Patent Publication Number: US-2005131379-A1

Title: Pull-on disposable wearing article

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a disposable wearing article for absorption and containment of bodily discharges.  
      Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1998-258082A discloses a disposable diaper comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core interposed between these top- and backsheets. This diaper has first end portions extending outward beyond longitudinally opposite ends of the core lying in front and rear waist regions and second end portions extending further outward beyond the first end portions in a longitudinal direction. Each of the first end portions is provided with a waist-surrounding elastic member extending in a waist-circumferential direction so as to be contractible in the waist-circumferential direction, each of the second end portions is folded back onto inner surface of associated one of the first end portions and distal ends of the second end portions are secured to the first end portions so as to cover the waist-surrounding member.  
      The first and second end portions are defined by portions of the top- and backsheets extending outward beyond the longitudinally opposite ends of the core. The first and second portions are joined together only at the associated distal ends of the second end portions and free from each other in other zones. The first end portion is formed substantially over its entire area with a plurality of gathers as the waist-surrounding elastic member contracts inward as viewed in the waist-circumferential direction. In the front and rear waist regions, lateral marginal portions of the top- and backsheets extending outward beyond the side edges of the core in the waist-circumferential direction are overlaid and joined together by means of a plurality of heat-sealing lines arranged intermittently in the longitudinal direction. This diaper has a pants-like shape having a waist-hole and a pair of leg-holes. This diaper has advantageous effects that an uncomfortable rough touch against a wearer and stimulate a wearer&#39;s skin can be reduced since the gathers (fine wrinkles) formed along the first end portions are covered with the second end portions.  
      In spite of such advantageous effects, the diaper disclosed in the above-cited Publication is still accompanied with problems. Specifically, the first end portions formed with a plurality of gathers come in direct contact with the wearer&#39;s skin as the diaper is put on the wearer&#39;s body because the second end portions are folded back onto the outer surfaces of the first end portions. The gathers formed along the first end portions come in contact with the wearer&#39;s skin as the first end portions come in direct contact with the wearer&#39;s skin. Consequently, these gathers may cause to create an uncomfortable feeling against the wearer and sometimes leave compression marks on the wearer&#39;s skin. In addition, a gap may be left between the gathers formed along the first end portions and the wearer&#39;s skin through which an excessive amount of bodily discharges which can not be absorbed by the core may leak out from the diaper.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is a first object of the present invention to provide a disposable wearing article improved so that any deterioration of the article&#39;s touch due to gathers can be avoided and none of compression marks due to the gathers is left on the wearer&#39;s skin even if the end portions of the front and rear waist regions are formed with a plurality of gathers as the waist-surrounding elastic member contracts. It is a second object of the present invention to provide a disposable wearing article improved so that the end portions of the front and rear waist regions can be held in sufficiently close contact with the wearer&#39;s skin to prevent bodily discharges from leaking beyond the end portions of the front and rear waist regions.  
      According to the present invention, there is provided a the disposable wearing article generally comprising a base sheet assembly defining front and rear waist regions and a crotch region extending between the waist regions and a liquid-absorbent panel attached to an inner side of the base sheet assembly so as to extend over the crotch region further into the front and rear waist regions, the base sheet assembly having first end portions extending outward beyond longitudinally opposite ends of the panel lying in the front and rear waist regions in a longitudinal direction and second end portions extending further outward beyond the first end portions in the longitudinal direction, each of the first end portions being provided with a waist-surrounding elastic member extending in a waist-circumferential direction in a stretched state, each of the second end portions being folded back onto an inner surface of associated one of the first end portions and distal end zones of the second end portions extending in the waist-circumferential direction being secured to the first end portions so that the second end portions cover the waist-surrounding member.  
      The present invention further comprises the first and second end portions respective having lateral zones lying outside transversely opposite side edges of the panel as viewed in the waist-circumferential direction and intermediate zones bordered by the distal end zones and the lateral zones and the first and second end portions are bonded together in the lateral zones and let free from each other in the intermediate zones.  
      The present invention includes the following embodiments.  
      The first and second end portions are partially joined in the respective intermediate zones.  
      The base sheet assembly comprises a first sheet facing the panel and a second sheet facing away from the panel and the second portions are formed by at least one of the first and second sheets.  
      The waist-surrounding elastic member is interposed between the first and second sheets.  
      The first and second sheets constituting the front and rear waist regions of the base sheet assembly are joined together in vicinities of peripheral edges thereof lying outside the transversely opposite lateral side edges of the panel and the wearing article is formed with a waist-hole and a pair of leg-holes.  
      The panel comprises a liquid-pervious topsheet facing a wearer&#39;s body, a liquid-impervious backsheet facing away from the wearer&#39;s body and a liquid-absorbent core interposed between the top- and backsheets. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an example of the wearing article;  
       FIG. 2  is a partially cutaway developed plan view showing the article of  FIG. 1  with front and rear waist regions disconnected from each other;  
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along a line B-B in  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along a line C-C in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a developed plan view showing another example of the wearing article;  
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along a line D-D in  FIG. 6 ;  
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along a line E-E in  FIG. 6 ; and  
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view taken along a line F-F in  FIG. 6 .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Detail of the pants-type disposable wearing article according to the present invention will be more fully understood from the description given hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a pants-type wearing article  1 A according to a typical embodiment of the invention,  FIG. 2  is a partially cutaway developed plan view showing the article  1 A of  FIG. 1  with front and rear waist regions  4 ,  6  disconnected from each other,  FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along a line B-B in  FIG. 2 . In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a waist-circumferential direction is indicated by an arrow X, a longitudinal direction is indicated by an arrow Y and a leg-circumferential direction is indicated by an arrow Z (in  FIG. 1  alone). Expression “inner surfaces of inner and outer sheets  13 ,  14  (corresponding to first and second sheets) and upper and lower sheets  24 ,  25 ” should be understood to mean the surfaces of these sheets  13 ,  14  facing a core  26  and expression “outer surfaces of these sheets  13 ,  14 ,  24 ,  25 ” should be understood to mean the surfaces of these sheets  13 ,  14 ,  24 ,  25  facing away from the core  26 .  
      The article  1 A comprises a base sheet assembly  2  and a liquid-absorbent panel  3  attached to an inner side of the base sheet assembly  2 . The base sheet assembly  2  defines front and rear waist regions  4 ,  6  opposed to each other and a crotch region  5  extending between these waist regions  4 ,  6 . The panel  3  extends between the front and rear waist regions  4 ,  6  of the base sheet assembly  2  and have longitudinally opposite ends  7  lying in the front and rear waist regions  4 ,  6  of the base sheet assembly  2 , respectively, so as to extend in the waist-circumferential direction and transversely opposite side edges  8  extending between the front and rear waist regions  4 ,  6  of the base sheet assembly  2  in the longitudinal direction.  
      Individual sheets constituting the base sheet assembly  2  are overlaid and joined together in vicinities of lateral marginal edges  9  by means of a plurality of heat-sealing lines  10  arranged intermittently in the longitudinal direction. The article  1 A is in the form of pants having a waist-hole  11  and a pair of leg-holes  12 . The crotch region  5  describes circular arcs which are convex inward in the waist-circumferential direction of the article  1 A. The base sheet assembly  2  presents a generally hourglass-like planar shape as will be seen in  FIG. 2 .  
      The base sheet assembly  2  comprises the inner sheet  13  (first sheet) facing the panel  3  and the outer sheet  14  (second sheet) facing away from the panel  3 , i.e., lying outside the inner sheet  13 . The inner sheet  13  and the outer sheet  14  are made of hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabric. The inner sheet  13  and the outer sheet  14  are joined by means of hot melt adhesive (not shown) intermittently applied on at least one of these sheets  13 ,  14 .  
      The base sheet assembly  2  has first end portions  15  extending outward beyond longitudinally opposite ends  7  of the panel  3  in the longitudinal direction and second end portions  16  extending further outward beyond the respective first end portions  15  in the longitudinal direction. Each of the first end portions  15  is provided with a plurality of waist-surrounding elastic members  17  extending in the waist-circumferential direction and secured thereto in a stretched state. Each of the second end portions  16  is folded back toward the inner surface of the associated first end portion  15  so that these first and second end portions  15 ,  16  may be overlaid together. The first and second end portions  15 ,  16  are defined by portions of the inner and outer sheets  13 ,  14  constituting the base sheet assembly  2 .  
      A distal end zone  18  of the second end portion  16  extending beyond the waist-surrounding elastic members  17  in the waist-circumferential direction is secured to the associated first end portion  15 . The first and second end portions  15 ,  16  respectively have transversely opposite lateral zones  19 ,  20  lying outside the side edges  8  of the panel  3  as viewed in the waist-circumferential direction and intermediate zones  21 ,  22  bordered by the lateral zones  19 ,  20  and the distal end zone  18 . The first and second end portions  15 ,  16  are joined in the respective lateral zones  19 ,  20  thereof. On the other hand, these first and second end portions  15 ,  16  are not joined in the respective intermediate zones  21 ,  22  thereof, i.e., these end portions  15 ,  16  are let free from each other.  
      In the distal end zone  18  of the second end portion  16 , the inner sheet  13  folded back onto itself has its inner surface overlaid and joined together by means of a hot melt adhesive  28 . In the lateral zones  19 ,  20  of the first and second end portions  15 ,  16  also, the inner sheet  13  folded back onto itself has its inner surface overlaid and joined together by means of a hot melt adhesive  29 . The waist-surrounding elastic members  17  are interposed between the inner and outer sheets  13 ,  14  and secured to opposite surfaces of these sheets  13 ,  14  by means of a hot melt adhesive  30 .  
      In the crotch region  5  of the base sheet assembly  2 , a peripheral edge portion  12   a  of the leg-hole  12  is provided with a plurality of leg-surrounding elastic members  23  extending in the leg-circumferential direction in a stretched state. The leg-surrounding elastic members  23  are interposed between the inner and outer sheets  13 ,  14  and bonded to at least one of these sheets  13 ,  14  by means of a hot melt adhesive (not shown).  
      The panel  3  is shaped in a rectangle which is relatively long in the longitudinal direction and comprises liquid-pervious topsheet  24  facing a wearer&#39;s body, a liquid-impervious backsheet  25  facing away from the wearer&#39;s body and a liquid-absorbent core  26  interposed between these top- and backsheets  24 ,  25 . On the panel  3 , the backsheet  25  has its entire outer surface intermittently bonded to the inner surface of the inner sheet  13  by means of hot melt adhesive (not shown). Alternatively, the outer surface of the backsheet  25  may be intermittently bonded to the inner surface of the inner sheet  13  only along the longitudinally opposite ends  7  of the panel  3  and the other zones of the panel  3  may be let free from the inner sheet  13 . The top- and backsheets  24 ,  25  are overlaid and joined along peripheral edges thereof.  
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along a line C-C in  FIG. 1 . As will be apparent from  FIG. 5 , contraction of the waist-surrounding elastic members  17  of the article  1 A in the waist-circumferential direction causes the transversely opposite lateral zones  19 ,  20  of the first and second end portions  15 ,  16  as well as the intermediate portion  21  of the first end portion  15  to be formed with a plurality of gathers  27  (fine wrinkles). In the case of the article  1 A, the intermediate zone  21  of the first end portion  15  and the intermediate zone  22  of the second end portion  16  are let free from each other, so the intermediate zone  22  of the second end portion  16  will slightly undulate even when the waist-surrounding elastic members  17  contract.  
      The intermediate zone  22  of the second end portion  16  which is slightly undulating as has been described above comes in direct contact with a wearer&#39;s skin as the article  1 A is put on the wearer&#39;s body. With an advantageous consequence, the intermediate zone  22  of the second end portion  16  gives the wearer a comfortable touch, on one hand, and there is no anxiety that the gathers  27  formed in the intermediate zone  21  of the first end portion  15  might come in direct contact with the wearer&#39;s skin and thereby deteriorate a touch of the article  1 A. Furthermore, there is no possibility that the intermediate zone  21  of the second end portion  16  might leave any mark of compression on the wearer&#39;s skin due to gathers. The undulation appearing in the intermediate zone  22  of the second end portion  16  is not remarkable and therefore this intermediate zone  22  can be held in close contact with the wearer&#39;s skin without leaving a gap between the intermediate zone  22  and the wearer&#39;s body. In this way, it is not likely that an excessive amount of bodily discharges which can not be absorbed by the panel  3  might leak out from the article  1 A beyond the intermediate zone  22 .  
      In the article  1 A, the transversely opposite lateral zones  19  of the second end portion  16  are formed with a plurality of the gathers  27  and therefore a gap is left between these lateral zones  19  of the second end portion  16  and the wearer&#39;s body. Such gap allows humidity generated within the article  1 A to be evacuated from the article  1 A and thereby allows undesirable stuffiness possibly generated within the article  1 A to be reliably avoided.  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing a wearing article  1 B according to another embodiment of the invention,  FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along a line D-D in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along a line E-E in  FIG. 6 . In  FIG. 6 , a waist-circumferential direction is indicated by an arrow X and a longitudinal direction is indicated by an arrow Y.  
      The article  1 B comprises a base sheet assembly  2  and a liquid-absorbent panel  3  attached to an inner side of the base sheet assembly  2 . The base sheet assembly  2  defines front and rear waist regions  4 ,  6  opposed to each other and a crotch region  5  extending between these waist regions  4 ,  6 . The panel  3  extends between the front and rear waist regions  4 ,  6  of the base sheet assembly  2 .  
      The base sheet assembly  2  comprises the inner sheet  13  (first sheet) facing the panel  3  and the outer sheet  14  (second sheet) facing away from the panel  3 , i.e., lying outside the inner sheet  13 . The inner sheet  13  and the outer sheet  14  are made of hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabric. The inner sheet  13  and the outer sheet  14  are joined by means of hot melt adhesive (not shown) intermittently applied on at least one of these sheets  13 ,  14 .  
      The base sheet assembly  2  has the first end portions  15  extending outward beyond longitudinally opposite ends  7  of the panel  3  in the longitudinal direction and second end portions  16  extending further outward beyond the respective first end portions  15  in the longitudinal direction. Each of the first end portions  15  is provided with a plurality of waist-surrounding elastic members  17  extending in the waist-circumferential direction and secured thereto in a stretched state. Each of the second end portions  16  is folded back toward the inner surface of the associated first end portion  15  so that these first and second end portions  15 ,  16  may be overlaid each other. Each of the first end portions  15  is formed by the inner and outer sheets  13 ,  14  and each of the second end portions  16  is formed by the outer sheet  14  alone.  
      A distal end zone  18  of the second end portion  16  extending beyond the waist-surrounding elastic members  17  in the waist-circumferential direction is secured to the associated first end portion  15 . The first and second end portions  15 ,  16  respectively have transversely opposite lateral zones  19 ,  20  lying outside the side edges  8  of the panel  3  as viewed in the waist-circumferential direction and intermediate zones  21 ,  22  bordered by the lateral zones  19 ,  20  and the distal end zone  18 . The first and second end portions  15 ,  16  are joined in the respective lateral zones  19 ,  20  thereof. On the other hand, in the intermediate zones  21 ,  22 , these first and second end portions  15 ,  16  are joined only in respective middle zones  21   a ,  22   a  of the intermediate zones  21 ,  22  thereof, i.e., these end portions  15 ,  16  are let free from each other in the other zones  21   b ,  22   b  of the end portions except for these middle zones  21   a ,  22   a.    
      In the distal end zone  18  of the second end portion  16 , the outer surface of the inner sheet  13  and the inner surface of the outer sheet  14  are overlaid and joined by means of a hot melt adhesive  28 . In the lateral zones  19 ,  20  and the middle regions  21   a ,  22   a  in the intermediate zones  21 ,  22  of these first second end portions  15 ,  16  also, the outer surface of the inner sheet  13  and the inner surface of the outer sheet  14  are joined together by means of a hot melt adhesive  29 . The waist-surrounding elastic members  17  are interposed between the inner and outer sheets  13 ,  14  and secured to these sheets  13 ,  14  by means of a hot melt adhesive  30 .  
      A peripheral edge of the base sheet assembly  2  in the crotch region  5  is provided with a plurality of leg-surrounding elastic members  23  extending in the leg-circumferential direction in a stretched state. The leg-surrounding elastic members  23  are interposed between the inner and outer sheets  13 ,  14  and bonded to at least one of opposite surfaces of these sheets  13 ,  14  by means of a hot melt adhesive (not shown).  
      The panel  3  comprises a liquid-pervious topsheet  24 , a liquid-impervious backsheet  25  and a liquid-absorbent core  26  interposed between these top- and backsheets  24 ,  25 . The backsheet  25  has its entire outer surface intermittently joined to an inner surface of the inner sheet  13 . The top- and backsheets  24 ,  25  are overlaid and joined along peripheral edges thereof.  
      In the rear waist region  6 , the base sheet assembly  2  is provided with a pair of tape fasteners  31 , respectively, extending outward from the respective lateral marginal edges  9  in the waist-circumferential direction. Each of these tape fasteners  31  has a free end portion  31   a  coated with a self-adhesive (not shown) and a fixed end portion  31   b  fixed to the rear waist region  6 . In the front waist region  4 , the outer sheet  14  is provided on its outer surface with a rectangular tape strip  29  attached thereto so that the free end portions  31   a  of the respective tape fasteners  31  may be releasably anchored on this target tape strip  32 . Both the tape fasteners  31  and the target tape strip  32  are formed by flexible plastic film.  
      To put the article  1 B on the wearer&#39;s body, the rear waist region  6  is placed upon the front waist region  4  so that the lateral marginal edges  9  of the rear waist region  6  may be generally aligned with the lateral marginal edges  9  of the front waist region  4  and then the free end portions  31   a  of the respective tape fasteners  31  are anchored on the target tape strip  32  by means of a self-adhesive to connect the front and rear waist regions  4 ,  6  to each other. Upon connection of the front and rear waist regions  4 ,  6  to each other, the article  1 B is formed with the waist-hole and a pair of the leg-holes (not shown).  
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view taken along a line F-F in  FIG. 6 . As will be apparent from  FIG. 9 , contraction of the waist-surrounding elastic members  17  of the article  1 B in the waist-circumferential direction causes the transversely opposite lateral zones  19 ,  20  of the first and second end portions  15 ,  16  as well as the middle zones  21   a ,  22   a  of the intermediate portion  21 ,  22  of the first and second end portion  15 ,  16  to be formed with a plurality of gathers  27  (fine wrinkles) In the case of the article  1 B, these end portions  15 ,  16  are joined only in the middle zones  21   a ,  22   a  of the intermediate zone  21 ,  22  of the first and second end portions  15 ,  16 , i.e., these end portions  15 ,  16  are let free from each other in the other zones  21   b ,  22   b  of the intermediate zones  21 ,  22  except for the middle zones  21   a ,  22   a , so the undulation appearing along the other zone  22   b  of the intermediate zone  22  of the second end portion  16  will not be remarkable even when the waist-surrounding elastic members  17  contract.  
      In the case of the article  1 B, the undulation appearing in the other zone  22   b  of the second end portion  16  is not remarkable as has been described above and the other zone  22   b  of the second end portion  16  coming in direct contact with the wearer&#39;s skin as the article  1 B is put on the wearer&#39;s body ensures a comfortable touch and there is no possibility that the other zone  22   b  of the second end portion  16  might leave any mark of compression on the wearer&#39;s skin due to gathers. Furthermore, the other zone  22   b  of the second end portion  16  can be held in close contact with the wearer&#39;s skin without leaving a gap between the other zone  22   b  and the wearer&#39;s body. In this way, it is not likely that an excessive amount of bodily discharges which can not be absorbed by the panel  3  might leak out from the article  1 B beyond the other zone  22   b.    
      In the article  1 B, the second end portion  16  is formed by the outer sheet  14  and, compared to the case in which the second end portion  16  is formed by the inner and outer sheets  13 ,  14 , stiffness of the second end portion  16  is sufficiently reduced not only to improve the touch of the second end portion  16  but also to ensure that the other zone  22   b  of the second end portion  16  can be reliably held in close contact with the wearer&#39;s skin.  
      In the case of the article  1 B, the lateral zones  20  and the middle zone  22   a  of the intermediate zone  22  of the second end portion  16  are secured to the first end portion  15 . This arrangement ensures that the first and second end portions  15 ,  16  are not separated from each other even when the waist-surrounding elastic members  17  are stretched in order to put the article  1 B on the wearer&#39;s body. If the first and second end portions  15 ,  16  are separated from each other, the article would be put on the wearer&#39;s body with the end portions  15 ,  16  lapped in two- or three-fold. Since the first and second end portions  15 ,  16  are not separated from each other in the article  1 B, it is not likely that the first and second end portions  15 ,  16  might be lapped in two- or three-fold as the article  1 B is put on the wearer&#39;s body.  
      A stock material for the inner and outer sheets  13 ,  14  may be selected from the group consisting of a breathable but liquid-impervious plastic film, a composite nonwoven fabric comprising two or more layers of hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabric placed upon one another and a composite sheet comprising a hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabric and a breathable but liquid-impervious plastic film placed upon each other.  
      A stock material for the topsheet  24  may be selected from the group consisting of a hydrophilic fibrous nonwoven fabric, a hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabric having a plurality of perforations and a plastic film having a plurality of fine perforations. A stock material for the backsheet  25  may be selected from the group consisting of a hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabric, a breathable but liquid-impervious plastic film, a composite nonwoven fabric comprising two or more fabric layers of hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven and a composite sheet comprising a hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabric and a breathable but liquid-impervious plastic film placed upon each other.  
      The nonwoven fabric may be selected from the group consisting of those obtained by spun lace-, needle punch-, melt blown-, thermal bond-, spun bond-, chemical bond- and air-through-processes. Component fibers of the nonwoven fabric may be selected from the group consisting of polyolefine-, polyester- and polyamide-based fibers and core-and-sheath type or side-by-side type conjugated fibers of polyethylene/polypropylene and polyethylene/polyester.  
      The core  26  comprises a mixture of fluff pulp and super-absorbent polymer particles or a mixture of fluff pulp, super-absorbent polymer particles and thermoplastic synthetic resin fibers each compressed to a given thickness. The core  26  is preferably entirely covered with a liquid-pervious sheet such as a tissue paper or a hydrophilic fibrous nonwoven fabric in order to prevent the core  26  from getting out of shape and to prevent the polymer particles from falling off therefrom. The polymer particles may be selected from the group consisting of starch-based polymer particles, cellulose-based polymer particles and synthetic polymer particles.  
      Joining of the top- and backsheets  24 ,  25  and attaching of the core  26  to the top- and backsheets  24 ,  25  may be carried out using a hot melt adhesive or welding technique such as heat-sealing or sonic sealing technique.  
      In these articles  1 A,  1 B illustrated as the particular embodiments, it is possible to form the second end portion  16  of the base sheet assembly  2  by the inner sheet  13  and it is also possible to secure the waist-surrounding elastic members  17  to the inner surface of the inner sheet  13  in a stretched state.  
      In the disposable wearing article according to the present invention, the intermediate zones of the first and second end portions are let free from each other, so the intermediate zone of the second end portion is not formed with gathers and ensures a comfortable touch even when the waist-surrounding elastic members contract. Furthermore, there is no possibility that the intermediate zone of the second end portion might leave any mark of compression on the wearer&#39;s skin due to gathers. Since this intermediate zone can be held in close contact with the wearer&#39;s skin without leaving a gap between the intermediate zone and the wearer&#39;s body, it is not likely that an excessive amount of bodily discharges which can not be absorbed by the panel might leak out from the article beyond the intermediate zone.  
      In this article, the transversely opposite lateral zones of the second end portion are formed with a plurality of the gathers and therefore a gap is left between these lateral zones of the second end portion and the wearer&#39;s body. Such gap allows humidity generated within the article to be evacuated from the article and thereby allows an undesirable stuffiness possibly generated within the article to be reliably avoided.  
      In the case of the article arranged so that the intermediate zones of the first and second end portions are locally secured, it is not likely that the first and second end portions might be separated from each other and be lapped in two- or three-fold as the article is put on the wearer&#39;s body.