Patent Abstract:
Here is disclosed a disposable pull-on wearing article improved so that a body fluid absorbent core may be curved about a crotch region toward front and rear waist regions without forming thick creases creating a feeling of discomfort against a wearer, and wherein a concavity bulging downward may be quickly formed in the crotch region as the core is curved. 
     The article includes a body fluid absorbent core which includes a first core lying on a transverse middle of a crotch region and a pair of second cores lying on both sides of the first core. Front and rear end portions of the respective second cores are spaced apart from the first core by slit-like gaps and intermediate portions extending between the front and rear end portions are contiguous to the first core. Outer side edges of the respective second cores are formed with laid down V-shape cutouts.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to disposable pull-on wearing articles useful in the form of disposable pull-on diapers, disposable pants for incontinent patient, disposable training pants or the like. 
     An invention aiming to provide a good fit wherein a crotch region of disposable wearing articles such as disposable diapers can be placed against a wearer&#39;s crotch region is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1997-173381 (Citation 1). In the diaper according to this disclosure, an absorbent panel comprises a first absorbent section laid at a longitudinally middle zone of the diaper and a pair of second absorbent sections laid along transversely opposite side edges of the crotch region and respectively spaced apart from the first absorbent section. Each of the second absorbent sections is formed along its side edge facing away from the first absorbent section with three-dimensional gathers. The crotch region of the diaper, when put on a wearer, presents a sectional shape as illustrated by  FIG. 10  (corresponding to FIG. 4 in Citation 1). The diaper illustrated by  FIG. 10  has the first absorbent section  104 , the second absorbent sections  105  and the three-dimensional gathers  106 . The second absorbent sections  105  rise up along the respective side edges of the first absorbent section  104  as the three-dimensional gathers  106  rise up and, in consequence, these first absorbent section  104 , second absorbent sections  105 , and the three-dimensional gathers  106  cooperate with one-another to form a concavity  107  bulging downward in the crotch region. This concavity  107  is available as a temporary retention space for urine discharged by the wearer until urine is completely absorbed by the absorbent panel. 
     An absorbent garment disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2548718 (Citation 2) also aims to provide a good fit wherein the crotch region of the garment can be placed against a wearer&#39;s crotch region. This garment has an absorbent panel and a fastening means. The absorbent panel is formed along its transversely opposite side edges with open cutouts. In a vicinity of these cutouts, the absorbent panel is provided with elastic members, and a contractile force of these elastic members deforms the absorbent panel so as to close openings of the respective cutouts. Such deformation ensures that the absorbent panel well conforms with a wearer&#39;s crotch region and a concavity bulging downward is formed in the crotch region of the garment. 
     The diaper disclosed in Citation 1 intends to facilitate the transversely opposite lateral zones of the absorbent panel in the crotch region, i.e., the second absorbent sections  105 , to be deformed in the transverse direction by dividing the absorbent panel into the first absorbent section  104  and the second absorbent sections  105 . However, upon such deformation, the absorbent panel is compressed in the longitudinal direction, describing a circular arc in the back-and-forth direction of the wearing article and forming a plurality of distinct creases. Consequently, the absorbent panel becomes bulky as the wearing article is put on the wearer in the crotch region, and such bulkiness may obstruct free movement of the wearer&#39;s legs and/or deteriorate an appearance of the article when worn by the wearer. In addition, to put the article illustrated in this Citation 1 on the wearer, the waist regions and the leg-surrounding regions should be placed closely against the wearer&#39;s corresponding regions to position the article relative to the wearer&#39;s body and then the front and rear waist regions should be connected together using fastener tapes. After the article has been put on the wearer in this manner, the crotch region may often be deformed in an inverted V-shape along the wearer&#39;s crotch region and the concavity  107  illustrated by  FIG. 10  cannot be formed until after the crotch region has been gripped and pulled downward with the fingers. According to the disclosure of Citation 1, both the first absorbent section  104  and the second absorbent sections  105  are sandwiched between a liquid-pervious topsheet  101  and a liquid-impervious backsheet  102 , and in boundary regions between the first and second absorbent sections  104 ,  105 , these sheets  101 ,  102  are placed upon and bonded integrally. However, if any quantity of pulp particles and/or super-absorbent polymer particles is present in those boundary regions, it may be difficult or impossible to put the top- and backsheets  101 ,  102  in close contact with each other and to bond them together using adhesives or welding techniques, due to the presence of those particles. In the case of the absorbent panel having the top- and backsheets  101 ,  102  not properly bonded together in the vicinity of the first absorbent section  104  and/or second absorbent sections  105 , the first absorbent section  4  and the second absorbent sections  105 , particularly the second absorbent sections  105  each having a relatively small size are apt to get out of their predetermined shapes. 
     The garment disclosed in Citation 2 is also of the open-type and, similarly to the article disposed in Citation 1, it is difficult for the absorbent panel to be deformed so that the openings of the respective cutouts may be reliably closed, and it is also difficult for the crotch region to be formed with the concavity. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable pull-on wearing article improved so that a body fluid absorbent core may be curved about a crotch region toward front and rear waist regions without forming thick creases creating a feeling of discomfort against a wearer and a concavity bulging downward may be quickly formed in the crotch region as the core is curved. 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a disposable pull-on wearing article having a front waist region, a rear waist region, a crotch region and a body fluid absorbent panel extending over the crotch region further into the front and rear waist regions and the body fluid absorbent panel has a longitudinal direction extending toward the front and rear waist regions and a transverse direction crossing the longitudinal direction. 
     The body fluid absorbent panel comprises a body fluid absorbent core having an inner surface facing a wearer&#39;s skin and an outer surface facing away from the wearer&#39;s skin and a liquid-pervious sheet covering at least the inner surface of these inner and outer surfaces and facing the wearer&#39;s skin; a portion of the core lying in at least the crotch region of those front waist region, rear waist region and crotch region comprising a first core lying on a middle as viewed in the transverse direction and a pair of second cores lying on both sides of the first core; the second cores respectively have front end portions, rear end portions and intermediate portions extending between these front and rear end portions as viewed in the longitudinal direction; the front and rear end portions are spaced apart from the first core by front and rear pairs of slit-like gaps formed between the first core and respective the second cores and extending generally in the longitudinal direction and the intermediate portions are contiguous to the first core; the second cores are formed along the transversely opposite outer side edges thereof with laid down V-shape cutouts diverging outward from the transversely opposite outer side edges; and the body fluid absorbent panel is provided in a vicinity of the outer side edges with elastic members extending in a stretched state in the longitudinal direction. 
     According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the elastic members include at least one pair of thread- or ribbon-like elastomer extending across the cutouts in the longitudinal direction along the outer side edges. 
     According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the core has its inner and outer surfaces wrapped with a liquid absorbent and spreading sheet and sections of the liquid absorbent and spreading sheet respectively covering the inner and outer surfaces are not bonded together in the slit-like gaps. 
     According to still another preferred embodiment of the invention, the article further comprises an outer cover having a resistance against permeation of body fluids and serving as a chassis for the absorbent panel so that the absorbent panel extends over the crotch region and further extends into the front and rear waist regions on the outer cover. The outer cover may be of annular configuration. 
     The disposable pull-on wearing article according to the present invention is primarily characterized in that the body fluid absorbent core comprises, as viewed in the transverse direction of the crotch region, the center core and the lateral cores lying on both sides of the center core and the center core and lateral cores are spaced apart one from another by the pairs of slit-like gaps formed at the zones of the core placed aside toward the front waist region and the rear waist region, respectively, but are contiguous one to another in the section defined by these pairs of slit-like gaps. This novel article is further characterized by the laid down V-shape cutouts formed on the outer side edges of the respective lateral cores so that a contractile force of the elastic members provided in the vicinity of the outer side edges of the respective lateral cores may cause the lateral cores to rise up on both sides of the center cores whereby to form the creaseless barrier walls and cooperates with the center core to form the concavity bulging downward in the crotch region. The lateral cores are partially contiguous to the center core and thereby have their positions relative to the center core reliably stabilized. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partially cutaway perspective view depicting a disposable pull-on diaper; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially cutaway plan view depicting the diaper of  FIG. 1  as longitudinally developed; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of an outer cover; 
         FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway plan view depicting an absorbent panel; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  depicting an alternative embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating an example of prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Details of the disposable pull-on wearing article according to the present invention will be more fully understood from the description of a pull-on diaper, one of preferred embodiments, given hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     In  FIG. 1  is a partially cutaway perspective view depicting a disposable pull-on diaper  1 . A diaper  1  is of pull-on or pants-type and preferably comprises an outer cover  2  having a resistance to permeation of body fluids and a body fluid absorbent panel  3  adapted for absorption and containment of body fluids. The term “resistance” used herein means that the outer cover  2  is absolutely or substantially impervious to body fluids during actual use of the diaper  1 . The outer cover  2  comprises an inner sheet  2   a  and an outer sheet  2   b  which are identical to each other in size as well as in shape and placed upon each other and bonded together so as to define a front waist region  6 , a rear waist region  7  and a crotch region  8 . The front and rear waist regions  6 ,  7  are put flat together along respective pairs of transversely opposite side edges  12 ,  13  and bonded together at a plurality of spots  4  arranged intermittently in a vertical direction so as to form the diaper  1  with a waist-hole  9  and a pair of leg-holes  11 . Along a peripheral edge of the waist-hole  9 , a plurality of first waist elastic members  14  are interposed between the inner and outer sheets  2   a ,  2   b  and bonded in a stretched state to the inner surface of at least one of these two sheets  2   a ,  2   b . Along peripheral edges of the respective leg-holes  11 , a plurality of first leg elastic members  16   a  go approximately half around the one leg-hole  11  on its front side, then extend across the crotch region  8  and go approximately half around the other leg-hole  11  on its front side while a plurality of second leg elastic members  16   b  go approximately half around the one leg-hole  11  on its rear side, then extend across the crotch region  8  and go approximately half around the other leg-hole  11  on its rear side. These leg elastic members  16   a ,  16   b  are interposed between the inner and outer sheets  2   a ,  2   b  and bonded to the inner surface of at least one of these two sheets  2   a ,  2   b . The first leg elastic members  16   a  and the second leg elastic members  16   b  are in a stretched state at least along partial length thereof going halfway around the respective leg-holes. Below the respective leg-holes  11 , the first and second leg elastic members  16   a ,  16   b  may cross each other as illustrated or may extend across the crotch region so as to get nearer one to another but not cross each other. The front and rear waist regions  6 ,  7  are provided between the first waist elastic members  14 , on one hand, and the first and second leg elastic members  16   a ,  16   b , on the other hand, with a plurality of second waist elastic members  17  spaced one from another in vertical direction and extend in parallel one to another around the waist-surrounding direction. These second waist elastic members  17  are laid on the inner surface of the outer sheet  2   b  and, in the vicinity of the transversely opposite side edges  12 ,  13 , interposed between the inner and outer sheets  2   a ,  2   b  and bonded in a stretched state to at least one of these sheets  2   a ,  2   b.    
       FIG. 2  is a partially cut away plan view depicting the diaper  1  of  FIG. 1  with the front and rear waist regions  6 ,  7  disconnected from each other at the spots  4  and developed forward and rearward, respectively, as indicated by arrows P, Q in  FIG. 1 . The outer cover  2  is generally hourglass-shaped and having the inner and outer sheets  2   a ,  2   b  bonded to each other by means of hot melt adhesives (not shown) intermittently applied on one of these two sheets  2   a ,  2   b . The outer cover  2  has its width bisected by a longitudinal center line A-A and its length bisecting by a transverse center line B-B. As viewed in  FIG. 2 , the longitudinal center line A-A extends over the crotch region  8  and further into the front and rear waist regions  6 ,  7 . The absorbent panel  3  is shaped in a rectangle extending over the crotch region  8  and further into the front and rear waist regions  6 ,  7  and has a longitudinal direction defined by the longitudinal center line A-A and a transverse direction defined by the transverse center line B-B. The width of the absorbent panel  3  is bisected by the longitudinal center line A-A. The absorbent panel  3  is formed along its transversely opposite side edges with barrier cuffs  21 , respectively, which are elastically contractible in the longitudinal direction, i.e., parallel to the longitudinal center line A-A. The first waist elastic members  14  on the outer cover  2  extend in the waist-surrounding direction (in the transverse direction as viewed in  FIG. 2 ) without intersecting the absorbent panel  3 , while the second waist elastic members  17  extend in the waist-surrounding direction across the absorbent panel  3 . The first and second leg elastic members  16   a ,  16   b  extend across the absorbent panel  3  in the crotch region  8  (See  FIG. 3  also). The absorbent panel  3  is bonded at its transversely middle zone and its longitudinally opposite ends to the outer cover  2  by means of hot melt adhesives  62 . The zones coated with hot melt adhesives  62  are indicated by broken lines (See  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7  also). Such diaper  1  shown by  FIG. 2  is configured symmetrically about the longitudinal center line A-A. 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view depicting the outer cover  2  of  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 3 , the first and second waist elastic members  14 ,  17  as well as the first and second leg elastic members  16   a ,  16   b  interposed between the inner sheet  2   a  and the outer sheet  2   b  are indicated by chain lines and the absorbent panel  3  is indicated by chain double-dashed line. 
       FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway plan view depicting the absorbent panel  3  of  FIG. 2 , in which the outer cover  2  is indicated by chain double-dashed line. The absorbent panel  3  comprises a liquid-pervious upper sheet  31 , a liquid-impervious lower sheet  32  and a body fluid absorbent core  33  interposed between these two sheets  31 ,  32 . The core  33  is entirely wrapped with a liquid-absorbent and spreading sheet  70  having a body fluid absorbent property and a body fluid spreading property, for example, a tissue paper (See  FIGS. 5 and 6  also). The core  33  comprises a center core  36  extending on the longitudinal center line A-A from the crotch region  8  into the front and rear waist regions  6 ,  7  so as to gradually diverge, and left and right lateral cores  37  lying on both sides of the center core  36  in the crotch region  8 , including a crossing zone of the longitudinal center line A-A and the transverse center line B-B. The center core  36  and the lateral cores  37  are partially spaced apart one from another by a pair of front slits  38  extending generally in the longitudinal direction, describing curved arcs which are convex toward the longitudinal center line A-A and a pair of rear slits  39  similar to the front slits  38 . Center core  36  and lateral cores  37  are contiguous one to another at a contiguous zone  40  defined between inner ends  38   a ,  39   a  of these slits  38 ,  39 . Each of the lateral cores  37  has inner edges  41  opposed to the center core  36  with the slits  38 ,  39  therebetween, an outer edge  42  extending in the longitudinal direction and defining a part of the outermost side edge of the core  33 , and cutouts  43  formed in a portion of the crotch region  8  located toward the front waist region  6 , each describing a V-shape tapered from the outer side edge  42  toward the longitudinal center line A-A. The inner edges  41  intersect the outer side edge  42  to define a front end  37   a  and a rear end  37   b  of the lateral core  37 . An intermediate portion  37   c  extends between these front and rear ends  37   a ,  37   b  and defines the contiguous zone  40 . In the preferred core  33 , the respective slits  38 ,  39  have lengths L 1 , L 2  extending parallel to the longitudinal center line A-A in a range of 10 to 200 mm, widths in a range of 3 to 15 mm, and a distance between the inner ends  38   a ,  39   a , i.e., preferably in a range of 10 to 300 mm. The absorbent panel  3  including such core  33  is provided in a vicinity of the respective outer side edges  42  of the lateral cores  37  with crotch elastic members  46  extending along the outer side edges  42  in the longitudinal direction. The crotch elastic members  46  preferably comprise a plurality of, for example, first through fourth crotch elastic members  46   a  through  46   d  and at least one of these elastic members  46 , for example, the first crotch elastic member  46   a  extends across the cutouts  43  as illustrated. Details of these crotch elastic members  46   a  through  46   d  are illustrated by  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7 . 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in  FIG. 4 , in which a part of the outer cover  2  is indicated by chain double-dashed line. The upper sheet  31  covers the upper surface of the core  33  comprising the center core  36  and the pair of lateral cores  37 , then extends outward beyond transversely opposite side edges of the core  33 . Transversely opposite lateral portions  31   a  of the upper sheet  31  extending outward beyond the side edges of the core  33  are folded inward so as to be overlapped and bonded to each other by means of hot melt adhesives (not shown). The lower sheet  32  comprises a first lower sheet  32   a  covering the lower surface of the center core  36  as well as parts of the lower surfaces of the respective lateral cores  37  and a pair of second lower sheets  32   b  covering parts of the lower surfaces of the respective lateral cores  37  and extending outward beyond the respective outer side edges  42 . Portions  48  of the respective second lower sheets  32   b  extending outward beyond the respective outer side edges  42  of the lateral cores  37  are folded inward and form parts of the respective barrier cuffs  21 . Cover sheets  49  made of a nonwoven fabric are bonded to the lower surfaces of the respective second lower sheets  32   b . Each of the cover sheets  49  is folded inward along a top edge  51  of the barrier cuff  21  and extends to a proximal edge  52  of the barrier cuff  21  so as to form inner and outer surfaces of the barrier cuff  21 . Each of the barrier cuffs  21  contains an elastic member  54  inside its top edge  51  and an elastic member  56  inside its middle  53  defined between the top edge  51  and the proximal edge  52 . These elastic members  54 ,  56  extend in a stretched state in the longitudinal direction as viewed in  FIG. 4  and are bonded intermittently in the longitudinal direction to the inner surface of the cover sheet  49  by means of hot melt adhesives (not shown). In a vicinity of the outer side edges  42  of the lateral cores  37 , the crotch elastic members  46  are interposed between the second lower sheets  32   b  and the cover sheet  49 . The first and second crotch elastic members  46   a ,  46   b  constituting the crotch elastic members  46  underlie the respective lateral cores  37  and extend parallel to the longitudinal center line A-A (See  FIG. 4 ). The respective third crotch elastic members  46   c  lie between the respective lateral cores  37  and the proximal edges  52  of the respective barrier cuffs  21  and extend parallel to the longitudinal center line A-A. Finally, the respective fourth crotch elastic members  46   d  lie in a vicinity of the proximal edges  52  of the respective barrier cuffs  21  and extend parallel to the longitudinal center line A-A. 
     In each of the barrier cuffs  21 , a portion defined between the proximal edge  52  and the middle  53  is formed from the second lower sheet  32   b  and the cover sheet  49  covering both surfaces of the second lower sheet  32   b . The second lower sheet  32   b  serves to make the barrier cuff  21  liquid-impervious and the cover sheet  49  serves to cover the second lower sheet  32   b  and thereby to provide the barrier cuffs  21  with a comfortable touch. A portion of the barrier cuff  21  defined between the middle  53  and the top edge  51  is formed from the cover sheet  49  alone, i.e., the second lower sheet  32   k  is not used, in order to provide this portion with a touch as flexible as possible. The elastic member  56  at the middle  53  is placed aside from the elastic member  54  at the top edge  51  toward the longitudinal center line A-A. Both the elastic member  54  and the elastic member  56  are bonded in a stretched state to the cover sheet  49  so that a contractile force of these elastic members may cause the barrier cuff  21  to rise up as illustrated. While a particular height by which the barrier cuff  21  rises up depends on particular contraction percentages of these elastic members  54 ,  56 , the barrier cuff  21  describes a V-shape diverging outward in the transverse direction of the absorbent panel  3  as it rises up, because the elastic member  56  at the middle  53  is placed aside toward the longitudinal center line A-A. At the proximal edges  52  of the respective barrier cuffs  21 , the cover sheet  49  is bonded to the respective side edges  31   a  of the upper sheet  31  by means of adhesives  61 . The absorbent panel  3  shown in  FIG. 5  is bonded to the inner sheet  2   a  of the outer cover  2  by means of adhesives  62  applied on the first lower sheet  32   a , the second lower sheet  32   b , and/or cover sheet  49 . Preferably, the absorbent panel  3  is bonded to the inner sheet  2   a  in a region defined between each pair of the adjacent first crotch elastic members  46   a  in order to ensure that the absorbent panel  3  does not affect stretching and contraction of the crotch elastic members  46 . 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in  FIG. 4 . As illustrated, the center core  36  extends over a full width of the absorbent panel  3  and the barrier cuffs  21  rise up on the transversely opposite side edges of this center core  36 . 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in  FIG. 4 . The line VII-VII extends across a front end portion  3   a  of the absorbent panel  3  (See  FIG. 4 ). The core  33  is absent in this front end portion  3   a  and, along this front end portion  3   a , the upper sheet  31  and the lower sheet  32  are placed upon each other and bonded together by means of adhesives  63 . Along this front end portion  3   a , the respective barrier cuffs  21  are folded back and opposed sections of the respective barrier cuffs  21  are bonded together by means of adhesives  64  and, at the same time, the cover sheet  49  and the upper sheet  31  are bonded together by means of adhesives  64 . The absorbent panel  3  is bonded to the inner sheet  2   a  over its full width by means of adhesives  62 . A rear end portion  3   b  of the absorbent panel  3  presents the same cross-section as that of the front end portion  3   a.    
     In the pull-on diaper  1  of  FIG. 1  constructed as described above, the crotch elastic members  46  associated with the absorbent panel  3  and the elastic members  54 ,  56  associated with the barrier cuffs  21  contract as the absorbent panel  3  is curved about the crotch region  8  toward the front and rear waist regions  6 ,  7  generally in a U-shape. Contraction of the elastic members, particularly of the crotch elastic members  46  causes the lateral cores  37  to be deformed in a manner such that the V-shape described by each of the cutouts  43  as will be seen in  FIG. 4  becomes narrower, and simultaneously the absorbent panel  3  is folded along a line extending between the inner ends  38   a ,  39   a  of the respective slits  38 ,  39  in the contiguous zone  40  and front and rear pairs of slits  38 ,  39  whereby the outer side edges  42  rise up against a wearer&#39;s inguinal region. Each of the lateral cores  37  has its front and rear ends  37   a ,  37   b  spaced apart by the slits  38 ,  39  from the center core  36 . Such a unique arrangement allows the lateral core  37  to reduce widths of the respective cutouts  43  without being restrained by the center core  36  and thereby to reduce its longitudinal dimension along the longitudinal center line A-A. At the same time, such a unique arrangement facilitates the lateral zone  37  to rise up on the diaper  1 . While the upper and lower sheets  31 ,  32  are formed with creases in the cutouts  43  of the lateral core  37  as these cutouts  43  become narrower, the lateral core  37  itself is free or substantially free from the formation of such creases. Consequently, there is no anxiety that the lateral cores  37  of the absorbent panel  3  each having a relatively high stiffness might be formed with creases making the panel bulky and deteriorating a good fit of the panel  3  to a wearer as well as a feeling to wear the diaper. At least one of the first crotch elastic member  46   a  may extend across the cutouts  43  to reliably reduce the respective cutouts  43 . 
       FIG. 8  shows an important part of a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in  FIG. 1 , in which the diaper wearer&#39;s legs  80  are indicated by chain double-dashed line. The line VIII-VIII is coincident with the transverse center line B-B in  FIG. 2 . The barrier cuffs  21  in the crotch region  8  come in contact with inner sides of the respective legs  80 , the lateral cores  37  of the absorbent panel  3  rise and the center core  36  sags down as the diaper  1  is pulled upward along the legs  80  having been inserted through the respective leg-holes  11 . The diaper  1  further pulled upward until the outer side edges  42  of the respective lateral cores  37  come in contact from below with the wearer&#39;s inguinal region  81 . With the diaper  1  in this state, the lateral cores  37  serve as body fluid absorbent leak-barrier walls against body fluids and the center core  36  is formed in the crotch region  8  with a pocket-like concavity  82  defining a liquid-absorbent bottom. In other words, By adopting the absorbent panel  3  comprising the center core  36  and the lateral cores  37  for the pull-on diaper  1 , the concavity  82  is automatically formed without the formation of deep creases in the core  33  as the diaper  1  is put on the wearer. Particularly in the case of the adult diaper  1 , this concavity  82  is useful for temporary retention of a relatively large quantity of urine discharged by the wearer at once until such urine is completely absorbed by the core  33 . A quantity of urine absorbed by the center core  36  which is contiguous to the lateral cores  37  in the contiguous zone  40  can spread to the lateral cores  37 . Contiguousness of the center core  36  to the lateral cores  37  ensures that the positions of the respective lateral cores  37  relative to the center core  36  can be stabilized not only in the course of manufacturing the diaper  1  but also during actual use of the diaper  1 . While it is also possible to make the diaper with the center core  36  and the lateral cores  37  provided separately from each other, the relatively small sized lateral cores  37  are movable relative to the center core  36  and therefore it is difficult to stabilize the entire shape of the core  33 . On the contrary, in the absorbent panel  3  of the diaper  1  according to the present invention, the center core  36  is partially contiguous to the lateral cores  37 , without any positive bonding between the upper sheet  31  and the lower sheet  32  in the slits  38 ,  39 . Even when the inner and outer surfaces of the core  33  is wrapped with a liquid-absorbent and spreading sheet  70 , there is no positive bonding between sections of the sheet  70  lying on the inner and outer surfaces of the core  33  along the slits  38 ,  39 . Relative positions of these slits  38 ,  39  and the upper and lower sheets  31 ,  32  are exemplarily illustrated by  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  showing one preferred embodiment of the invention. The outer cover  2  of the diaper  1  shown by  FIG. 9  is an annular shape defined by the front waist region  6  and the rear waist region  7  respectively provided with the first waist elastic members  14  and the second waist elastic member  17 . This outer cover  2  has no crotch region. The crotch region  8  in such diaper  1  is formed by the body fluid absorbent panel  3  alone. The body fluid absorbent panel  3  lies on the inner surface of the outer cover  2  and extends over the crotch region  8  further into the front and rear waist regions  6 ,  7 . The outer cover  2  and the body fluid absorbent panel  3  are bonded to each other in the same manner as in the case illustrated by  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     In the diaper  1  according to the present invention, at least one cutout  43  of the absorbent panel  3  may be formed at an appropriate position along the outer side edge  42  of the lateral core  37 . Dimensions of the center core  36  in the longitudinal and transverse directions in the front and rear waist regions  6 ,  7  are not limited to those in the illustrated embodiment and may be appropriately varied. The upper sheet  31  may be formed from using a liquid-pervious nonwoven fabric or a liquid-pervious porous plastic film. The lower sheet  32  may be formed from using a liquid-impervious plastic film or a liquid-impervious nonwoven fabric. The cover sheet  49  covering the lower sheet  32  may be formed from using a breathable nonwoven fabric, a breathable water repellent nonwoven fabric, a liquid-impervious nonwoven fabric or the like. The core  33  may be formed using fluff pulp or a mixture of fluff pulp and super-absorbent polymer particles. Shape as well as structure of the outer cover  2  is not limited to those exemplarily illustrated and may be appropriately modified so far as it functions to hold the absorbent panel  3  in contact with the wearer&#39;s skin. For example, it is possible without departing from the scope of the invention to replace the first and second leg elastic members  16   a ,  16   b  shown in  FIG. 1  by continuous elastic members which fully go round the peripheral edges of the respective leg-holes  11 . Stock materials for the inner sheet  2   a  and the outer sheet  2   b  constituting the outer cover  2  may be selected from nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics and plastic films. Stock materials for the crotch elastic members  46  and the other elastic members may be selected from thread-like or ribbon-like various kinds of elastomers. Bonding of the different members constituting the diaper  1  may be achieved using suitable adhesives or suitable welding techniques. 
     While the present invention has been described above on the basis of an embodiment of the disposable pull-on diaper  1 , the present invention is applicable also to pants for incontinent patient, training pants or the like.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0