Patent Publication Number: US-2012035578-A1

Title: Absorbent article

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is national phase of PCT/JP2010/052223 filed Feb. 15, 2010, and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-75136 filed Mar. 25, 2009. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
     The present invention relates to absorbent articles and, more particularly to absorbent articles as disposable diapers, toilet-training pants or incontinent briefs. 
     BACKGROUND   
     Disposable diapers including gather sheets adapted to raise themselves against the wearer&#39;s skin as the diaper is put on the wearer&#39;s body is known, for example, from the disclosure of JP 2007-143874 A (PTL  1 ). This known diaper includes top- and back-sheets, an absorbent structure sandwiched between these top- and back-sheets, a pair of gather sheets formed on a side of the top-sheet facing the wearer&#39;s skin. These gather sheets may raise themselves so as to be spaced upward from the top-sheet and thereby form barriers against body wastes to prevent the body wastes from leaking out from the diaper. The absorbent structure is shaped just like the crotch region, i.e., a width dimension relatively small in its middle zone and relatively large in front and rear ends. 
     {Citation List} 
     {Patent Literature} 
     {PTL 1} JP 2007-143874 A 
     SUMMARY  
     Technical Problem  
     In the known diaper as has been described above, the gather sheets are bonded to the top-sheet completely overlapping the absorbent structure having a relatively large width dimension in vicinities of the front and rear ends thereof. However, in a vicinity of the middle zone thereof, the gather sheets are bonded to the top-sheet outboard of the absorbent structure as viewed in the transverse direction since the width dimension of the absorbent structure is relatively small in the vicinity of its middle zone. As a consequence, between the front and rear ends of the absorbent structure, laminate zones of only the top- and back-sheets sheet are formed. These laminate zones of only the top-and back-sheets extending outboard of the middle zone of the absorbent structure also raise themselves from the side edges of the absorbent structure as the gather sheets are spaced upward from the top-sheet. Thus, outboard of the middle zone of the absorbent structure, the top- and back-sheets raise themselves together with the gather sheets to form barriers against body waste such as urine. However, the top-sheet made of a liquid-pervious non-woven fabric as well as the back-sheet formed of a laminate of a fibrous non-woven fabric and a liquid-impervious film usually has a stiffness lower than that of the absorbent structure. In view of this, the regions defined by the laminate of only the top- and back-sheets are apt to lose initial shapes thereof even under a slight external pressure exerted thereon and eventually the gather sheets may often collapsed. The collapse of the gather sheets may cause body wastes to move outward beyond the gather sheets and to leak out from the diaper. 
     An object of one or more embodiments according to the present invention is to provide an absorbent article adapted to prevent body wastes from leaking beyond leakage-barrier cuffs and thereby to restrict leakage of body wastes from the article. 
     Solution to Problem  
     According to the present invention, there is provided an absorbent article having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, includes a chassis including a side facing the wearer&#39;s skin, a side opposite thereto, a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region extending between the front and rear waist regions; a liquid-absorbent structure extending at least across the crotch region; and a pair of leakage-barrier cuffs provided on the side of the chassis facing the wearer&#39;s skin and extending along respective side edges of the chassis in the longitudinal direction, wherein the chassis further includes a top-sheet lying on the side facing the wearer&#39;s skin and a back-sheet lying on the opposite side; the leakage-barrier cuffs respectively including outer side edges bonded to associated side edges of the chassis by an intermediary of associated side edge bonding zones and, inner side edges contractibly elasticized in the longitudinal direction so that the inner side edges are spaced upward from the chassis; the liquid-absorbent structure including a middle segment which extends in the crotch region and has a relatively small length dimension in the transverse direction and front and rear segments which extends in the front and rear waist regions, respectively, and having length dimensions larger than that of the middle segment; and the outer side edges of the leakage-barrier cuffs lie outboard of the middle segment as viewed in the transverse direction. 
     The aforementioned one or more embodiments of the present invention further includes the top-sheet being formed at least outboard of the middle segment as viewed in the transverse direction with a plurality of convex streaks and a plurality of concave streaks each formed between each pair of the convex streaks adjacent in the transverse direction and bonded to the back-sheet. 
     According to the aforementioned one or more embodiments of the present invention, the convex streaks as well as the concave streaks are formed on the side of the top-sheet facing the wearer&#39;s skin. 
     According to the aforementioned one or more embodiments of the present invention, the outer side edges of the cuffs are bonded to the side of the top-sheet facing the wearer&#39;s skin. 
     According to the aforementioned one or more embodiments of the present invention, the outer side edges of the cuffs are bonded to the side of the back-sheet facing the wearer&#39;s skin, and the top-sheet includes opposite side edges extending in the longitudinal direction and the opposite side edges are bonded to the inner side edges of the cuffs. 
     ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION  
     The absorbent article includes the top- and back-sheets, the liquid-absorbent structure sandwiched between these top- and back-sheets and the leakage-barrier cuffs provided on the side of the top-sheet facing the wearer&#39;s skin. The liquid-absorbent structure includes the middle segment having a relatively small transverse width dimension and the front and rear regions each having a transverse width dimension larger than that of the middle region. Outboard of the middle region, the outer side edges of the respective leakage-barrier cuffs are attached to the chassis. The absorbent structure-absent zones defined between the middle segment of the absorbent structure and the leakage-barrier cuffs also flex upward when the leakage-barrier cuffs raise themselves from the top-sheet toward the wearer&#39;s skin. The top-sheet is formed with a plurality of convex streaks and the concave streaks extending in the longitudinal direction so that the transverse stiffness thereof is effectively enhanced and consequently the top-sheet is resistant to flexion in the direction orthogonal to the convex and concave streaks. Such high transverse stiffness allows the absorbent structure-absent zones defined outboard of side edge of the middle segment of the absorbent structure to maintain the initial shapes of these absorbent structure-absent zones and thereby to prevent leakage of body waste due to collapsing and/or deformation of the leakage-barrier cuffs. In this way, leakage of body wastes from the absorbent article can be reliably restricted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS   
       {FIG.  1 } A perspective view of a disposable diaper according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention in its state as put on the wearer&#39;s body. 
       {FIG.  2 } A developed view of the diaper of  FIG. 1  with elastic members not stretched. 
       {FIG.  3 } A plan view of the diaper of  FIG. 2  flatly developed by stretching respective elastic members against a contractile force thereof. 
       {FIG.  4 } A plan view of a liquid-absorbent structure. 
       {FIG.  5 } A sectional view taken along the line V-V in  FIG. 3 . 
       {FIG.  6 } A sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in  FIG. 3 . 
       {FIG.  7 } A view similar to  FIG. 5 , of a diaper according to a second exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS   
     Details of an absorbent article according to the present invention will be more fully understood from the description of a disposable diaper as exemplary embodiments of the absorbent article given hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Embodiment 1  
       FIGS. 1 through 6  illustrate a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a diaper  10  according to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention in a state put on the wearer&#39;s body,  FIG. 2  is a developed view of the diaper  10  after fastening members in front and rear waist regions have been unfastened from each other,  FIG. 3  is a plan view of this diaper  10  flatly developed stretching respective elastic members against a contractile force thereof,  FIG. 4  is a plan view of a liquid-absorbent structure  20  in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 2  is partially cutaway for convenience of illustration.  FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate behavior of a leakage-barrier cuff under the contractile force of the associated elastic members. 
     The diaper  10  basically includes a chassis  14 , a liquid-absorbent structure  20  and a pair of leak-barrier cuffs  30  provided on a side of the chassis  14  facing the wearer&#39;s skin. The diaper  10  has a longitudinal direction Y and a transverse direction X. The chassis  14  includes the side facing the wearer&#39;s skin, a side facing the wearer&#39;s garments, a front waist region  11 , a rear waist region  12  and a crotch region  13  extending between these front and rear waist regions  11 ,  12  as viewed in the longitudinal direction Y. The liquid-absorbent structure  20  extends across the crotch region  13  into the front and rear waist regions  11 ,  12 . The diaper  10  has an imaginary longitudinal center line P-P bisecting a dimension of the diaper  10  in the transverse direction X and an imaginary transverse center line Q-Q bisecting a dimension of the diaper  10  in the longitudinal direction Y. The diaper  10  is shaped to be substantially symmetric about the imaginary longitudinal center line P-P. 
     The chassis  14  further includes a top-sheet  40  facing the wearer&#39;s skin and a back-sheet  50  facing away from the wearer&#39;s skin. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the top- and back-sheets  40 ,  50  respectively have front and rear ends  41 ,  42 ;  51 ,  52  extending in the transverse direction X and side edges  43 ,  43 ;  53 ,  53  extending in the longitudinal direction Y wherein a length dimension of the top-sheet  40  in the transverse direction X is smaller than that of the back-sheet  50  so that the side edges  53 ,  53  of the back-sheet  50  extend outward beyond the side edges  43 ,  43  of the top-sheet  40  and define side edges of the chassis  14 . Front and rear ends  41 ,  42  of the top-sheet  40  substantially correspond to front and rear ends  51 ,  52  of the back-sheet  50  in the positional relationship so that these ends define front and rear ends of the chassis  14 . 
     The rear waist region  12  of the back-sheet  50  is provided with rear side sheets  70  extending outward in the transverse direction X from the respective side edges  53  and these rear side sheets  70 ,  70  are respectively formed, in turn, with hook elements  72  by an intermediary of tab members  71 . The front waist region  11  of the back-sheet  50  is provided with front side sheets  74  extending outward in the transverse direction X from the respective side edges  53  and these front side sheets  74  are provided on the respective sides facing the wearer&#39;s garments with loop elements  73  (See  FIG. 1 ) extending in the transverse direction X on the inward side of the respective front side sheets  74 . The hook elements  72  are adapted to be engaged with the associated loop elements  73  and thereby to form the pants-type diaper  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the top-sheet  40  has a plurality of convex streaks  44  extending n the longitudinal direction Y and a plurality of concave streaks  45  each extending in the longitudinal direction Y between each pair of the adjacent convex streaks  44 . A thickness (i.e., a three dimensional direction) dimension of the convex streak  44  may be in a range of about 1.0 to 3.0 mm and about 1.3 mm in this embodiment. A thickness (i.e., a three dimensional direction) dimension of the concave streak  45  may be in a range of about 0.4 to 1.5 mm and about 0.75 mm in this embodiment. These thickness dimensions were measured by using KEYENCE&#39;s laser displacement gauge (KEYENCE LK-G30). Specifically, a table supporting the top-sheet  40  was placed at a distance of 30.5 cm from the laser irradiation hole and the measurement was measured over a range of 26 mm along the convex streak  44  and the concave streak  45 . As used here, the term “thickness dimension of the convex streak  44 ” refers to an average value of length dimensions from the table to an apex of crest defined by the convex streak  44  measured over the range of 26 mm, and also as used here, the term “thickness dimension of the concave streak  45 ” refers to an average value of depth dimensions to a bottom of trough defined by the concave streak  45  measured over the range of 26 mm. A pitch corresponding to a length dimension between a pair of the adjacent convex streaks  44  was about 4 mm. 
     Such top-sheet  40  can be easily folded along the concave streaks  45 , i.e., in the longitudinal direction but not orthogonally to the concave streaks  45 , i.e., in the transverse direction. The stiffness against which the top-sheet  40  can be folded along the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  is referred to as the longitudinal stiffness and the stiffness against which the top-sheet  40  can be folded orthogonally to the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  44 ,  45  is referred to as the transverse stiffness. The longitudinal stiffness may be in a range of about 100 mm to about 140 mm and is preferably about 120 mm in this embodiment. The transverse stiffness may be in a range of about 50 mm to about 90 mm and is preferably about 70 mm in this embodiment. The longitudinal stiffness is preferably about 1.7 times of the transverse stiffness. These stiffness values were measured in accordance with JIS L1018 8. 22. 1 A. 
     The chassis  14  is provided along the front and rear ends thereof with front and rear waist elastic members  61 ,  62  attached under tension thereto in a contractible manner. The front and rear waist elastic elements  61 ,  62  are preferably formed of a foamed polyurethane sheet containing therein open cells and bonded to at least one of the top- and back-sheets  40 ,  50  by means of bonding means such as hot melt adhesive (not shown). The top-sheet  40  is easily contracted in the transverse direction X since its longitudinal stiffness along the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  is relatively low and therefore the top-sheet  40  should not noticeably affect contraction of these front and rear waist elastic bands  61 ,  62 . 
     The chassis  14  is provided along the respective side edges with associated leg elastic elements  63  extending in the longitudinal direction Y attached thereto in a contractible manner. Each of the leg elastic elements  63  is formed of a plurality of elastic threads or yarns and attached between the back-sheet  50  and the leakage-barrier cuff  30 . The leg elastic elements  63  are attached to the chassis  14  outboard of the top-sheet  40  as viewed in the transverse direction X and therefore the top-sheet  40  having the relatively high transverse stiffness in the direction orthogonal to the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  should not affect contraction of these leg elastic elements  63 . 
     The liquid-absorbent structure  20  is sandwiched between the top- and back-sheets  40 ,  50 . The liquid-absorbent structure  20  has front and rear ends  21 ,  22  extending in the transverse direction X and side edges  23 ,  23  extending in the longitudinal direction Y. The front end  21  is located in the front waist region  11  and attached to the chassis substantially adjacent to the rear waist elastic element  62  as viewed in the longitudinal direction Y. 
     As will be apparent from  FIG. 4 , the liquid-absorbent structure  20  respectively include a middle segment S curving in the crotch region  13  toward the imaginary longitudinal center line P-P to reduce the width-dimension of the liquid-absorbent structure  20  in the transverse direction X and front and rear segments F, R extending in the front and rear waist regions with the width-dimension of the liquid-absorbent structure  20  in the transverse direction X being larger than the width-dimension of the structure in the crotch region  13 . The minimum width-dimension in the transverse direction X between opposite side edges of the middle segment S is approximately in a range of 70 to 90 mm as measured along the imaginary transverse center line Q-Q and the width-dimension between opposite side edges of the front segment F as well as the width-dimension between opposite side edges of the rear segment R respectively is approximately 130 mm. Outboard of the middle segment S in the transverse direction X, imaginary lines  90  connecting side edges of the front segment F to side edges of the rear segment R cooperate with the associated concave side edges of the middle segment S to define absorbent structure-absent zones  91 , respectively. 
     The liquid-absorbent structure  20  includes, for example, a liquid-absorbent core containing a mixture of fluff pulp fibers and super-absorbent polymer particles, and a liquid-dispersant sheet such as tissue paper with which the liquid-absorbent core is wrapped. A liquid-impervious leakage-barrier sheet such as a film is sandwiched between the liquid-absorbent structure  20  and the back-sheet  50 . 
     The leakage-barrier cuffs  30  attached to the side of the top-sheet  40  facing the wearer&#39;s skin has front and rear ends  31 ,  32  opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction Y and distal and proximal side edges  33 ,  34  extending in the longitudinal direction Y. The front and rear ends  31 ,  32  substantially correspond to the front and rear ends  41 ,  42  of the top-sheet  40  in positional relationship and bonded to these front and rear ends  41 ,  42  of the top-sheet  40  at bonding zones  38 ,  39 . The proximal side edges  34  of the cuffs  30  are bonded to the chassis  14  at side edge bonding zones  37 . It should be appreciated here that these side edge bonding zones  37  are defined between the proximal side edges  34  of the respective cuffs  30  and the respective side edges  53  of the back-sheet  50  extending outward beyond the respective side edges of the top-sheet  40 . Leg elastic elements  63  are attached along these side edge bonding zones  37  between the proximal side edges  34  and the outer side edges  53  of the back-sheet  50 . 
     The distal side edges  33  of the cuffs  30  are partially folded back onto the top-sheet  40  so as to form respective sleeves  35  within which cuff-biasing elastic elements  36  extending in the longitudinal direction Y are attached under tension. Each of the cuff-biasing elastic element  36  includes a plurality of elastic threads or yarns and is attached under tension within the associated sleeve  35  at a predetermined distance from the front and rear ends  31 ,  32  of this cuff  30  so that the leakage-barrier cuffs  30  may be elasticized in the longitudinal direction Y at least in the crotch region  13 . Alternatively, an elasticized non-woven fabric or the like may be attached to the distal side edges  33  of the respective cuffs  30  and thereby the leakage-barrier cuffs  30  may be elasticized in the longitudinal direction Y. 
     In response to contraction of the cuff-biasing elastic elements  36  in the diaper  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the distal side edges  33  of the respective cuffs  30  are spaced upward from the top-sheet  40  as if they rise thereon. At the same time, in the front and rear waist regions  11 ,  12 , the proximal side edges  34  of the cuffs  30  extending close to the front and rear zones F, R of the liquid-absorbent structure  20  and attached to the chassis  14  outboard of the liquid-absorbent structure  20  as viewed in the transverse direction X function to move the front and rear waist regions  11 ,  12  closer to each other toward the wearer&#39;s body. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the absorbent structure-absent zones  91  are defined in the crotch region between the proximal side edges  34  of the respective cuffs  30  and the respective side edges  23  of the liquid-absorbent structure  20 . These absorbent structure-absent zones  91  also are pulled in close contact with the wearer&#39;s body by an intermediary of the proximal side edges  34  of the respective cuffs  30 . 
     The absorbent structure-absent zones  91  are free from any section of the liquid-absorbent structure  20  and defined by the top- and back-sheets  40 ,  50 . This means that these absorbent structure-absent zones  91  are correspondingly less stiff and can be smoothly flexed along the liquid-absorbent structure  20 . Specifically, the longitudinal stiffness of the top-sheet  40  is relatively low because of the presence of the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  and therefore the top-sheet  40  can be easily flexed upward about the respective side edges  23  of the liquid-absorbent structure  20 . In the crotch region  13 , consequentially, the leakage-barrier cuffs  30  can be flexed upward into close contact with the wearer&#39;s skin over the dimension thereof in the transverse direction X inclusive of the absorbent structure-absent zones  91  to form high barriers in close contact with the wearer&#39;s skin. The region in the diaper  10  which is at the highest risk of body waste (e.g., urine) leakage is a pair of leg-openings since these leg-openings are significantly affected by the movement of the wearer. However, the present invention allows the cuffs  30  to form high leakage-barriers in the crotch region  13  defining the leg-openings and thereby to prevent any body waste leakage in an efficient manner. 
     With the diaper  10  put on the wearer&#39;s body, even if the leakage-barrier cuffs  30  are subject to any pressure such as body weight, the absorbent structure-absent zones  91  flex so as to shrink along the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  44  of the top-sheet  40  and to buffer the body weight. In this way, the leakage-barrier cuffs  30  can be prevented from being collapsed. In addition, a relatively high resistance of the top-sheet  40  to flexion in the direction orthogonal to the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  makes it difficult for the leakage-barrier cuffs  30  inclusive of the respective absorbent structure-absent zones  91  to be deformed in the longitudinal direction Y. More specifically, while the wearer&#39;s inguinal region behaves to tuck the absorbent structure-absent zones  91  inward to the imaginary longitudinal center line P-P, the high resistance of the top-sheet  40  to flexion thereof in the direction orthogonal to the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  advantageously makes such tucking-in of the absorbent structure-absent zones  91  toward the imaginary longitudinal center line P-P. In a consequence, the shapes of the inner side edges  33  of the respective cuffs  30  can be maintained. In this way, body waste such as urine can be reliably prevented by the leakage-barrier cuffs  30  from leaking out from the diaper  10 . 
     The front and rear waist elastic elements  61 ,  62  are attached under tension, i.e., contractibly, to the chassis  14  between the top- and back-sheets  40 ,  50  so that the top-sheet  40  also may contract in the transverse direction X as these front and rear waist elastic elements  61 ,  62  contract. Upon contraction of the top-sheet  40  in the transverse direction X, the convex streaks  44  move closer into contact one with another so as to reduce a dimension of each concave streak  45  substantially to zero. As an advantageous result, a clearance inevitably defined between the top-sheet  40  and the wearer&#39;s skin can be reduced and thereby leakage of body waste through the waist-opening formed by the front and rear ends of the top-sheet  40  can be restricted. 
     The top-sheet  40  can be formed with the concave streaks  45  and the convex streaks  44 , for example, by treating a fibrous web with air jet streams continuously discharged from nozzles array wherein regions of the fibrous web directly subjected to the air jet streams form the concave streaks  45  and regions not directly subjected to the air jet streams form the convex streaks  44 . In such top-sheet  40 , component fibers of the fibrous web may be reoriented to obtain the concave streaks  45  each having a density lower than that of the convex streak  44 . The concave streaks  45  can facilitate loose passage to pass through these concave streaks  45  to the liquid-absorbent structure  30 . Air jet quantity may be intermittently increased to form the concave streaks  45  with intermittent through-holes. These through-holes can serve to facilitate passage of soft feces of relatively high viscosity. 
     While this embodiment supposes that the convex streaks  44  as well as the concave streaks  45  of the top-sheet  40  are formed by the air jet treatment method, the invention is not limited to this process so far as the sufficient level of stiffness to maintain the initial shape of the leakage-barrier cuff  30 . As an alternative method to such air jet treatment method, the top-sheet  40  may be formed with the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  also by a water jet treatment, a steam jet treatment, a press working or gear working treatment. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the thickness dimension and the pitch of the convex streaks  44  as well as those of the concave streaks  45  are not limited to the values as indicated for this first embodiment. 
     Embodiments 2  
       FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  relating to the first exemplary embodiment, illustrating a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. This embodiment 2 is characterized in a position at which each of the leakage-barrier cuffs  30  is bonded to the top-sheet  40  and the other construction is substantially the same as that in the embodiment 1. Details of the components common to those in the embodiment 1 will not be described. 
     The proximal side edges  34  of the respective leakage-barrier cuffs  30  are bonded to the back-sheet  50  by a intermediary of the side edge bonding zones  37  extending in the longitudinal direction Y. The top-sheet  40  has a first surface  40   a  facing the wearer&#39;s skin and a second surface  40   b  facing the back-sheet  50 . Similarly, each of the leakage-barrier cuffs  30  has a first surface  30   a  facing the wearer&#39;s skin and a second surface  30   b  opposite to the first surface  30   a.  The second surfaces  40   a  of the respective side edges  43  of the top-sheet  40  are bonded to the second surfaces  30   b  of the distal side edges  33  of the respective leakage-barrier cuffs  30 . 
     The top-sheet  40  is laminated on the respective cuffs  30  along the respective distal side edges  33  and to increase stiffness of the distal side edges  33  of the respective cuffs  30  so that the distal side edges  33  thereof can maintain the initial shapes thereof even if any pressure such as body weight is exerted thereon. Particularly, the top-sheet  40  formed with the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  extending in the longitudinal direction Y is well resistant to flexion in the direction orthogonal to the these convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  and thereby maintains the initial shape thereof. The top-sheet  40  is capable of coming in close contact with the wearer&#39;s skin without leaving an undesirable clearance between the top-sheet  40  and the wearer&#39;s skin. Consequentially, leakage of body waste which should otherwise occur from the crotch region  13  can be further reliably prevented. 
     While the side of the top-sheet  40  facing the wearer&#39;s skin is formed with the convex streaks  44  and the concave streaks  45  according to the aforementioned embodiments of the invention, it is possible to form the top-sheet  40  on the side facing the wearer&#39;s clothes with such streaks  44 ,  45 . However, considering various factors such as the area over which the top-sheet  40  comes in contact with the wearer&#39;s skin and the permeability for bodily fluids, these streaks are preferably formed on the side of the top-sheet facing the wearer&#39;s skin. Finally, while the absorbent article has been exemplarily described above on the basis of the so-called open-type diaper, the invention is not limited to this and applicable also to so-called pull-on pants.