Absorbent article and method and device for manufacturing absorbent article

A method for manufacturing an absorbent article that comprises a first sheet member, a second sheet member, a first elastic member, and side-seal sections, wherein the elastic first member is attached to the first sheet member, the first sheet member is stretchable in a lateral direction using the first elastic member, the side-seal sections are disposed at each lateral end portion of the absorbent article, the first sheet member and the second sheet member are overlaid in a thickness direction and welded together at the side-seal sections, and the thickness direction intersects the lateral direction, the method comprising:

• arranging first elastic-member continuous bodies between a pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces of a first sheet member continuous body that is transported in a transport direction that is the same as the lateral direction, wherein
• the first elastic-member continuous bodies and the first sheet member continuous body are arranged continuously in the transport direction, and
• the first elastic-member continuous bodies are in a stretched state in the transport direction and spaced side-by-side in a CD direction that intersects the transport direction and the thickness direction;
• disposing first welding portions spaced apart in the transport direction and the CD direction on the first sheet member continuous body, wherein
• the welding portions join the pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces of the first sheet member continuous body,
• the first welding portions are disposed on two sides of the first elastic-member continuous bodies in the CD direction while the first elastic-member continuous bodies are maintained in the stretched state,
• the welding portions are disposed so that, by direction-of-transport contraction and CD-direction expansion of the first elastic member after cutting of the absorbent article, the first elastic member is sandwiched and pressed in the CD direction by the first welding portions on the two sides of the first elastic-member continuous bodies, and
• the first welding portions are disposed so that a portion of at least one of the first welding portions overlaps with at least a portion of the side-seal sections in a thickness direction of the first sheet member continuous body;
• overlaying, in the thickness direction, a second sheet member continuous body on the first sheet member continuous body where first the welding portions are disposed, wherein the second sheet member continuous body is arranged continuously in the transport direction;
• disposing, in the transport direction, the side-seal sections on each of two sides of cutting target positions spaced apart at a predetermined pitch in the transport direction on the first sheet member continuous body, wherein the first sheet member continuous body and the second sheet member continuous body are welded together at the side-seal sections;
• and
• the cutting of the absorbent article, after the disposing of the side-seal sections, by cutting the first sheet member continuous body, the first elastic-member continuous bodies, and the second sheet member continuous body at the cutting target positions.