PANTS-TYPE WEARING ARTICLE
A pants-type wearing article including a connecting member by the intermediary of which respective lateral regions of front and rear waist regions are connected together. In a pants-type wearing article, a lateral region of a front waist region and a lateral region of a rear waist region are connected to each other by the intermediary of a sheet-like connecting member. The connecting member is folded to form mountain folds and valley folds arranged alternately and collapsed in a circumferential direction. These mountain folds and valley folds are expanded from the folded state in the circumferential direction as these folds are pulled in the circumferential direction.
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The present invention relates to pants-type wearing articles and particularly to pants-type wearing articles having front and rear waist regions connected with each other by the intermediary of separately prepared connecting members.
BACKGROUNDPants-type wearing articles having front and rear waist regions connected with each other by the intermediary of connecting members prepared separately of these waist regions are known.
For example, the disposable diaper disclosed by JP 2004-121389 A (PTL 1) includes connecting sheets prepared separately of both a front waist region and a rear waist region to connect these two waist regions with each other. Each of the connecting sheets is formed with folds adapted to be expandable in a circumferential direction and these folds include the fastening means for temporarily holding the folds in a folded state. When it is desired to put the diaper on the wearer's body, keeping the folds in an expanded state, the wearer's legs may be guided through the diaper and then the folds may be fixed in the folded state again by using the fastening means. When it is desired to take the diaper off from the wearer's body, the folds may be kept in an expanded state to facilitate the diaper to be pulled down. In this known diaper, the connecting sheets have respective inner surfaces thereof bonded to the respective inner surfaces of the front and rear waist regions.
The pants-type wearing article disclosed by JP 2008-12115 A (PTL 2) includes connecting means adapted to connect front and rear waist regions along respective both lateral regions thereof in a separable and re-connectable fashion. The connecting means has a Z-shaped cross-section shape as viewed in a circumferential direction at one lateral region of the diaper and an inverted Z-shaped cross-section at the other lateral region. For example, in connecting means having the Z-shaped cross-section, a top segment of the Z-shape is permanently secured to an inner surface of one of the front and rear waist region, an intermediate segment and a bottom segment of the Z-shape are integrally bonded together, and an outer surface of the bottom segment is attached to an inner surface of the other of the front and rear waist regions in a separable and re-connectable fashion.
CITATION LIST Patent Literature
- {PTL 1} JP 2004-121389 A
- {PTL 2} JP 2008-12115 A
In the disposable diaper disclosed in PTL 1, the inner surface of the connecting sheet is bonded to the inner surface of the front waist region and to the inner surface of the rear waist region. In such arrangement, the region in which the connecting sheet is bonded to the front waist region and the region in which the connecting sheet is bonded to the rear waist region protrude outward from the wearing article. These protrusions may unintentionally come in contact with the wearer's hands and cause the wearer to experience a cumbersome feeling. In addition, these protrusions form the diaper put on the wearer's body with queerly local bulges along the both sides of the diaper to deteriorate an appearance of the diaper.
In the pants-type wearing article disclosed in PTL 2, the outer surfaces of the respective connecting means are bonded to the respective inner surfaces of the front and rear waist regions. With such arrangement, the regions in which the connecting means overlap the front and rear waist regions, respectively, should not protrude outward from the wearing article. However, the inventors of the present invention found that this known wearing article can not be free from problems as follows.
In view of the problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pants-type wearing article including connecting members adapted to connect front and rear waist regions along respective lateral regions thereof so that the front and rear waist regions may remain spaced from each other in a circumferential direction wherein the connecting members never cumber the wearer. Another object of the present invention is to provide a pants-type wearing article including the connecting members adapted to connect the front and rear waist regions so that the front and rear waist regions may remain spaced from each other in the circumferential direction wherein the connecting members may be separated from and re-connected to one of the front and rear waist regions and the lateral region of this waist region and the connecting members may be easily re-connected together.
Solution to ProblemAccording to the present invention, there is provided a pants-type wearing article having a circumferential direction, a front-back direction and a vertical direction orthogonal to the front-back direction, including a front waist region and a rear waist region opposed to each other in the front-back direction and respectively having lateral regions opposed to each other in the circumferential direction along which the front waist region and the rear waist region are connected together.
The features according to the present invention are described as follows. The lateral region of the front waist region and the lateral region of the rear waist region are connected to each other by the intermediary of sheet-like connecting member along at least one of both sides in the circumferential direction. The connecting member having its outer surface facing outward of the wearing article and is folded to form mountain folds convexly pointing outward of the wearing article and extending in the vertical direction and valley folds convexly pointing inward of the wearing article and extending in the vertical direction so that the mountain folds and the valley folds may alternate in the circumferential direction and may be expanded in the circumferential direction from the folded state as the connecting member is pulled in the circumferential direction. The outer surface of the connecting member is attached to the inner surface of the front and rear waist regions.
According to one embodiment, the connecting member includes at least two mountain folds.
According to another embodiment, the connecting member is attached to at least one of the front and rear waist regions in a separable and re-connectable fashion.
According to still another embodiment, the connecting member is elastically stretchable in the circumferential direction.
According to yet another embodiment, the connecting member in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in re-separable fashion.
According to further another embodiment, the mountain folds of the connecting member in a folded state lie inner than respective edges of the lateral regions of the respective front and rear waist regions extending in the vertical direction.
According to an alternative embodiment, two or more types of the connecting member having different dimensions in the state expanded in the circumferential direction are used to connect the front and rear waist regions to obtain two or more types of the wearing article having different circumferential dimensions and thereby to obtain a group including these two or more types of the wearing article.
Advantageous Effects of InventionIn the pants-type wearing article according to the present invention, the lateral regions of the front waist region are connected with the lateral regions of the rear waist region by the intermediary of the sheet-like connecting members folded so as to be arranged alternately and expandable in the circumferential direction. With such arrangement, the dimension of the connecting member in the circumferential direction may be varied to vary the circumferential dimension of the wearing article. Furthermore, the outer surface of the connecting member facing outward of the wearing article is attached to the inner surface of the front and rear waist regions. With such unique arrangement, the connecting member as well as the front and rear waist regions provided with this connecting member should not protrude outward of the wearing article when the wearing article is put on the wearer's body.
Details of the present invention will be more fully understood from the description of a pants-type diaper as one of the typical examples of the pants-type wearing article according to the present invention given hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The diaper continuum 10 shown in
The intermediate product 10a and the intermediate product 10b are cut off along an imaginary line P and, in consequence, the lateral region 8L is separated from the lateral region 8R, the lateral region 9L is separated from the lateral region 9R, and the composite connecting member 6A is separated into the connecting member 6L and the connecting member 6R. In this way, an individual diaper 1 is obtained from the intermediate product 10a. It should be appreciated that the imaginary line P will be sometimes designated as the cutting line P in the later description.
Referring to
Referring also to
Referring also to
In the step (b), the both lateral regions of the sheet material 13 are folded along first and second fold lines 71, 72, respectively, so that a Z-shape and an inverted Z-shape may be defined symmetrically about the center line Z and thereby the first layer 21L, 21R, the second layer 22L, 22R, and the third layer 23L, 23R may be formed. The first layer 21L- the third layer 23L and the first layer 21R- the third layer 23R are respectively stuck with heated pins (not shown) to form the first region 31L, 31R serving for temporary fastening. With respect to the step (b), it should be appreciated that the inverted Z-shape and the first layer 21R- the third layer 23R are not illustrated in
In the step (c), the sheet material 13 is folded along a third fold line 73 to form the fourth layer 24L, 24R. Then, the first layer 21L- the fourth layer 24L and the first layer 21R- the fourth layer 24R are respectively stuck with heated pins (not shown) to form the second region 32L, 32R serving for temporary fastening. The fourth layer 24L, 24R are coated with the third adhesive 28. With respect to the step (c), the first layer 21R- the fourth layer 24R, the first and second regions 31R, 32R are not illustrated in
In the step (d), the sheet material 13 is folded along a fourth fold line 74 to form the fifth layer 25L, 25R, and the fourth layer 24L, 24R are bonded to the fifth layer 25L, 25R, respectively, with the third adhesive 28.
The sheet material 13 having been folded in the steps (a)-(d) is continuous in the machine direction and may be cut into a desired dimension in the machine direction to obtain the composite connecting members 6A as shown in
In the step (b), the both lateral regions of the sheet material 13 are folded along the first fold line 71 to form lateral regions 81L, 81R defined by a two-ply sheet material 13 and intermediate regions 82L, 82R define by the single layer of the sheet material 13. The lateral regions 81L, 81R are heat-embossed so that the two-ply sheet material 13 may become peel-resistant. With respect to this step (b), the lateral region 81R is not illustrated in
In the step (c), the sheet material 13 is folded along second and third fold lines 72, 73 so as to define a Z-shape and an inverted Z-shape on both sides of the center line Z and thereby to form the first layer 21L, 21R, the second layer 22L, 22R, and the third layer 23L, 23R. The first layer 21L- the first layer 21R- the third layer 23R are respectively formed with the first region 31L, 31R serving for temporary fastening. With respect to this step (b), the lateral region 81R is not illustrated in
In the step (d), the sheet material 13 is folded along a fourth fold line 74 to form the fourth layer 24L, 24R. The first layer 21L- the fourth layer 24L and the first layer 21R- the fourth layer 24R are respectively formed with the second region 32L. 32R serving for temporary fastening. The fourth layer 24L, 24R is coated with the third adhesive 28. With respect to this step (d), the first layer 21R - the fourth layer 24R are not illustrated in
In the step (e), the sheet material 13 is folded along a fifth fold line 75 to form the fifth layer 25L, 25R, and the fourth layer 24L and the fifth layer 25L are bonded together by means of the third adhesive 28 to obtain the composite connecting member 6A having a sectional construction as exemplarily shown in
The present invention having been described hereinabove on the basis of the pants-type diaper 1 as one of the typical examples thereof is applicable also to the other pants-type wearing article such as toilet-training pants, pants for incontinent patient or sanitary shorts.
Based on the description having been made above, essential features of the diaper 1 as the typical example of the pants-type wearing article according to the present invention may be summarized as follows:
1. The wearing article having been described hereinabove as the typical example is the pants-type diaper 1 having the circumferential direction C, the front-back direction A and the vertical direction B orthogonal to the front-back direction A and including the front waist region 2 and the rear waist region 3 opposed to each other in the front-back direction A and respectively having lateral regions 8L, 8R opposed in the circumferential direction C and lateral regions 9L, 9R opposed in the circumferential direction C along which these front and rear waist regions 2, 3 are joined together.
2. This diaper 1 is characterized in that: Along at least one of the lateral regions opposed to each other in the circumferential direction C, the lateral region 8L, 8R of the front waist region 2 and the lateral region 9L, 9R of the rear waist region 3 are connected to each other by the intermediary of the sheet-like connecting member 6L, 6R. The connecting member 6L, 6R has the outer surface 13b facing outward of the diaper 1 and folded in the circumferential direction C in expandable fashion to form the mountain folds 41, 42 and the valley folds 51, 52. The mountain folds 41, 42 convexly point outward of the diaper 1 and extend in the vertical direction and the valley folds 51, 52 convexly point inward of the diaper 1 and extend in the vertical direction wherein these mountain folds and valley folds alternate in the circumferential direction. The connecting member 6L, 6R is expanded in the circumferential direction C as the connecting member 6L, 6R is pulled in the circumferential direction C. The outer surface 13b of the connecting member 6L, 6R is attached to the inner surface 48, 49 of the diaper 1.
3. The connecting member 6L, 6R may include at least two mountain folds 41, 42. In the diaper 1 having such connecting member 6L, 6R, the expandable valley fold may be formed between the mountain folds 41, 42.
4. The connecting member 6L, 6R may be attached to at least one of the front and rear waist regions 2, 3 in a separable and re-connectable fashion. In the diaper 1 having such connecting member 6L, 6R, it is possible to disconnect the front and rear waist regions 2, 3 from each other when it is desired to put the diaper 1 on the wearer's body or to on pull off the diaper 1 from the wearer's body.
5. The connecting member 6L, 6R may be made to be elastically stretchable in the circumferential direction C. The diaper 1 having such connecting member 6L, 6R can adapt to wearers having a wide range of waist dimension.
6. The connecting member 6L, 6R in a folded state may be temporarily fastened so as to be temporarily maintained in such folded state. In the diaper 1 having such connecting member 6L, 6R, the connecting member should not unintentionally be expanded in the course of making the connecting member or delivering the diaper.
7. Apices of the mountain folds 41, 42 of the connecting member 6L, 6R in a folded state may lie inside the edges of 81, 91 of the respective lateral regions 8L, 8R, 9L, 9R extending in the vertical direction B. In such diaper 1, the width dimension of the flattened diaper should not be added with the dimension of the lateral regions and therefore the width dimension of the flattened diaper correspondingly reduced and the dimension of the diaper's package also can be reduced.
8. By using two or more types of the connecting member 6L, 6R having different dimensions in the state expanded in the circumferential direction C to connect the front and rear waist regions 2, 3, it is possible to make a group of two or more types. These two or more types of the connecting member 6L, 6R may be selectively used to facilitate to a group of diapers 1 having different waist dimensions to be obtained.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
- 1 wearing article (diaper)
- 2 front waist region
- 3 rear waist region
- 6, 6L, 6R connecting member
- 8, 8L, 8R lateral regions
- 9, 9L, 9R lateral regions
- 13b outer surface
- 41L mountain fold
- 42L mountain fold
- 43L mountain fold
- 48 inner surface
- 49 inner surface
- 51L valley fold
- 52L valley fold
- 53L valley fold
- 81 edge
- 91 edge
- A front-back direction
- B vertical direction
- C circumferential direction
Claims
1. A pants-type wearing article having a circumferential direction, a front-back direction and a vertical direction orthogonal to the front-back direction, the pants-type wearing article comprising a front waist region and a rear waist region opposed to each other in the front-back direction and respectively having lateral regions opposed to each other in the circumferential direction along which the front waist region and the rear waist region are connected together, wherein:
- the lateral region of the front waist region and the lateral region of the rear waist region are connected to each other by the intermediary of a sheet-like connecting member along at least one of both sides in the circumferential direction;
- the connecting member having its outer surface facing outward of the wearing article and is folded to form mountain folds convexly pointing outward of the wearing article and extending in the vertical direction and valley folds convexly pointing inward of the wearing article and extending in the vertical direction so that the mountain folds and the valley folds may alternate in the circumferential direction and may be expanded in the circumferential direction from the folded state as the connecting member is pulled in the circumferential direction; and
- the outer surface of the connecting member is attached to the inner surface of the front and rear waist regions.
2. The wearing article defined by claim 1, wherein the connecting member includes at least two mountain folds.
3. The wearing article defined by claim 1, wherein the connecting member is attached to at least one of the front and rear waist regions in a separable and re-connectable fashion.
4. The wearing article defined by claim 1, wherein the connecting member is elastically stretchable in the circumferential direction.
5. The wearing article defined by claim 1, wherein the connecting member in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in a separable fashion.
6. The wearing article defined by claim 1, wherein the mountain folds of the connecting member in a folded state lie inner than respective edges of the lateral regions of the respective front and rear waist regions extending in the vertical direction.
7. The wearing article defined by claim 1, wherein two or more types of the connecting member having different dimensions in the state expanded in the circumferential direction are used to connect the front and rear waist regions to obtain two or more types of the wearing article having different circumferential dimensions and thereby to obtain a group including the two or more types of the wearing article.
8. The wearing article defined by claim 2, wherein the connecting member is attached to at least one of the front and rear waist regions in a separable and re-connectable fashion.
9. The wearing article defined by claim 2, wherein the connecting member is elastically stretchable in the circumferential direction.
10. The wearing article defined by claim 3, wherein the connecting member is elastically stretchable in the circumferential direction.
11. The wearing article defined by claim 8, wherein the connecting member is elastically stretchable in the circumferential direction.
12. The wearing article defined by claim 2, wherein the connecting member in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in a separable fashion.
13. The wearing article defined by claim 3, wherein the connecting member in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in a separable fashion.
14. The wearing article defined by claim 4, wherein the connecting member in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in a separable fashion.
15. The wearing article defined by claim 8, wherein the connecting member in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in a separable fashion.
16. The wearing article defined by claim 9, wherein the connecting member in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in a separable fashion.
17. The wearing article defined by claim 10, wherein the connecting member in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in a separable fashion.
18. The wearing article defined by claim 11, wherein the connecting member in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in a separable fashion.
19. The wearing article defined by claim 2 wherein the mountain folds of the connecting member in a folded state lie inner than respective edges of the lateral regions of the respective front and rear waist regions extending in the vertical direction.
20. The wearing article defined by claim 3 wherein the mountain folds of the connecting member in a folded state lie inner than respective edges of the lateral regions of the respective front and rear waist regions extending in the vertical direction.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 16, 2010
Publication Date: Dec 20, 2012
Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION (Ehime)
Inventors: Yoshitaka Mishima (Kagawa), Akiyoshi Kinoshita (Kagawa)
Application Number: 13/519,625