U.S. patent application number 13/519625 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-20 for pants-type wearing article.
This patent application is currently assigned to UNI-CHARM CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Akiyoshi Kinoshita, Yoshitaka Mishima.
Application Number | 20120317695 13/519625 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44226444 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120317695 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mishima; Yoshitaka ; et
al. |
December 20, 2012 |
PANTS-TYPE WEARING ARTICLE
Abstract
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.
Inventors: |
Mishima; Yoshitaka; (Kagawa,
JP) ; Kinoshita; Akiyoshi; (Kagawa, JP) |
Assignee: |
UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
Ehime
JP
|
Family ID: |
44226444 |
Appl. No.: |
13/519625 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
December 16, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2010/072713 |
371 Date: |
June 28, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/109 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F 13/55115 20130101;
A61F 13/565 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/109 |
International
Class: |
A41B 9/00 20060101
A41B009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 28, 2009 |
JP |
2009-298535 |
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.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] 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.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Pants-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.
[0003] 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.
[0004] 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
[0005] {PTL 1} JP 2004-121389 A [0006] {PTL 2} JP 2008-12115 A
SUMMARY
Technical Problem
[0007] 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.
[0008] 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. FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings
exemplarily shows a sectional view taken along the waist regions'
lateral zones of the pants-type wearing article disclosed in PTL 2.
In this wearing article 300, a lateral zone 312 of a front waist
region 306 is connected with a lateral zone 313 of a rear waist
region 307 by the intermediary of a connecting means 314. While the
connecting means 314 is permanently bonded to the lateral zone 312,
the connecting means 314 is temporarily, i.e., in a separable and
re-attachable manner, bonded to the lateral zone 313 by the
intermediary of a fastener member. The fastener member includes
hook elements 321 mounted on the connecting means 314 and loop
elements 322 mounted on the lateral zone 313. In this way, an edge
312a of the lateral region 312 and an edge 313a of the lateral
region 313 are relatively close to each other in a circumferential
direction 300P and the hook elements 321 are mounted on the
connecting means 314 in the vicinity of the edge 312a. Hence, when
it is tried to put again the loop elements 322 having been
disengaged from the hook elements 321 into engagement with the hook
elements 321, undesirable situation possibly occurs such that the
loop elements 322 should partially collide with the lateral region
312 and make it difficult for the loop elements 322 to come in
close contact with the hook elements 321 and/or the area over which
the loop elements 322 are put in engagement with the hook elements
321 should be insufficient for reliable connection. In this case,
the loop elements 322 and the hook elements 321 which should have
been reliably engaged together might be easily disengaged from each
other. Even when the loop elements 322 and the hook elements 321
are reliably engaged together, if the lateral region 313 comes in
contact with or overlaps the lateral region 312, the waist regions
of the wearing article 300 may locally bulge in an awkward manner
to deteriorate an appearance of the wearing article 300.
[0009] 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 Problem
[0010] According 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.
[0011] 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.
[0012] According to one embodiment, the connecting member includes
at least two mountain folds.
[0013] 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.
[0014] According to still another embodiment, the connecting member
is elastically stretchable in the circumferential direction.
[0015] According to yet another embodiment, the connecting member
in the folded state is temporarily fastened in such folded state in
re-separable fashion.
[0016] 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.
[0017] 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 Invention
[0018] In 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a pants-type wearing
article (pants-type diaper) and continuum thereof.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in
FIG. 1.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line in FIG. 1,
showing a connecting member in the course of being expanded.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line in FIG. 1,
showing the connecting member having been completely expanded.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, exemplarily showing
another embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, exemplarily showing
still another embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2, exemplarily showing yet
another embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram exemplarily illustrating steps
of making the connecting member according to one embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram exemplarily illustrating steps
of making the connecting member according to another
embodiment.
[0028] FIG. 10 is a diagram exemplarily illustrating the connecting
member of prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0029] 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.
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a pants-type diaper 1 and a part of a diaper
continuum 10, i.e., diapers being contiguous one to another in the
machine direction MD including intermediate products continuously
made. The diaper 1 has a front waist region 2 and a rear waist
region 3 opposed to each other in a front-back direction as
described later in detail, and a crotch region 4 extended between
and connected to these two waist regions 2, 3 in a vertical
direction B as described later in detail wherein a connecting
member 6 lies between the front waist region 2 and the rear waist
region 3 in a circumferential direction C as described later in
detail. FIG. 1 illustrates the diaper 1 having the front waist
region 2 and the rear waist region 3 put flat together and the
connecting member 6 tucked and collapsed between lateral region 8
of the front waist region 2 and lateral region 9 of the rear waist
region 3. Both the front waist region 2 and the rear waist region 3
include waist elastic members 11 attached thereto under tension and
in a contractible manner. The crotch region 4 includes leg elastic
members 12 attached thereto under tension and in a contractible
manner. In the crotch region 4, a bodily fluid-absorbent core 5c is
sandwiched between a liquid-previous topsheet 5a and a
liquid-impervious backsheet 5b.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, chain double-dashed lines indicate the
diaper 1 opened from the flattened state to be put on the wearer's
body not illustrated. With the diaper 1 put on the wearer's body,
both the front waist region 2 and the rear waist region 3 are
curved to be put in close contact with the wearer's waist at a good
fit (See FIG. 4 also). The lateral region 8 of the front waist
region 2 and the lateral region 9 of the rear waist region 3 are
spaced from each other and consequently the connecting member 6
having been tucked and collapsed between the lateral region 8 and
the lateral region 9 is expanded in the circumferential direction C
between these edges 8, 9. In FIG. 1, the front-back direction, the
vertical direction and the circumferential direction are indicated
by double-headed arrows A, B, C and, with respect to the diaper
continuum 10, a direction in which the diaper continuum 10 runs and
a cross direction orthogonal to the machine direction are indicated
by an arrow MD and a double-headed arrow CD, respectively. The
diaper 1 exemplarily shown is formed symmetrically about a center
line CL bisecting a dimension in the machine direction MD. The
lateral region 8 includes lateral regions 8.sub.L, 8.sub.R defined
at both sides in the circumferential direction C, the lateral
region 9 includes lateral regions 9.sub.L, 9.sub.R defined on both
sides in the circumferential direction C, and the connecting member
6 including a connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R. Letters .sub.Land
.sub.R suffixed to the reference numerals means left side and right
side for the wearer. It should be understood that the lateral
region 9 suffixed with neither .sub.L nor .sub.R means the lateral
region not discriminated between left side and right side.
[0032] The diaper continuum 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes the
intermediate products 10a, 10b, . . . continuously arranged in the
machine direction MD so as to become the individual diapers 1
successively wherein the lateral region 8.sub.L and the lateral
region 9.sub.L of the intermediate product 10a are contiguous to
the lateral region 8.sub.R and the lateral region 9.sub.R of the
intermediate product 10b. In the machine direction MD, the
connecting member 6.sub.L of the intermediate product 10a is
contiguous to the connecting member 6.sub.R of the intermediate
product 10b and these two connecting members form a composite
connecting member 6A.
[0033] The intermediate product 10a and the intermediate product
10b are cut off along an imaginary line P and, in consequence, the
lateral region 8.sub.L is separated from the lateral region
8.sub.R, the lateral region 9.sub.L is separated from the lateral
region 9.sub.R, and the composite connecting member 6A is separated
into the connecting member 6.sub.L and the connecting member
6.sub.R. 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.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in
FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the lateral regions 8.sub.L, 8.sub.R,
9.sub.L, 9.sub.R of the respective intermediate products 10a, 10b
are formed of a sheet material, for example, made of a nonwoven
fabric, a woven fabric, a plastic film, a laminate of two or more
kinds of nonwoven fabrics or a laminate of nonwoven fabrics or
woven fabrics and plastic films. Referring to FIG. 1, for example,
a nonwoven fabric defining the topsheet 5a and a plastic film
defining the backsheet 5b may be permanently bonded to each other
outside a peripheral edge of the core 5c to define the lateral
regions 8.sub.L, 8.sub.R, 9.sub.L, 9.sub.R. The composite
connecting member 6A also may be formed of sheet material 13, for
example, made of a nonwoven fabric, a woven fabric, a plastic film,
a laminate of two or more kinds of nonwoven fabrics or a laminate
of nonwoven fabrics or a woven fabric and a plastic film wherein
the nonwoven fabric and/or the woven fabric preferably contains a
thermoplastic synthetic resin. The composite connecting member 6A
is symmetric about the imaginary line P and therefore a cross
section structure of the composite connecting member 6A may be
understood on the basis of a cross section structure of the half
thereof occupying the intermediate product 10a, i.e., the
connecting member 6.sub.L. The connecting member 6.sub.L has the
following construction. In the intermediate product 10a, the sheet
material 13 is folded in a zigzag manner with an edge 20.sub.L
pointing inwardly of the diaper 1 to define first through fifth
layers 21.sub.L- 25.sub.L. The first layer 21.sub.L is permanently
bonded to the inner surface of the lateral region 9.sub.L with a
first adhesive 26. The fifth layer 25.sub.L is permanently bonded
to the lateral region 8.sub.L with a second adhesive 27. The fourth
layer 24.sub.L and the fifth layer 25.sub.L are permanently bonded
to each other with a third adhesive 28. The first layer 21.sub.L
through the third layer 23.sub.L of the sheet material 13 are
temporarily joined together in a first region 31.sub.L and the
first layer 21.sub.L through the fourth layer 24.sub.L of the sheet
material 13 are temporarily joined together in a second region
32.sub.L. The first and second regions 31.sub.L, 32.sub.L function
as temporary fastener means adapted to keep the connecting member
6.sub.L in a folded state until the diaper 1 is put on the wearer's
body. To temporarily join the first and second regions 31.sub.L,
32.sub.L of the sheet material 13 to each other in the first and
second regions 31.sub.L, 32.sub.L, hooked pins (not shown) may be
stuck into the first through three layers 21.sub.L-23.sub.L or the
first through fourth layers 21.sub.L-24.sub.L and fibers or films
forming the respective layers maybe mechanically intertangled or
the heated pins may be stuck into the respective layers and thereby
the fibers or films may be fusion bonded together.
[0035] FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken along the line in
FIG. 1, illustrating a course of moving the front and rear waist
regions 2, 3 having put flat together in the front-back direction A
and thereby broadening the waist-opening to put the diaper 1
including the connecting member 6.sub.L. It should be understood
here that FIG. 3 shows a state in which the waist-opening begins to
be broadened as the connecting member 6.sub.L is expanded and FIG.
4 shows a state in which the connecting member 6.sub.L is fully
expanded and thereby the waist-opening 11 has been completely
broadened. Specifically, putting the wearer's or caregiver's hands
between the front waist region 2 and the rear waist region 3, the
front waist region 2 may be moved forward as indicated by an arrow
A.sub.F and the rear waist region 3 may be moved backward as
indicated by an arrow A.sub.B to broaden the waist-opening 11 which
has been closed in FIG. 1. Thereupon the connecting member 6.sub.L
is pulled by the lateral region 8.sub.L and the lateral region
9.sub.L in the front-back direction A until the temporary fastening
effect in the first region 31.sub.L and the second region 32.sub.L
are released and thereby the connecting member 6.sub.L is expanded
in the front-back direction A. Referring to FIG. 3 showing the
connecting member 6 in the course of being expanded and FIG. 2, the
connecting member 6.sub.L has a first mountain fold 41.sub.L
defined between the first layer 21.sub.L and the second layer
22.sub.L and convexly pointing outward of the diaper 1, a first
valley fold 51.sub.L defined between the second layer 22.sub.L and
the third layer 23.sub.L and convexly pointing inward of the diaper
1 and a second mountain fold 42.sub.L defined between the third
layer 23.sub.L and the fourth layer 24.sub.L and pointing outward
of the diaper 1. A second valley fold 52.sub.L defined between the
fourth layer 24.sub.L and the fifth layer 25.sub.L is kept closed
under the effect of the third adhesive 28. While not shown, also
between the lateral region 8.sub.R and the lateral region 9.sub.R
of the diaper 1, the connecting member 6.sub.R is expanded in the
front-back direction A as the effect of the associated temporary
fastening is released. In this way, the front and rear waist
regions 2, 3 cooperate with the connecting members 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R
to define substantially the circular waist-opening 11 as an
indicated by an imaginary line in FIG. 1. The first and second
mountain folds 41.sub.L, 42.sub.L are located on the inside of an
edge 81 of the lateral region 8.sub.L extending in the longitudinal
direction B and an edge 91 of the lateral region 9.sub.L extending
in the longitudinal direction B, respectively. With such
arrangement, a width dimension of the diaper 1 flattened as shown
in FIG. 1 should not be enlarged by the presence of the connecting
member 6.sub.L
[0036] Referring to FIG. 4, the lateral region 8.sub.L and the
lateral region 9.sub.L are connected by the intermediary of the
expanded connecting member 6.sub.L in a similar fashion to the
diaper 1 indicated by imaginary lines in FIG. 1. In the first layer
21.sub.Lof the connecting member 6.sub.L for the most part, an
outer surface 13b of the sheet material 13 defining the outer
surface of the first layer 21.sub.L is bonded to an inner surface
49 of the lateral region 9.sub.L with the first adhesive 26. The
second layer 22.sub.L and the third layer 23.sub.L lie between the
lateral region 9.sub.L and the lateral region 8.sub.L. In the
fourth layer 24.sub.L, the outer surface 13b of the sheet material
13 is bonded to the outer surface 13b of the sheet material 13 in
the fifth layer 25.sub.L with the third adhesive 28. In the fifth
layer 25.sub.L, its surface contiguous to the inner surface 13a of
the sheet material 13 is bonded to an inner surface 48 of the
lateral region 8.sub.L with the second adhesive 27. The second
adhesive 27 and the third adhesive 28 are coated to the sheet
material in a manner that these two adhesive layers may overlap
each other by the intermediary of the fifth layer 25.sub.L. More
specifically, the second adhesive 27 and the third adhesive 28 are
illustrated in FIG. 4 so as to overlap each other in a direction
intersecting with the front-back direction A and are illustrated in
FIG. 2 so as to overlap each other in the front-back direction A.
According to such embodiment characterized in that the lateral
regions 8.sub.L, 9.sub.L are bonded to the connecting member
6.sub.L, the dimension or dimensions of the second layer 22.sub.L
and/or the third layer 23.sub.L in the front-back direction A as
viewed in FIG. 4 may be selectively varied to vary a distance
between the lateral region 8.sub.L and the lateral region 9.sub.L
in the front-back direction A, in other words, the distance
therebetween in the circumferential direction C. In this way, the
dimension of the diaper 1 in the circumferential direction C can be
selectively varied merely by varying the dimension of the
connecting member 6.sub.L in the front-back direction A as viewed
in FIG. 4 and it is unnecessary for this purpose to vary respective
shapes and sizes of the front waist region 2 and the rear waist
region 3 in the course of making the diaper 1. This is true for the
connecting member 6.sub.R (See FIG. 2). The same effect can be
obtained also without departing from the scope of the invention by
dimensionally fixing one of the connecting members 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R
and by dimensionally varying the other of the connecting members
6.sub.L, 6.sub.R. It is also possible without departing from the
scope of the present invention to prepare differentially
dimensioned two or more connecting members 6.sub.L and/or
connecting members 6.sub.R and to use these connecting members
6.sub.L and/or connecting members 6.sub.R selectively with the
uniformly dimensioned front waist regions 2 and/or the uniformly
dimensioned rear waist regions 3 to obtain a group of the diapers
respectively having the different dimensions in the circumferential
direction C.
[0037] Referring also to FIG. 4, not a peel force but a shearing
force is generated between the lateral region 8.sub.L and the
connecting member 6.sub.L as well as between the lateral region
9.sub.L and the connecting member 6.sub.R as the lateral regions
8.sub.L, 9.sub.R are pulled in the front-back direction A or the
circumferential direction C. Consequentially, in the course of
putting the diaper 1 on the wearer's body or during use of the
diaper 1, the connecting member 6.sub.L may not be readily peeled
off from the lateral regions 8.sub.L, 9.sub.L.
[0038] Referring also to FIG. 4, in the fourth layer 24.sub.L and
the fifth layer 25.sub.L of the connecting member 6.sub.L, the
outer surface 13b of the sheet material 13 is bonded to the inner
surface 48 of the lateral region 8.sub.L with the second adhesive
27 and the third adhesive 28. With such arrangement, the expression
that the inner surface 13a of the sheet material 13 in the fifth
layer 25.sub.L is bonded to the inner surface 48 of the lateral
region 8.sub.L practically means that the sheet material 13 of the
connecting member 6.sub.L has its outer surface 13b bonded to the
inner surface 48 of the lateral region 8.sub.L. With the diaper 1
put on the wearer's body, all these connecting member 6.sub.L,
lateral region 8.sub.L and lateral region 9.sub.L joined one to
another in this manner extend in the circumferential direction C
and any one of them should not protrude outward in a radial
direction of the waist-opening 11. More specifically, the diaper 1
is free from the problem possibly occurring, for example, due to
the arrangement in which the inner surface 13a of the connecting
member 6.sub.L and the inner surface 49 of the lateral region
9.sub.L are put flat and bonded together, i.e., the problem that
the connecting member 6.sub.L and the lateral region 9.sub.L might
protrude outward in the radial direction of the waist-opening 11
and irritate the diaper wearer's skin. As the sheet material 13,
the sheet material being elastically stretchable in the
circumferential direction C may be used. The connecting members
6.sub.L, 6.sub.R made of such sheet material 13 may be stretched in
the circumferential direction C after having been expanded from the
folded state to adapt the diaper 1 to various wearers having
different waist sizes, respectively.
[0039] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, exemplarily showing
another embodiment. While the diameter 1 shown in FIG. 5 is shaped
symmetrically about the center line CL (See FIG. 1) as in the
diaper 1 in FIG. 1, the diaper 1 according to this embodiment
includes the connecting member 6.sub.L having an arrangement
different from that of the connecting member 6.sub.L exemplarily
shown in FIG. 3. The connecting member 6.sub.L shown in FIG. 5 is
folded to form, in addition to the first layer 21.sub.L, the second
layer 22.sub.L, the third layer 23.sub.L, the fourth layer 24.sub.L
and the fifth layer 25.sub.L, a sixth layer 56.sub.L and a seventh
layer 57.sub.L so that the connecting member 6.sub.L includes, in
addition to the first mountain fold 41.sub.L, the second mountain
fold 42.sub.L, a third mountain fold 43.sub.L and, in addition to
the first valley fold 51.sub.L and the second valley fold 52.sub.L,
a third valley fold 53.sub.L. In the first layer 21.sub.L, the
outer surface 13b of the sheet material 13 is bonded to the inner
surface 49 of the lateral region 9.sub.L with the first adhesive 26
and the outer surface 13b of the sheet material 13 in the sixth
layer 56.sub.L is bonded to the inner surface 48 of the lateral
region 8.sub.L by the intermediary of the third adhesive, a seventh
layer 57.sub.L and the second adhesive 27. The connecting member
6.sub.L shown in FIG. 5 is suitable for the case in which it is
desired to enlarge a distance between the lateral region 8.sub.L
and the lateral region 9.sub.L. Even if the connecting member
6.sub.L has its total length in the circumferential direction not
so long, a rectilinear distance from the apex of the mountain fold
to the bottom of the valley fold can be reduced by folding the
connecting member 6.sub.L so that three or more mountain folds may
be formed.
[0040] FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, exemplarily showing
still another embodiment. While the connecting member 6.sub.L shown
in FIG. 6 is substantially similar to the connecting member 6.sub.L
so long as the sectional shape is concerned, the first layer
21.sub.L is attached to the lateral region 9.sub.L by the
intermediary of a fastener 62 adapted to function in a repetitively
separable and re-attachable fashion. A typical example of the
fastener 60 is so-called a mechanical fastener including a hook
member 61 and a loop member 62. Referring to FIG. 6, the hook
member 61 is attached to the outer surface 13b of the sheet
material 13 forming the first layer 21.sub.L by the intermediary of
an adhesive 63. The loop member 62 serving as a counterpart for the
hook member 61 is bonded to the inner surface 49 of the lateral
region 9.sub.L with adhesive 64. The connecting member 6.sub.L and
the lateral region 9.sub.L can be repeatedly opened (or expanded)
and collapsed as the hook member 61 and the loop member 62 are
repeatedly disengaged from and engaged with each other. In the
similar fashion to the case exemplarily shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5,
the lateral region 9.sub.L and the lateral region 8.sub.L are
adequately spaced from each other by the intermediary of the second
layer 22.sub.L and the third layer 23.sub.L of the connecting
member 6.sub.L. With such arrangement, regardless of the site in
the loop member 62 selected to be put into engagement with the hook
member 61, the lateral region 9.sub.L and the lateral region
8.sub.L should not come in contact with each other or overlap each
other, making it difficult to put the hook member 61 quickly into
engagement with the loop member 62. While the exemplarily
illustrated connecting member 6.sub.L has the first layer 21.sub.L
and the lateral region 9.sub.L , adapted to be repeatedly joined to
and separated from each other, it is possible to implement the
present invention in a manner that the first layer 21.sub.L is
adapted to be repeatedly joined to and separated from the lateral
region 9.sub.l. It is also possible to implement the present
invention by using the connecting member 6.sub.R which is symmetric
to the connecting member 6.sub.L shown in FIG. 6. Furthermore, it
is possible to implement the present invention wherein only a
combination of the connecting member 6.sub.R and the lateral region
9.sub.R can be repeatedly joined to and separated from each
other.
[0041] FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2, exemplarily showing yet
another embodiment. The first layer 21.sub.L- the fourth layer
24.sub.L lying between the lateral region 8.sub.L and the lateral
region 9.sub.L of the intermediate 10a of the diaper 1 shown in
FIG. 7 are respectively formed of a peel-resistant two-ply sheet
material 13 and only the fifth layer 25.sub.L is formed of a single
layer of the sheet material 13. The two-ply sheet material 13 may
be made peel-resistant by bonding two layers of the individual
sheet material 13 using an adhesive such as a hot melt adhesive or
a heat-embossing treatment so as to fusion-bond thermoplastic
synthetic fibers or a plastic film contained in the sheet material
13. The connecting member 6.sub.L constructed as illustrated in
FIG. 7 is preferably employed when a basis mass of the sheet
material 13 is insufficient to obtain the strength required for the
connecting member 6.sub.L with a single layer of the sheet material
13.
[0042] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating steps (a)-(d) to
obtain the composite connecting member 6A exemplarily shown in FIG.
2 from the sheet material 3. In the step (a), the continuous sheet
material 13 for the composite connecting member 6A runs in the
machine direction (not shown) and, in FIG. 8, the continuous sheet
material 13 is illustrated in its sectional view taken in the cross
direction CD. The cross direction CD is the direction orthogonal to
the machine direction and corresponds to the width direction of the
sheet material 13. A center line Z is the line bisecting the width
dimension of the sheet material 13.
[0043] 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 21.sub.L, 21.sub.R, the second layer 22.sub.L, 22.sub.R, and
the third layer 23.sub.L, 23.sub.R may be formed. The first layer
21.sub.L- the third layer 23.sub.L and the first layer 21.sub.R-
the third layer 23.sub.R are respectively stuck with heated pins
(not shown) to form the first region 31.sub.L, 31.sub.R serving for
temporary fastening. With respect to the step (b), it should be
appreciated that the inverted Z-shape and the first layer 21.sub.R-
the third layer 23.sub.R are not illustrated in FIG. 8.
[0044] In the step (c), the sheet material 13 is folded along a
third fold line 73 to form the fourth layer 24.sub.L, 24.sub.R.
Then, the first layer 21.sub.L- the fourth layer 24.sub.L and the
first layer 21.sub.R- the fourth layer 24.sub.R are respectively
stuck with heated pins (not shown) to form the second region
32.sub.L, 32.sub.R serving for temporary fastening. The fourth
layer 24.sub.L, 24.sub.R are coated with the third adhesive 28.
With respect to the step (c), the first layer 21.sub.R- the fourth
layer 24.sub.R, the first and second regions 31.sub.R, 32.sub.R are
not illustrated in FIG. 8.
[0045] In the step (d), the sheet material 13 is folded along a
fourth fold line 74 to form the fifth layer 25.sub.L, 25.sub.R, and
the fourth layer 24.sub.L, 24.sub.R are bonded to the fifth layer
25.sub.L, 25.sub.R, respectively, with the third adhesive 28.
[0046] 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 FIG. 2. These composite
connecting members 6A are bonded to the respective inner surfaces
of the lateral regions 8.sub.L, 8.sub.R, 9.sub.L, 9.sub.R of the
intermediates 10a, 10b, . . . in the continuum 10 of the diaper 10
with the first adhesive 26 and the second adhesive 27.
[0047] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating steps (a)-(e) to
obtain the composite connecting member 6A exemplarily shown in FIG.
8 from the sheet material 13. In the step (a), the continuous sheet
material 13 for the composite connecting member 6A runs in the
machine direction (not shown) and, in FIG. 8, the continuous sheet
material 13 is illustrated in its sectional view taken in the cross
direction CD.
[0048] 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 81.sub.L, 81.sub.R defined by a two-ply sheet material 13
and intermediate regions 82.sub.L, 82.sub.R define by the single
layer of the sheet material 13. The lateral regions 81.sub.L,
81.sub.R are heat-embossed so that the two-ply sheet material 13
may become peel-resistant. With respect to this step (b), the
lateral region 81.sub.R is not illustrated in FIG. 9.
[0049] 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 21.sub.L, 21.sub.R, the second layer 22.sub.L,
22.sub.R, and the third layer 23.sub.L, 23.sub.R. The first layer
21.sub.L- the first layer 21.sub.R- the third layer 23.sub.R are
respectively formed with the first region 31.sub.L, 31.sub.R
serving for temporary fastening. With respect to this step (b), the
lateral region 81.sub.R is not illustrated in FIG. 9.
[0050] In the step (d), the sheet material 13 is folded along a
fourth fold line 74 to form the fourth layer 24.sub.L, 24.sub.R.
The first layer 21.sub.L- the fourth layer 24.sub.L and the first
layer 21.sub.R- the fourth layer 24.sub.R are respectively formed
with the second region 32.sub.L. 32.sub.R serving for temporary
fastening. The fourth layer 24.sub.L, 24.sub.R is coated with the
third adhesive 28. With respect to this step (d), the first layer
21.sub.R - the fourth layer 24.sub.R are not illustrated in FIG.
9.
[0051] In the step (e), the sheet material 13 is folded along a
fifth fold line 75 to form the fifth layer 25.sub.L, 25.sub.R, and
the fourth layer 24.sub.L and the fifth layer 25.sub.L 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 FIG. 7. While the composite connecting member 6A is
illustrated in FIG. 9 to be continuous in the machine direction,
such continuous composite connecting member 6a is cut into a
desired dimension to obtain the individual composite connecting
member 6A. The composite connecting member 6A may be used in the
same manner as the composite connecting member 6A shown in FIG.
8.
[0052] 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.
[0053] 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:
[0054] 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 8.sub.L, 8.sub.R opposed in the
circumferential direction C and lateral regions 9.sub.L, 9.sub.R
opposed in the circumferential direction C along which these front
and rear waist regions 2, 3 are joined together.
[0055] 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 8.sub.L, 8.sub.R of
the front waist region 2 and the lateral region 9.sub.L, 9.sub.R of
the rear waist region 3 are connected to each other by the
intermediary of the sheet-like connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R.
The connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R 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 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R is expanded in the
circumferential direction C as the connecting member 6.sub.L,
6.sub.R is pulled in the circumferential direction C. The outer
surface 13b of the connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R is attached
to the inner surface 48, 49 of the diaper 1.
[0056] 3. The connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R may include at
least two mountain folds 41, 42. In the diaper 1 having such
connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R, the expandable valley fold may
be formed between the mountain folds 41, 42.
[0057] 4. The connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R 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 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R, 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.
[0058] 5. The connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R may be made to be
elastically stretchable in the circumferential direction C. The
diaper 1 having such connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R can adapt
to wearers having a wide range of waist dimension.
[0059] 6. The connecting member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R 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
6.sub.L, 6.sub.R, the connecting member should not unintentionally
be expanded in the course of making the connecting member or
delivering the diaper.
[0060] 7. Apices of the mountain folds 41, 42 of the connecting
member 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R in a folded state may lie inside the edges
of 81, 91 of the respective lateral regions 8.sub.L, 8.sub.R,
9.sub.L, 9.sub.R 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.
[0061] 8. By using two or more types of the connecting member
6.sub.L, 6.sub.R 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 6.sub.L,
6.sub.R may be selectively used to facilitate to a group of diapers
1 having different waist dimensions to be obtained.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0062] 1 wearing article (diaper) [0063] 2 front waist region
[0064] 3 rear waist region [0065] 6, 6.sub.L, 6.sub.R connecting
member [0066] 8, 8.sub.L, 8.sub.R lateral regions [0067] 9,
9.sub.L, 9.sub.R lateral regions [0068] 13b outer surface [0069]
41.sub.L mountain fold [0070] 42.sub.L mountain fold [0071]
43.sub.L mountain fold [0072] 48 inner surface [0073] 49 inner
surface [0074] 51.sub.L valley fold [0075] 52.sub.L valley fold
[0076] 53.sub.L valley fold [0077] 81 edge [0078] 91 edge [0079] A
front-back direction [0080] B vertical direction [0081] C
circumferential direction
* * * * *