Patent Publication Number: US-11020283-B2

Title: Method and device for manufacturing absorber

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. national stage application of International Application PCT/JP2017/006710, filed Feb. 23, 2017, which international application was published on Oct. 5, 2017, as International Publication WO 2017/169340 in the Japanese language. The International Application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-069155, filed Mar. 30, 2016. The international application and Japanese application are both incorporated herein by reference, in entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a device and a method for manufacturing an absorber to be used for an absorbent article, such as disposable diapers and sanitary napkins. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The absorbent article includes an absorbent and a liquid-pervious top sheet covering the front surface side of the absorber. Excretion liquid such as urine and menstrual blood passes through the top sheet and is absorbed and held by the absorber. An absorber obtained by mixing superabsorbent polymer (SAP) particles with hydrophilic short fibers such as fluff pulp and being accumulated in a cotton form has been widely used. However, while ensuring a sufficient absorbable amount and in response to the request for further thinning, weight reduction, and cost reduction, various types of absorbers (hereinafter also referred to as cell absorbers) are proposed. Such absorber includes a large number of cells (small chambers) which are surrounded by bonded portions of the front surface side sheet and the back surface side sheet, and these sheets are not bonded in each cell. Further, the cell contains particulate materials including superabsorbent polymer particles (refer to, for example, Patent Literatures 1 to 7 below). 
     Various manufacturing methods for the cell absorbers have been proposed (for example, refer to Patent Literatures 1 to 7 below). However, the methods are basically common in: forming a large number of receiving recesses at intervals in the transfer process thereof while continuously transferring the first sheet to be one of the front surface side sheet and the back surface side sheet; then, feeding the particulate materials including the superabsorbent polymer particles into the receiving recesses; subsequently, covering a second sheet on the opening side of the receiving recesses of the first sheet; bonding portions among the receiving recesses of the first sheet and the second sheet; and then cutting these bonded sheets intermittently at positions to be boundaries between the individual absorbers. 
     However, for example, in the case of manufacturing the absorber by the method described in Patent Literature 3, when the portions among the recesses of the first sheet and the second sheet are bonded, if the particulate materials are present between the first sheet and the second sheet at the bonded portions, bonding failure (including both of the case where portions to be bonded have low bonding strength and the case where the portions are not bonded at all) may occur. 
     For this problem, in the invention disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a technique is proposed in which a large number of suction holes are provided on a conveying surface of a roll on the first sheet side, discharge ports are provided between the respective adjacent suction holes, recesses are formed in the first sheet by suction with the suction holes, and particulate materials are fed on the first sheet while emitting air from the discharge ports. However, in this method, it is necessary to provide the air discharge ports in projections forming the bonded portions, and therefore there is a problem that the arrangement and shape of the projections are limited. In addition, obviously the manufacturing facilities become complicated. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Literature 1: WO/2012/108331 
     Patent Literature 2: JP 2012-147957 A 
     Patent Literature 3: JP 2007-130819 A 
     Patent Literature 4: JP 63-283777 A 
     Patent Literature 5: JP 2013-17565 A 
     Patent Literature 6: JP 2012-500669 A 
     Patent Literature 7: JP 2010-522595 A 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     In view of the above, the main object of the present invention is to prevent bonding failure of the sheets by a further simple method without restriction on the arrangement and shape of the projections (in other words, bonded portions) of the anvil roll in manufacturing the cell absorbers. 
     Solution to Problem 
     The representative aspects of the present invention that have solved the above problems will be described below. 
     &lt;First Aspect&gt; 
     A device for manufacturing an absorber, comprising: 
     an anvil roll, which has a plurality of concaves arranged at intervals on an outer peripheral surface, projections provided in a portion among the concaves, so as to surround each of the concaves, a suction unit configured to suck air in the concaves, without a suction port or discharge port in the portion among the concaves, and which is rotationally driven around a transverse rotational axis, and 
     the device further comprising a first sheet feeding unit, a receiving recess forming unit, a particulate material feeding device, a second sheet feeding unit and a welding unit in this order from the upstream side in the rotation direction of the anvil roll within a range in the rotation direction of the upper half of the anvil roll, 
     the first sheet feeding unit being configured to feed a continuous belt-shaped first sheet made of a liquid pervious nonwoven fabric in the rotation direction of the anvil roll along the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll; 
     the receiving recess forming unit being configured to form receiving recesses in the first sheet along the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll, the receiving recesses being recessed in the concaves; 
     the particulate material feeding device being configured to drop and feed particulate materials including superabsorbent polymer particles from above to the receiving recesses of the first sheet wound around the anvil roll; 
     the second sheet feeding unit being configured to feed a continuous belt-shaped second sheet in the rotation direction of the anvil roll, wind the second sheet around the outer side of the first sheet, and cover at least a range in the cross direction (CD) having the receiving recesses of the first sheet, with the second sheet; and 
     the welding unit being configured to weld the first sheet and the second sheet only at the projections while winding the first sheet and the second sheet around the anvil roll, and being provided on the downstream side of the second sheet feeding unit in the rotation direction of the anvil roll, 
     wherein the suction unit sucks air in the concaves at least in a range in the rotation direction from a feeding position of the particulate materials to a feeding position of the second sheet, as the projections, dot-shaped projections are arranged only in one row at intervals in the direction surrounding each of the concaves, the area of the tip end surface of each dot-shaped projection is 8 mm.sup.2 or less, the width in the direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction is 4 mm or less, and peripheral edges of the receiving recesses in the first sheet coincide with the edges on the receiving recess side of the dot-shaped projections surrounding the receiving recesses. 
     (Function and Effect) 
     In such configuration where on the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll for bonding the first sheet and the second sheet by welding, prior to bonding, forming of the receiving recesses of the first sheet, feeding of the particulate materials, and covering with the second sheet are performed. At least from feeding of the particulate materials to covering with the second sheet, a basic mode is carried out where the inside of each concave of the anvil roll is sucked. The projections of the anvil roll are intentionally set to small dot-shaped projections and provided in a portion among the concaves only in one row at intervals in the direction surrounding each of the concaves. The peripheral edge of each receiving recess in the first sheet coincides with the edges on the receiving recess side of the dot-shaped projections surrounding the receiving recess. In this case, since the projections have small dot shapes, it is basically difficult for the particulate materials to be placed on the positions overlapping the projections of the anvil roll in the first sheet. In addition, since each receiving recess formed in the first sheet becomes a receiving recess which is inclined from the inner edges of the projections surrounding the concave, the particulate materials easily drop in the receiving recess by suction force, and the particulate materials are likely to move to a deeper position. Furthermore, for each receiving recess, in the portion between each pair of the dot-shaped projections adjacent to each other in the direction surrounding the concave, the first sheet is inclined toward the low point at the center of the adjacent projections and inclined toward the receiving recesses on the both sides of the portion (like a ridge of connected mountains), such that the particulate materials positioned in the dot-shaped projections or in the vicinity thereof are more likely to move toward the inside of the receiving recesses by the suction force. Therefore, the first sheet and the second sheet are bonded by welding in a simple technique of changing the pattern of the projections of the anvil roll, which makes it harder for the particulate materials to get caught between the sheets at the bonded portions, and bonding failure of the sheets can be effectively prevented. 
     &lt;Second Aspect&gt; 
     The device for manufacturing an absorber according to the first aspect, comprising, 
     as the receiving recess forming unit, a pushing roll which is opposed to the anvil roll, and which has push-in pins for entering the respective concaves of the anvil roll, 
     wherein a continuous belt-shaped first sheet is passed in the rotation direction of the anvil roll between the anvil roll and the push-in roll, and 
     the first sheet is pushed into the concaves with the push-in pins to form the receiving recesses in the first sheet. 
     (Function and Effect) 
     When the receiving recesses are formed by such a push-in roll, the receiving recesses are formed more firmly. Therefore, it is preferable because the particulate materials more easily drop into the receiving recesses. 
     &lt;Third Aspect&gt; 
     The device for manufacturing an absorber according to the first or second aspect, comprising a wave-forming device including, 
     a groove roll having a plurality of grooves continuing in the roll circumferential direction and being arranged in the roll length direction on the outer peripheral surface of the groove roll, a convex roll having a plurality of continuous convex portions continuing in the roll circumferential direction and being arranged in the roll length direction on the outer peripheral surface of the convex roll, and a heating unit 
     wherein the groove roll and the convex roll being opposed to each other such that the grooves and the continuous convex portions are engaged with each other, and 
     the heating unit heats the first sheet, which passes through between the groove roll and the convex roll, to a melting temperature or lower, 
     wherein the first sheet is passed through between the groove roll and the convex roll of the wave-forming device so that the first sheet is softened by stretching in a waveform in the CD while being heated, and then, the first sheet is fed to the anvil roll by the first sheet feeding unit. 
     (Function and Effect) 
     If the first sheet is pretreated by such a wave-forming device, the first sheet is softened and becomes stretchable by the change in the fiber structure due to stretching of the first sheet. Therefore, the receiving recesses can be formed further firmly in forming the receiving recesses, in addition to this, 
     the first sheet is firmly sucked into the concaves by suction such that the first sheet becomes to have a surface shape further easier to drop in the receiving recesses, and thus this aspect is preferable. 
     &lt;Fourth Aspect&gt; 
     The device for manufacturing an absorber according to the third aspect, wherein the pushing depth of the first sheet by the push-in pin is 2 to 10 mm, and in the wave-forming by the wave-forming device, the wave height is 1 to 8 mm, and the peak-to-peak interval in the CD is 1 to 5 mm 
     (Function and Effect) 
     To what extent the receiving recess are formed by the push-in roll and to what extent the wave-forming is performed can be appropriately determined, but in the usual case, it is desirable to set them within such a range. 
     &lt;Fifth Aspect&gt; 
     The device for manufacturing an absorber according to the first to fourth aspects, wherein the feeding position of the particulate materials by the particulate material feeding device is disposed in a range having the rotation angle, with the vertically upward direction as 0.degree., of 30.degree. or more, and an angle formed by a horizontal plane and a ridge line positioned on the most downstream side in the rotation direction of the receiving recess of the first sheet is 0.degree. or more. 
     (Function and Effect) 
     When the particulate materials are dropped and fed onto the first sheet at such a position, even if the particulate materials drop to a position corresponding to the projection of the anvil roll in the first sheet, the particulate materials are likely to drop on the downstream side in the rotation direction, such that the particulate materials do not easily stay at the position corresponding to the projection. Further, the receiving recess is oriented sideways, which makes difficult to cause a situation in which the particulate materials in the receiving recess to move to the position corresponding to the projection of the anvil roll. 
     &lt;Sixth Aspect&gt; 
     A method for manufacturing an absorber using manufacturing device which comprises: 
     an anvil roll, which has a plurality of concaves arranged at intervals on an outer peripheral surface, projections provided in a portion among the concaves, so as to surround each of the concaves, a suction unit configured to suck air in the concaves, without a suction port or discharge port in the portion among the concaves, and which is rotationally driven around a transverse rotational axis, 
     the device further comprising a first sheet feeding unit, a receiving recess forming unit, a particulate material feeding device, a second sheet feeding unit and a welding unit in this order from the upstream side in the rotation direction of the anvil roll within a range in the rotation direction of the upper half of the anvil roll, 
     the first sheet feeding unit being configured to feed a continuous belt-shaped first sheet made of a liquid pervious nonwoven fabric in the rotation direction of the anvil roll along the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll; 
     the receiving recess forming unit being configured to form receiving recesses in the first sheet along the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll, the receiving recesses being recessed in the concaves; 
     the particulate material feeding device being configured to drop and feed particulate materials including superabsorbent polymer particles from above to the receiving recesses of the first sheet wound around the anvil roll; 
     the second sheet feeding unit being configured to feed a continuous belt-shaped second sheet in the rotation direction of the anvil roll, wind the second sheet around the outer side of the first sheet, and cover at least a range in the CD having the receiving recesses of the first sheet, with the second sheet; and 
     the welding unit being configured to weld the first sheet and the second sheet only at the projections while winding the first sheet and the second sheet around the anvil roll, and being provided on the downstream side of the second sheet feeding unit in the rotation direction of the anvil roll, 
     wherein the suction unit sucks air in the concaves at least in a range in the rotation direction from a feeding position of the particulate materials to a feeding position of the second sheet, 
     as the projections, dot-shaped projections are arranged only in one row at intervals in the direction surrounding each of the concaves, the area of the tip end surface of each dot-shaped projection is 8 mm.sup.2 or less, the width in the direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction is 4 mm or less, and peripheral edges of the receiving recesses in the first sheet coincide with the edges on the receiving recess side of the dot-shaped projections surrounding the receiving recesses, and 
     the method comprising: 
     feeding the first sheet to the anvil roll by the first sheet feeding unit; 
     forming the receiving recesses on the first sheet by the receiving recess forming unit; 
     feeding the particulate materials to the receiving recesses of the first sheet by the particulate material feeding device; 
     overlapping the second sheet on the first sheet by the second sheet feeding unit; 
     bonding the portions among the receiving recesses of the first sheet and the second sheet by the welding unit to successively form a continuous series of the absorbers in which a plurality of cells containing the particulate materials are arranged; and 
     cutting the continuous series of the absorbers into individual absorbers at intervals in the machine direction (MD). 
     (Function and Effect) 
     The same functions and effects as those obtained in the first aspect are obtained. 
     Advantage Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, it is advantageous that bonding failure of the sheets can be prevented by a further simple method without restriction on the arrangement and shape of the protrusions (in other words, bonded portions) of the anvil roll in manufacturing the cell absorber. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view illustrating the inner surface of a tape-type disposable diaper in a state where a diaper is spread. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view illustrating the outer surface of a tape-type disposable diaper in a state where a diaper is spread. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5A  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7A  is a fragmentary plan view of a main part of an absorber, and  FIG. 7B  is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along line  1 - 1 . 
         FIGS. 8A-E  illustrate schematic plan views illustrating various arrangement examples of cells. 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of the absorber. 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of the absorber. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  2 - 2  in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a flow diagram of facilities for manufacturing the absorber. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of a main part schematically illustrating the facilities for manufacturing the absorber. 
         FIG. 14A  is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an anvil roll, and  FIG. 14B  is a plan view of an anvil roll in which the outer peripheral surface is spread in a plane. 
         FIG. 15  is a front view of a corrugating device. 
         FIG. 16A  is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a push-in roll, and  FIG. 16B  is a plan view of the main part of a push-in roll in which the outer peripheral surface is spread in a plane. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view of a main part schematically illustrating other facilities for manufacturing an absorber. 
         FIG. 18  is a longitudinal sectional view of a chute unit. 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 20  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 21  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part illustrating the recess forming step. 
         FIG. 22  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part illustrating the step for feeding particulate materials. 
         FIG. 23  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part illustrating the second sheet coating process. 
         FIG. 24  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part illustrating the welding step. 
         FIG. 25  is a cross-sectional view of a main part schematically illustrating facilities in a blocked state by a first blocking body. 
         FIG. 26  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 19  and illustrates a blocked state by the first blocking body. 
         FIG. 27  is a cross-sectional view of a main part schematically illustrating the facilities in a blocked state by a second blocking body. 
         FIG. 28  is a plan view of a continuous series of absorbers. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Example of Absorbent Article 
       FIGS. 1 to 6  illustrate examples of a tape-type disposable diaper, in which the reference sign X indicates the maximum width of the diaper excluding the fastening tapes, and the reference sign L indicates the maximum length of the diaper. Each component member is fixed or bonded in the same manner as known diapers as necessary except for the fixing or bonded portion described below. As a unit for fixing or bonding, a hot melt adhesive or welding (heat welding, ultrasonic welding) can be selected as appropriate. 
     This tape type disposable diaper has a basic structure in which an absorber  50  is interposed between a liquid pervious top sheet and a liquid impervious sheet located on the external surface side. The tape type disposable diaper includes a ventral side end flap portion EF, a dorsal side end flap portion EF, and a pair of side flap portions SF. The ventral side end flap portion EF and the dorsal side end flap portion EF are portions extending to the front side and the back side of the absorber  50  respectively and not including the absorber  50 . The pair of the side flap portions SF extends laterally from the side edges of the absorber  50 . In each of the side flap portions SF in a dorsal side portion B, a fastening tape  13  is provided. When a user wears the diaper, the fastening tape  13  is engaged at an appropriate place on the external surface of the ventral side portion F in a state in which the side flap portion SF of the dorsal side portion B is overlaid on the external side of the side flap portion SF of the ventral side portion F. 
     In this tape type disposable diaper, the entire external surface of the absorbent main unit  10  and the respective side flap portions SF is formed by an outer sheet  12 . Particularly, in a region including the absorber  50 , a liquid impervious sheet  11  is fixed to the internal surface side of the outer sheet  12  with an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive. Further, the absorber  50 , an intermediate sheet  40 , and a top sheet  30  are stacked in this order on the internal surface side of the liquid impervious sheet  11 . In the illustrated example, the top sheet  30  and the liquid impervious sheet  11  are rectangular in shape and have somewhat larger sizes in the front-back direction LD and the width direction WD than the absorber  50 . The peripheral edge portions protruding from the side edges of the absorber  50  in the top sheet  30  and the peripheral edge portions protruding from the side edges of the absorber  50  in the liquid impervious sheet  11  are bonded by a hot melt adhesive or the like. Further, the liquid impervious sheet  11  is formed to be slightly wider than the top sheet  30 . 
     On the both sides of the absorbent main unit  10 , three-dimensional side gathers  60  and  60  projecting (standing) to the skin side of a wearer are provided, and gather sheets  62  and  62  forming the three-dimensional side gathers  60  and  60  are fixed in ranges on the both sides of the top sheet  30  to the inner surfaces of the side flap portions SF. 
     Details of each part will be described in order below. 
     (Outer Sheet) 
     The outer sheet  12  is a sheet constituting the external surface of a product. The outer sheet  12  has a shape in which the intermediate portions in the front-back direction LD on the both side portions are narrowed, and these portions surround the wearer&#39;s legs. A nonwoven fabric is suitable for the outer sheet  12 , but it is not limited thereto. The type of the nonwoven fabric is not particularly limited. As a raw material fiber, for example, in addition to synthetic fibers such as olefin type such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polyester type, and polyamide type, regenerated fibers such as rayon and cupra, and natural fibers such as cotton can be used. As a processing method, a spun lace method, a spun bond method, a thermal bond method, an air through method, a needle punch method, and the like can be used. However, a long-fiber nonwoven fabric such as a spunbonded nonwoven fabric, an SMS nonwoven fabric, and an SMMS nonwoven fabric are preferable in that both good texture and strength can be compatible. In addition to using a single piece of nonwoven fabric, it is also possible to use multiple nonwoven fabrics in layers. In the latter case, it is preferable that the nonwoven fabrics are adhered to each other with a hot melt adhesive or the like. When a nonwoven fabric is used, the basis weight of the fiber is desirably 10 to 50 g/m.sup.2, particularly desirably 15 to 30 g/m.sup.2. The outer sheet  12  can be omitted, and in that case, the liquid impervious sheet  11  can have the same shape as that of the outer sheet  12 , such that the outer surface of a product can be formed. 
     (Liquid Impervious Sheet) 
     Although the material of the liquid impervious sheet  11  is not particularly limited, for example, an olefin resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene, a laminated nonwoven fabric obtained by stacking a nonwoven fabric on a polyethylene sheet or the like, a nonwoven fabric in which liquid permeability is substantially secured through a water proof film (in this case, a liquid impervious sheet is formed by the waterproof film and the nonwoven fabric) can be exemplified. Obviously, besides this, in recent years, liquid impervious and moisture permeable materials which have been favorably used from the standpoint of prevention of stuffiness can also be exemplified. As a sheet of this liquid-impervious and moisture-permeable material, for example, a microporous sheet can be exemplified which is obtained by kneading an olefin resin such as polyethylene resin or polypropylene resin and an inorganic filler, forming a sheet with the kneaded materials and monoaxially or biaxially stretching the sheet. Further, nonwoven fabrics using micro denier fibers and a sheet that is liquid impervious without using a water proof film can also be used as the liquid impervious sheet  11 . The sheet has liquid impermeability by having high leak proof by reducing air gaps of fibers by heating or applying pressure and by applying a superabsorbent resin, a hydrophobic resin, or a water repellent agent. 
     (Top Sheet) 
     As the top sheet  30 , a porous or non-porous nonwoven fabric having liquid permeability can be used. The type of constituent fibers of the nonwoven fabric is not particularly limited. Examples of the nonwoven fabric can include synthetic fibers such as olefin type such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyester type, and polyamide type, regenerated fibers such as rayon and cupra, natural fibers such as cotton, mixed fibers and conjugate fibers in which two or more of these are used, and the like. Further, the nonwoven fabric may be manufactured by any processing. Examples of processing methods can include known methods such as a spun lace method, a spun bond method, a thermal bond method, a melt blown method, a needle punch method, an air through method, and a point bond method. For example, the spun lace method is preferable when flexibility and drapeability are required, and the thermal bonding method is preferable when bulkiness and softness are required. 
     (Intermediate Sheet) 
     The intermediate sheet  40  is bonded to the back surface of the top sheet  30  to promptly move excretion liquid passing through the top sheet  30  to the side of the absorber  50  and to prevent returning. For bonding between the intermediate sheet  40  and the top sheet  30 , heat embossing or ultrasonic welding can be used in addition to using a hot melt adhesive. As the intermediate sheet  40 , a resin film having a large number of through holes can be used in addition to using a nonwoven fabric. As the nonwoven fabric, a material similar to that described in the section of the top sheet  30  can be used. However, the material having a higher hydrophilicity than that of the top sheet  30  or the material having a high fiber density is preferable since those have excellent liquid transfer characteristics from the top sheet  30  to the intermediate sheet  40 . 
     Although the intermediate sheet  40  in the illustrated embodiment is shorter than the width of the absorber  50  and disposed at the center portion, it may be provided throughout the maximum width. The length of the intermediate sheet  40  in the front-back direction LD may be the same as the maximum length of the diaper, may be the same as the length of the absorber  50 , or may be within a short length range around a region receiving a liquid. 
     (Three-Dimensional Side Gather) 
     To prevent lateral movement of excrement on the top sheet  30  and to prevent lateral leakage, it is preferable to provide the three-dimensional side gathers  60  projecting (standing) from the inner faces on the both sides of the product in the width direction WD. 
     Each three-dimensional side gather  60  is composed of gather sheet  62  and one or plurality of elongated elastically stretchable members  63  fixed to the gather sheet  62  in a stretched state along the front-back direction LD. As this gather sheet  62 , a water repellent nonwoven fabric can be used, and rubber thread and the like can be used as the elastically stretchable member  63 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a plurality of the elastically stretchable members may be provided on each side, or only one elastically stretchable member may be provided on each side. 
     The inner surface of the gather sheet  62  has a fixed start point in the width direction WD on the side portion of the top sheet  30 . A portion outside in the width direction WD from this fixed start point is fixed with a hot melt adhesive or the like on the side portion of the liquid impervious sheet  11  and the side portion of the outer sheet  12  positioned at the outside portion. 
     In the periphery of the leg, the inside in the width direction WD from the fixed start point of each three-dimensional side gather  60  is fixed on the top sheet  30  at both ends of the product in the front-back direction LD. However, the portion therebetween is a non-fixed free portion erected by contraction force of one or a plurality of the elastically stretchable members  63 . Since the diaper is attached to the body in a boat shape in the wearing of the diaper, and the contraction force of one or a plurality of the elastically stretchable members  63  acts, the three-dimensional side gathers  60  erect by the contraction force of one or a plurality of the elastically stretchable members  63  and come in close contact with the legs. As a result, so-called lateral leakage from around the legs is prevented. 
     Unlike the illustrated embodiment, both end portions in the front-back direction LD in the portion of the inside in the width direction WD of each gather sheet  62  are fixed in a state folded in two having a base end side portion, which extends inward from a portion outside in the width direction WD and a tip side portion, which is folded back on the body side from the end edge on the center side in the width direction WD of the base end side portion and extending outward in the width direction WD, and the portion therebetween may be a non-fixed free portion. 
     (Flat Gather) 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , in each side flap portion SF, on the outside in the width direction WD in the vicinity of the fixed start point of the fixed portion of the gather sheet  62 , between the gather sheet  62  and the liquid impervious sheet  11 , the elastically stretchable members  64 , which are made of rubber threads and the like, around the leg portions are fixed in a state stretching along the front-back direction LD, whereby the leg portion of each side flap portion SF is formed as a flat gather. The elastically stretchable members  64  around each leg portion can also be disposed between the liquid impervious sheet  11  and the outer sheet  12  in the side flap portion SF. As in the illustrated example, a plurality of elastically stretchable members  64  around the leg portions may be provided on each side, or only one elastically stretchable member  64  may be provided on each side. 
     (Fastening Tape) 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 , each fastening tape  13  includes a sheet base material forming a tape attaching portion  13 C fixed to the side portion of a diaper and a tape main unit section  13 B projecting from the tape attaching portion  13 C, and an engagement portion  13 A with respect to the ventral side, which is provided in the middle portion in the width direction WD of the tape main unit section  13 B in the seat base material. A tip end side from the engagement portion  13 A is a tab part. The tape attaching portion  13 C of the fastening tape  13  is sandwiched between the gather sheet  62  forming the inner layer in the side flap portion and the outer sheet  12  forming the outer layer and is adhered to the both sheets  62  and  12  with the hot melt adhesive. In addition, the engagement portion  13 A is bonded to the sheet base material with an adhesive so that it cannot be removed. 
     A hook member (male member) of a mechanical fastener (hook and loop fastener) is suitable as the engagement portion  13 A. The hook member has a large number of engagement projections on its outer surface side. The engagement projection has a check mark shape, a J shape, a mushroom shape, a T shape, and a double J shape (a shape bonded back to back of a J shape), but may have any shape. Obviously, an adhesive material layer can also be provided as an engagement portion of the fastening tape  13 . 
     In addition to various nonwoven fabrics such as a spunbonded nonwoven fabric, an air-through nonwoven fabric, and a spunlace nonwoven fabric, a plastic film, a polyethylene laminated nonwoven fabric, paper, or a composite material thereof can be used as the sheet base material forming from the tape attaching portion to the tape main unit section. 
     (Target Sheet) 
     It is preferable to provide a target sheet  12 T having a target for facilitating engagement at the engagement portion of each fastening tape  13  in the ventral side portion F. In the case where the engagement portion is the hook member  13 A, the target sheet  12 T can be used having a large number of loops made of threads to which engagement projections of the hook member are tangled, are provided on a surface of the sheet base member made of a plastic film or a nonwoven fabric. Further, in the case of an adhesive layer, it is possible to use a sheet base material made of a plastic film having a smooth surface with high adhesiveness and subjected to a release treatment. In the case where the engagement portion of the fastening tape  13  in the ventral side portion F is made of a nonwoven fabric, for example, when the outer sheet  12  in the illustrated embodiment is made of a nonwoven fabric, and the engagement portion of the fastening tape  13  is the hook member  13 A, the target sheet  12 T may be omitted, and the hook member  13 A can be entangled and engaged with the nonwoven fabric of the outer sheet  12 . In this case, the target sheet  12 T may be provided between the outer sheet  12  and the liquid impervious sheet  11 . 
     (Absorber) 
     The absorber  50  is a part that absorbs and retains the liquid content of excrement. The absorber  50  can be adhered to the components on at least one of the front surface side and back surfaces side via an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive. 
     As illustrated in the enlarged view of  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the absorber  50  is surrounded by the front surface side sheet  51 , the back surface side sheet  52  disposed on the back surface side of the front surface side sheet  51 , and the bonded portions  54  of the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52 , and also the absorber  50  is a cell absorber  50  including a cell (small chamber)  55 , in which the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52  are not bonded, and the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  contained in the cell  55 . In this way, by distributing and retaining the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in a large number of cells  55  surrounded by the bonded portions  54 , the uneven distribution of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in the absorber  50  can be prevented. The cell absorber  50  can be wrapped with a wrapping sheet (not shown). In this case, one wrapping sheet can be used for wrapping the absorber in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the front and back surfaces and both side surfaces of the absorber  50  and two wrapping sheets can be also used for wrapping the absorber so as to sandwich the same from both the front surface side and the back surface side. As the wrapping sheet, a tissue paper, particularly a crepe paper, a nonwoven fabric, a polyethylene laminated nonwoven fabric, a sheet with small holes, and the like can be used. However, it is desirable that the wrapping sheet be a sheet through which superabsorbent polymer particles do not pass. When a nonwoven fabric is used for a wrapping sheet, a hydrophilic SMS nonwoven fabric (SMS, SSMMS, etc.) is particularly suitable, and polypropylene, and polyethylene/polypropylene composite material can be used as a material. The basis weight is preferably 5 to 40 g/m.sup.2, particularly preferably 10 to 30 g/m.sup.2. When the cell absorber  50  is wrapped with a wrapping sheet, pulp fibers can be accumulated on one side of the front and back sides of the cell absorber, and these can be wrapped with a wrapping sheet collectively. 
     The front surface side sheet  51  may be a liquid-pervious material or a liquid impervious material, but preferably it is a liquid-pervious material when it is positioned on the top sheet  30  side as indicated in the illustrated embodiment. Similarly to the top sheet  30 , a porous or non-porous nonwoven fabric or a porous plastic sheet can be used for the front surface side sheet  51 . In the case of using a nonwoven fabric for the front surface side sheet  51 , examples of the constituent fibers include synthetic fibers (including not only single component fibers but also conjugate fibers) such as olefin type such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polyester type, and polyamide type, regenerated fibers such as rayon and cupra, and natural fibers such as cotton, but it can be selected without limitation, and it is preferable to use a thermoplastic resin fiber because of excellent thermal processability. The fiber bonding method of the nonwoven fabric is not particularly limited, but to prevent the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  from falling off through the sheet, it is preferable to use a bonding method which increases fiber density, such as a spun bond method, a melt blown method, and a needle punch method. In the case of using a porous plastic sheet, its pore diameter is preferably smaller than the outer shape of the superabsorbent polymer particle  53  to prevent the superabsorbent polymer particle  53  from falling off through the sheet. When the material of the front surface side sheet  51  is hydrophobic, a hydrophilic agent can also be contained. 
     To facilitate the arrangement of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in the manufacturing and to secure the volume after the swelling due to the absorption, in the portion forming each cell  55  in the front surface side sheet  51 , a recess  51   c  recessed from the back surface side to the front surface side is preferably formed. 
     The back surface side sheet  52  may be made of the same material as the front surface side sheet  51 , but in the case where the front surface side sheet  51  is composed of a liquid pervious material, a liquid impervious material can be used for the back surface side sheet  52 . The liquid impervious material usable for the back surface side sheet  52  can be appropriately selected and used from the materials described in the section of the liquid impervious sheet  11 . Although not illustrated, the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52  may be one side layer and another side layer in which one sheet of material is folded in two. 
     The superabsorbent polymer particles  53  may not be fixed to the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52  and may be freely movable, but may also be bonded or adhered to the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52 . Also, the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  may be agglomerated to some extent. 
     As the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 , those used for this type of absorbent articles can be used on an as is basis. The particle diameter of the superabsorbent polymer particles is not particularly limited, but for example, when the particles are sieved (shaking for five minutes) using a standard sieve (JIS Z8801-1:2006) of 500.mu.m and the particles subjected to sieving with the 500.mu.m standard sieve are further sieved (shaking for five minutes) using the standard sieve (JIS Z8801-1: 2006) of 180.mu.m, preferably the proportion of the particles remaining on the 500 .mu.m standard sieve is 30% by weight or less, and the proportion of the particles remaining on the 180.mu.m standard sieve is 60% by weight or more. 
     The material of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  can be used without particular limitation, but the material having the water absorption capacity of 40 g/g or more is suitable. Examples of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  include starch-based, cellulose-based, and synthetic polymer-based, and starch-acrylic acid (salt) graft copolymers, saponified starch-acrylonitrile copolymers, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose crosslinked products, acrylic acid (salt) polymers and the like. As the shape of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 , the shape of particulate materials which are usually used is suitable, but other shapes can also be used. 
     The superabsorbent polymer particles  53  having a water absorption rate of 70 seconds or less, particularly 40 seconds or less, are suitably used. If the water absorption rate is too slow, so-called returning, in which the liquid fed into the absorber  50  returns to the outside of the absorber  50 , is likely to occur. 
     The superabsorbent polymer particles  53  having the gel strength of 1,000 Pa or more are preferably used. Thereby, even when the absorber  50  is bulky, it is possible to effectively suppress stickiness after liquid absorption. 
     The basis weight of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  can be appropriately determined according to the absorption amount required for the use of the absorber  50 . Therefore, although it cannot be said unconditionally, the basis weight can be 50 to 350 g/m.sup.2. When the basis weight of the polymer is less than 50 g/m.sup.2, it is difficult to secure the absorption amount. When it exceeds 350 g/m.sup.2, the effect is saturated. 
     The planar shape of the cell  55  can be determined as appropriate, and it may be circular, elliptical, or the like, but the shape is preferably a polygon to provide a denser arrangement. In addition to arranging the cells  55  having the same shape and the same size, the cells  55  may be arranged by combining multiple types of cells varying at least one of the shape and size. 
     Although the planar arrangement of the cells  55  (that is, also the collecting portions of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 ) can be appropriately determined, a regularly repeated plane arrangement is preferred. In addition to the regularly repeated plane arrangement, such as an oblique lattice shape as illustrated in  FIG. 8A , a hexagonal lattice shape (also referred to as a staggered shape) as illustrated in  FIG. 8B , a square lattice shape as illustrated in  FIG. 8C , a rectangular lattice shape as illustrated in  FIG. 8D , and a parallel lattice shape as illustrated in  FIG. 8E  (two groups of many parallel oblique direction rows are provided so as to cross each other) (including those inclined at an angle of less than 90.degree. with respect to the stretchable direction), a group of the cells  55  (the group may be regularly or irregularly arranged, and may be a pattern or a letter shape) can be regularly repeated. 
     The size of each cell  55  can be appropriately determined, and for example, the length  55 L in the front-back direction LD can be about 8 to 30 mm, and the length  55 W in the width direction WD can be about 10 to 50 mm 
     It is desirable that the bonded portion  54  for bonding the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52  be bonded by welding the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52  like ultrasonic welding or heat sealing, but it may be bonded with a hot melt adhesive. 
     As long as each cell  55  is surrounded by one or a plurality of bonded portions  54  for bonding the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52 , the bonded portions  54  may be arranged in a dotted line shape (intermittently in a direction surrounding each cell  55 ) as indicated in the illustrated embodiment and the bonded portion also may be formed in a continuous linear shape. In the case of intermittently forming the bonded portions  54 , the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  are not present between the bonded portions  54  in the direction surrounding the cell  55 , or even if the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  are present, less superabsorbent polymer particles than those in the cell  55  are included. 
     The size of the bonded portion  54  for bonding the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52  can be appropriately determined, and for example, the line width (dimension in the direction orthogonal to the direction surrounding the cell  55 )  54 W can be about 0.6 to 8.0 mm. In the case of forming the bonded portions  54  in a dotted line shape (intermittent in the direction surrounding the cell  55 ), it is preferable that the length  54 L of the bonded portion  54  in the direction surrounding the cell  55  is about 0.6 to 8.0 mm, and the point interval  54 D is about 0.8 to 10.0 mm. In particular, in the case of the strong bonded portion  54   a , it is preferable that the line width  54 W is about 1.0 to 4.0 mm, the length  54 L of the bonded portion  54  is about 1.5 to 4.0 mm, and the point interval  54 D is about 0.8 to 2.5 mm. In the case of the weak bonded portion  54   b , it is preferable that the line width  54 W is about 0.6 to 3.5 mm, the length  54 L of the bonded portion  54  is about 0.6 to 2.5 mm, and the point interval  54 D is about 1.0 to 4.0 mm. 
     The width of the bonded portion  54  in the case where the bonded portion  54  is formed in a continuous linear shape, and the line width  54 W in the case where the bonded portions  54  are formed in a dotted line shape are constant in the direction surrounding the cell  55  and also can be changed. In addition, in the case where the bonded portions  54  are formed in a dotted line shape, the shape of each bonded portion  54  can be appropriately determined, and all of the bonded portions have the same shape, or the bonded portions may have different shapes depending on their positions. In particular, when each cell  55  has a polygonal shape, it is preferable to provide each bonded portion  54  at the intermediate position of each side of the polygon. Further, it is preferable to provide each strong bonded portion  54   a  at a position of each vertex, but it is preferable not to provide the weak bonded portion  54   b  at the position of each vertex so that the weak bonded portion  54   b  can be peeled off easily, resulting in smooth coalescing of the cells  55 . In the case where the bonded portion  54  is provided at the position of each vertex, it is desirable that the bonded portion  54  has a radial (star) shape protruding in the direction of each side. 
     When the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in each cell  55  are swollen due to the absorption to fill the inside of the cell  55 , the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52  are strongly bonded at the bonded portions  54  such that the bonded portions  54  are not peeled off against the internal pressure. However, when the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  fill the inside of each cell  55 , there is a possibility that the absorption amount and absorption rate are lowered due to inhibition by the swelling and so-called gel blocking. Therefore, it is preferable that, because of the swelling pressure due to the absorption by the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in each cell  55 , the bonded portions  54  surrounding the cell  55  are partly or totally peeled off, and the cell  55  coalesces with the adjacent cells  55  to form a larger cell  55 . Such a function is realized, for example, by providing the weak bonded portions  54   b  with weakened bonding strength in appropriate places and by determining the type and amount of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  disposed in each cell  55  such that the volume of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in the cell  55  upon the saturation absorption becomes sufficiently larger than the volume of the cell  55 . 
     Although the bonding strength of the bonded portions  54  may be uniform over the entire absorber  50 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 7A and 7B, 9, and 10 , one of the preferable embodiments is that the planar region of the absorber  50  is divided into a plurality of compartments  55 G, the bonded portions  54  surrounding the group of the cells  55  of each compartment  55 G are formed as strong bonded portions  54   a  having relatively high bonding strength, the bonded portions  54  located inside the compartment  55 G are formed as weak bonded portions  54   b  having relatively low bonding strength, and the weak bonded portions  54   b  are peeled off in preference to the strong bonded portions  54   a . In this case, all of the weak bonded portions  54   b  in the compartment  55 G are peeled off by the swelling pressure due to the absorption by the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in each cell  55  to form one cell  55  covering over the entire compartment  55 G, subsequently, the strong bonded portions  54   a  surrounding the compartment  55 G may be peeled off by the swelling pressure due to the absorption by the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in the compartment  55 G. Instead, if the strong bonded portions are not peeled off, the gelled material of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  swollen due to the absorption is hardly moved and gathered to a low place such as a crotch portion, thus unsatisfactory fitting is not caused. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 9 , assuming that urine is excreted at the position of the reference sign Z, urine is diffused around the position as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , and the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  absorb the urine at respective positions. At this time, as illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , with regard to each cell  55  in which the swelling pressure of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  is increased, the weak bonded portions  54   b  around the cell  55  cannot resist the swelling pressure and peels off and the cell  55  coalesces with the adjacent cells  55 . This coalescence can proceed to reach the cells  55  having the strong bonded portions  54   a  therearound as long as the weak bonded portions  54   b  can be peeled off by the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  swollen due to the absorption. Such a function is realized, for example, by determining the type and amount of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  disposed in each cell  55  such that the volume of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in the cell  55  upon saturation absorption becomes sufficiently larger than the volume of each cell  55 , and the volume of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in the compartment  55 G upon saturation absorption becomes less than the volume of the cells  55  of the entire compartment  55 G surrounded by the strong bonded portions  54   a  upon the coalescence. 
     Although the arrangement of the strong bonded portions  54   a  is not particularly limited, for example, as indicated in the illustrated embodiment, if the strong bonded portions  54   a  continue throughout a certain range in a specific direction, such as the front-back direction LD, the width direction WD, and the oblique direction, the cells  55  on the both sides are swollen due to the absorption by the internal superabsorbent polymer particles  53 , the strong bonded portions  54   a  are however not peeled off to the end. Therefore, after the absorption, the grooves with the bottom portions of the strong bonded portions  54   a  are formed along the specific directions, and the liquid diffusibility in the directions along the grooves is improved. In addition, if the strong bonded portions  54   a  continue in the width direction WD or in the oblique direction, it is possible to prevent the uneven distribution which would be caused by the movement of the gelled superabsorbent polymer particles  53  swollen due to the absorption as well as to improve the liquid diffusibility in the directions. Further, if the bonded portions positioned on the outermost side in the width direction WD are peeled off, there is a possibility that the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  or the gelled superabsorbent polymer particles  53  leak out laterally from the absorber  50 , and it is therefore desirable that such bonded portions are the strong bonded portions  54   a . From the same viewpoint, it is preferable that the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52  are extended laterally in the width direction WD to some extent beyond the region where the cells  55  are formed, and the edge bonded portions  54   c  are provided in the extended portions for the reinforcement. 
     The difference in bonding strength may be easily made by changing the area of each bonded portion  54  but is not limited thereto. For example, in the case of forming the bonded portion  54  with a hot melt adhesive, a method in which the type of a hot melt adhesive is varied depending on the sites can be used. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , it is also possible to provide the empty cells  56  which do not contain the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  or which contain a smaller amount of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  than other cells even if the cells contain them. In  FIG. 9 , an area  53 A having a pattern of hatched lines indicates a region for containing the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 . Since this region is based on assumption of the shape of a region in which the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  are dispersed in the manufacturing, there are portions which are not covered by the pattern of the hatched lines in the cells  55  in the peripheral edge. Actually, in the case where the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  can move in each cell  55 , the positions of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in the cell  55  are not fixed in a state of the product, and the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  can be distributed throughout the cells  55  in the same manner as in the state illustrated in  FIGS. 7A and 7B . The amount of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  contained in the empty cell  56  is preferably ½ or less, particularly 1/10 or less, of the other cells in terms of weight ratio, and it is particularly preferable that the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  are not contained at all in the empty cell. For example, since the front end and the back end of the absorber  50  are formed by cutting into the individual absorbers  50  in the manufacturing, if the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  are contained in portions where the cutting is performed, the life of a blade of a cutting device may be shortened. Therefore, it is desirable that at least the cells  55  located at the positions through which the front and back ends of the absorber  50  pass be the empty cells  56 . Further, in the absorber  50  obtained by mixing superabsorbent polymer particles  53  with a hydrophilic short fiber such as fluff pulp, and being accumulated in a cotton form, generally, the intermediate portion in the front-back direction LD is formed in a narrow shape so as to be along the legs. However, also in the cell absorber  50 , by setting, the cells  55  on the both sides in the intermediate portion in the front-back direction LD, as the empty cells  56 , the intermediate portion in the front-back direction LD will be less swollen even after the absorption. Therefore, the absorber  50  has a shape that fits around the legs even after the absorption. 
     In the case of manufacturing the absorber  50 , since it is difficult to accurately distribute a predetermined amount of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  to the individual cells  55 , it is preferable that the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  are uniformly dispersed throughout the entire region for containing the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  (the region excluding the portions to be the empty cells  56 ) on the front surface side sheet  51  or the back surface side sheet  52 , and then the bonded portions  54  are formed to bond the front surface side sheet  51  and the back surface side sheet  52  as one unit and to confine the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in each cell  55 . In this case, particularly with respect to the peripheral cells  55  positioned in the peripheral edge of the region for containing the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 , it is difficult to disperse the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  in an accurate shape matching with the peripheral edge of the cells  55 . Therefore, as can be seen from the shape of the dispersing region  53 A which is defined for dispersing the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  and indicated by the pattern of hatched lines in  FIG. 9 , it is desirable to disperse the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  such that the peripheral edge of the region  53 A for the dispersion passes through the middle of the peripheral cells  55 . In this case, the amount of the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  contained in the peripheral cells  55  is less than the amount of the same contained in the cells  55  positioned inside the peripheral cells  55 , and in the case where the cells  55  are further provided outside the peripheral cells  55 , these outer cells  55  become the empty cells  56  which do not substantially contain the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 . 
     In the above example, only the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  are contained in the cells  55 , but it is also possible to contain the superabsorbent polymer particles  53  together with particulate materials other than the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 , such as deodorant particles. 
     &lt;Manufacturing of Absorber&gt; 
     The above-described cell absorber  50  is manufactured by conveying a continuous belt-shaped first sheet along a continuous direction, sequentially forming a large number of recesses on the first sheet in this conveying process at intervals in the CD while the first sheet is conveyed, feeding particulate materials including superabsorbent polymer particles to the recesses of the first sheet on the downstream side of the recess forming position, overlapping a belt-shaped second sheet continuous in the MD on the first sheet on the downstream side of the feeding position of the particulate materials, bonding portions among the recesses of the first sheet and the second sheet on the downstream side of the position where the second sheet is overlapped, sequentially forming a continuous series of the absorbers in which a large number of cells containing particulate materials are arranged, and cutting a continuous series of the absorbers into individual absorbers at intervals in the MD. Although it is preferable that the first sheet is the front surface side sheet of the above-described cell absorber  50  and the second sheet is the back surface side sheet, those may be set opposite. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a specific example of a device for manufacturing the cell absorber. This manufacturing device is based on an anvil roll  70  which is driven to rotate about a lateral rotating shaft. Within the rotation direction range of the upper half of the anvil roll  70 , in the order from the upstream side in the rotation direction, the first sheet feeding unit  80 , a recess forming unit  90 , a particulate material feeding device  100 , and a second sheet feeding unit  150  are provided. In addition, a welding unit  160  is provided on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the feeding unit of the second sheet. 
     As also illustrated in  FIGS. 13, 14A and 14B , the anvil roll  70  has a large number of concaves  71  arranged at intervals on the outer peripheral surface, and for each concave  71 , projections  72  provided so as to surround the concave  71  in a portion among the concaves  71 . The concave  71  on the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70  communicates with the inner space partitioned into a suction compartment  73  and a non-suction compartment  74  in the rotation direction. A suction device such as a suction fan (not illustrated) is connected to the suction compartment  73  in the inner space of the anvil roll  70 , and the inside of the concave  71  can be sucked. In addition, neither a suction port nor a discharge port is formed in the portion among the concaves  71  on the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70 . 
     The first sheet feeding unit  80  feeds a continuous belt-shaped first sheet  201  made of a liquid pervious nonwoven fabric in the rotation direction of the anvil roll  70  along the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70 . The first sheet feeding unit  80  includes various devices such as a guide roll and a drive roll in a path from the material roll of the first sheet  201  (not illustrated) to the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70 . 
     It is preferable that the first sheet feeding unit  80  includes a wave-forming device  81 . As also illustrated in  FIG. 15 , the wave-forming device  81  includes a groove roll  82  having a large number of grooves  82   g  continuous in the roll circumferential direction and arranged in the roll length direction on the outer peripheral surface of the groove roll, and a convex roll  83  having a large number of convex portions  83   p  continuous in the roll circumferential direction and arranged in the roll length direction on the outer peripheral surface of the convex roll, while the groove roll  82  and the convex roll  83  are opposed to each other such that the grooves  82   g  and the continuous convex portions  83   p  are engaged with each other. Further, the wave-forming device includes a heating unit  84 , where the groove roll  82  and the convex roll  83  pass, for heating the first sheet  201  to a melting temperature or lower. In the illustrated embodiment, the heating unit  84  is a heating box  84  which surrounds the convex roll  83  and the groove roll  82  and keeps the internal atmosphere at a predetermined temperature, but a heating unit for heating at least one of the groove roll  82  and the convex roll  83  may be used, or one heating unit for heating one of these rolls and the other heating unit for the other of these rolls may be combined. The temperature of the first sheet  201  in the wave-forming device  81  can be appropriately determined according to the type of the material, but it is preferable to set it at 40 to 100.degree. C. assuming the case of using a normal thermoplastic nonwoven fabric. 
     By the recess forming unit  90 , the first sheet  201  may be recessed to reach at least the second sheet  202  feeding unit by taking air in the concave  71  by the above-described suction unit. In the illustrated embodiment, as also illustrated in  FIGS. 16A and 16B , as the recess forming unit  90 , a push-in roll  90  is provided. The push-in roll  90  opposed to the anvil roll  70  has push-in pins  91  which enter the respective concaves  71  of the anvil roll  70 . The push-in roll  90  forms receiving recesses  201   c  on the first sheet  201  by feeding the continuous belt-shaped first sheet  201  in the rotation direction of the anvil roll  70  between the anvil roll  70  and the push-in roll  90  and pushing the first sheet  201  into the concaves  71  by the push-in pins  91 . 
     The particulate material feeding device  100  can be used without particular limitation as long as it drops and feeds the particulate materials  203  including the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 . Here, the dropping and feeding includes free dropping under their own weights or more than that. As the particulate material feeding device  100 , the following two types can be used: in one type, the particulate materials are fed continuously over the entire CD of a drop position and in another type, the particulate materials are fed intermittently at least a part in the CD of the drop position. 
       FIG. 13  and  FIGS. 18 to 20  illustrate specific examples of the particulate material feeding device  100 . The particulate material feeding device  100  includes the particulate material storage tank  101  for storing the particulate materials  203 , the delivery device  102  for continuously delivering the particulate materials  203  stored in the particulate material storage tank  101 , a chute  103  for dropping and transferring the particulate materials  203  delivered from the delivery device  102  and dropping and feeding the particulate materials  203  to a feeding position, blocking bodies  104  and  105  which intermittently enter blocking positions for blocking at least a part of particulate passage in a cross-sectional direction in the chute  103 , from a non-blocking position, and a recovery path  106  branched from the chute  103  so as to discharge the particulate materials  203  blocked by the blocking bodies  104  and  105  to the outside of the chute  103 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, as the delivery device  102  for delivering the particulate materials  203  from the particulate material storage tank  101 , a so-called rotary feeder  102  is connected to the lower end outlet of the particulate material storage tank  101 , and by this rotary feeder  102 , the particulate materials  203  stored in the particulate material storage tank  101  are continuously discharged and continuously and quantitatively fed to the chute  103 . The delivery device  102  is not limited to the rotary feeder  102 , and other known particulate material feeding devices  100  can be used. Further, the particulate materials may not be quantitatively supplied, for example, the feeding amount may be continuously or gradually changed. 
     As long as the chute  103  drops and transfers the particulate materials  203  to drop and feed the particulate materials  203  to the feeding position, a part or the whole of the particulate materials  203  may be dropped without coming into contact with the peripheral wall or may slide down on the peripheral wall. That is, the chute  103  may extend straight in the substantially vertical direction as indicated in the illustrated embodiment, and it may have a curved portion or a bent portion that draws an arc in part or in whole, unlike the illustrated embodiment. The passage position in the cross-sectional direction in the chute  103  may be changed continuously or gradually in the transfer direction, but in the case where intermittent feeding is performed only in a part in the CD, the passage position is desirably not changed in the CD or at least not reduced. 
     The blocking position of the blocking body  104 ,  105  is not particularly limited as long as it is a position blocking at least a part of the particulate passage in the sectional direction, but for example, the blocking position may be a position where the particulate passage in the middle in the CD in the chute  103  is not blocked, the particulate passage on the both sides is blocked, or a position where the particulate passage throughout the entire cross-sectional direction in the chute  103  is blocked. Alternatively, the first blocking body  104  may be provided at one of these blocking positions, and the second blocking body  105  may be provided on the other one. 
     As a drive mechanism for causing the blocking bodies  104  and  105  to intermittently enter the blocking position, the blocking bodies  104  and  105  can be linearly reciprocated with respect to the blocking positions by a crank mechanism or a fluid pressure cylinder, the blocking bodies  104  and  105  can be rotated about one point by a rotary drive source such as a motor to pass the rotational movement locus of the blocking bodies  104  and  105  through the blocking position, or the blocking bodies  104  and  105  can be rotated in parallel by the crank mechanism to pass the rotational movement locus of the blocking bodies  104  and  105  through the blocking position. 
     The recovery path  106  is a passage having an inlet in a direction in which the particulate materials  203  collide with the blocking bodies  104  and  105  and move, and the particulate materials  203  blocked by the blocking bodies  104  and  105  are discharged to the outside of the chute  103  by the moving force of a suction fan or the like or under their own weights. It is desirable that the blocked particulate materials  203  collected via the recovery path  106  be returned to the particulate material storage tank  101  for reuse as indicated in the illustrated embodiment, but the blocked particulate materials  203  may be temporarily stored in a storage tank or a storing bag for reuse, or may not be reused. 
     The particulate material feeding device  100  in the illustrated embodiment will be described in further detail. The chute  103 , the blocking bodies  104  and  105 , and the recovery path  106  are included in one box type unit. This box-type unit has a top plate  111 , a bottom plate  112 , and a side plate  113  covering the periphery of a space between the top plate  111  and the bottom plate  112 . The box-type unit has a casing  110  arranged to be inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, a chute feeding port  114  provided on the upper side in the inclination direction of the top plate, a chute discharge port  115  provided on the lower side in the inclination direction of the chute feeding port  114 , and chute main unit sections  121  and  122  for connecting these ports in the casing  110 . A portion of the casing  110  on the lower side in the inclination direction of the chute main unit section  122  is a start point portion of the recovery path  106 . The chute feeding port  114 , the chute main unit sections  121  and  122 , and the chute discharge port  115  have a substantially rectangular cross-sectional surface whose long side extends along the CD. The chute main unit sections  121  and  122  have a first passage  121  having an inlet provided below the chute feeding port  114  and extending in the substantially vertical direction from the inlet to a position above the first blocking position, and a second passage  122  having an inlet below the first blocking position and extending in the substantially vertical direction from the inlet to a position above the second blocking position on the chute discharge port  115 . 
     The first passage  121  is a passage having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional surface formed with a pair of planes extending in the MD and a pair of planes extending in the CD. The second passage  122  is a through section having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional surface formed below the first blocking position in the partition plate  116  extending from the upper side to the lower side of the first blocking position in the inclination direction. The space of the first blocking position located between the outlet of the first passage  121  and the upper face of the partition plate  116  and the space of the second blocking position located between the outlet of the second passage  122  and the chute discharge port  115  open in the recovery path  106  on the obliquely lower side. 
     The first blocking body  104  in the illustrated embodiment comprises blade bodies (such as impellers) provided on the both sides in the CD in the first blocking position. Each black body is provided in a part of the rotation direction of a rotary shaft  104   s  extending in a direction intersecting the inclination direction on both sides in the CD of the first blocking position. By rotating the rotary shaft  104   s  by a rotary drive source (not illustrated), the first blocking body  104  repeats entering from the obliquely upper side and retracting from the obliquely lower side with respect to the both sides in the CD at the first blocking position. When the first blocking body  104  is in the retracted position, all of the particulate materials  203  dropping toward the inlet of the second passage  122  are allowed to pass through. However, when the particulate materials  203  pass through the first blocking position as indicated by rotation loca indicated by the two-dot chain lines in  FIG. 19 , the blocking body  104  does not block the particulate passage in the middle in the CD and blocks the particulate passage on the both sides thereof, as illustrated in  FIGS. 25 and 26 . Therefore, the space at the first blocking position also opens to the side such that the first blocking body  104  can enter and retract. The particulate materials  203  blocked by the first blocking body  104  move on the first blocking body  104  and the partition plate  116  and are introduced into the recovery path  106  on the lower side in the inclination direction. 
     In addition, the second blocking body  105  in the illustrated embodiment is a blocking plate that is dimensioned to cover the entire chute discharge port  115  and that extends along the inclination direction. The second blocking body  105  is supported to be reciprocable in the inclination direction, and passes through the chute discharge port  115  in the process. When the second blocking body  105  is in the retracted position not covering the chute discharge port  115 , all of the particulate materials  203  dropping toward the chute discharge port  115  are passed. When the second blocking body  105  passes through the blocking position on the chute discharge port  115 , as indicated by two-dot chain lines in  FIGS. 13 and 19  and illustrated in  FIG. 27 , all the particulate materials  203  dropping toward the chute discharge port  115  are blocked. The particulate materials  203  blocked by the second blocking body  105  move on the second blocking body  105  and the bottom plate  112  and are introduced into the recovery path  106  on the lower side in the inclination direction. The particulate materials  203  discharged from the chute discharge port  115  are sequentially dropped and fed onto the first sheet  201  wound around the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70 . 
     The second sheet feeding unit  150  disposed on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the particulate material feeding device  100  feeds a continuous belt-shaped second sheet  202  made of a liquid pervious nonwoven fabric in the rotation direction of the anvil roll  70  along the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70 . The second sheet feeding unit  150  includes various devices such as a guide roll and a drive roll in a path from the material roll (not illustrated) of the second sheet  202  to the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70 . In the illustrated embodiment, the guide plate  151 , which approaches the vicinity of the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70  in the tangential direction, is disposed, and the second sheet  202  passes over the guide plate  151 , is folded back at its tip, and is fed in the rotation direction along the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70 . Therefore, the tip end of the guide plate  151  is an arcuate surface of a curved surface extending along the guiding direction of the second sheet  202 . 
     The welding unit  160  is not particularly limited as long as it welds the first sheet  201  and the second sheet  202 . In addition to using the ultrasonic horn  160  of the ultrasonic welding apparatus as indicated in the embodiment of  FIG. 12 , a heating roll  161  may be used as indicated in the embodiment of  FIG. 17 . 
     In the manufacturing, as illustrated in  FIGS. 13 and 21 , the first sheet  201  is supplied to the anvil roll  70  by the first sheet feeding unit  80 , and the receiving recesses  201   c  are sequentially formed in the first sheet  201  by the recess forming unit  90 . In this case, by forming the receiving recesses  201   c  by a push-in roll as indicated in the illustrated embodiment, the receiving recesses  201   c  are formed more firmly as compared with the case where the receiving recesses  201   c  are formed by suction, and therefore it is preferable since the particulate materials  203  easily drop into each receiving recess  201   c  when the particulate materials are fed. Prior to the feeding of the first sheet  201  to the anvil roll  70 , if the first sheet  201  is pretreated by the wave-forming device  81  as indicated in the illustrated embodiment, it is softened and becomes stretchable by the change in the fiber structure due to stretching of the first sheet  201 . Therefore, in addition to further firmly forming the receiving recesses  201   c  in forming the receiving recesses  201   c , the first sheet  201  is firmly sucked into the concaves  71  by suction such that the first sheet  201  becomes to have a surface shape easier to drop in the receiving recesses  201   c , and thus it is preferable. To what extent the receiving recess  201   c  are formed by the push-in roll and to what extent the wave-forming is performed can be determined as appropriate, but in the usual case, it is desirable that the pushing depth  91   d  of the first sheet  201  by the push-in pin  91  be 2 to 10 mm, the wave height  81   h  in wave-forming by the wave-forming device  81  be 1 to 8 mm, and the peak-to-peak interval  81   d  of the adjacent waves in the CD be 1 to 5 mm 
     The first sheet  201  on which the receiving recesses  201   c  is formed is rotated to the feeding position of the next particulate material feeding device  100  while being wound around the anvil roll  70 . At this time, since the concaves  71  are located in the suction compartment  55 G from the stage of forming the receiving recesses  201   c , and the concaves  71  are continuously sucked, the receiving recesses  201   c  are firmly held in the concaves  71  while the receiving recesses remain their formed shapes. The sucking is continued at least to the second sheet  202  feeding position, preferably to the welding position. As illustrated in  FIGS. 13 and 22 , the particulate materials  203  are dropped and fed to each receiving recess  201   c  of the first sheet  201  from the particulate material feeding device  100 . The particulate materials  203  can be continuously fed or intermittently fed in at least a part in the CD. 
     With respect to the first sheet  201  in which the particulate materials  203  are fed to the receiving recesses  201   c , as illustrated in  FIGS. 13 and 23 , the second sheet  202  is immediately wound around the outside of the first sheet  201  by the second sheet feeding unit  150 , and the CD range having at least the receiving recess  201   c  of the first sheet  201  is covered with the second sheet  202 . While the first sheet  201  and the second sheet  202  are wound around the anvil roll  70 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 13 and 24 , by the welding unit  160 , portions among the receiving recesses  201   c  of the first sheet  201  and the second sheet  202  are immediately welded and bonded at sites of the dot-shaped projections  72  on the anvil roll  70  to sequentially form a continuous series  200  of the absorbers  50  in which a large number of the cells  55  containing the particulate materials  203  are arranged. After delivering the continuous series  200  of the absorbers  50  from the anvil roll  70 , it is cut into individual absorbers  50  at intervals in the MD by a cutting device (not illustrated). 
     The projections  72  of the anvil roll  70  can be formed in an appropriate pattern, but as illustrated in  FIGS. 14A and 14B , the dot-shaped projections  72  in each of which the area of the tip end surface is 8 mm.sup.2 or less (larger than 0 mm.sup.2) and the width  72 W in the direction orthogonal to the direction surrounding each concave  71  is 4 mm or less (longer than 0 mm) are arranged in only one row at intervals  72 D in the direction surrounding each concave  71 . The peripheral edge of each receiving recess  201   c  in the first sheet  201  preferably coincides with the edges on the receiving recess  201   c  side of the dot-shaped projections  72  surrounding the each receiving recess  201   c . The projections  72  are provided for forming the bonded portions  54  in a product, and their arrangement and dimension can be made almost the same as the bonded portions  54  in the product. 
     In this way, on the outer peripheral surface of the anvil roll  70  for bonding the first sheet  201  and the second sheet  202  by welding, prior to bonding, formation of the receiving recesses  201   c  of the first sheet  201 , feeding of the particulate materials  203 , and covering with the second sheet  202  are performed. At least from feeding of the particulate materials  203  to covering with the second sheet  202 , a basic mode is carried out where the inside of each concave  71  of the anvil roll  70  is suctioned. As illustrated in  FIGS. 14A and 14B and 22 , the projections  72  of the anvil roll  70  are intentionally set to small dot-shaped projections  72  and for each concave  71 , arranged in one row at intervals in the direction surrounding the concave  71  in the portion among the concaves  71 . The peripheral edge of each receiving recess  201   c  in the first sheet  201  coincides with the edges on the receiving recess  201   c  side of the dot-shaped projections  72  surrounding the receiving recess  201   c . In this case, since the projections  72  have small dot shapes, it is basically difficult for the particulate materials  203  to be placed on the positions overlapping with the projections  72  of the anvil roll  70  in the first sheet  201 . In addition, since the receiving recesses  201   c  formed in the first sheet  201  become the receiving recesses  201   c  which are inclined from the inner edges  72   e  of the projections  72  surrounding the concaves  71 , the particulate materials  203  easily drop in the receiving recesses  201   c  by suction force indicated by the dotted arrows in  FIG. 22 , and the particulate materials  203  in the receiving recesses  201   c  are likely to move to deeper positions. Furthermore, for each receiving recess  201   c , in the portion between each pair of the dot-shaped projections  72  adjacent to each other in the direction surrounding the concave  71 , the first sheet is inclined toward the low point at the center of the adjacent projections and inclined toward the receiving recesses  201   c  on the both sides of the portion (like a ridge of connected mountains), such that the particulate materials  203  positioned in the dot-shaped projections  72  or in the vicinity thereof are more likely to move toward the inside of the receiving recesses  201   c  by the suction force. Therefore, when the first sheet  201  and the second sheet  202  are bonded by welding in a simple technique of changing the pattern of the projections  72  of the anvil roll  70 , which makes it harder for the particulate materials  203  to get caught between the sheets at the bonded portions  54 , and bonding failure of the sheets can be effectively prevented. 
     Although the feeding position by the particulate material feeding device  100  is adjusted appropriately, as illustrated in  FIG. 13 , it is desirable that the particulate materials  203  be dropped within a range in which the rotation angle.theta.1 with the vertically upward direction as 0.degree. is 30.degree. or more (more preferably 45.degree. or more) in the rotation direction of the anvil roll  70 , and the angle.theta.2 formed by the horizontal plane and the ridge line positioned on the most downstream side in the rotation direction of the receiving recess  201   c  of the first sheet  201  is 0.degree. or more (more preferably 10.degree. or more). When the particulate materials  203  are dropped and fed onto the first sheet  201  at such a position, even if the particulate materials  203  drop to a position corresponding to the projection  72  of the anvil roll  70  in the first sheet  201 , the particulate materials are likely to drop on the downstream side in the rotation direction, such that the particulate materials  203  do not easily stay at the position corresponding to the projection  72 . Further, the receiving recess  201   c  is oriented sideways, which makes difficult to cause a situation in which the particulate materials  203  in the receiving recess  201   c  move to the position corresponding to the projection  72  of the anvil roll  70 . 
     In addition, when the above-described particulate material feeding device  100  is used, it is possible to feed the following particulate materials  203 . That is, when the feeding position of the particulate material feeding device  100  is positioned in the intermediate portion in the MD between the receiving recesses  201   c  overlapping with each pair of the planned-cutting-positions into the individual absorbers  50  in the first sheet  201 , the timing for the first blocking body  104  to intermittently enter the first blocking position is set so as to block feeding of the particulate materials  203  by the first blocking body  104 . When the feeding position of the particulate material feeding device  100  includes the receiving recesses  201   c  overlapping with the planned-cutting-position into the individual absorbers  50  in the first sheet  201 , the timing for the second blocking body  105  to enter the second blocking position is set so as to block feeding of the particulate materials  203  by the second blocking body  105 . As a result, as illustrated in  FIG. 28 , in the continuous series  200  of the absorbers  50  to be manufactured, the cells  55  overlapping with each pair of the planned-cutting-positions  210  to the individual absorbers  50  are the empty cells  56  containing no particulate materials  203  including the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 , and therefore it is possible to prevent shortening the life of a blade of the cutting device. Also, in the continuous series  200  of the absorbers  50 , the cells  55  at the positions  220  along the legs on the both sides in the intermediate portion in the front-back direction LD are also the empty cells  56  containing no particulate materials  203  including the superabsorbent polymer particles  53 . Therefore, the portions are less swollen even after absorption, and even after the absorption, the absorber  50  is shaped to fit around the legs. 
     &lt;Others&gt; 
     Although the particulate material feeding device  100  of the above example is used for feeding the particulate materials  203  including the superabsorbent polymer particles in manufacturing the cell absorbers  50 , it can be also used in the case where layers of particles such as superabsorbent polymer particles are laminated on the assembly of pulp fibers, a sheet of a nonwoven fabric or the like. Further, the particulate material feeding device  100  of the above example can be used in the case of using particulate materials other than superabsorbent polymer particles such as deodorant particles instead of or together with the superabsorbent polymer particles, in the case of the particulate materials  203  that can be dropped and fed, and it can be generally applied to the feeding of the particulate materials  203 . 
     Explanation of Terms Used Herein 
     In the case where the following terms are used in the specification, those have the following meanings unless otherwise specified in the specification. 
     “Machine direction (MD)” and “cross direction (CD)” mean the flow direction (MD) in a manufacturing facility and the lateral direction (CD) orthogonal to the flow direction, and either one is the front-back direction of a product, and the other is the width direction of the product. The MD of a nonwoven fabric is the direction of fiber orientation of the nonwoven fabric. “Fiber orientation” is a direction along which a fiber of a nonwoven fabric runs and determined by, for example, a measurement method in accordance with the fiber orientation test method based on the zero span tensile strength of TAPPI T481 and a simple measurement method for determining the direction of the fiber orientation from the ratio of the tensile strength in the front-back direction to the width direction. 
     “Spread state” means a flatly spread state without contraction or slack. 
     “Stretch rate” means the value when the natural length is taken as 100%. 
     “Artificial urine” is prepared by mixing urea: 2 wt %, sodium chloride: 0.8 wt %, calcium chloride dihydrate: 0.03 wt %, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate: 0.08 wt %, and ion exchanged water: 97.09 wt %, and those are used at a temperature of 40.degree. C. unless otherwise specified. 
     “Gel strength” is measured as follows: 1.0 g of superabsorbent polymers are added to 49.0 g of artificial urine and the mixture is stirred with a stirrer. The resulting gel is left for three hours in a thermohygrostat bath at 40.degree. C., 60% RH and then cooled to room temperature. The gel strength of the gel is measured with Curdmeter (MAX ME-500, manufactured by I. Techno Engineering Co., Ltd). 
     “Basis weight” is measured as follows. After the sample or test piece is preliminarily dried, it is allowed to stand in a test room or apparatus under normal conditions (the test location is at a temperature: 20.+−0.5.degree. C., relative humidity: 65% or less) until the constant mass. The preliminary drying is to make the sample or test piece be constant mass in an environment within a relative humidity of 10 to 25% and at a temperature not exceeding 50.degree. C. The fibers of an official moisture regain of 0.0% does not need preliminary drying. A cut sample with a size of 200 mm by 250 mm (.+−0.2 mm) is cut from the test piece in the constant mass, with a cutting template (200 mm.times.250 mm, .+−0.2 mm). The sample is weighed and the weight is multiplied by 20 into the weight per square meter. The resulting value is defined as the basis weight. “Thickness” is automatically measured under the conditions of a load of 10 gf/cm.sup.2 in a pressurized area of 2 cm.sup.2 using an automatic thickness measuring device (KES-G5 handy compression tester). 
     “Water absorption capacity” is measured according to JIS K7223-1996 “Testing method for water absorption capacity of super absorbent polymers”. 
     “Water absorption rate” is the “time that elapses before the end point” measured in accordance with JIS K7224-1996 “Testing method for water absorption rate of super absorbent polymers” has been carried out using 2 g of superabsorbent polymers and 50 g of physiological saline solution. 
     When environmental conditions in tests and measurements are not described, the tests and measurements shall be carried out in a test room or apparatus under normal conditions (the test location is at a temperature: 20.+−0.5.degree. C., relative humidity: 65% or less). 
     The dimension of each part means the dimension in the spread state, not the natural length state, unless otherwise stated. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
         
           
               11  liquid impervious sheet 
               12  outer sheet 
               12 T target sheet 
               13  fastening tape 
               13 A engagement portion 
               13 B tape main unit section 
               13 C tape attaching portion 
               30  top sheet 
               40  intermediate sheet 
               60  three-dimensional side gather 
               62  gather sheet 
               50  absorber 
               51  front surface side sheet 
               51   c  recess 
               52  back surface side sheet 
               53  superabsorbent polymer particles 
               54  bonded portion 
               54   a  strong bonded portion 
               54   b  weak bonded portion 
               54   c  edge bonded portion 
               55  cell 
               55 G compartment 
             WD width direction 
               56  empty cell 
               70  anvil roll 
               71  concave 
               72  projection 
               80  first sheet feeding unit 
               81  wave-forming device 
               82  groove roll 
               83  convex roll 
               90  recess forming unit 
               91  push-in pin 
               100  particulate material feeding device 
               150  second sheet feeding unit 
               151  guide plate 
               160  welding unit 
               201  first sheet 
               202  second sheet 
               201   c  receiving recess 
               203  particulate materials 
               101  particulate material storage tank 
               102  delivery device 
               103  chute 
               104 ,  105  blocking body 
               104  first blocking body 
               105  second blocking body 
               106  recovery path 
               121  chute feeding port 
               115  chute discharge port 
               116  partition plate 
               210  cutting position