials and extends along the associated side edge333Ror333Lof the body fluid absorbent structure1B. As the sheet materials, hydrophobic, preferably, not only hydrophobic but also liquid-impervious, more preferably, hydrophobic, air-permeable and liquid-impervious nonwoven fabrics or plastic films may be used. Each of the leakage barrier cuffs360is folded back in a Z-shape or an inverted Z-shape as viewed in the transverse direction X of the body fluid absorbent structure1B and comprises an outer edge361extending on the side defined by the outer surface of the body fluid absorbent structure1B and an inner edge362extending on the side defined by the inner surface of the body fluid absorbent structure1B wherein the outer edge361is fixed to the skin-contactable sheet4cby means of adhesive365. The outer edge361is provided along a zone corresponding to the concave cutout334of the body fluid absorbent structure1B with single or plural elastic members370for the crotch region6bonded in a stretched or non-stretched state to the outer edge361by means of hot melt adhesives (not shown). Referring toFIGS. 8 and 9, the inner edge362of the left leakage barrier cuff360Llies above the inner surface of the body fluid absorbent structure1B and is deformable in vertical and transverse directions as viewed inFIGS. 8 and 9. The inner edge362is folded back so as to form a sleeve within which a first elastic member371extends in a longitudinal direction of the body fluid absorbent structure1B and attached in a stretched state thereto. As shown inFIG. 10, the left leakage barrier cuff360Lis folded back in an inverted Z-shape so that the outer edge361and the inner edge362of this cuff360Lrespectively define the bottom and the top of the Z-shape. The left leakage barrier cuff360Lis bonded to itself by means of adhesive365while the skin-contactable sheet4cand the left leakage barrier cuff360Lare bonded to each other also by means of adhesive365. The first elastic member371has its opposite ends fixed to the front and rear ends331,332of the body fluid absorbent structure1B, respectively, via the leakage barrier cuff360L. The left leakage barrier cuff360Lmay include, in addition to the first elastic member371, second elastic members372bonded in a stretched state thereto in a transversely intermediate zone defined between the outer edge361and the inner edge362and above the inner surface of the body fluid absorbent structure1B. The second elastic members372extend in parallel to the first elastic member371between the front and rear ends363,364of the left leakage barrier cuff360L, preferably in the crotch region6. In the left leakage barrier cuff360L, elastic regions371a,372awhich are elastically stretchable/contractible in the back-and-forth direction Y are formed along the first elastic member371and the second elastic members372. While the distal ends23R,23Lof the front cross member21and the distal ends24R,24Lof the rear cross member22may be bonded to the respective inner surfaces of the right leakage barrier cuff360Rand the left leakage barrier cuff360Lto meet the requirements (SeeFIG. 9), it is preferred to bond these distal ends to the left leakage barrier cuff360Las the left leakage barrier cuff360Lin the embodiment shown inFIG. 9. Specifically, the distal end24Lis bonded to the left leakage barrier cuff360Lpreferably so as to be placed just upon the elastic region371aor372a, more preferably so as to be placed just upon the first elastic member371or the second elastic members372in the elastic region371aor372a, respectively. According to the embodiment shown inFIG. 9, the distal end24Lof the rear cross member22is attached to the left leakage barrier cuff360Lso as to be placed just upon the second elastic members372. The first and second elastic members371,372having thitherto been in a state of contraction are stretched as the pants-type diaper1is put on the wearer's body and, under a tension of these first and second elastic members371,372, the left leakage barrier cuff360Lstands up from the inner surface of the body fluid absorbent structure1B as indicated by imaginary lines inFIGS. 8 and 9. The front cross member21also biases the left leakage barrier cuff360Lto stand up as the front cross member21is stretched and prevent the left leakage barrier cuff360Lfrom collapsing. Just like the case of the leakage barrier barriers in the pants-type diaper ofFIG. 1, these leakage barrier cuffs360R,360Lstanding up in this manner can be reliably held in close contact around the wearer's legs to prevent body waste from leaking sideways and/or flowing down along the wearer's legs.

FIG. 11is a view similar toFIG. 1, showing another preferred embodiment of the invention. The pants-type diaper1ofFIG. 11is similar to the pants-type diaper1ofFIG. 1except that the rear waist region8is provided along the side edges8awith fasteners46. These fasteners46extend fully along the respective side edges8aand are adapted to be engaged with the respective outer surfaces of the associated side edges7aof the front waist region7in disengageable and re-engageable manner. To put this pants-type diaper1on baby's body, the front and rear waist regions7,8may be previously connected to each other by means of the fasteners46to obtain the really pants-like shaped diaper1. After the waist-opening11of this pants-like shaped diaper1has been broadened, the procedure to put the pants-type diaper1ofFIG. 1on the wearer's body may be followed. After the pants-type diaper1has been put on the wearer's body, the fasteners46may be peeled off from the front waist region7to check existence or nonexistence of body waste and/or to facilitate the pants-type diaper contaminated with body waste to be taken off. The fastener46may be selected from the group consisting of a hook member or a loop member of the mechanical fastener well known in the various trade names such as, Velcro and Magic Tape and pressure-sensitive tapes. The respective outer surfaces of the side edges7aof the front waist region7may be defined by materials suitable for cooperation with the fastener46, for example, nonwoven fabrics or plastic films. It should be noted here that the fastener46in the illustrated embodiment is provided along its periphery with a finger-grip46a.