Absorbent article

Abstract

An absorbent article includes an absorbent body that has a fluid-absorbent member for absorbing fluid, and has a longitudinal direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction. A main body section is overlapped with the absorbent body in the thickness direction. One end section in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body is fixed to the main body section. The absorbent body has a portion that is closer to the main body section than the fluid-absorbent member in the thickness direction, and a portion that is closer to the human body than the fluid-absorbent member. The portion closer to the main body section, in another end section in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent body, is covered with a fluid-impermeable layer. The portion closer to the human body, in the other end section, has a portion in which the fluid-impermeable layer is not included.

1 . An absorbent article adapted to be worn on a human body, and having a longitudinal direction, a width direction and a thickness direction, said absorbent article comprising:
 an absorbent body having a fluid-absorbent member for absorbing fluid, and a fluid-impermeable layer, and   a main body section which, on a side adapted to face the human body, in use, overlaps the absorbent body in the thickness direction,   wherein   the absorbent body has first and second end sections in the longitudinal direction, the first end section being fixed to the main body section,   the absorbent body further has a side that is closer to the main body section than the fluid-absorbent member in the thickness direction, and a side that is adapted to be closer to the human body than the fluid-absorbent member,   wherein   the side closer to the main body section, in the second end section of the absorbent body, is covered with the fluid-impermeable layer, and   the side adapted to be closer to the human body, in the second end section, has a portion that is not covered by the fluid-impermeable layer,   the absorbent body further has a thin section in a middle part of the second end section in the width direction, said thin section being thinner than remaining sections of the second end section of the absorbent body in the width direction.   
     
     
         2 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in an unfolded state, in which the main body section and the absorbent bodyoverlap and are unfolded flat, the second end section of the absorbent body is projected outward from an external outline of the main body section, and   in the unfolded state, the fluid-impermeable layer covers the second end section.   
     
     
         3 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-impermeable layer is included only in the second end section and not in the first end section. 
     
     
         4 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent body has a fluid-permeable shape retaining sheet that is elongated in the longitudinal direction for retaining the fluid-absorbent member by wrapping around the fluid-absorbent member, and
 the fluid-impermeable layer is interposed between the fluid-absorbent member and the shape retaining sheet.   
     
     
         5 . The absorbent article according to  claim 4 , wherein the fluid-impermeable layer is directly attached to the shape retaining sheet. 
     
     
         7 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-impermeable layer is elongated in the longitudinal direction in the second end section without extending into the first end section of the absorbent body. 
     
     
         8 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , further comprising a hook member located on the absorbent body and adapted to face away from the human body, in use, wherein the hook member does not overlap with the thin section in the thickness direction. 
     
     
         9 . The absorbent article according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the fluid-impermeable layer has a front sealed section and a rear sealed section opposite to the front sealed section in the longitudinal direction, and   in the front and rear sealed sections, the fluid-impermeable layer is folded and directly contact itself.   
     
     
         10 . The absorbent article according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the fluid-absorbent member has a top face, a back face opposite to the top face in the thickness direction, and two side faces connecting the top face and the back face, the top face defining the side that is adapted to be closer to the human body than the fluid-absorbent member, and   the fluid-impermeable layer is directly attached to the back face and the side faces without covering the top face.   
     
     
         11 . The absorbent article according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the absorbent body further includes an intermediate sheet that has the same material as the shape retaining sheet,   the intermediate sheet extends between the fluid-absorbent member and the shape retaining sheet in the longitudinal direction but does not extend to front and rear end sections of the shape retaining sheet, both said front and rear ends sections being in a folded state without including the fluid-absorbent member.   
     
     
         12 . The absorbent article according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the fluid-absorbent member has a top face, a back face opposite to the top face in the thickness direction, and two side faces connecting the top face and the back face, the top face defining the side that is adapted to be closer to the human body than the fluid-absorbent member,   the top face and the side faces are covered by the shape retaining sheet, and   the back face is covered by the fluid-impermeable layer.   
     
     
         13 . The absorbent article according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the fluid-absorbent member has a top face, a back face opposite to the top face in the thickness direction, and two side faces connecting the top face and the back face, the top face defining the side that is adapted to be closer to the human body than the fluid-absorbent member,   the shape retaining sheet has an upper sheet and a lower sheet opposite to the upper sheet in the thickness direction, ends of the upper sheet directly joined to ends of the lower sheet at the side faces in the width direction, respectively,   the upper sheet covers the top face of the fluid-absorbent member and the lower sheet covers the back face of the fluid-absorbent member, and   the fluid-impermeable layer is sandwiched between the fluid-absorbent member and the lower sheet.   
     
     
         14 . The absorbent article according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the fluid-absorbent member has a top face, a back face opposite to the top face in the thickness direction, and two side faces connecting the top face and the back face, the top face defining the side that is adapted to be closer to the human body than the fluid-absorbent member,   the shape retaining sheet covers the top face of the fluid-absorbent member,   the fluid-impermeable sheet covers the back face of the fluid-absorbent member, and   ends of the shape retaining sheet are directly joined to ends of the fluid-impermeable sheet at the side faces in the width direction, respectively.