This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-266376, filed on Nov. 24, 2009, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference.
The present invention relates to a diaper packaging in which disposable diapers are packaged in a container.
Conventionally, there is known a pants-type disposable diaper in which characters, which represent identification information such as a size of the diaper, is indicated on a crotch part of the pants-type disposable diaper or on an outside of the folded pants-type disposable diaper, as is described in WO 2005/023160 (Patent Document 1). In this pants-type disposable diaper, the characters which represent the identification information is provided at a location that can be recognized visually from a side of a diaper stack in which a plurality of the pants-type disposable diapers are stacked.
Patent Document 1 discloses that the characters which represent the identification information is indicated on the outside of the disposable diaper, but does not mention the relation between the identification information, such as a size, provided on the disposable diaper and a container which contains the diaper stack. In general, disposable diapers are sold at stores or brought into hospitals and care facilities in a state of being packaged in a container, before use. A user or a caregiver looks at a container packaging disposable diapers, and can recognize specification information of the disposable diapers from the container. However, attention has not been paid to easy recognition of the specification information from a disposable diaper itself. In addition, modifications have not been made for easily associating a container with disposable diapers packaged in the container.
The present invention has been achieved in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a diaper packaging in which specification information of a disposable diaper packaged in a container can be easily recognized from both the container and the disposable diaper itself, and in which the container and the disposable diaper are easily interrelated each other.
A diaper packaging of the present invention which solves the above problems comprises a container and a plurality of disposable diapers packaged in the container, wherein: each of the disposable diaper is folded back at a fold line; a first marking which represents a size of the disposable diaper is provided on an outside of the fold line; a plurality of the disposable diapers are stacked so that the fold lines of all the disposable diapers face in a same direction; the container has an openable part formed on a side to which the fold lines of the disposable diapers face; a second marking which represents the size of the disposable diaper is provided on the container; and the first marking and the second marking are indicated in a same color.
In the diaper packaging of the present invention, a third marking which represents a classification of an absorptive capacity of the disposable diaper may be provided in addition to or instead of the first marking, a fourth marking which represents the classification of the absorptive capacity of the disposable diaper may be provided in addition to or instead of the second marking, and the third marking and the fourth marking may be indicated in a same color.
In the diaper packing of the present invention, since the first marking and the second marking are indicated in the same color, or the third marking and the fourth marking are indicated in the same color, it can be recognized at a glance that the each disposable diaper contained in the container has the specification indicated on the container when the openable part of the container is opened. In addition, even after the disposable diaper is taken out from the container, the specification of the disposable diaper can be readily recognized. Therefore, a wearer or a caregiver can pick a disposable diaper of a favorable type without confusing.
The diaper is folded back at the fold line to define one side and the other side across the fold line, and the first marking or the third marking may be provided so as to extend from the fold line to the one side and/or the other side. When the one side or the other side defined across the fold line can be visually recognized in a state where the openable part of the container is opened, the first marking or the third marking of the disposable diaper contained in the container can be more readily recognized. In addition, even in the case that the disposable diaper is taken out from the container and handled individually, the first marking or the third marking of the disposable diaper can be easily recognized.
Preferably, the disposable diaper comprises an absorbent core, and the absorbent core is folded back at the fold line. In this case, the first marking and/or the third marking is provided in a region where the absorbent core overlaps. The region where the absorbent core overlaps has high rigidity, and is unlikely to distort in spite of an effect of an elastic member disposed to the disposable diaper. Therefore, when the first marking and/or the third marking is provided in the region where the absorbent core overlaps, the first marking and/or the third marking such as characters, symbols and the like are unlikely to distort, resulting in easily recognized.
The disposable diaper used in the diaper packaging of the present invention may be a pants-type disposable diaper. Thus, the disposable diaper may be formed in a pants shape, and have a front part, a back part and a crotch part connecting the front part and the back part; and the disposable diaper may be folded back at the crotch part to form a first fold line, and may be further folded back at the front part and the back part parallel to the first fold line to form a second fold line; and the first marking or the third marking may be provided on an outside of at least one of the first fold line and the second fold line.
According to the diaper packing of the present invention, the container and the disposable diaper packaged in the container are easily interrelated each other in connection with its specification. Therefore, a wearer or a caregiver can choose a disposable diaper appropriately without confusing.
A disposable diaper used in the present invention is to be packaged in a container before use. For example, the disposable diaper is packaged in the container, and in this state, the disposable diaper is sold at stores or brought into hospitals and care facilities.
The disposable diaper has at least one fold line in a state of being packaged in the container. On an outside of the fold line, a marking which represents a size of the disposable diaper or a classification of an absorptive capacity of the disposable diaper is provided, as described below.
Examples of the disposable diaper include: an open-type disposable diaper which is provided with a pair of fastening members on left and right sides of the diaper and which is formed into a pants shape by using the fastening members in wearing; and a pants-type disposable diaper formed in a pants shape. For example, the pants-type disposable diaper has a front part, a back part and a crotch part connecting the front part and the back part, and has a waist opening and a pair of leg openings formed by joining the front part and the back part. Concerning names of the front part, the back part and the crotch part, a part applied to an abdomen side of a wearer is called the front part, a part applied to a buttocks side of the wearer is called the back part, and a part positioned between the front part and the back part and applied to a crotch of the wearer is called the crotch part, in a state of wearing the disposable diaper. The disposable diaper preferably comprises an absorbent core provided at least at the crotch part.
In one embodiment of the pants-type disposable diaper, a laminate comprising an inner sheet and an outer sheet is formed in a pants shape to define the front part, the back part and the crotch part connecting the front part and the back part, and an absorbent body in which the absorbent core is interposed between a top sheet and a back sheet is provided at the crotch part. In another embodiment of the pants-type disposable diaper, a laminate comprising a top sheet, a back sheet and the absorbent core interposed therebetween is formed in a pants shape to define the front part, the back part and the crotch part connecting the front part and the back part.
The top sheet is preferably liquid-permeable. Examples of the top sheet include, for example, a nonwoven fabric formed from hydrophilic fibers such as cellulose and rayon; and a nonwoven fabric, formed from hydrophobic fibers such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyamide and nylon, in which the hydrophobic fibers are hydrophilized with a surfactant on the surface thereof.
The back sheet is preferably liquid-impermeable. Examples of the back sheet include, for example, a nonwoven fabric formed from hydrophobic fibers such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyamide and nylon; and a plastic film. As the back sheet, a laminate of a nonwoven fabric and a plastic film may be also used. Here, the term “liquid-impermeable” includes the meaning of “water-repellent”.
The inner sheet is preferably hydrophilic or liquid-impermeable, and the outer sheet is preferably liquid-impermeable. A material which can be used for the top sheet may be used as the hydrophilic inner sheet. A material which can be used for the back sheet may be used as the liquid-impermeable inner sheet or the liquid-impermeable outer sheet.
The absorbent core is not particularly restricted as long as it absorbs excrement such as urine and the like. As the absorbent core, a clump of an absorbent material, which is formed into a predefined shape, may be used, or an absorbent material wrapped with a covering sheet such as paper (for example, tissue paper), a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric and the like may be used, for example. Examples of the absorbent material contained in the absorbent core include, for example, a hydrophilic fiber such as a crushed pulp fiber and a cellulose fiber; and an absorbent polymer such as polyacrylic absorbent polymer, cellulosic absorbent polymer, and stark-acrylonitrile absorbent polymer. The absorbent material preferably contains at least an absorbent polymer. Further, the absorbent material may be obtained by mixing an absorbent polymer with a hydrophilic fiber assembly, or dispersing an absorbent polymer on a hydrophilic fiber assembly. A shape of the absorbent core is not limited. Examples of the shape of the absorbent core include a rectangular shape, an hourglass shape, a center nipped-in gourd shape, a battledore shape and the like.
The disposable diaper preferably comprises rising flaps disposed along edges of opposite sides of the absorbent core. The rising flaps enable to prevent lateral leakage of urine and the like. The rising flap is preferably liquid-impermeable. Further, a rising elastic member is preferably provided at a free end of the rising flap in order that the rising flap rises easily.
The disposable diaper preferably comprises a waist elastic member disposed to the front part and the back part along an edge of the waist opening. The waist elastic member prevents excrement such as urine and the like from leaking from a back side or an abdomen side, even when a wearer lies. The waist elastic member may consist of a plurality of elastic members.
The disposable diaper preferably comprises a leg elastic member disposed along an edge of the leg opening. The leg elastic member prevents excrement such as urine and the like from leaking from the edge of the leg opening. The leg elastic member may consist of a plurality of elastic members.
The disposable diaper preferably comprises a plurality of body elastic members disposed to the front part and/or the back part so as to extend in a width direction of the disposable diaper. The body elastic members improve a fitting property of the disposable diaper around an abdomen region. Especially, the pants-type disposable diaper is preferably provided with the body elastic members.
Elastic materials such as a polyurethane thread, a polyurethane film, a natural rubber and the like, which are generally used for disposable diapers, can be used for the respective elastic members. The respective elastic members are preferably fixed in a stretched state with a hot-melt adhesive. For example, a polyurethane thread having a fineness of 100 dtex to 2,500 dtex is stretched at a ratio of 1.1 to 5.0 times to be fixed. A preferable hot-melt adhesive is a rubber hot-melt adhesive.
The disposable diaper is folded back at a fold line, and a marking which represents specification information of the disposable diaper is provided on an outside of the fold line. The disposable diaper is folded back at the fold line to define one side and the other side across the fold line. The one side and the other side are superposed substantially parallel each other. The marking which represents the specification information may be provided only on the outside of the fold line, or may be provided so as to extend from the fold line to the one side and/or the other side.
In the case that the marking which represents the specification information is provided on the outside of the fold line, the specification information of each of the disposable diaper can be visually recognized in a state where a plurality of the disposable diapers are stacked, as described below. In the case that the marking which represents the specification information is provided so as to extend from the fold line to one side and/or the other side defined across the fold line, the specification information of the disposable diaper can be easily recognized even when the disposable diaper is taken out from the container and handled individually.
A location where the fold line of the disposable diaper is formed is not particularly restricted; however, the disposable diaper is preferably folded back at a fold line so as to be able to be packaged in the container in a suitable manner. For example, the disposable diaper may be folded in two or three, or may be folded into a quadrangular shape (preferably, a rectangular shape) in a planar view so as to be able to be packaged suitably in a substantially quadratic prism-shaped container.
The marking, which represents the specification information of the disposable diaper and which is provided on the outside of the fold line, includes a first marking which represents a size of the disposable diaper and/or a third marking which represents a classification of an absorptive capacity of the disposable diaper. As the first marking, characters such as “S”, “M”, or “L”, which represents the size of the disposable diaper, may be indicated, or a symbol, design, or figure corresponding to the size of the disposable diaper may be indicated. As the third marking, letters such as “for 2 times” or “for 4 times”, which represent a number of urination which can be held in the diaper as the absorptive capacity of the diaper, may be indicated, or a symbol, design, or figure corresponding to the classification of the absorptive capacity may be indicated.
The first marking and/or the third marking are indicated in a specific color. Preferably, the first marking and/or the third marking are indicated in a specific color other than white. Since a general disposable diaper has a white ground, when the first marking and/or the third marking are indicated in a color other than white, the first marking and/or the third marking can be easily recognized.
Hereinafter, an embodiment for: a location where the fold line is formed; and indication of the first marking and the third marking, is described below with a pants-type disposable diaper as an example, referring to the drawings.
The disposable diaper 1 is folded back at a first fold line 11 at the crotch part 2. The front part 3 and the back part 4 are formed across a first fold line 11 and superposed on each other. The superposed front part 3 and back part 4 are joined to each other at their side edges to form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. In the disposable diaper 1, a waist elastic member 6 is disposed along an edge of the waist opening, leg elastic members 7 are disposed along edges of the leg openings, and body elastic members 8 are disposed to the front part 3 and the back part 4 so as to extend in a width direction of the disposable diaper. A first marking 21 which represents a size of the disposable diaper 1 is provided on an outside of the first fold line 11. In
A plurality of the pants-type disposable diapers 1, each of which is in a pants shape in a planar view as shown in
The marking which represents the specification information of the disposable diaper 1 may be provided at a fold line which is formed by folding the pants-type disposable diaper shown in
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A method for providing the first marking and the third marking on the disposable diaper is not particularly restricted; however, the first marking and the third marking are preferably printed on the disposable diaper by inkjet printing. When printed by inkjet printing, even though the first marking and the third marking are complicated or detailed in shape or color, these markings are easily applied to the disposable diaper appropriately.
The fold line at which the first marking and/or the third marking is provided, is preferably a fold line formed by folding back the disposable diaper together with its absorbent core. In other words, the first marking and/or the third marking is preferably provided on an external surface of the disposable diaper in a region where the absorbent core overlaps. In the disposable diaper, the region where the absorbent core overlaps has high rigidity, and is unlikely to distort in spite of an effect of an elastic member disposed to the disposable diaper. Therefore, when the first marking and/or the third marking is provided in the region where the absorbent core overlaps, characters, symbols or the like of these markings are unlikely to distort, resulting in easily recognized.
A plurality of the disposable diapers are stacked to form the diaper stack. In the diaper stack, the disposable diapers are stacked so that the one side of the disposable diaper and the other side of the adjacent disposable diaper are superposed on each other. The diaper stack has both end faces in which the one side of the disposable diaper and the other side of the other disposable diaper face outside, and side faces between the both end faces, in which the fold lines or edges of the disposable diapers face outside. Here, as described above, the one side and the other side mean sides defined across the fold line at which the first marking and/or the third marking is provided. Further, in the diaper stack, a plurality of the disposable diapers are stacked so that the fold lines, at each of which the first marking and/or the third marking is provided, of all the disposable diaper face in a same direction. Therefore, in a state where the disposable diapers are stacked to form the diaper stack, the markings which represent the specification information of the respective disposable diapers can be recognized when the diaper stack is seen from the side face thereof.
In addition, when that the first marking and/or the third marking is provided so as to extend from the fold line to the one side and/or the other side across the fold line, the marking which represents the specification information of the disposable diaper can be recognized, seen from the ends face of the diaper stack.
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A plurality of the stacked disposable diapers are packaged in a container to form a diaper packaging. The container is not particularly limited, as long as the container can contain disposable diapers, and examples of the container include a plastic film bag, a paper bag, a plastic hard container, and a corrugated fiberboard box.
The container has an openable part. In the diaper packaging of the present invention, when the openable part of the container is opened, the disposable diaper contained in the container can be taken out. Examples of the openable part include a perforation, a cover, a flap, and an adhesive tape which seals an opening of the container.
The openable part of the container is formed on a side to which the fold lines, at which the markings which represent the specification information is provided, of the stacked disposable diapers face. In other words, in the present invention, the first marking and/or the third marking is provided on at least one side face of the diaper stack, in which the disposable diapers are stacked, and the openable part of the container is formed on a side to which the one side face of the diaper stack faces. Therefore, when the openable part of the container is opened, the first marking and/or the third marking of the disposable diaper contained in the container can be readily recognized visually.
Further, if the openable part of the container is also formed on a side to which the one side or the other side diaper defined across the fold line of the disposable faces, and the first marking and/or the third marking is also provided on the one side and/or the other side defined across the fold line, the first marking and/or the third marking of the disposable diaper contained in the container can be more readily recognized when the openable part of the container is opened.
On the container, a second marking which represents the size of the disposable diaper packaged in the container and/or a fourth marking which represents the classification of the absorptive capacity of the disposable diaper packaged in the container is provided. As the second marking, characters such as “S”, “M”, or “L”, which represents the size of the disposable diaper, may be indicated, or a symbol, design, or figure corresponding to the size of the disposable diaper may be indicated. As the fourth marking, letters such as “for 2 times” or “for 4 times”, which represent a number of urination which can be held in the diaper as the absorptive capacity of the diaper, may be indicated, or a symbol, design, or figure corresponding to the classification of the absorptive capacity, may be indicated.
In first embodiment of the diaper packaging of the present invention, the first marking provided at the fold line of the disposable diaper and the second marking provided on the container are indicated in a same color. The first marking and the second marking which represent the size of the disposable diaper are preferably indicated in a different color in accordance with the size.
In the second embodiment of the diaper packaging of the present invention, the third marking provided at the fold line of the disposable diaper and the fourth marking provided on the container are indicated in a same color. The third marking and the fourth marking which represent the classification of the absorptive capacity of the disposable diaper are preferably indicated in a different color in accordance with the classification of an absorptive capacity. The third marking and the fourth marking may be changed in color in accordance with a type of the absorbent core in connection with the absorptive capacity. For example, depending on kinds or blending proportion of an absorbent material to be used in the absorbent core, the absorbent core may be changed in thickness even though having the same absorptive capacity. In such a case, the third marking and the fourth marking may be changed in color in accordance with the type of the absorbent core.
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For the disposable diaper 1, a set of product series may be prepared in accordance with the classifications of their absorptive capacities. Specifically, product series such as a large absorptive capacity series, a medium absorptive capacity series, and a small absorptive capacity thin type series may be prepared. In such a case, when the fourth marking 44 is provided by the design as shown in
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In the diaper packaging of the present invention, the openable part of the container is formed on the side to which the fold lines, at which the markings which represent the specification information of the disposable diapers are provided, of the stacked disposable diapers face; and further, the first marking and the second marking are indicated in the same color, or the third marking and the fourth marking are indicated in the same color. Therefore, when the openable part of the container is opened, it can be recognized at a glance that each disposable diaper contained in the container has the specification indicated on the container. In addition, even after the disposable diaper is taken out from the container, the specification of the disposable diaper can be readily recognized. Therefore, a wearer or a caregiver can pick a disposable diaper of a favorable type without confusing. In particular, at hospitals and facilities where various types of disposable diapers are always stored, the specification of the disposable diaper and the specification of the disposable diaper contained in the container can be recognized at a glance, and it is convenient.
Further, as described above, for the disposable diaper, a set of product series may be prepared in accordance with classifications of their absorptive capacities. Regarding a general disposable diaper, it is difficult to recognize the series of the disposable diaper from the diaper itself in a state where the disposable diaper is taken out from the container, even if its series can be readily recognized from the container. Meanwhile, when the third marking is provided on the disposable diaper as in the present invention, it can be readily recognized which series the disposable diaper is, even after the disposable diaper is taken out from the container.
In care facilities such as nursing homes for the aged, in particular, the diaper packaging of the present invention is suitably used. In care facilities such as nursing homes for the aged, an elderly person who may have difficulty in recognizing small characters or symbols, uses a disposable diaper. Thus, when a marking such as characters and symbols without color information is provided on a disposable diaper or a container, it tends to be difficult for such an elderly person to recognize the specification of the disposable diaper for his or her using. However, in the present invention, since the marking which represents the specification information of the disposable diaper is indicated by color, a wearer can readily recognize the specification of the disposable diaper for his or her using. In addition, comparing the first marking and/or the third marking on the disposable diaper to the second marking and/or the fourth marking on the container, an elderly person can easily choose a disposable diaper for oneself. Further, a caregiver can also recognize at a glance whether or not a wearer wears a disposable diaper of an appropriate specification, and therefore, it is convenient. Thus, the present invention is suitably applicable to disposable diapers for adults, in particular.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009-266376 | Nov 2009 | JP | national |