Patent Publication Number: US-2010114049-A1

Title: Absorbent article and method for producing absorbent article

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
     The present invention relates to absorbent articles and methods for producing absorbent articles. Specifically, the present invention relates to an absorbent article including an absorbent body material having an accumulated absorbent fiber and a superabsorbent resin, and a method for producing that absorbent article. 
     BACKGROUND ART  
     Conventionally, an absorbent article including an absorbent body material having an accumulated absorbent fiber and a superabsorbent resin is known as an absorbent article for absorbing a predetermined fluid such as menstrual blood. Some absorbent articles are configured such that the superabsorbent resin is approximately uniformly present in a flat plane in the absorbent body material. When the absorbent article absorbs fluid, the superabsorbent resin swells when it holds the fluid, and particles of superabsorbent resin sometimes join together. Such joining of the superabsorbent resin particles may interfere with movement of the fluid absorbed in the absorbent article, resulting in reduction in the absorbing ability of the absorbent article. 
     In order to address the above problems, it is conceivable, for example, to intersperse in the absorbent body material, areas where superabsorbent resin is present, and densely gather the superabsorbent resin in those areas. If an absorbent body material having such a configuration is included, the fluid absorbed in the absorbent article moves in areas other than those areas in the absorbent body material where the superabsorbent resin is densely gathered, and consequently the fluid is easily dispersed within the absorbent body material. As a result, the absorbing ability of the absorbent article is maintained, even when the absorbent article has absorbed a large amount of fluid (see JP-A-9-504207). 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION  
     However, when absorbent fiber also is densely gathered in the areas where the superabsorbent resin is densely gathered, the absorbent fiber around the superabsorbent resin is pushed outward by the superabsorbent resin when the superabsorbent resin holds fluid and swells. As a result, bulging occurs in a part of the absorbent body material. That is, a part of the absorbent article bulges due to swelling of the superabsorbent resin, giving the wearer of the absorbent article a foreign-body sensation. 
     The present invention was made in view of these problems, and it is an advantage thereof to suppress bulging that occurs due to swelling of the superabsorbent resin within the absorbent article. 
     In order to address the above-described problems, an aspect of the invention is an absorbent article including an absorbent body material including an accumulated absorbent fiber and a superabsorbent resin, wherein the absorbent body material includes interspersed sections that are interspersed, and a densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in the interspersed sections is less dense than a densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in areas surrounding the interspersed sections, and an occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin in the interspersed sections is higher than an occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections. 
     Features and advantages of the invention other than the above will become clear by reading the description of the present specification with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view that shows the configuration of an absorbent article  1 ; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of an absorbent body material  12 , and shows a skin face side of the absorbent body material  12 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a view that shows the cross-sectional structure of an interspersed section  13 , and shows cross section A-A′ in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a production flow of the absorbent article  1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an absorbent body production step S 100 ; 
         FIG. 6  schematically shows a process in which the absorbent body  10  is produced in the absorbent body production step S 100 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows a mesh pattern  48  for forming a base material  15  of absorbent body material by accumulating pulverized pulp; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram for illustrating a pattern roller  70  for supplying an SAP to the base material  15 ; 
         FIG. 9  shows a transition of the absorbent body material  12 ; 
         FIG. 10  schematically shows the manner of the absorbent body production step S 100  according to a first modified example; 
         FIG. 11  shows the transition of an absorbent body material  12  according to the first modified example; 
         FIG. 12  shows a modified example of an indentation  70   a  of the pattern roller  70 ; and 
         FIG. 13  shows a configuration in which the thickness of an interspersed section  13  is smaller than that of the absorbent body material  12 . 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS  
       1  . . . absorbent article, 
       10  . . . absorbent body, 
       10   a  . . . swelling section, 
       10   b  surrounding section, 
       11  thin paper (covering member), 
       12  . . . absorbent body material, 
       13  . . . interspersed section, 
       14  . . . continuous section, 
       14   a  . . . thick wall section, 
       14   b  . . . pulp accumulated layer, 
       15  . . . base material, 
       15   a  . . . hole section, 
       20  . . . surface sheet, 
       20   a  . . . deep channel section, 
       25  . . . side sheet, 
       30  . . . back face sheet, 
       32  . . . holding section, 
       40  . . . suction drum, 
       42  . . . pulp opening apparatus, 
       44  . . . pulp scraping mechanism, 
       46  . . . pulp supply roller, 
       48  . . . mesh pattern (mold), 
       48   a  . . . convex section, 
       48   b  . . . concave section, 
       50  . . . thin paper supply roller, 
       60  . . . suction conveyor (suction stage), 
       62  . . . thin paper bending section, 
       70  . . . pattern roller (roller), 
       70   a  . . . indentation, 
       71  . . . SAP supply mechanism, 
       72  . . . SAP feeder, 
       80  . . . absorbent body cutter 
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION  
     At least the following matters will be made clear by reading the description of the present specification with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     First, an absorbent article including an absorbent body material including an accumulated absorbent fiber and a superabsorbent resin, wherein the absorbent body material includes interspersed sections that are interspersed, and a densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in the interspersed sections is less dense than a densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in areas surrounding the interspersed sections, and an occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin in the interspersed sections is higher than an occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections. 
     In such an absorbent article, areas where the superabsorbent resin is densely gathered (interspersed sections) are interspersed, and the fluid absorbed by the absorbent article moves in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections. That is, since the fluid can be easily dispersed within the absorbent body material, the absorbing ability of the absorbent article can be maintained. However, the fact that the superabsorbent resin is densely gathered in the interspersed sections (in other words, the occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin is higher in the interspersed sections than in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections) means that in the interspersed sections, there is a higher possibility that bulging occurs in the absorbent article due to swelling of the superabsorbent resin. 
     On the other hand, since the densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber is less dense in the interspersed sections than in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections, in the interspersed sections, empty excess space is provided for swelling of the superabsorbent resin. With such empty excess space, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of bulging due to swelling of the superabsorbent resin. Specifically, although the possibility for the bulging to occur increases by densely gathering the superabsorbent resin in the interspersed sections, such possibility is cancelled by making the densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in the interspersed sections less dense. As a result, it becomes possible to suppress the occurrence of bulging due to swelling of the superabsorbent resin in the absorbent article. 
     Also, the superabsorbent resin may be dispersed in the interspersed sections. In such a case, since more empty excess space is ensured around the superabsorbent resin, the effect of suppressing the occurrence of bulging is improved. 
     Also, a covering member for covering the absorbent body material may be included, and an embossing process for integrating the absorbent body material and the covering member may be performed only on positions that correspond to, of the interspersed sections and the areas surrounding the interspersed sections, the areas surrounding the interspersed sections. In such a case, it is possible to prevent the absorbent fiber and the superabsorbent resin in the interspersed sections from flowing outside of the interspersed sections. As a result, the densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber and the occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin in the interspersed sections can be maintained in a state that suppresses the occurrence of bulging. Further, since the embossing process is not performed on the positions corresponding to the interspersed sections, the densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in the interspersed sections does not change before and after the embossing process. Therefore, the absorbent fiber is not made high density in the interspersed sections, and the effect of suppressing the bulging is more effectively exhibited. 
     Also an absorbent article may have a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction, and an occupied volume ratio of the interspersed sections positioned in an end section along the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article relative to the end section is greater than an occupied volume ratio of the interspersed sections positioned in a center section along the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article relative to the center section. In such a case, the end sections will be arranged with more superabsorbent resin with great moisture-absorbing ability than in the center section. Thus, the moisture-absorbing ability, of the absorbent article, at the end sections side that contact the abdomen and buttocks of the wearer, is higher than that at the center section side. With such an absorbent article, in the vicinity of the abdomen and buttocks which tends to become hot and stuffy, more moisture can be absorbed. As a result, it is possible to suppress giving discomfort to the wearer due to becoming hot and stuffy. 
     Also, it is possible to realize a method for producing an absorbent article, the absorbent article including an absorbent body material that includes an accumulated absorbent fiber and a superabsorbent resin, the absorbent body material including interspersed sections, the method including: a first step of acquiring a base material of the absorbent body material including hole sections in positions corresponding to the interspersed sections, by accumulating the absorbent fiber in a mold, the mold including a base section and convex sections formed in positions corresponding to the interspersed sections in the base section; and a second step of supplying the absorbent fiber and the superabsorbent resin in the hole sections in order to acquire the absorbent body material from the base material, wherein in the second step, the absorbent fiber is supplied such that a densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in the interspersed sections is less dense than a densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections, and an occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin in the interspersed sections is higher than an occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin in areas surrounding the interspersed sections. With such a production method, the absorbent body material can be formed in a desired shape, and furthermore, the absorbent article that can suppress the occurrence of bulging can be provided. 
     Also, a configuration may be adopted in which in the second step, the absorbent fiber that has accumulated in adjacent portions in the base material adjacent to the hole sections is removed from the adjacent portions, and is supplied into the hole sections, such that the densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in the interspersed sections is less dense than the densely gathered state of the absorbent fiber in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections, and the superabsorbent resin is supplied into the hole sections such that the occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin in the interspersed sections is higher than the occupied volume ratio of the superabsorbent resin in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections. In such a case, when the absorbent fiber is supplied into the hole sections, it is not necessary to separately supply the absorbent fiber from the outside, and therefore the step of supplying the absorbent fiber and the superabsorbent resin into the hole sections can be simplified. 
     Also, a configuration may be adopted in which in the second step, a roller is used, the roller being configured rotatably and including indentations for containing the superabsorbent resin, and the base material is passed below the roller and while the surface of the base material is facing the outer circumference of the roller, the superabsorbent resin contained in the indentations is supplied from the indentations to the hole sections. 
     Also, the above method for producing an absorbent article may include the steps of : covering the absorbent body material with a covering member for covering the absorbent body material; and performing an embossing process for integrating the absorbent body material and the covering member only on positions where the interspersed sections in the absorbent body material are not present. In such a case, since the embossing process is not performed on the positions corresponding to the interspersed sections, the absorbent fiber is not made high density in the interspersed sections, so it is possible to provide the absorbent article capable of suppressing the occurrence of bulging more effectively. 
     Absorbent Article According to Present Embodiment 
     Overall Configuration of Absorbent Article 
     First, as an example absorbent article of the present embodiment, using a sanitary napkin as an example (referred to below as an absorbent article  1 ), a configuration example of the absorbent article  1  will be described using  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view that shows the absorbent article  1 . In  FIG. 1 , the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the absorbent article  1  are indicated with arrows. In the following description, among the surfaces of the absorbent article  1 , the face that contacts the body of the wearer of the absorbent article  1  is referred to as a skin face, and the face that contacts an undergarment is referred to as an opposite face. Also, in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article  1 , the end that is positioned on the front side (abdominal side) of the wearer when worn is referred to as a front end, and the end that is positioned on the rear side (buttocks side) is referred to as a rear end.  FIG. 1  shows the skin face side of the absorbent article  1 . 
     The absorbent article  1  has an outer shape elongated in a predetermined direction, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The absorbent article  1  includes an absorbent body  10  having a substantially rectangular shape for absorbing fluid such as menstrual blood, a fluid-permeable surface sheet  20  that covers the surface of the skin face side of the absorbent body  10 , a side sheet  25  disposed at both ends in the width direction of the absorbent body  10  on the skin face side of the absorbent body  10 , and a back face sheet  30  provided on the opposite face side of the absorbent body  10 . 
     This sort of absorbent article  1 , in a portion from the front end section to the rear end section in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article  1 , is worn so as to contact a portion of the wearer&#39;s body from the buttocks to the abdomen. The absorbent article  1  can be folded up along the longitudinal direction, and when packaged as a product is in a state folded up at predetermined fold line positions (indicated by dashed lines in  FIG. 1 ) (i.e., a state folded in three). Specifically described, fold line positions are present at two locations in the absorbent article  1  of the present embodiment. When folded at those fold line positions, the absorbent article becomes folded in three, and fold lines are formed at the fold line positions in the width direction of the absorbent article  1 . Also, in the present embodiment, the fold lines are border lines that divide the front end section, the center section, and the rear end section in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article  1 . That is, in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article  1 , the portion toward the front end side from the fold line position of the front end side is referred to as a front end section, the portion toward the rear end side from the fold line position of the rear end side is referred to as a rear end section, and the portion between the two fold line positions is referred to as a center section. Thus, when the absorbent article  1  is worn, the center section contacts the wearer at the groin (around the menstrual blood discharge opening of the wearer), the front end section contacts the wearer from one end section at the groin to the abdomen, and the rear end section contacts the wearer from the other end section at the groin to the buttocks. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the absorbent body  10  is attached in the center section in the width direction of the absorbent article  1 , and the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body  10  and the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article  1  are aligned with each other. A swelling section  10   a  swelling toward the skin face side is formed in a portion that is positioned in the center in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body  10 , and positioned in the center in the width direction. The swelling section  10   a  is formed in an oval shape, and when the wearer is wearing the absorbent article  1 , conforming to the shape of the groin of the wearer (that is, around the menstrual blood discharge opening of the wearer), the absorbent article  1  fits closely to the groin via the surface sheet  20 . On the other hand, in the absorbent article  1 , the end section in the longitudinal direction in an area where the absorbent body  10  is present contacts the abdomen or the buttocks of the wearer. That is, the length in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body  10  is such that in the absorbent article  1 , regions where both end sections in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body  10  are present contact the abdomen and the buttocks of the wearer. 
     Also, the absorbent body  10  according to the present embodiment is configured from, for example, a thin paper  11  such as tissue paper and an absorbent body material  12 . The absorbent body material  12  is configured from pulverized pulp (pulp in sheet form that has been pulverized into a fibrous state) as an example of “absorbent fiber”, and granular superabsorbent polymer (below, abbreviated as SAP) as an example of “superabsorbent resin”. In the absorbent body material  12 , the pulverized pulp is accumulated in sheet-like form, and the SAP is mixed into the pulverized pulp in a densely gathered state (more precisely, in a space formed in the pulverized pulp). The absorbent body material  12  will be described in detail later. 
     The thin paper  11  is an example of a covering member, and is a sheet that covers the absorbent body material  12  in a surrounding manner. The thin paper  11  is fluid-permeable, and is a sheet with perforations that are smaller than the grains of SAP, and therefore has a function to prevent SAP from leaking outside of the thin paper  11 . Furthermore, the thin paper  11  prevents the accumulated pulverized pulp from falling outside of the thin paper  11 . Also, in order to integrate the thin paper  11  and the absorbent body material  12  covered by the thin paper  11 , an embossing process is performed on a predetermined portion of the absorbent body  10  so that the predetermined portion is compressed to form embossing (below, also referred to as absorbent body embossing) in that portion. 
     The surface sheet  20  is a fluid-permeable sheet member, and is formed from woven or nonwoven cloth or a perforated plastic sheet or the like that has been formed from natural fiber such as pulp or cotton, cellulose fiber such as rayon, or a thermoplastic hydrophobic fiber such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The surface sheet  20  is included in the center section in the width direction of the absorbent article  1 , has a width slightly wider than the absorbent body  10  in the width direction, and about the same length as the back face sheet  30  in the longitudinal direction, and covers the entire surface of the absorbent body  10 . 
     The back face sheet  30  is a thermoplastic and fluid-impermeable sheet of polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like. The back face sheet  30  is formed sufficiently wider than the absorbent body  10 , and the entire circumference of the outer edge section thereof is positioned to the outside of the outer edge section of the absorbent body  10 . Also, on both sides in the width direction, holding sections  32  are formed protruding to the outside in the width direction. When the absorbent article  1  is worn, the holding sections  32  are, in a state folded back to the opposite face side, fixed to the undergarment. The back face sheet  30  according to the present embodiment is a thermoplastic and fluid-impermeable sheet of polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like, but it is also possible to use a sheet member in which thin paper, nonwoven cloth, or the like has been layered and that includes a thermoplastic and fluid-impermeable sheet. 
     The side sheet  25  is an appropriate nonwoven cloth such as air-through nonwoven cloth formed with a synthetic resin fiber or spun-bonded nonwoven cloth, or nonwoven cloth made up of spun-bonded/melted-blown/spun-bonded layers. The side sheet  25 , in a state overlapping a portion of the surface sheet  20  (more precisely, both end sections in the width direction of the surface sheet  20 ), is included in the end sections in the width direction of the absorbent article  1 . 
     In the absorbent article  1  configured in the above manner, the skin face of the absorbent body  10  and the surface sheet  20  are joined with hot-melt adhesive, and are more strongly joined by a deep channel section  20   a  formed by a deep channel embossing process of pressing in the thickness direction using a high-temperature pressing member. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the deep channel section  20   a  according to the present embodiment is configured from a portion that surrounds the swelling section  10   a , and a portion extended from the front end section to the rear end section of the absorbent article  1  in the longitudinal direction on both sides of the swelling section  10   a . Further, inside the deep channel section  20   a , along the deep channel section  20   a , a shallow bottom section and a deep bottom section whose channel depths differ from each other are alternately disposed. Due to this sort of deep channel section  20   a  being formed, when the center section in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent article  1  has been bent, both end sections of the absorbent article  1  in the longitudinal direction follow the center section and are also easily bent. That is, the deep channel section  20   a  is a bend-inducing section that facilitates three-dimensional bending in order to bring the portion that corresponds to the aforementioned swelling section  10   a  into closer contact along the body when the absorbent article  1  is worn. Further, the deep channel section  20   a  also has a function to, when menstrual blood or the like has flowed into the deep channel section  20   a , suppress scattering of the menstrual blood or the like by facilitating penetration to a location that has been compressed with high density (i.e., a deep bottom section). Also note that in the present embodiment, the shallow bottom section and the deep bottom section are alternately disposed in the deep channel section  20   a , but this is not a limitation; for example, the channel depth in the deep channel section  20   a  may be uniform. 
     Further, the back face sheet  30  is joined with hot-melt adhesive to each opposite face side of the absorbent body  10  and the surface sheet  20 . Also, on the skin face side of the absorbent body  10 , from a position slightly overlapping both side sections of the absorbent body  10  to on the back face sheet  30 , the side sheet  25  is joined with hot-melt adhesive. At positions where the back face sheet  30 , the absorbent body  10 , the surface sheet  20 , and the side sheet  25  overlap, an embossing process is performed with a pressing member heated to a low temperature, thus more strongly joining the absorbent body  10 , the surface sheet  20 , the side sheet  25 , and the back face sheet  30 . Furthermore, a round sealing process is performed in which the outer edge section of the absorbent article  1  is hot-melt bonded at a low temperature. As described above, the absorbent body  10 , the surface sheet  20 , the side sheet  25 , and the back face sheet  30  are joined by an embossing process, hot-melt adhesive, or the like. As a result, the absorbent body  10  is sealed within a space faulted by the surface sheet  20 , the side sheet  25 , and the back face sheet  30 . 
     Structure of Absorbent Body Material 
     Next is a description of the structure of the absorbent body material  12  of the present embodiment, using aforementioned  FIG. 1 , and  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view of the absorbent body material  12 , and shows the skin face side of the absorbent body material  12 .  FIG. 3  is a view that shows the cross-sectional structure of an interspersed section  13 , and shows cross section A-A′ in  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 2 , the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the absorbent body material  12  are indicated with arrows. 
     The absorbent body material  12  is an approximately sheet-shaped member that is elongated in a predetermined direction as shown in  FIG. 2 , and as described above, is covered by the thin paper  11 . In the portion positioned in the center in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body material  12 , and in the center in the width direction, which corresponds to the swelling section  10   a  of the absorbent body, a thick wall section  14   a  having a greater thickness than other sections is formed. Further, the aforementioned fold lines formed when the absorbent article  1  is folded up for wrapping are also borders that divide the center section and the end sections in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body  10 . In other words, the fold lines are borders that divide the center section and the end sections in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body material  12 . Accordingly, in the absorbent body material  12 , positions that correspond to the fold line positions (indicated by the double-dotted chained line in  FIG. 2 ) of the absorbent article  1  are positions that divide the center section and the end sections in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body material  12 . As described above, the absorbent body material  12  includes the pulverized pulp accumulated in sheet form (indicated by reference symbol P in  FIG. 3 , etc.) and SAP mixed into the pulverized pulp in an accumulated state (indicated by reference symbol S in  FIG. 3 , etc.). In the present embodiment, in the absorbent body material  12 , areas are interspersed where SAP is densely gathered and the pulverized pulp in a densely gathered state is less dense than the areas surrounding those areas (hereinafter referred to as an “interspersed section  13 ”). 
     More specifically described, the absorbent body material  12  of the present embodiment includes, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the interspersed sections  13  interspersed in the absorbent body material  12  and the continuous section  14  that is continuous around the interspersed sections  13 . Each interspersed section  13  is, as shown in  FIG. 2 , an area in an oval shape in the plane defined by the longitudinal direction and the width direction of the absorbent body material  12 . Each interspersed section  13  is, as shown in  FIG. 3 , formed from the skin face to the opposite face in the vertical direction of the absorbent body material  12  (i.e., the thickness direction of the absorbent body material  12 ). As shown in  FIG. 1 , in this embodiment, in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body material  12 , although a portion of the interspersed sections  13  is present straddling the center section and the rear end section, but approximately all of the interspersed sections  13  are present in the end sections in the longitudinal direction. In other words, the occupied volume ratio of the interspersed sections  13  positioned in the end sections in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body material  12  relative to the end sections in the longitudinal direction is greater than the occupied volume ratio of the interspersed sections  13  positioned in the center section in the longitudinal direction relative to the center section in the longitudinal direction. Also, in the present embodiment, of the front end section and the rear end section, the occupied volume ratio of the interspersed sections  13  is greater for the rear end section. 
     The densely gathered state of pulverized pulp in the interspersed sections  13  is, as shown in  FIG. 3 , less dense than the densely gathered state thereof in the continuous section  14 . Here, since the same pulverized pulp is densely gathered in the interspersed sections  13  and the continuous section  14 , the densely gathered state of pulverized pulp means the weight of pulverized pulp included per unit volume (hereinafter referred to as the “pulp density”). Also, in the present embodiment, the pulp density is substantially equal with respect to the vertical direction of the body material  12  both in the interspersed sections  13  and the continuous section  14 , and therefore the densely gathered state of pulverized pulp is expressed as the weight of the pulverized pulp included per unit area (hereinafter referred to as the “weight”). Accordingly, the weight of the pulverized pulp in the interspersed sections  13  is lower than the weight in the continuous section  14 . The aforementioned absorbent body embossing is formed in the absorbent body  10 , in the portion that corresponds to the areas surrounding the respective interspersed sections  13  (hereinafter referred to as the “surrounding section  10   b ”). In other words, an absorbent body embossing process is performed on the position corresponding to the continuous section  14 , avoiding the position corresponding to the interspersed sections  13 . For this reason, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the interspersed section  13  is thicker than the portion corresponding to the surrounding section  10   b  in the absorbent body material  12 . The rigidity of the interspersed section  13  configured in this manner is smaller than that of the continuous section  14 , and has better cushioning properties. Accordingly, when the absorbent article  1  is worn, the portion corresponding to the interspersed sections  13  gives a soft sensation to the skin of the wearer. Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 1 , some of the interspersed sections  13  are present at the position corresponding to the fold line position used when folding the absorbent aritcle  1  (position indicated by the dashed line in  FIG. 1 ). That is, in the present embodiment, interspersed sections  13  are present that overlap a fold line formed when the absorbent article  1  has been folded. Because interspersed sections  13  with less rigidity overlap the fold line in this manner, folding of the absorbent article  1  can easily be performed. Also, because the longitudinal direction of the interspersed sections  13  that overlap the fold line (i.e., the major axis direction of the oval interspersed sections  13 ) is aligned with the fold line, folding of the absorbent article  1  is still more easily performed. 
     On the other hand, because SAP is densely gathered in the interspersed sections  13 , the occupied volume ratio of SAP in the interspersed sections  13  is higher than the occupied volume ratio around the interspersed sections  13  (i.e., the continuous section  14 ). Also, as described above, substantially all of the interspersed sections  13  are interspersed in the end sections in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body material  12 , and the occupied volume ratio of the interspersed sections  13  positioned in the end sections in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body material  12  relative to those end sections in the longitudinal direction is higher than the occupied volume ratio of the interspersed sections  13  positioned in the center section in the longitudinal direction relative to that center section in the longitudinal direction. Note that in the absorbent body material  12  according to the present embodiment, SAP is mainly disposed in the interspersed sections  13 , and the occupied volume ratio of SAP in each interspersed section  13  (i.e., the filling ratio of SAP in each interspersed section  13 ) is approximately fixed between the interspersed sections  13 . Thus, in the end sections in the longitudinal direction, the occupied volume ratio of SAP is higher than in the center section in the longitudinal direction. That is, the proportion of space occupied by SAP relative to the volume of the end sections in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body material  12  is higher than the proportion of space relative to the volume of the end sections in the longitudinal direction. From the above, more of the SAP, which has excellent moisture absorption, is disposed in the end sections in the longitudinal direction than in the center section in the longitudinal direction. Thus, in the absorbent article  1 , the moisture-absorbing ability of the end sections in the longitudinal direction, which contact the abdomen and buttocks of the wearer, is greater than the moisture-absorbing ability of the center section in the longitudinal direction. With this sort of absorbent article  1 , it is possible to absorb more moisture from the area around the abdomen and buttocks, which easily becomes hot and stuffy. As a result, it is possible to suppress giving discomfort to the wearer due to becoming hot and stuffy. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 3 , SAP is mixed with pulverized pulp in the interspersed section  13  with SAP dispersed therein. In short, in the interspersed section  13 , a certain distance is ensured between particles of SAP, and SAP in a grain form are present in the space formed in pulverized pulp. 
     Method for Producing Absorbent Article 
     Next is a description of the method for producing the absorbent article  1  of the present embodiment, using  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  shows a production flow of the absorbent article  1 . 
     The method for producing the absorbent article  1  includes an absorbent body production step S 100  of producing the absorbent body  10 ; a main production step S 200  of producing the absorbent article  1  using the absorbent body  10  produced in the absorbent body production step S 100 , the surface sheet  20 , the side sheet  25 , and the back face sheet  30 ; a wrapping preparation step S 300  of preparing the absorbent article  1  for wrapping; and a wrapping step S 400  of wrapping the absorbent article  1 . In the present embodiment, the above steps are executed while materials and products of the absorbent article  1  are transported by a transporting apparatus such as a conveyor. Following is a detailed description of the absorbent body production step S 100  in the production flow of the absorbent article  1 . 
     Absorbent Body Production Step 
     Following is a description of the absorbent body production step S 100  using  FIGS. 5 to 9 .  FIG. 5  is a flowchart of the absorbent body production step S 100 .  FIG. 6  schematically shows a process in which the absorbent body  10  is produced in the absorbent body production step S 100 .  FIG. 7  shows a mesh pattern  48  as an example of a “mold” for forming a base material  15  of absorbent body material by accumulating pulverized pulp.  FIG. 8  is a diagram for illustrating a pattern roller  70  as an example of a “roller” for supplying SAP to the base material  15 .  FIG. 8  includes a front view of the pattern roller  70  (top diagram), an A-A′ cross-sectional view of the pattern roller  70  (middle diagram), and a view showing the corresponding relationship between indentations  70   a  provided on the outer circumference of the pattern roller  70  and hole sections  15   a  provided in the base material  15  (bottom diagram).  FIG. 9  shows a transition of the absorbent body material  12 , and illustrates a state in which SAP is supplied to the base material  15  (top diagram), a state in which the interspersed section  13  is formed (middle diagram), and a state in which the absorbent body material  12  is attached in the absorbent article  1  as a final product in a state covered by the thin paper  11  (bottom diagram). 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the absorbent body production step S 100  starts from Step S 102  of acquiring the base material  15  of the absorbent body material. In the present embodiment, the base material  15  is acquired by accumulating pulverized pulp within the mesh pattern  48  shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     The mesh pattern  48  is a metal mold form having a mesh-like bottom face (in  FIG. 7 , for the sake of convenience of illustration, shown with only a part of the bottom face being mesh-like). When a suction apparatus (not shown) provided external to the mesh pattern  48  sucks air via the bottom face of the mesh pattern  48 , due to the suction force of the suction apparatus, pulverized pulp that drops from above the mesh pattern  48  is sucked into the mesh pattern  48 . Shortly thereafter, pulverized pulp is accumulated within the mesh pattern  48 , and layered up to a state having a predetermined thickness. The mesh pattern  48  has a shape that corresponds to the shape of the aforementioned absorbent body material  12 . That is, the mesh pattern  48  has an outer shape elongated in a predetermined direction, and approximately trapezoidal columnar convex sections  48   a  are interspersed in the bottom section (more precisely, both end sections in the longitudinal direction of the bottom section). Furthermore, a concave section  48   b  is provided in the center section in the longitudinal direction of the mesh pattern  48 , and in the center section in the width direction, in order to form the thick wall section  14   a  of the absorbent body material  12 . 
     By accumulating pulverized pulp within the mesh pattern  48  with the above sort of configuration, the base material  15  having the same outer shape as the absorbent body material  12  is acquired. That is, because the base material  15  is form-molded, by adjusting the mold form it is possible to acquire the base material  15  with a desired shape. Thus, the absorbent body material  12  also can be formed with a desired shape. The concave section  48   b  is provided in a portion in the center section in the longitudinal direction of the mesh pattern  48  according to this embodiment, and in the center section in the width direction, in order to form the thick wall section  14   a  of the absorbent body material  12 , but this is not a limitation. For example, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the portion in the center section in the longitudinal direction of the mesh pattern  48 , and in the center section in the width direction, is a flat face, and a base material  15  of an absorbent body material is formed that does not have the thick wall section  14   a.    
     Also, the hole sections  15   a  are interspersed in the base material  15  (see the bottom diagram of  FIG. 8 ). The hole sections  15   a  are formed at positions corresponding to the interspersed sections  13  of the absorbent body material  12 . Such hole sections  15   a  are formed by the convex sections  48   a  that are provided in the bottom section of the mesh pattern  48 . That is, when accumulating pulverized pulp within the mesh pattern  48 , as a result of accumulating the pulverized pulp so as to avoid portions that correspond to the convex sections  48   a  (in other words, such that pulverized pulp does not enter the convex sections  48   a ), the hole sections  15   a  are formed at portions that correspond to the convex sections  48   a . In the present embodiment, each side face of the convex sections  48   a  is mesh-like, but in order to prevent pulverized pulp from entering the hole sections  15   a , each side face of the convex sections  48   a  may be sealed with tape, resin, or the like. In the case of a mesh pattern  48  having a flat bottom face, a configuration may be adopted in which convex sections  48   a  formed individually with rubber, resin, or the like are installed to the bottom face of the mesh pattern  48 . 
     Step S 102  of acquiring the base material  15  using this sort of mesh pattern  48  will be described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 6 . Mesh patterns  48  are disposed in a state such that on the outer circumference of a suction drum  40  into which the suction apparatus is built and that is rotatable in a predetermined rotation direction (the direction indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 6 ), the longitudinal direction of the mesh patterns  48  is aligned along the direction of the rotational axis of the suction drum  40 . Each mesh pattern  48  is disposed in a state with the opening facing the outside. While air around the suction drum  40  is being sucked into the suction drum  40  via the mesh patterns  48  by the suction apparatus (i.e., in the direction indicated by reference symbol F 1  in  FIG. 6 ), the mesh patterns  48  rotate as a single body with the suction drum  40 . On the other hand, above the suction drum  40 , a pulp opening apparatus  42  is provided in order to pulverize and open pulp in sheet form (indicated by reference symbol Ps in  FIG. 6 ). When pulp Ps in sheet form is supplied to the pulp opening apparatus  42  from a pulp supply roller  46 , the pulp in sheet form is pulverized and opened inside the pulp opening apparatus  42  to produce pulverized pulp. Then, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the produced pulverized pulp drops from above the suction drum  40  to the suction drum  40  side, and due to the suction force of the suction apparatus, is collected inside the mesh patterns  48  disposed on the outer circumference of the suction drum  40 . When accumulation of pulverized pulp inside the mesh patterns  48  proceeds, with rotation of the suction drum  40 , the mesh patterns  48  move to the position of a pulp scraping mechanism  44 . Then, of the pulverized pulp that has been accumulated inside the mesh patterns  48 , the pulp scraping mechanism  44  scrapes away excessively accumulated pulverized pulp (for example, pulverized pulp that has been accumulated on the convex sections  48   a  within the mesh patterns  48 ). By the above process, the base material  15  of absorbent body material is formed within the mesh patterns  48 . 
     Afterward, due to further rotation of the suction drum  40 , when the base material  15  and the mesh pattern  48  containing the base material  15  reach the lowest section of the suction drum  40 , the base material  15  is separated from the mesh pattern  48 , and delivered to the next process . When the base material  15  is separated from the mesh pattern  48 , the hole sections  15   a  interspersed in the base material  15  are formed from one end in the thickness direction of the base material  15  (i.e., skin face) to the other end thereof (i.e., the opposite face). This is because the pulp scraping mechanism  44  scrapes away the pulverized pulp that has been accumulated on the convex sections  48   a  within the mesh patterns  48 . Furthermore, as described above, since the convex section  48   a  in the mesh pattern  48  has an approximately trapezoidal columnar shape (that means, the side faces of the convex sections  48   a  are tapered faces), the base material  15  can be separated from the mesh pattern  48  without losing shape. 
     After being separated from the mesh pattern  48 , the base material  15  is placed on a suction conveyor  60  serving as an example of a “suction stage” used in order to place the base material  15  while suction is performed (S 104 ). Inside the suction conveyor  60  the unshown suction apparatus is included, and air is sucked into the suction conveyor  60  (i.e., in the direction indicated by reference symbol F 2  in  FIG. 6 ) by the suction apparatus. Then, in a state in which the base material  15  has been drawn to the side of the suction conveyor  60  by the suction force of the suction apparatus, the base material  15  is transported in a predetermined transport direction (indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 6 ). On the placement face of the suction conveyor  60 , in advance, the continuous strip-like thin paper  11  is supplied from a thin paper supply roller  50 , and the base material  15  is placed on the thin paper  11 . That is, the base material  15  is drawn to the side of the suction conveyor  60  via the thin paper  11 , and transported along with the thin paper  11  in the transport direction. The base material  15  that has been formed within the mesh pattern  48  is sequentially placed on the suction conveyor  60 , so as shown in  FIG. 6 , a plurality of units of the base material  15  are placed on the suction conveyor  60  with intervals therebetween. Note that in the present embodiment, the base material  15  is transported in a state in which, of the surfaces of the base material  15 , the surface that comes to the skin face side when completed as the absorbent article  1  is facing the placement face of the suction conveyor  60 . However, this is not a limitation; a configuration may also be adopted in which the base material  15  is transported in a state in which the face that comes to the skin face side is facing the opposite side from the suction conveyor  60  side (i.e., upward). 
     Next, pulverized pulp and SAP are supplied into the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15  transported on the suction conveyor  60  (S 106 ). The supply of pulverized pulp and SAP into the hole sections  15   a  is performed by the suction apparatus provided in the suction conveyor  60 , and the pattern roller  70  that rotates in a predetermined rotation direction (the direction indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 6 ) in order to supply SAP into the hole sections  15   a . When the base material  15  passes below the pattern roller  70 , SAP is supplied from the pattern roller  70  into the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15  and pulverized pulp is supplied into the hole sections  15   a  by the suction force of the suction apparatus. 
     For a more specific description of the pattern roller  70 , as shown in the top diagram in  FIG. 8 , the circular hole-like indentations  70   a  for containing SAP are interspersed on the outer circumference of the pattern roller  70 . As shown in the middle diagram in  FIG. 8 , the indentations  70   a  have a fixed depth in the radial direction of the pattern roller  70 . After SAP has been supplied from an SAP supply mechanism  71  provided above the pattern roller  70  into the indentations  70   a , with rotation of the pattern roller  70 , the indentations  70   a  containing SAP move to the side below the pattern roller  70 . On the other hand, the base material  15  that has been placed on the suction conveyor  60  is transported towards the area below the pattern roller  70  in a state in which the longitudinal direction of the base material  15  is aligned along the axial direction of the pattern roller  70 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the base material  15  passes below the pattern roller  70 , and while the surface of the base material  15  is facing the outer circumference of the pattern roller  70  (more precisely, the portion of the outer circumference where the indentations  70   a  containing SAP are disposed), the SAP contained in the indentations  70   a  is sucked inside the hole sections  15   a  of the base material  15  by the suction force of the suction apparatus, and thus supplied into the hole sections  15   a . Here, as shown in the top and bottom diagrams in  FIG. 8 , the interspersal pattern of the indentations  70   a  on the outer circumference of the pattern roller  70  corresponds to the interspersal pattern of the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15 . Thus, SAP contained in each indentation  70   a  is supplied into the hole section  15   a  at the position that corresponds to that indentation  70   a . For example, in the top diagram in  FIG. 8 , SAP contained in the indentations  70   a  at the position indicated by letter a in the axial direction of the pattern roller  70  is supplied into the hole sections  15   a  at the position indicated by the letter a in the longitudinal direction of the base material  15 . Also note that, in the top diagram in  FIG. 8 , of the three indentations  70   a  at the position indicated by letter a, SAP contained in the indentation  70   a  positioned in the middle is supplied to both of the two hole sections  15   a  in the position indicated by letter a. 
     In this manner, to the base material  15  in a state drawn to the suction conveyor  60 , SAP is supplied to the hole sections  15   a  from the side of the face of the base material  15  in the position opposite to the face that faces the suction conveyor  60  (i.e., the face that comes to the opposite face side when completed as the absorbent article  1 ). At this time, suction resistance in the hole section  15   a  is quite smaller than the suction resistance in portions other than the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15  (i.e., portions where pulverized pulp is accumulated), so SAP is intensively sucked into the hole sections  15   a . As a result, SAP is supplied so that the occupied volume ratio of SAP is higher in the hole sections  15   a  than in the areas other than the hole sections  15   a.    
     Moreover, in the present embodiment, the SAP contained in the indentations  70   a  in the pattern roller  70  is sucked inside the hole sections  15   a  by the suction force of the suction apparatus, and a process of removing part of the pulverized pulp that has been accumulated from adjacent sections adjacent to the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15  is performed. Then, the removed pulverized pulp is supplied to the hole sections  15   a  so that the pulverized pulp and SAP are mixed together in the hole sections  15   a.    
     Following is a description of the process of removing pulverized pulp with reference to  FIG. 9 . 
     When SAP contained in the indentations  70   a  in the pattern roller  70  is sucked into the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15  by the suction force of the suction apparatus, as shown in the top diagram in  FIG. 9 , the pulverized pulp that has been accumulated in the top portion of the adjacent section (namely, portion on the opposite face side) is also sucked by the suction force of the suction apparatus. Accordingly, part of the pulverized pulp that has been accumulated in the top portion of the adjacent sections is removed toward the hole section  15   a . In other words, the suction pressure of the suction apparatus is adjusted so as to remove the pulverized pulp and supply the removed pulverized pulp into the hole section  15   a . Then, the removed pulverized pulp is mixed with SAP in the hole section  15   a , and accumulates inside the hole section  15   a . As a result, as shown in the middle diagram in  FIG. 9 , the absorbent body material  12  is formed from the base material  15 . That is, the interspersed section  13  of the absorbent body material  12  is formed in the hole section  15   a . Portions other than the hole sections  15   a  of the base material  15  become the continuous section  14  of the absorbent body material  12 . 
     In addition, as described above, the suction pressure of the suction apparatus is adjusted so as to remove pulverized pulp from the adjacent sections, and furthermore, the amount of removed pulverized pulp is also adjusted by adjusting the suction pressure. The amount of removed pulverized pulp is adjusted such that when an interspersed section  13  is foamed in the hole section  15   a , the weight of pulverized pulp in the interspersed section  13  is lower than the weight in the continuous section  14 . As a result of the removed pulverized pulp and SAP mixed in the hole section  15   a , SAP is dispersed in pulverized pulp in an accumulated state in the interspersed section  13 . 
     After the absorbent body material  12  has been formed with the base material  15 , the thin paper  11  between the absorbent body material  12  and the suction conveyor  60  is bent so as to surround the absorbent body material  12 , thus covering the absorbent body material  12  (S 108 ). In the present embodiment, in order to bend the thin paper  11 , a thin paper bending section  62  is provided on the surface of the suction conveyor  60 , and the thin paper is bent when passing by the thin paper bending section  62 , thus covering the absorbent body material  12 . At this time, the end sections of the thin paper  11  in the width direction (the direction intersecting the transport direction) are overlapped and bonded on the upper face side of the absorbent body material  12 , so the thin paper  11  becomes cylindrical. 
     Next, in order to integrate the thin paper  11  and the absorbent body material  12 , a predetermined portion of the absorbent body material  12  in a state covered by the thin paper  11  is compressed, thus performing an absorbent body embossing process that forms absorbent body embossing at that predetermined portion (S 110 ). In the present embodiment, the predetermined portion is, as described above, the surrounding section  10   b  that is the continuous section  14  and surrounds the interspersed sections  13 . The absorbent body embossing process is performed by passing between two rollers that vertically oppose each other (not shown). For example, a protrusion of a predetermined shape is formed in the lower roller in an area where contact is made with a region where the absorbent body embossing is formed when the absorbent body material  12  has been transported (i.e., a region that corresponds to the surrounding section  10   b ), and the surface of the opposing upper roller is flatly formed. Due to the absorbent body material  12  surrounded by the thin paper  11  passing between those two rollers, the protrusion compresses both the thin paper  11  and the absorbent body material  12 . The thin paper  11  and the absorbent body material  12  are compressed by the protrusion, and become a single body due to the formation of a plurality of absorbent body embossing. In the present embodiment, since the absorbent body embossing is formed in the region corresponding to the surrounding section  10   b , as shown in the bottom diagram in  FIG. 9 , pulverized pulp that has been accumulated in the region corresponding to surrounding section  10   b  is compressed. For this reason, in the continuous section  14 , pulverized pulp is made a higher density in the region corresponding to the surrounding section  10   b . It should be noted that the outer edge of the surrounding section  10   b  is oval-shaped as shown in  FIG. 1 , and the region between the outer edge of the interspersed section  13  and the outer edge of the surrounding section  10   b  forms the region corresponding to the surrounding section  10   b . Absorbent body embossing is formed in the region corresponding to the surrounding section  10   b , and the shape of the absorbent body embossing is determined depending on the shape of the protrusion provided in the lower roller, and the absorbent body embossing can be formed in any shape, including a grid shape, dot shape, or waveform. However, it is preferable to form the absorbent body embossing in a grid shape in order to form the absorbent body embossing while avoiding the regions that correspond to the interspersed sections  13 . 
     Afterward, the integrated thin paper  11  and absorbent body material  12  (i.e., the absorbent body  10 ) are cut along the outer shape of the absorbent body material  12  by an absorbent body cutter  80  (S 112 ). When each of the above steps (S 102  to S 112 ) is completed, the absorbent body production step S 100  ends. 
     Effectiveness of Absorbent Article of Present Embodiment 
     The absorbent article  1  of the present embodiment is an absorbent article including the absorbent body material  12  having accumulated pulverized pulp and SAP, in which the absorbent body material  12  includes the interspersed sections  13  that are interspersed, and the densely gathered state of pulverized pulp is less dense in the interspersed sections  13  than in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections  13 , and the occupied volume ratio of SAP is higher in the interspersed sections  13  than in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections  13 . Through this, it becomes possible to suppress the occurrence of bulging in the absorbent article  1  to prevent giving the wearer of the absorbent article  1  a foreign-body sensation. 
     That is, as described above, with a conventional absorbent article, SAP was approximately uniformly present in a flat plane in the absorbent body material  12 . In particular, when SAP is present in a layer-like manner on the skin face side of the absorbent article, if the SAP holds fluid absorbed by the absorbent article and swells, particles of swollen SAP join together, thereby interfering with movement of the fluid to the opposite face side (i.e., the lower side of the absorbent article). As a result, the absorbed fluid accumulates on the skin face side of the absorbent body material  12 , and it becomes difficult for fluid to be absorbed on the skin face side, so the problem occurs that absorbing ability of the absorbent article is reduced. 
     As an example of a measure for addressing such a problem, for example, it is conceivable to intersperse areas where SAP is present in the absorbent body material, and densely gather SAP in those areas, thus not allowing SAP to be approximately uniformly present on the skin face side of the absorbent body material. Thus, even when the absorbent article has absorbed a large amount of fluid, the absorbed fluid does not accumulate on the skin face side of the absorbent article, and is easily dispersed within the absorbent body material, so as a result, the absorbing ability of the absorbent article is maintained. 
     From the viewpoint of maintaining the absorbing ability of the absorbent article in this manner, it is important to adjust the arrangement of SAP in the absorbent body material. However, when only arrangement of SAP is adjusted without giving a consideration to the arrangement of pulverized pulp that constitutes the absorbent body material together with SAP, a new problem will occur in the absorbent article. That is, if pulverized pulp is also densely gathered in the area where SAP is densely gathered, pulverized pulp present around SAP is pushed out as a result of the SAP holding fluid and swelling. At this time, if pulverized pulp is densely gathered around SAP, a portion in the absorbent body material where SAP is densely gathered bulges locally. Accordingly, local bulging occurs in the absorbent article as well, which gives the wearer of the absorbent article a foreign-body sensation. 
     Also in the absorbent article  1  of the present embodiment, the interspersed sections  13  where SAP is densely gathered are interspersed in the absorbent body material  12 , and therefore fluid absorbed by the absorbent article  1  is easily dispersed within the absorbent body material  12  (especially, within the continuous section  14 ). Therefore, even when the absorbent article  1  has absorbed a large amount of fluid, the absorbing ability of the absorbent article  1  is maintained. However, since SAP is densely gathered in the interspersed section  13  (in other words, the occupied volume ratio of SAP is higher in the interspersed sections  13  than in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections  13 ), in the interspersed sections  13 , it is more probable that bulging occurs in the absorbent article  1  due to swelling of SAP. 
     On the other hand, the densely gathered state of pulverized pulp is less dense in the interspersed sections  13  than in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections  13 . In other words, more space is present in the interspersed sections  13  than in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections  13 , and therefore more empty excess space is provided for swelling of SAP. With such empty excess space, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of bulging due to swelling of SAP. Specifically, although the possibility for the bulging to occur increases by densely gathering SAP in the interspersed section  13 , such possibility is cancelled by making the densely gathered state of pulverized pulp in the interspersed section  13  less dense. In this manner, local bulging in the absorbent body material  12  can be suppressed, which further enables suppression of the occurrence of bulging in the absorbent article. As a result, it becomes possible to prevent giving the wearer of the absorbent article  1  a foreign-body sensation. 
     Also, the occupied volume ratio of SAP is higher in the interspersed sections  13  than in the areas surrounding the interspersed sections  13 , and the interspersed sections  13  have more empty excess space than the areas surrounding the interspersed sections  13 , so the interspersed sections  13  are portions where moisture confined between the skin of the wearer and the absorbent article  1  due to perspiration or the like is actively absorbed. That is, because the interspersed sections  13  of the present embodiment are included, not only is bulging in the absorbent article  1  suppressed to prevent giving the wearer a foreign-body sensation, but also the absorbing ability of the absorbent article  1  is maintained even when a large amount of fluid has been absorbed by the absorbent article  1 , and furthermore, it is possible to increase the moisture-absorbent properties of the absorbent article  1 . 
     Other Embodiments 
     Above, based on the above embodiments, an absorbent article according to the present invention and a method for producing the absorbent article were mainly described, but the above embodiments of the invention are for facilitating understanding of the invention, and are not for limiting the invention. The invention can of course be altered and improved without departing from the gist thereof and equivalents are intended to be embraced therein. In particular, embodiments of the invention are not limited by the numerical values stated in the above description, or the material qualities of each material. For example, in the above embodiments, pulverized pulp was described as an example of “absorbent fiber”, but as other absorbent fibers, it is possible to use, for example, cellulose such as cotton, regenerated cellulose such as rayon or fibril rayon, semisynthetic cellulose such as acetate or triacetate, a fibrous polymer, or thermoplastic hydrophobic chemical fiber. Also, in the absorbent body material  12 , other than pulverized pulp and SAP, granular deodorant, granular antibacterial material, granular coolant, or the like may also be densely gathered. Further, in the above embodiments, the thin paper  11  such as tissue was described as an example of a “covering member”, but as other examples of covering members, it is possible to use a woven or nonwoven cloth formed from, for example, cellulose such as cotton, regenerated cellulose such as rayon or fibril rayon, semisynthetic cellulose such as acetate or triacetate, a fibrous polymer, or thermoplastic hydrophobic chemical fiber or the like. 
     Also, in the above embodiments, for the sake of convenience of description, the absorbent body  10  was described having a configuration including one absorbent body material  12  in the center in the width direction, but this is not a limitation. For example, a configuration may also be adopted in which side section absorbent bodies are respectively included along the longitudinal direction at both end sections of the absorbent body  10  in the width direction. Also, a configuration may be adopted in which, instead of side section absorbent bodies, solid gathers are included respectively at both of those end sections. Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the absorbent article  1  was folded in three. That is, a case was described in which fold line positions are present at two locations in the absorbent article  1 , but this is not a limitation. For example, the absorbent article  1  can be folded in four. 
     Also, in the above embodiments, the interspersed sections  13  were interspersed in both end sections in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body material  12 , and not present in the center section, but this is not a limitation; an interspersed section  13  may be present in the center section in the longitudinal direction. 
     Also, in the above embodiments, a configuration was described in which SAP is densely gathered in the interspersed sections  13 , and substantially no SAP is present in portions other than the interspersed sections  13  in the absorbent body material  12 . That is, in the above embodiments, a case was described in which SAP is concentratedly supplied in the hole sections  15   a  provided in the base material  15  of the present embodiment (below, also referred to as the original example). However, there is no limitation to this and SAP may be supplied also to portions other than the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15 . For example, an absorbent body material  12  may be formed in which SAP is supplied to the upper face of the base material  15  (i.e., the face that comes to the opposite side to the skin face of the absorbent body material  12 ), and the SAP is present in a layer on the upper face (hereinafter, an absorbent body material  12  according to the first modified example). 
     The absorbent body material  12  according to the first modified example will be specifically described with reference to  FIGS. 10 and 11 .  FIG. 10  schematically shows the manner of the absorbent body production step S 100  according to the first modified example, and corresponds to  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 11  shows the transition of the absorbent body material  12  according to the first modified example, and shows the base material  15  with SAP supplied on the surface thereof (top diagram), the absorbent body material  12  formed from the base material  15  (middle diagram), and the absorbent body  10  formed by the absorbent body material  12  being covered by the thin paper  11  (bottom diagram). 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , in the absorbent body production step S 100  according to the first modified example, the pattern roller  70  is not used; an SAP feeder  72  is used as another mechanism that supplies SAP to the base material  15 . This SAP feeder  72  has a conically shaped bottom section, and SAP is dropped from the bottom section. When the base material  15  transported in the transport direction by the suction conveyor  60  passes under the SAP feeder  72 , SAP is dropped from the bottom section of the SAP feeder  72  to the face of the base material  15  on the side facing the SAP feeder  72 . As a result, as shown in the top diagram in  FIG. 11 , SAP is distributed in a layer on the upper face of the base material  15 . Note that in the first modified example as well, of the surfaces of the base material  15 , the face that comes to the skin face side when completed as the absorbent article  1  is facing the placement face of the suction conveyor  60 . 
     As in the original example, while SAP is supplied, the base material  15  is drawn to the suction conveyor  60  side by the suction apparatus provided in the suction conveyor  60 . At this time, because the suction resistance in the hole sections  15   a  of the base material  15  is quite smaller than the suction resistance in portions other than the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15 , a larger amount of SAP is supplied into the hole sections  15   a . Furthermore, in the first modified example as well, by the suction force by the suction apparatus, pulverized pulp is removed from the adjacent sections adjacent to the hole sections  15   a , and that pulverized pulp is supplied to the hole sections  15   a  so as to be mixed with SAP in the hole sections  15   a . It should be noted that as shown in the middle diagram in  FIG. 11 , when pulverized pulp is removed from the adjacent sections, part of SAP that has been accumulated on the upper face of the adjacent sections is also sucked into the hole sections  15   a . By the above process, the absorbent body material  12  is formed from the base material  15 , and SAP that has been accumulated remains on the opposite face side of the continuous section  14  in the absorbent body material  12 . Then, when the absorbent body material  12  is installed in the absorbent article  1  in a state covered by the thin paper  11 , as shown in the bottom diagram in  FIG. 11 , on the opposite face side, a SAP layer is formed between the the absorbent body material  12  (more precisely, the portion corresponding to the continuous section  14  in the absorbent body material  12 ) and the thin paper  11 , and as a result, a larger amount of fluid can be held in the absorbent article  1 . Above, an example was described in which SAP is supplied to the entire surface of the base material  15  by the SAP feeder  72 , but from the viewpoint of appropriately supplying a predetermined amount of SAP to predetermined supply destinations, it is more desirable to intensively supply SAP into the hole sections  15   a  of the base material  15  using the pattern roller  70 . 
     In the original example, the indentation  70   a  provided in the pattern roller  70  is a circular hole-shaped indentation, and the interspersal pattern of the indentations  70   a  corresponds to the interspersal pattern of the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15 . However, this is not a limitation; a configuration may also be adopted in which, for example, as shown in  FIG. 12 , the indentation  70   a  has an oval shape that matches the shape of the hole section  15   a  of the base material  15 .  FIG. 12  shows a modified example of indentation  70   a  of the pattern roller  70 . When the indentation  70   b  has an oval shape, the amount of SAP supplied from each of the indentations  70   b  may be nonuniform. For example, in the oval indentation  70   b , the amount of SAP supplied from an end section in the major axis direction and the amount of SAP supplied from the center section in the major axis direction may differ. On the other hand, in the case of circular indentation  70   a , the amount of SAP supplied from each of the indentations  70   a  is uniform, so SAP is uniformly supplied to each hole section  15   a  of the base material  15 . From the viewpoint of SAP being appropriately supplied into each hole section  15   a  in the above manner, the above embodiments are more desirable. 
     Also in the above embodiments, a configuration was adopted in which the interspersed sections  13  are formed in the vertical direction of the absorbent body material  12  (i.e., the thickness direction of the absorbent body material  12 ) from the skin face to the opposite face. However, this is not a limitation. For example, as shown in  FIG. 13 , the thickness of the interspersed section  13  may be smaller than the thickness of the absorbent body material  12 .  FIG. 13  corresponds to  FIG. 11 , and shows a configuration in which the thickness of the interspersed section  13  is smaller than that of the absorbent body material  12 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , below the interspersed section  13 , a pulp accumulated layer  14   b  may be formed where pulverized pulp is densely gathered substantially in the same manner as in the continuous section  14 . In order to obtain the absorbent body material  12  having such a configuration, a method may be adopted for example, in which when the base material  15  of the absorbent body material is acquired by accumulating pulverized pulp within the mesh pattern  48 , pulverized pulp that has accumulated above the convex sections  48   a  within the mesh pattern  48  is left without scraping the pulverized pulp by the pulp scraping mechanism  44 . 
     In the above embodiments, a configuration was adopted in which SAP is dispersed in the interspersed sections  13 . However, this is not a limitation. For example, SAP may be present locally in the interspersed sections  13 . However, if SAP is dispersed in the interspersed sections  13  as in the above embodiments, naturally more space is present around SAP. Accordingly, more empty excess space is insured for swelling of SAP, and the effect of suppressing the occurrence of bulging in the absorbent article  1  can be improved. With respect to this point, the above embodiments are more desirable. 
     Also in the above embodiments, a covering member that covers the absorbent body material  12  is included. However, this is not a limitation. For example, the absorbent body material  12  may not be covered. However, when the absorbent body material  12  is covered, it is possible to prevent pulverized pulp and SAP within the interspersed sections  13  from flowing out of the interspersed sections  13 . As a result, the densely gathered state of pulverized pulp and the occupied volume ratio of SAP in the interspersed sections  13  are maintained in a state which can suppress the occurrence of bulging in the absorbent article  1 . With respect to this point, the above embodiments are more desirable. It should be noted that woven or nonwoven cloth that has been formed from natural fiber or chemical fiber, for example, may be used for the covering member. 
     Also in the above embodiments, a configuration was adopted in which the absorbent body embossing process is performed for integrating the absorbent body material  12  and the thin paper  11  only on the positions, of the interspersed sections  13  and the areas surrounding the interspersed sections  13  (i.e., the positions corresponding to the surrounding sections  10   b ), that correspond to the areas surrounding the interspersed sections  13 . However, this is not a limitation. For example, the absorbent body embossing process may be performed on the positions corresponding to the interspersed sections  13 . However, when the absorbent body embossing process is not performed on the positions corresponding to the interspersed sections  13 , the densely gathered state of pulverized pulp in the interspersed sections  13  is maintained unchanged before and after the absorbent body embossing process. That is, pulverized pulp accumulated in the interspersed sections  13  is not made high density by the embossing process, and empty excess space for swelling of SAP is appropriately secured. Thus, an effect of suppressing the occurrence of bulging in the absorbent article  1  is more effectively exhibited. Also as described above, since the portion corresponding to the interspersed section  13  has a lower rigidity, when the absorbent body embossing process is performed on the position corresponding to the interspersed section  13 , there is a risk that the thin paper  11  will be torn at a position corresponding to the interspersed section  13 . For this reason, the absorbent body embossing process needs to be performed on the position avoiding the interspersed sections  13 . With respect to this point, the above embodiments are more desirable. 
     Also in the above embodiments, a configuration was adopted in which in the step of supplying pulverized pulp and SAP in the hole sections  15   a  of the base material  15 , part of the pulverized pulp that has been accumulated is removed from adjacent sections adjacent to the hole sections  15   a  of the base material  15 , and that pulverized pulp is supplied into the hole sections  15   a . However, this is not a limitation. For example, pulverized pulp may be supplied separately from a portion outside of the base material  15  to the hole sections  15   a . However, in the above embodiments, a process of supplying pulp to be pulverized from the outside of the base material  15  to the hole sections  15   a  is omitted, so the step of supplying pulverized pulp and SAP into the hole sections  15   a  is simplified. With respect to this point, the above embodiments are more desirable. 
     Also, in the above embodiments, a configuration was adopted in which when supplying pulverized pulp and SAP into the hole sections  15   a , in a state in which the base material  15  has been drawn to the side of the suction conveyor  60  by the suction force of a suction apparatus provided in the suction conveyor  60 , pulverized pulp and SAP are supplied from the upper face side of the base material  15 . However, this is not a limitation; a configuration may also be adopted in which the base material  15  is placed on a conveyor that is not provided with a suction apparatus. However, when a suction apparatus applies suction force to the base material  15 , because the suction resistance in the hole sections  15   a  of the base material  15  is quite smaller than the suction resistance in portions other than the hole sections  15   a  in the base material  15 , pulverized pulp and SAP is easily sucked into the hole sections  15   a . That is, in the above embodiments, it becomes possible to easily supply pulverized pulp and SAP into the hole sections  15   a . With respect to this point, the above embodiments are more desirable. 
     Also, the shape, size, and the like of the convex sections  48   a  provided in the mesh pattern  48  may differ depending on the positions where they are disposed. For example, when an interspersed section  13  is provided in a portion of the absorbent body material  12  where the deep channel embossing process is performed (i.e., the portion where the deep channel section  20   a  is formed), it is more desirable that, among the convex sections  48   a  provided in the mesh pattern  48 , the position of the uppermost face of the convex section  48   a  that forms that interspersed section  13  is lower than the position of the uppermost face of other convex sections  48   a . In this case, it is possible to appropriately perform the deep channel embossing process even when an interspersed section  13  has been provided at a position where the deep channel embossing process is performed. 
     Specifically described, if the pulp density in an interspersed section  13  that has been provided at a position where the deep channel embossing process is performed is much less than the pulp density in the area surrounding that interspersed section  13  (specifically, the portion corresponding to the surrounding section  10   b ), when the deep channel embossing process has been performed, there is a risk that the surface sheet  20  will float up from the surface of the absorbent body material  12  and be torn. On the other hand, if, among the convex sections  48   a  provided in the mesh pattern  48 , the position of the uppermost face of the convex section  48   a  that forms that interspersed section  13  provided at a position where the deep channel embossing process is performed is lower than the position of the uppermost face of other convex sections  48   a , the pulp accumulated layer  14   b  where pulverized pulp is densely gathered is formed below that interspersed section  13  (see  FIG. 13 ). Thus, because rigidity of the portion where that interspersed section  13  is positioned in the absorbent body material  12  is adjusted, it is possible to appropriately perform the deep channel embossing process even when an interspersed section  13  has been provided at a position where the deep channel embossing process is performed.