Patent Description:
It is known to use fastener members in disposable wearable articles such as paper diapers and adult incontinence products. For example, <FIG> is a perspective view of such a disposable wearable article <NUM>, and <FIG> is a plan view for illustrating the outer side thereof in a developed state. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, flap parts <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> extend from a front part <NUM> and a back part <NUM> to both sides of a crotch part <NUM> of an absorptive main body <NUM> in a around-torso direction illustrated with an arrow <NUM>. In the flap parts <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, fastener members <NUM> and <NUM> are disposed. For example, one fastener member <NUM> is a loop fastener, the other fastener member <NUM> is a hook fastener, and these fastener members <NUM> and <NUM> are overlaid with each other for fastening.

The fastener members <NUM> and <NUM> are disposed at a distance from tip ends in the around-torso direction of the flap parts <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. Thus, hard fastening surfaces of the fastener members <NUM> and <NUM> can be prevented from being touched when the fastener members <NUM> and <NUM> are fastened. Besides, the fastening between the fastener members <NUM> and <NUM> can be released by picking up portions, which protrude to the ends on the tip side in the around-torso direction beyond the fastener members <NUM>, of the flap parts <NUM> and <NUM> extending from the back part <NUM> (see, for example, Patent Literature <NUM>).

In such a configuration, when the flap part is made of a nonwoven fabric, a portion on the tip side in the around-torso direction of the flap part disposed beyond the fastener member may be folded to attach to the fastening surface of the fastener member, and thus, a part of the fastening surface of the fastener member may be covered. When the fastener members are fastened in this state, the fastening area is insufficient, which causes a problem of weak fastening power. In a hook fastener in particular, since a large number of hook portions are disposed therein, the nonwoven fabric of the tip end of the flap part may be caught by the hook portions in some cases.

In consideration of these circumstances, a problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a disposable wearable article that can ensure sufficient fastening power of a fastener member by suppressing folding of a portion protruding to the end on the tip side of a flap part beyond the fastener member of the flap part, and preventing the flap part from covering the fastener member.

The present invention provides a disposable wearable article having the following configuration for solving the above-described problem.

The disposable wearable article includes (a) an absorptive main body in which an absorber is disposed between a top sheet and a back sheet; (b) a pair of flap parts that are provided in one of a front part and a back part disposed on both side of a crotch part of the absorptive main body, and extend to both sides in a around-torso direction; and (c) a pair of fastener members that are respectively provided in the pair of flap parts at a distance from tip ends in the around-torso direction of the flap parts to be attachably and detachably joined to an opposing part provided in the absorptive main body. Each of the flap parts is made of a thermoplastic nonwoven fabric, and includes, in an extending part between the tip end of the flap part and the fastener member, a thermally-fused part having bending rigidity of the nonwoven fabric increased by thermally fusing the nonwoven fabric.

According to the above-described configuration, each flap part includes a thermally-fused part in a portion protruding to the end on the tip side in the around-torso direction beyond the fastener member, namely, the extending part. The thermally-fused part suppresses folding of the end on the tip side of the flap part. Thus, the end on the tip side in the around-torso direction (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "end on the tip side") of the flap part is prevented from covering a fastening surface of the fastener member, and thus, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member can be ensured.

The thermally-fused part may be formed in a whole region in the around-torso direction of the extending part, or may be formed in a partial region in the around-torso direction of the extending part.

Preferably, the thermally-fused part continuously extends from the extending part into a region of the flap part where the fastener member is disposed.

In this case, folding of the end on the tip side of the flap part beyond the fastener member can be suppressed at the base on the side of the fastener member. As a result, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member can be more definitely ensured.

Preferably, each of the flap parts includes the thermally-fused part in a plural number linearly extending at a right angle to the tip end of the flap part.

In this case, the thermally-fused part can be easily formed, and the disposable wearable article can be easily mass-produced.

Preferably, each of the flap parts includes the thermally-fused part formed in a lattice shape.

In this case, folding in all directions of the end on the tip side of the flap part is suppressed. As a result, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member can be more definitely ensured.

Preferably, each of the flap parts includes the thermally-fused part formed adjacent to a whole region between a first end and a second end, in a direction crossing the around-torso direction at a right angle, of the tip end of the flap part.

In this case, folding of the end on the tip side of the flap part is suppressed in the whole region along the tip end of the flap part. As a result, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member can be more definitely ensured.

A disposable wearable article of the present invention can suppress folding of a portion of a flap part protruding to the end on the tip side in a around-torso direction beyond a fastener member (extending part) to prevent the flap part from covering the fastener member, and thus, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member can be ensured.

Preferable embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is a plan view of the disposable wearable article <NUM>, and illustrates the skin surface side thereof in a developed state. As illustrated in <FIG>, in the disposable wearable article <NUM>, an absorptive main body <NUM> is joined to a flap member <NUM>.

Although not illustrated in the drawings, in the absorptive main body <NUM>, an absorber for absorbing a liquid is disposed between a liquid permeable top sheet and a liquid impermeable back sheet. The absorber is disposed centering around a crotch part 12b of the absorptive main body <NUM> to extend into a back part 12a and a front part 12c on both sides of the crotch part.

In the absorptive main body <NUM>, an opposing member <NUM> is provided on the other side of the top sheet of the absorptive main body <NUM>, namely, on the non-skin surface side. The opposing member <NUM> may be provided in one portion, or in a plurality of portions. The opposing member <NUM> covers a part or the whole of the non-skin surface side of the absorptive main body <NUM>, and is exposed to the non-skin surface side. The opposing member <NUM> forms an opposing part to which a fastener member <NUM> described below is attachably and detachably joined, and may be, for example, a loop fastener or the like, or a nonwoven fabric sheet or the like.

In the flap member <NUM>, a stretchable elastic member <NUM> is disposed between two thermoplastic nonwoven fabrics. The flap member <NUM> is folded in half along a fold line 14r between side edges 14n and <NUM> of the two nonwoven fabrics opposing each other, and extends in a around-torso direction 10x illustrated with an arrow 10x. In the flap member <NUM>, a cutout <NUM> corresponding to a leg opening is formed. The elastic member <NUM> is, for example, a thread rubber or the like, and extends in the around-torso direction 10x. <FIG> illustrates a state where the elastic member <NUM> is stretched.

To the center in the around-torso direction 10x of the flap member <NUM>, the back part 12a of the absorptive main body <NUM> is joined. The flap member <NUM> thus forms a pair of flap parts 14u provided on the back part 12a of the absorptive main body <NUM>, and extending to the both sides in the around-torso direction 10x. In this case, the opposing member <NUM> forming the opposing part is provided, for example, on the non-skin surface side of the front part 12c of the absorptive main body <NUM>.

Although not illustrated in the drawings, the front part 12c of the absorptive main body <NUM> may be joined to the center in the around-torso direction 10x of the flap member <NUM> instead of the back part 12a of the absorptive main body <NUM>. In this case, the pair of flap parts 14u are provided in the front part 12c of the absorptive main body <NUM>, and extend to the both sides in the around-torso direction 10x. The opposing member <NUM> forming the opposing part is provided, for example, on the non-skin surface side of the back part 12a of the absorptive main body <NUM>.

<FIG> is an enlarged view of an end portion in the around-torso direction 10x of the flap part 14u of the disposable wearable article <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, in the flap part 14u, a fastener member <NUM> is disposed at a distance from the tip end 14v in the around-torso direction 10x of the flap member <NUM>. The fastener member <NUM> is a hook-and-loop fastener, such as a hook fastener, to be attachably and detachably joined to the opposing member <NUM>. In use of the disposable wearable article <NUM>, the fastener member <NUM> is joined to the opposing member <NUM> so as to fasten the flap part 14u onto the front part 12c of the absorptive main body <NUM>.

The flap part 14u has a thermally-fused part <NUM> having bending rigidity of the nonwoven fabric increased by thermally fusing the nonwoven fabric of the flap member <NUM>. The thermally-fused part <NUM> is formed in an extending part 14p between the tip end 14v of the flap part 14u and the fastener member <NUM>, and is further formed to extend beyond the extending part 14p continuously into a region of the flap part 14u where the fastener member <NUM> is disposed. The thermally-fused part <NUM> may be formed only in the extending part 14p.

The extending part 14p disposed between the tip end 14v of the flap member <NUM> and the fastener member <NUM> is made of a nonwoven fabric, and hence is lack of stiffness and easily folded as it is, and therefore, may be folded to be overlaid on the fastening surface of the fastener member <NUM>, and remain to attach to the fastening surface of the fastener member <NUM> in some cases. When the fastener member <NUM> is fastened in this state, the fastening area is insufficient, which causes a problem of weak fastening power.

When the thermally-fused part <NUM> is formed in the extending part 14p, the rigidity of the extending part 14p is increased, and folding of the extending part 14p is suppressed. As a result, the extending part 14p disposed on the tip side of the flap part 14u is prevented from covering the fastening surface of the fastener member <NUM>, and thus, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member <NUM> can be ensured.

The thermally-fused part <NUM> may be formed to be adjacent to only a part of a region between a first end 14a and a second 14b in a direction perpendicular to the around-torso direction of the tip end 14v of the flap part 14u, but is preferably formed to be adjacent to the whole region as illustrated in the drawings. When the thermally-fused part <NUM> is formed to be adjacent to the whole region between the first end 14a and the second end 14b, folding of the end on the tip side of the flap part 14u is suppressed in the whole region along the tip end 14V of the flap part 14u. As a result, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member <NUM> can be more definitely ensured.

When the thermally-fused part <NUM> is continuously provided from the extending part 14p into the region where the fastener member <NUM> is disposed as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, folding of the extending part 14p disposed on the tip side of the flap part 14u is suppressed from the base of the extending part 14p. As a result, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member <NUM> can be more definitely ensured.

Next, processes for producing the disposable wearable article <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> and <FIG> are explanatory diagrams of the processes for producing the disposable wearable article <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a flap member continuous body 14x in which portions corresponding to the flap members <NUM> are connected to one another is prepared to be conveyed in the lengthwise direction. The flap member continuous body 14x is formed by disposing, between nonwoven fabric sheets, a continuous body of the elastic member <NUM> in a stretched state; mutually joining the nonwoven fabric sheets and the continuous body of the elastic member <NUM>; and then cutting the continuous body of the elastic member <NUM> at appropriate positions. After the cutting, the elastic member <NUM> in a stretched state is not disposed in a tip end planned region 14w that is planned to correspond to the tip end of the flap part 14u.

Next, as illustrated in <FIG>, when the flap member continuous body 14x under conveyance passes through a thermal fusion device, the center portion of the tip end planned region 14w is thermally fused to form a plurality of thermally-fused parts <NUM> extending linearly and in parallel to one another.

<FIG> is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the tip end planned region 14w. In <FIG>, a dash-dot line <NUM> corresponds to a cut planned position <NUM> in which the flap member continuous body 14x is planned to be cut, and a dash-dot-dot line corresponds to a fastener member disposition region <NUM> in which the fastener member <NUM> is planned to be fixed. The plural thermally-fused parts <NUM> cross, at a right angle, the cut planned position <NUM> to be continuous into the fastener member disposition regions <NUM> on both sides of the cut planned position <NUM>. In a subsequent step, the flap member continuous body 14x is cut in the cut planned position <NUM>, thereby forming a plurality of thermally fused parts <NUM> linearly extending, and having a right angle to the tip end 14v of the flap part 14u.

The thermally-fused parts <NUM> can be easily formed when the flap member continuous body 14x conveyed in the lengthwise direction passes through a thermal fusion device, and therefore, the disposable wearable article <NUM> can be easily mass-produced.

Subsequently, as illustrated in <FIG>, in the tip end planned region 14w of the flap member continuous body 14x, a pair of fastener members <NUM> are disposed on both sides of the cut planned position <NUM> at a distance from the cut planned position <NUM>, and are fixed by thermal fusion, adhesion or the like.

Subsequently, as illustrated in <FIG>, the absorptive main body <NUM> is fixed on the flap member continuous body 14x by thermal fusion, adhesion or the like. Although not illustrated in the drawing, the opposing member <NUM> is precedently provided on the absorptive main body <NUM>. Alternatively, after fixing the absorptive main body <NUM> on the flap member continuous body 14x, the opposing member <NUM> is provided on the absorptive main body <NUM>. It is noted that the stretchability of the elastic member <NUM> may be eliminated or reduced by cutting the continuous body of the elastic member <NUM> in a region where the absorptive main body <NUM> is fixed.

Subsequently, the flap member continuous body 14x is cut in the cut planned position <NUM> illustrated with the dash-dot line <NUM> in <FIG> to form individuals of the disposable wearable article <NUM>.

Through the processes described so far, the disposable wearable articles <NUM> can be successively formed.

<FIG> are explanatory diagrams of thermally-fused parts 18a to 18d of Modification Examples <NUM> to <NUM> of Example <NUM>. <FIG> are enlarged views, similar to <FIG>, of the vicinity of the tip end planned region 14w of the flap member continuous body 14x before cutting.

<Modification Example <NUM>> The thermally-fused parts 18a of Modification Example <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> are formed in a zigzag shape, and diagonally cross (at a non-right angle) the cut planned position <NUM> and the fastener member disposition region <NUM>. The thermally-fused parts 18a linearly extend between the cut planned position <NUM> and the fastener member disposition region <NUM> (namely, a region corresponding to the extending part 14p). When the flap member continuous body 14x is cut in the cut planned position <NUM>, the thermally-fused parts 18a are formed in a V-shape in the flap part 14u, and linearly extend in the extending part 14p.

<Modification Example <NUM>> The thermally-fused parts 18b of Modification Example <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> are formed in a further zigzag shape, and diagonally cross (at a non-right angle) the cut planned position <NUM> and the fastener member disposition region <NUM>. The thermally-fused parts 18b extend in a V-shape between the cut planned position <NUM> and the fastener member disposition region <NUM> (namely, a region corresponding to the extending part 14p). When the flap member continuous body 14x is cut in the cut planned position <NUM>, the thermally-fused parts 18b are formed in a W-shape in the flap part 14u, and extend in a V-shape in the extending part 14p.

<Modification Example <NUM>> The thermally-fused parts 18c of Modification Example <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> are formed in a lattice shape, and include a plurality of first linear portions extending in parallel to the cut planned position <NUM>, and a plurality of second linear portions crossing, at a right angle, the cut planned position <NUM>. The thermally-fused parts 18c in a lattice shape suppresses folding in all directions of the end on the tip side of the flap part 14u. As a result, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member <NUM> can be more definitely ensured.

<Modification Example <NUM>> The thermally-fused parts 18d of Modification Example <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> are formed in a diagonal lattice shape, and include a plurality of first and second linear portions diagonally crossing the cut planned position <NUM> and parallel to one another. Although the first and second linear portions cross each other at a right angle in the drawing, the first and second linear portions may be diagonally (at a non-right angle) cross each other. The thermally-fused parts 18d in a lattice shape suppresses folding in all directions of the end on the tip side of the flap part 14u. As a result, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member <NUM> can be more definitely ensured.

<Example <NUM>> A disposable wearable particle 10a of Example <NUM> will now be described with reference to <FIG> is a plan view of the disposable wearable article 10a.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in the disposable wearable article 10a, an adsorptive body <NUM> similar to that of Example <NUM> is joined to a flap member <NUM> in which a stretchable elastic member <NUM> is disposed between two thermoplastic nonwoven fabrics. Owing to the flap member <NUM>, a pair of first flap parts <NUM> extending to both sides in the around-torso direction are provided in a back part 12a of the absorptive main body <NUM>, and a pair of second flap parts <NUM> extending to the both sides in the around-torso direction are provided in a front part 12c of the absorptive main body <NUM>.

In the first flap parts <NUM>, a pair of fastener members <NUM> are respectively provided at a distance from tip ends 22v in the around-torso direction of the first flap parts <NUM>. The fastener members <NUM> are attachably and detachably joined to the second flap parts <NUM>. The second flap parts <NUM> are opposing parts provided on the absorptive main body <NUM>. In the second flap parts <NUM>, opposing members of a loop fastener or the like to be joined to the fastener members <NUM> of a hook fastener or the like may be provided. Each of the first flap parts <NUM> is made of a thermoplastic nonwoven fabric, and has, in an extending part <NUM> between the tip end 22v of the first flap part <NUM> and the fastener member <NUM>, a thermally-fused part <NUM> having bending rigidity of the nonwoven fabric increased by thermally fusing the nonwoven fabric. The thermally-fused part <NUM> extends, beyond the extending part <NUM>, continuously into a region where the fastener member <NUM> of the first flap part <NUM> is disposed. The thermally-fused part <NUM> may be formed only in the extending part <NUM>.

In the disposable wearable article 10a, the thermally-fused part <NUM> can suppress folding of the portion of the first flap part <NUM> protruding to the end on the tip side in the around-torso direction beyond the fastener member <NUM>, namely, the extending part <NUM>, and prevents the first flap part <NUM> from covering the fastener member <NUM>, and thus, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member <NUM> can be ensured.

In the disposable wearable article 10a of Example <NUM>, thermally-fused parts in a zigzag shape or lattice shape may be formed in the same manner as in Modification Examples <NUM> to <NUM> described above.

<Conclusion> As described so far, since the flap part has the thermally-fused part, the folding of the portion of the flap part protruding to the end on the tip side in the around-torso direction beyond the fastener member, namely, the extending part, can be suppressed, and the flap part is prevented from covering the fastener member, and thus, sufficient fastening power of the fastener member can be ensured.

It is noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be practiced with various changes and modifications.

Claim 1:
A disposable wearable article (<NUM>, 10a), comprising:
an absorptive main body (<NUM>) in which an absorber is disposed between a top sheet and a back sheet;
a pair of flap parts (14u, <NUM>) that are provided in one of a front part (12c) and a back part (12a) disposed on both side of a crotch part (12b) of the absorptive main body (<NUM>), and extend to both sides in a around-torso direction (10x); and
a pair of fastener members (<NUM>, <NUM>) that are respectively provided in the pair of flap parts (14u, <NUM>) at a distance from tip ends (14v, 22v) in the around-torso direction (10x) of the flap parts (14u, <NUM>) to be attachably and detachably joined to an opposing part provided in the absorptive main body (<NUM>),
wherein each of the flap parts (14u, <NUM>) is made of a thermoplastic nonwoven fabric, and includes, in an extending part (14p, <NUM>) between the tip end (14v, <NUM>) of the flap part (14u, <NUM>) and the fastener member (<NUM>, <NUM>), a thermally-fused part (<NUM>, 18a to 18d, <NUM>) having bending rigidity of the nonwoven fabric increased by thermally fusing the nonwoven fabric.