JP2018135618A - Device for producing absorbent article and method for producing absorbent article - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a production method to make it possible to efficiently produce an absorbent article in which a granular material is unevenly distributed inside the lower part rather than the top face of an absorber, when producing an absorbent article having an absorber in which a water absorptive granular material is added.SOLUTION: A device 1 for producing an absorbent article comprises an air opening device 9 having a transport passage 9a formed inside which has an opening chamber 43a for opening a veil-like tow band 60 by gas and which transports the tow band 60 in the predetermined transportation direction, and an adding device 10 for adding a granular material 28 to the tow band 60. In a method for producing an absorbent article, on the upstream side from an exit of the opening chamber 43a in the transport passage 9a in the transportation direction, in a state that a first face of the tow band 60 is arranged parallel with or at the upper part of the vertical direction, the adding device 10 adds the granular material 28 to the tow band 60 from a second face side positioned on the side opposite to the first face of the tow band.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an absorbent article manufacturing apparatus and an absorbent article manufacturing method.

  Absorbent articles such as paper diapers and pads for preventing urine leakage include, for example, an absorbent that absorbs moisture, a top sheet having liquid permeability, and a back sheet having air permeability. The absorbent body is manufactured by, for example, opening a bale-like tow band using the opening device disclosed in Patent Document 1 or 2.

  In some cases, a granular material made of a super absorbent polymer (SAP) is added to the absorbent body. For example, the granular materials are dispersed and arranged in the fiber gaps of the tow band that is conveyed and opened by gas. In the absorbent article having such a structure, moisture diffuses into the absorbent body through the fine holes formed in the top sheet and is absorbed by the particulate matter.

JP 2011-241487 A JP2013-112909A

  When manufacturing an absorber to which particulate matter is added, moisture is first contacted with the absorber when the absorbent article is used (hereinafter, this surface is referred to as the upper surface of the absorber). If it is possible to produce an absorbent body in which the granular material is unevenly distributed, the characteristics of the granular material are expressed in the interior below the upper surface of the absorbent body, and the characteristics different from the characteristics of the granular material are expressed on the upper surface of the absorbent body. Therefore, the design freedom of the absorber can be improved. However, it is difficult to manufacture such an absorber efficiently.

  Therefore, in the case of manufacturing an absorbent article having an absorbent body to which water-absorbing particulate matter is added, the present invention efficiently produces an absorbent article in which particulate matter is unevenly distributed in the interior below the upper surface of the absorbent body. The purpose is to make it possible.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an absorbent article manufacturing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a fiber-opening chamber for opening a bale-like tow band with gas and transports the tow band in a predetermined transport direction. The transport path to be provided with a gas opening device formed therein, and an addition device for adding particulate matter to the tow band, on the upstream side in the transport direction from the outlet of the opening chamber of the transport path, In a state where the first surface of the tow band is arranged parallel to or vertically above the vertical direction, the addition device is attached to the tow band from the second surface side that is located on the opposite side of the first surface of the tow band. Add the granulate.

  According to the above configuration, the first surface of the bale-like toe band is arranged in parallel with the vertical direction or vertically above the second surface side opposite to the first surface of the toe band from the second surface side to the toe band. By adding the particulate matter, the particulate matter enters the toe band from the second surface side. At this time, the plurality of fibers of the tow band prevent the granular material from moving from the second surface side to the first surface side inside the tow band, and the granular material is moved from the second surface side of the tow band to the second surface side. It is suppressed that it falls to one surface side by gravity. Thereby, the absorber which made the granular material unevenly distribute below the 1st surface of a tow band can be obtained.

  Therefore, by aligning the first surface of the tow band to which the particulate matter is added as described above on the upper surface of the absorber and orienting the second surface of the tow band on the lower surface of the absorber, the interior below the upper surface of the absorber Thus, an absorbent article in which the particulate matter is unevenly distributed can be efficiently produced.

  The first surface of the tow band is arranged vertically above, and the transport path is a downward slope from the upstream side in the transport direction to the downstream side at the upstream side in the transport direction from the outlet of the opening chamber. The granular material may be added to the tow band in the gradient region.

  As a result, in the gradient area of the transport path, the tow band transported in the transport direction is opened in the opening chamber, and while using the gravity, a granular shape is formed from the second surface side of the tow band below the top surface of the tow band. Things can be easily dispersed.

  The addition apparatus includes a storage unit that stores the particulate matter, a supply pipe that has one end connected to the storage unit and the other end connected to the transport path, and the supply pipe is connected to the one end from the one end. The granular material may extend downward toward the other end, and the granular material may flow through the supply pipe from the storage unit toward the conveyance path. Thereby, since a granular material can be distribute | circulated to a supply pipe | tube using gravity, it can be easy to supply a granular material to a tow band from the 2nd surface side, and the structure of an addition apparatus can be simplified and compactized.

  The conveyance path is formed in a corrugated flow path cross section extending in the width direction of the toe band as viewed from the conveyance direction, and the dimension of the conveyance path in the width direction of the toe band is directed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction. And the granular material may be added to the tow band on the upstream side in the transport direction from the outlet of the corrugated area.

  Thereby, in the corrugated region of the transport path, the tow band to be transported is formed into a corrugated shape, and the width direction dimension of the tow band is reduced and the particulate matter is added to the tow band. The tow band can be opened in a state where the particulate matter is uniformly held in the fiber gap at a predetermined position.

  The manufacturing method of the absorbent article which is one mode of the present invention includes a fiber-opening chamber for opening a bale-like tow band with gas, and a conveying path for conveying the tow band in a predetermined conveying direction inside. Using the formed gas opening device and an addition device for adding particulate matter to the tow band, the first surface of the tow band is positioned upstream of the opening of the opening chamber of the transfer path in the transfer direction. The particulate matter is added to the tow band by the adding device from the second surface side that is located on the opposite side of the first surface of the tow band in a state of being arranged parallel to or vertically above the vertical direction.

  The first surface of the tow band is arranged vertically upward, and the transport path is a downward slope from the upstream side in the transport direction to the downstream side at the upstream side in the transport direction from the outlet of the opening chamber. The granular material may be added to the tow band in the gradient region.

  The addition device includes a storage unit that stores the particulate matter, a supply pipe having one end connected to the storage unit and the other end connected to the transport path, and the supply pipe is connected to the supply pipe from the one end. You may extend to a downward slope toward the other end, and you may distribute | circulate the said granular material to the said supply pipe | tube toward the said conveyance path from the said storage part.

  The conveyance path is formed in a corrugated flow path cross section extending in the width direction of the toe band as viewed from the conveyance direction, and the dimension of the conveyance path in the width direction of the toe band is directed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction. And the granular material may be added to the tow band upstream of the corrugated area in the transport direction.

  According to each aspect of the present invention, in the case of manufacturing an absorbent article including an absorbent body to which water-absorbing particulate matter is added, the absorbent article in which particulate matter is unevenly distributed in the interior below the upper surface of the absorbent body. Can be manufactured efficiently.

It is the schematic of the absorbent article manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the vertical sectional view seen from the width direction of the tow band of the gas opening device and the addition device of FIG. It is the vertical sectional view seen from the conveyance direction of the tow band which passes the stay part of FIG. 1 and is conveyed upstream from a conveyance roll pair. It is the vertical sectional view seen from the conveyance direction of the absorbent article manufactured by the absorbent article manufacturing apparatus of FIG. It is the front view seen from the entrance side of the introduction part concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is the schematic of the gas opening apparatus and addition apparatus which concern on 3rd Embodiment.

  Each embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The upstream side mentioned below refers to the upstream side in the conveyance direction P of the toe band 60, and the downstream side refers to the downstream side in the conveyance direction P of the toe band 60.

(First embodiment)
[Absorbent article manufacturing equipment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an absorbent article manufacturing apparatus 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as manufacturing apparatus 1) according to the first embodiment. A packing container 50 is disposed in the vicinity of the manufacturing apparatus 1. In the packing container 50, a tow band 60 including a plurality of fibers is folded into a bale and packed in a compressed state. The packaging container 50 of FIG. 1 has a cross-sectional structure.

  The fibers contained in the tow band 60 are long fibers of cellulose acetate tow, but may be fibers made of other materials. As an example, in the manufacturing apparatus 1, the toe band 60 is transported in a predetermined transport direction P while the width direction is kept horizontal.

  The manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a first manufacturing unit 2 and a second manufacturing unit 3. The first manufacturing unit 2 includes a first widening device 4, a guide 5, a second widening device 6, a first opening roll pair 7, a second opening roll pair 8, a gas opening apparatus 9, an addition apparatus 10, and a transport roll. It has a pair 11 and a plurality of free rolls 12.

  The first widening device 4 widens the tow band 60 lifted from the inside of the packaging container 50 in the width direction. The guide 5 guides the tow band 60 that has passed through the first widening device 4 toward the second widening device 6. The second widening device 6 widens the tow band 60 that has passed through the guide 5 in the width direction. As an example, the first widening device 4 and the second widening device 6 have the same configuration. The first widening device 4 and the second widening device 6 are also referred to as banding jet devices.

  The first opening roll pair 7 and the second opening roll pair 8 further open the tow band 60 that has passed through the second widening device 6 on the upstream side of the gas opening device 9. The second spread roll pair 8 is disposed on the downstream side of the first spread roll pair 7. The first fiber opening roll pair 7 has a pair of rolls 13 and 14 that are arranged with their peripheral surfaces facing each other. The second fiber opening roll pair 8 has a pair of rolls 15 and 16 arranged with their peripheral surfaces facing each other. The second opening roll pair 8 rotates at a peripheral speed faster than the peripheral speed of the first opening roll pair 7.

  The tow band 60 that has passed through the second widening device 6 is inserted between the pair of rolls 13 and 14 and between the pair of rolls 15 and 16. The tow band 60 is tensioned in the transport direction P by the first opening roll pair 7 and the second opening roll pair 8 while being in contact with the peripheral surfaces of the rolls 13 to 16, and is opened in a bulky manner.

  A groove for opening the tow band 60 in the width direction is spirally formed around the roll axis on the peripheral surface of one roll of the pair of rolls 13 and 14 or one roll of the pair of rolls 15 and 16. It may be formed.

  The gas opening device 9 has a fiber opening chamber 43a for opening the bale-like tow band 60 with the gas G, and a transfer path 9a for transferring the tow band 60 in the transfer direction P is formed inside. In the gas opening device 9 of the present embodiment, the conveyance path 9a is arranged in a downward gradient from the upstream side in the conveyance direction P toward the downstream side. A plurality of free rolls 12 are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side of the gas opening device 9. The tow band 60 that has passed through the second opening roll pair 8 is guided by the plurality of free rolls 12 and introduced into the gas opening apparatus 9.

  The gas opening device 9 includes an introduction unit 17, a jet generation unit 18, an opening molding unit 19, and a staying unit 20. As an example, the conveyance path 9 a includes an internal space 27 of the introduction unit 17 described later, an internal space 40 and a tow band introduction path 42 of the jet generation unit 18, an internal space 43 of the fiber opening molding unit 19, and a retention chamber of the retention unit 20. 44.

  The introduction part 17 is attached to the upstream side of the jet generation part 18. The introduction part 17 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and an internal space 27 extending in the transport direction P is formed inside. The introduction part 17 circulates in the internal space 27 while guiding the tow band 60 that has passed through the second opening roll pair 8 and introduces it into the jet generation part 18. Water-absorbing granular material 28 is supplied to the internal space 27 from the side of the introduction unit 17 by the addition device 10.

  The jet generation unit 18 is attached to the upstream side of the spread molding unit 19. The jet generator 18 is cylindrical, and an internal space 40 extending in the transport direction P is formed. The jet generating unit 18 generates a jet by the gas G introduced from the outside in the internal space 40 and mixes the tow band 60 and the particulate matter 28. The jet generation unit 18 introduces the tow band 60 and the granular material 28 into the spread molding unit 19.

  The opening molding part 19 is cylindrical, and an internal space 43 extending in the transport direction P is formed therein. The internal space 43 has a spread chamber 43a. The fiber opening molding unit 19 mixes the tow band 60, the granular material 28, and the gas G that have passed through the jet generating unit 18 while being conveyed to the internal space 43, and opens and molds the tow band 60 in the fiber opening chamber 43a. At the same time, the particulate matter 28 is dispersed and arranged in a predetermined area inside the tow band 60.

  The staying part 20 is attached to the downstream side of the spread molding part 19. The staying portion 20 has a staying chamber 44 extending in the transport direction P. The retention unit 20 temporarily retains the tow band 60 that has passed through the internal space 43 in the retention chamber 44. Thereby, the retention part 20 adjusts the bulk or fiber density of the tow band 60 while suppressing the expansion of the tow band 60. The staying part 20 has a plurality of long members 32. The plurality of long members 32 are extended toward the downstream side from the spread molding part 19 while being spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the transport path 9a. The upstream end portion of the long member 32 is connected to the downstream end portion of the spread molding part 19. The downstream end portions of the plurality of long members 32 approach each other as they progress from the upstream side to the downstream side. The tow band 60 that has passed through the outlet of the opening chamber 43a passes through the stay chamber 44 in the transport direction P.

  The adding device 10 adds the particulate matter 28 to the tow band 60. The addition device 10 is in a state in which the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 is arranged in parallel with or vertically above the vertical direction on the upstream side of the outlet of the opening chamber 43a of the conveyance path 9a (in this embodiment, the tow band 60 In the state in which the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 is disposed vertically upward), the granular material 28 is placed on the tow band 60 from the second surface 60b side opposite to the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 (see FIG. 3). Added. Here, the first surface 60 a is a surface of the tow band 60 in which moisture first comes into contact with the tow band 60 when the absorbent article 62 described later is used.

  The granular material 28 consists of a highly water-absorbent resin as an example. In the present embodiment, the particulate matter 28 is added to the tow band 60 by the adding device 10 from the second surface 60 b side arranged below the toe band 60 in the vertical direction.

  Specifically, the addition device 10 includes a storage unit 21 and a supply pipe 22. The granular material 28 is stored in the storage unit 21. One end of the supply pipe 22 is connected to the storage unit 21. The other end of the supply pipe 22 is connected to the transport path 9a. The supply pipe 22 extends downward from the one end toward the other end. The adding device 10 causes the particulate matter 28 stored in the storage portion 21 to flow through the supply pipe 22 and adds it to the tow band 60 in the internal space 27.

  The conveyance path 9a may have other opening chambers arranged on the upstream side or the downstream side of the opening chamber 43a. In this case, if the addition apparatus 10 adds the granular material 28 to the tow band 60 at the addition position located upstream of the outlet of the opening chamber on the most downstream side in the transport direction P among the plurality of opening chambers. Good. In this case, for example, the addition position may be located upstream of the entrance of the opening chamber on the most upstream side among the plurality of opening chambers.

  The conveyance roll pair 11 conveys the tow band 60 that has passed through the gas opening device 9 to the downstream side. The pair of transport rolls 11 includes a pair of transport rolls (also referred to as take-up rolls) 30 and 31 that are pivotally supported in parallel. The toe band 60 is inserted between the pair of transport rolls 30 and 31. The toe band 60 is taken up by the pair of transport rolls 30 and 31 and is pressed by the pair of transport rolls 30 and 31 in the thickness direction. Thereby, the absorber 61 is manufactured. The absorber 61 is conveyed to the second manufacturing unit 3 disposed on the downstream side of the conveyance roll pair 11.

  The second manufacturing unit 3 arranges the back sheet 63 and the top sheet 64 so as to overlap the absorber 61. The second manufacturing unit 3 includes a first supply device 24, a sheet conveying device 25, a second supply device 26, an attaching device 29, a sheet forming roll pair 37, and a sticking device 38.

  The first supply device 24 feeds the belt-like back sheet 63 from the first sheet roll 66 and supplies it on a predetermined conveyance line L. The sheet transport device 25 transports the back sheet 63 to the transport line L. The absorber 61 is supplied on the back sheet 63. The second supply device 26 feeds the belt-like top sheet 64 from the second sheet roll 67 and puts the top sheet 64 on the transport line L so as to sandwich the absorber 61 between the back sheet 63 and the top sheet 64. Supply.

  The attaching device 29 attaches an adhesive to the top sheet 64 between the second sheet roll 67 and the sheet forming roll pair 37. The sheet forming roll pair 37 conveys the stacked back sheet 63, absorber 61, and top sheet 64 to the downstream side while forming the sheet into a sheet shape. The sticking device 38 presses the back sheet 63 and the top sheet 64 in the thickness direction, and sticks the back sheet 63 and the top sheet 64 with an adhesive with the absorber 61 sandwiched therebetween. In the manufacturing apparatus 1, the back sheet 63, the absorbent body 61, and the top sheet 64 attached by the attaching apparatus 38 are cut into predetermined dimensions, and the absorbent article 62 is manufactured.

  In addition, although the absorbent article 62 is a diaper use in this embodiment, of course, other uses may be sufficient, for example, a urine leak prevention pad use may be sufficient. When the absorbent article 62 is used for a pad for preventing urine leakage or the like, the back sheet 63 may be omitted. Further, for example, when the plurality of fibers of the tow band 60 on the upper surface of the absorbent body 61 are bonded to each other by a binder such as a plasticizer or an adhesive, the top sheet 64 may be omitted.

[Gas opening device and additive device]
FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the gas opening device 9 and the addition device 10 of FIG. The downstream end portion of the introduction portion 17 is recessed toward the inside of the conveyance direction P of the introduction portion 17. The introduction unit 17 includes a toe band introduction port 17a and a toe band discharge port 17b. The toe band introduction port 17 a is provided on the upstream end surface of the introduction unit 17. In the present embodiment, the toe band introduction port 17a is formed in a rectangular peripheral shape with the width direction of the toe band 60 as the long side direction and the thickness direction of the toe band 60 as the short side direction when viewed from the conveyance direction P. . The toe band discharge port 17 b is provided on the downstream end surface of the introduction portion 17. The upstream end portion of the jet generating portion 18 is inserted into the downstream end portion of the introducing portion 17. The internal space 27 extends in the transport direction P inside the introduction portion 17. The internal space 27 is smoothly connected to the toe band introduction path 42 of the jet generator 18.

  The jet generation unit 18 includes a mixing unit 35 and a nozzle unit 36. The mixing part 35 is a tubular part extending in the transport direction P. The mixing unit 35 includes a gas inlet 35a, a toe band inlet 35b, and a toe band outlet 35c. The gas inlet 35 a is disposed on the upstream side of the mixing unit 35. The toe band inlet 35 b is disposed at the upstream end of the mixing unit 35. The toe band discharge port 35 c is disposed at the downstream end of the mixing unit 35.

  The gas introduction port 35 a introduces pressurized gas G (air as an example) into the internal space 40. In this embodiment, the addition position of the granular material 28 with respect to the tow band 60 is located upstream from the gas inlet 35a. The toe band introduction port 35 b introduces the toe band 60 into the internal space 40. The internal space 40 extends in the transport direction P inside the jet generator 18. The downstream end of the mixing unit 35 is inserted into the fiber opening molding unit 19.

  The nozzle portion 36 is provided on the upstream side of the internal space 40. A tapered portion 36 a is formed at the downstream end of the nozzle portion 36. The tapered portion 36a has a shape that tapers from the upstream side toward the downstream side.

  The inner peripheral surface of the mixing portion 35 facing the outer peripheral surface of the tapered portion 36a is reduced in diameter from the upstream side toward the downstream side while being separated from the outer peripheral surface of the tapered portion 36a. Thereby, a jet flow path 41 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the tapered portion 36 a and the inner peripheral surface of the mixing portion 35. The jet channel 41 has an annular cross section. The jet flow path 41 generates a jet by the gas G introduced from the gas introduction port 35 a into the internal space 40 and ejects the jet into the internal space 40.

  A toe band introduction path 42 is formed inside the nozzle portion 36. The toe band introduction path 42 extends downstream from the toe band introduction port 35b. The toe band introduction path 42 extends in the transport direction P inside the jet generator 18. The outlet of the tow band introduction path 42 is disposed downstream of the gas introduction port 35a. The tow band 60 that has passed through the tow band introduction path 42 is mixed with the gas G that has passed through the jet flow path 41 and flows through the internal space 40.

  The gas G may be a gas other than air. Further, the outlet of the tow band introduction path 42 and the gas introduction port 35a may be arranged at positions overlapping each other when viewed from the side. Moreover, the exit of the tow band introduction path 42 may be disposed upstream of the gas introduction port 35a.

  The upstream end portion and the downstream end portion of the spread molding part 19 are recessed inward in the transport direction P of the spread molding part 19. The spread molding part 19 has a tow band inlet 19a and a tow band outlet 19b. The toe band introduction port 19a and the toe band discharge port 19b are separated in the transport direction P. The toe band introduction port 19 a is disposed on the upstream end surface of the spread molding part 19. The toe band discharge port 19 b is disposed on the downstream end surface of the spread molding part 19. The internal space 40 is smoothly connected to the internal space 43 by inserting the downstream end of the mixing unit 35 into the upstream end of the spread molding unit 19.

  In the present embodiment, since the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 is arranged vertically upward, the transport path 9a is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side upstream of the outlet of the fiber opening chamber 43a. And a gradient region extending in the direction. In the present embodiment, the entire area of the transport path 9a corresponds to a gradient area. The granular material 28 is added to the tow band 60 in the gradient region of the transport path 9a.

  The opening chamber 43 a extends in the longitudinal direction of the internal space 43. In the present embodiment, the toe band inlet 19a corresponds to the inlet of the opening chamber 43a, and the tow band outlet 19b corresponds to the outlet of the opening chamber 43a. Upstream end portions of a plurality of long members 32 are inserted into the downstream end portion of the spread molding portion 19.

  As an example, the flow path cross-sectional shape of the outlet of the opening chamber 43a is a substantially elliptical shape in which the width direction of the tow band 60 is the major axis direction, but is not limited to this, for example, a circular shape, a rectangular shape, and a polygonal shape. Either is acceptable. Moreover, the conveyance path 9a may have the area | region where the flow-path cross-sectional area of the opening chamber 43a increases toward the downstream from the upstream.

  The staying chamber 44 formed in the staying part 20 extends in the transport direction P inside the staying part 20. The flow passage cross-sectional area of the retention chamber 44 is gradually reduced from the upstream side toward the downstream side. In the staying chamber 44, the pressing force that the tow band 60 receives from the long member 32 increases as it proceeds from the upstream side to the downstream side. As a result, the toe band 60 is compressed by the plurality of long members 32 and the fiber density increases. The gas G discharged from the spread molding part 19 is diffused to the outside of the staying chamber 44 through the gaps between the plurality of long members 32.

  Although the elongate member 32 is comprised by the rod-shaped member as an example, it is not limited to this, For example, a plate member may be sufficient. When the long member 32 is configured by a plate member, the long member 32 is disposed so that the plate surface of the plate member is in surface contact with the toe band 60.

  The conveyance path 9 a extends in the conveyance direction P inside the gas opening device 9. In this embodiment, the conveyance path 9a extends linearly in a downward gradient from the upstream side toward the downstream side in parallel with the conveyance direction P. In this embodiment, between the addition position of the granular material 28 and the exit of the opening chamber 43a, the transport path 9a is away from the exit along the transport direction P, and away from the exit along the horizontal plane. (In other words, the angle on the second surface 60b side of the tow band 60 between the direction from the downstream side to the upstream side of the conveyance path 9a and the horizontal plane) θ1 is in the range of 0 ° to 90 °. Set to a value. The angle θ1 is more preferably in the range of 45 ° to 85 °, and is set to 80 ° here.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the supply pipe | tube 22 is linearly extended in the downward slope from the storage part 21 side toward the conveyance path 9a side inside the introduction part 17. As shown in FIG. Inside the introduction portion 17, the supply pipe 22 is an angle between the direction away from the joining position with the transport path 9 a along the longitudinal direction of the supply pipe 22 and the direction away from the joining position along the horizontal plane (in other words, The downward inclination angle (θ2 with respect to the horizontal direction of the supply pipe 22 inside the introduction portion 17) θ2 is set to a value in the range of 45 ° to 50 °. Here, the angle θ2 is set to 48 °. As an example, the angle θ2 can be set to a value smaller than the angle θ1.

  When the tow band 60 is conveyed through the opening chamber 43a, the tow band 60 expands corresponding to the flow path cross-sectional shape of the opening chamber 43a, and a plurality of fibers are opened while being intertwined with each other. 28 are distributed and disposed in the fiber gaps of the tow band 60. The toe band 60 is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the opening molding portion 19 and is molded into a channel cross-sectional shape at the outlet of the opening chamber 43a.

  As an example, the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the conveying direction P of the tow band 60 passing through the gas opening device 9 is reduced by reducing the cross-sectional area of the opening chamber 43a and the cross-sectional area of the retention chamber 44. In addition, the fiber density of the tow band 60 can be improved, and the granular material 28 can be easily held at a predetermined position by the plurality of fibers of the tow band 60 inside the tow band 60. In addition, by improving the fiber density of the tow band 60, a good tactile sensation of the absorbent body 61 can be obtained.

  Here, in the manufacturing apparatus 1, the particulate matter 28 enters the inside of the tow band 60 from the second surface 60b side by adding the particulate matter 28 to the toe band 60 from the second surface 60b side in the conveyance path 9a.

  In the manufacturing apparatus 1, one component in the discharge direction in which the particulate matter 28 is discharged from the other end of the supply pipe 22 toward the second surface 60 b of the tow band 60 is the same as the direction from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction P. I'm doing it. The granular material 28 is prevented from moving from the second surface 60b side to the first surface 60a side by the plurality of fibers of the toe band 60, and from the second surface 60b side of the tow band 60 to the first surface 60a side. Dropping due to gravity is suppressed. The granular material 28 is arranged so as to be unevenly distributed below the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 while dropping inside the tow band 60 by gravity in the conveying path 9a.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 is parallel to the vertical direction on the upstream side of the outlet of the opening chamber 43a of the transport path 9a using the gas opening device 9 and the addition device 10. The particulate matter 28 is added to the tow band 60 by the addition device 10 from the second surface 60b side of the tow band 60 in a state of being arranged vertically above.

  Further, the granular material 28 is added to the tow band 60 in the gradient region of the transport path 9a. Further, the supply pipe 22 is extended downward from the one end toward the other end, and the particulate matter 28 is circulated through the supply pipe 22 from the storage portion 21 toward the conveyance path 9a. In addition, the conveyance path 9a may extend linearly in an upward gradient from the upstream side toward the downstream side in parallel with the conveyance direction P.

[Tow band and absorbent article]
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the tow band 60 that passes through the stay portion 20 of FIG. 1 and is transported upstream from the transport roll pair 11 as viewed from the transport direction P. As shown in FIG. 3, the particulate matter 28 is distributed and unevenly distributed in the interior below the first surface 60 a of the toe band 60.

  Further, in the manufacturing apparatus 1, after opening the tow band 60 with all the opening roll pairs (in this embodiment, the first opening roll pair 7 and the second opening roll pair 8), the gas opening apparatus 9 performs the tow band. By opening 60, the tow band 60 is opened and the bulky state is maintained, and the particulate matter 28 is held in the fiber gap of the tow band 60.

  4 is a vertical sectional view of the absorbent article 62 manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus 1 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the absorbent article 62 has a structure in which a back sheet 63 is disposed below the absorber 61 and a top sheet 64 is disposed above the absorber 61. The granular material 28 is unevenly distributed in the interior below the upper surface of the absorber 61 (the first surface 60a of the toe band 60).

  Thereby, in the absorbent article 62, good water absorption performance can be exhibited by the granular material 28 that is unevenly distributed in the inside below the upper surface of the absorber 61. Moreover, since the granular material 28 is not arrange | positioned on the upper surface of the absorber 61, while using the absorbent article 62, while the rough feel of the granular material 28 is prevented from being transmitted to skin, the absorbent article 62 after water absorption is prevented. It is possible to prevent the upper surface of the material from sticking. Therefore, the tactile sensation of the absorbent article 62 can be kept good even after water absorption.

  Further, since the granular material 28 is not disposed on the upper surface of the absorbent body 61, for example, a plurality of fibers on the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 are bonded to each other using a binder, and the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 is bonded. It can be easily made into a non-woven fabric.

  In addition, since the particulate matter 28 is not disposed on the upper surface of the absorbent body 61, for example, even when a hydrophilic additive is attached to the upper surface of the absorbent body 61, the additive material flows through the absorbed particulate matter 28. Can be prevented from disappearing, and the effect of the additive can be maintained.

  The depth dimension of the region where the particulate matter 28 of the absorber 61 is disposed adjusts, for example, the conveyance speed of the tow band 60 in the conveyance path 9a, the supply speed and the addition amount of the particulate matter 28 from the addition device 10, and the like. Therefore, it can be set as appropriate. As an example, if the angle θ1 or θ2 is set large, the depth dimension of the region where the granular material 28 of the absorber 61 is disposed can be increased. Moreover, if the angle θ2 is set large, the amount of particulate matter added to the tow band 60 can be increased.

  As an example, when the maximum depth dimension from the upper surface of the absorber 61 is 100%, the depth of the absorber 61 from the upper surface of the absorber 61 is 5% or more and 100%. Most desirably, the region is in the range of less than%. In addition, the area | region where the granular material 28 of the absorber 61 is arrange | positioned may be an area | region where the depth from the upper surface of the absorber 61 is 10% or more and less than 100%, for example. It may be a region having a depth from the upper surface of 20% or more and less than 100%.

  As described above, according to the manufacturing apparatus 1, the first surface 60 a of the bale-like tow band 60 is arranged in parallel with the vertical direction or above the vertical direction, from the second surface 60 b side of the toe band 60, By adding the particulate matter 28 to the toe band 60, the particulate matter 28 enters the inside of the toe band 60 from the second surface 60b side. At this time, the plurality of fibers of the tow band 60 prevent the granular material 28 from moving from the second surface 60b side to the first surface 60a side inside the toe band 60, and the granular material 28 The second surface 60b is prevented from dropping from the second surface 60b to the first surface 60a by gravity. Thereby, the absorber 61 which made the granular material 28 unevenly distribute | arranged below the 1st surface 60a of the toe band 60 can be obtained.

  Therefore, the first surface 60 a of the tow band 60 to which the particulate matter 28 is added as described above is oriented on the upper surface of the absorber 61, and the second surface 60 b of the tow band 60 is oriented on the lower surface of the absorber 61. The absorbent article 62 in which the particulate matter 28 is unevenly distributed in the interior below the upper surface of the 61 can be efficiently manufactured.

  In addition, when the granular material 28 is added to the tow band 60 in a state where the first surface 60a of the toe band 60 is arranged vertically upward and the second surface 60b is arranged vertically downward as in the present embodiment, The particulate matter 28 added from the second surface 60b side to 60 is further suppressed from moving to the first surface 60a side in the toe band 60 due to gravity, and the particulate matter is located below the upper surface of the absorber 61. 28 can be made unevenly distributed.

  Further, since the granular material 28 is added to the tow band 60 in the gradient area of the conveyance path 9a, gravity is applied to the tow band 60 conveyed in the conveyance direction P in the gradient area of the conveyance path 9a while opening in the fiber opening chamber 43a. , The particulate matter 28 can be easily dispersed from the second surface 60b side of the toe band 60 to the inside below the upper surface of the toe band 60.

  Further, since the supply pipe 22 extends downward from the one end toward the other end, and the particulate matter 28 flows through the supply pipe 22 from the storage portion 21 toward the transport path 9a, the particulate matter is utilized using gravity. 28 can be circulated through the supply pipe 22, so that the particulate matter 28 can be easily supplied to the tow band 60 from the second surface 60b side, and the configuration of the addition device 10 can be simplified and made compact. Therefore, for example, the addition apparatus 10 can be efficiently arranged in an existing space, and the manufacturing apparatus 1 can be made compact.

  In addition, since one component of the discharge direction in which the particulate matter 28 is discharged from the other end of the supply pipe 22 toward the second surface 60b of the tow band 60 coincides with the direction from the upstream side to the downstream side, The particulate matter 28 discharged from the pipe 22 toward the toe band 60 can smoothly enter the toe band 60 along the transport direction P. Therefore, the particulate matter 28 can be efficiently unevenly distributed in the interior below the upper surface of the absorber 61. Hereinafter, other embodiments will be described focusing on differences from the first embodiment.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a front view of the introduction portion 117 according to the second embodiment as viewed from the inlet 117a side. As shown in FIG. 5, the transport path 109 a of the gas opening device has a corrugated region formed in a corrugated flow path section extending in the width direction of the toe band 60 when viewed from the transport direction P. As an example, the waveform area corresponds to the entire area of the internal space 127 in the introduction part 117.

  The corrugated region has a plurality of crests 117c and a plurality of troughs 117d. The peaks 117 c and valleys 117 d are alternately arranged in the width direction of the toe band 60. The mountain portion 117 c is disposed on the first surface 60 a side of the toe band 60. The trough portion 117 d is disposed on the second surface 60 b side of the toe band 60. In the internal space 127, the dimension of the conveyance path 109a in the width direction of the toe band 60 (referred to as a width direction dimension D) decreases from the upstream side toward the downstream side. In 2nd Embodiment, the granular material 28 which distribute | circulated the supply pipe | tube 22 is added to the tow band 60 from the 2nd surface 60b side upstream from the exit of the waveform area | region (internal space 127) of the conveyance path 109a.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, by adding the particulate matter 28 to the tow band 60 on the upstream side of the exit of the corrugated region, the tow band 60 to be transported is formed into a corrugated shape in the corrugated region of the transport path 109a. Since the width direction dimension D of the tow band 60 is reduced and the granular material 28 is added to the tow band 60, the fiber gap of the tow band 60 is reduced, and the granular material 28 is uniformly held in the fiber gap at a predetermined position of the tow band 60. In this state, the tow band 60 can be opened.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the gas opening device 209 and the addition device 210 according to the third embodiment. In the gas opening device 209, the angle θ1 is set to 0 °. As shown in FIG. 6, the conveyance path 209a is arranged so as to extend in parallel with the horizontal direction.

  The supply pipe 222 of the addition device 210 is connected to the lower side of the introduction part 217. An auxiliary jet generator 223 is provided in the middle of the supply pipe 222. The auxiliary jet generating section 223 generates a jet by the gas G introduced from the outside, and assists the addition of the particulate matter 28 to the tow band 60 by this jet.

  The addition device 210 forcibly feeds the particulate matter 28 to the transport path 209a by the auxiliary jet generating portion 223, thereby preventing the particulate matter 28 from flowing backward by another jet flowing inside the jet generating portion 218, and The particulate matter 28 can be added to the tow band 60 from the side of the second surface 60b arranged below the toe band 60 in the vertical direction. Even when such a gas opening device 209 and the addition device 210 are used, an absorbent article similar to the absorbent article 62 of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  The supply pipe 222 extends linearly in an upward gradient from the storage unit 21 side toward the conveyance path 209a side inside the introduction unit 217, but is not limited thereto, and the supply pipe 222 is stored inside the introduction unit 217. It may extend linearly in parallel to the vertical direction from the part 21 side toward the conveyance path 209a side. Further, instead of the auxiliary jet generator 223, for example, a screw feeder may be provided in the supply pipe 222, and the addition of the particulate matter 28 to the tow band 60 may be assisted by this screw feeder.

(Confirmation test)
Using the production apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, a tow band 60 (hereinafter, molded) that is added with the particulate matter 28 by the addition apparatus 10 and passes through the gas opening apparatus 9 and is conveyed upstream from the conveyance roll pair 11. Was manufactured as the molded product of Example 1. In Example 1, the angle θ1 is 80 °, the angle θ2 is 48 °, the weight of the tow band 60 per 1 m in the transport direction dimension is 5.7 g, and the amount of particulate matter added to the tow band 60 per 1 m in the transport direction dimension is 3.3 g. The width of the molded product was set to 40 mm, and the thickness of the molded product was set to 25 mm.

  Further, the molded product of Example 2 was manufactured under the same conditions as in Example 1 except that the angle θ1 was set to 90 ° and the angle θ2 was set to 58 °. Further, the molded product of Example 3 was manufactured under the same conditions as in Example 1 except that the introduction unit 117 of the second embodiment was used instead of the introduction unit 17 of the first embodiment.

  In addition, the angle θ1 is set to 0 °, and in the internal space 127 of the introduction portion 117, the same conditions as in Example 3 except that the particulate matter 28 is added to the toe band 60 from the first surface 60a side of the toe band 60. The molded product of Comparative Example 1 was produced. Further, a molded article of Comparative Example 2 was manufactured under the same conditions as Comparative Example 1 except that the angle θ1 was set to 80 ° and the angle θ2 was set to 48 °. Further, the molding of Comparative Example 3 is performed under the same conditions as Comparative Example 1 except that the particulate matter 28 is added to the tow band 60 from the first surface 60a side of the tow band 60 between the staying portion 20 and the conveying roll pair 11. Manufactured.

  In order to examine the distribution of the granular material 28 in the width direction of each molded product, each molded product cut in the conveyance direction dimension to 10 cm was further cut at the center in the width direction. Using this cut piece, the ratio (% by weight) of the amount of particulate matter contained in one side and the other side in the width direction of each molded product was calculated.

  Further, in order to examine the distribution of the granular material 28 in the depth (thickness) direction of the molded product, each molded product cut in the conveyance direction dimension to 2 cm was further cut up and down at the center in the vertical direction. Using this cut piece, the ratio (% by weight) of the amount of particulate matter contained in the upper part and the lower part of each molded product was calculated.

  In addition, the ratio of the amount of granular material falling off from the upper part of the molded product was examined by the following method. Before and after the operation when each molded product cut to 30 cm in the conveyance direction is placed upside down, the amount of particulate matter contained in the molded product is measured, and when the molded product is placed upside down, the top of the molded product is The ratio (% by weight) of the amount of dropped granular material was calculated.

  In addition, the ratio of the amount of granular material falling off from the lower part of the molded product was examined by the following method. After being added to the tow band 60 by measuring the amount of granular material contained in each molded product having a dimension in the transport direction P cut to 30 cm at a position spaced downstream from the downstream end of the retention part 20 by a certain distance. The ratio (% by weight) of the amount of granular material dropped out from the lower part of each molded product was calculated. Moreover, the arrangement | positioning state of the granular material 28 in each molded article was confirmed by visual confirmation. These results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

  As shown in Tables 1 and 2, in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, no difference was found in the distribution of the granular material 28 in the width direction of the molded product. However, in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the granular material 28 is uniformly dispersed inside the molded product by the amount of spillage of the granular material 28 from the upper part and the lower part of the molded product and the confirmation of the arrangement state of the granular material 28. In Comparative Example 3, it was found that the granular material 28 was unevenly distributed on the upper surface of the molded product and in the vicinity thereof.

  From the results of Comparative Examples 1 to 3, when the granular material 28 is added to the tow band 60 from the first surface 60a side with the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 disposed vertically upward, Even if the particulate matter 28 is added to the tow band 60 on either the upstream side or the downstream side, it is considered difficult to make the particulate matter 28 unevenly distributed inside the first surface 60 a of the tow band 60.

  In Examples 1 to 3, the amount of spillage of the granular material 28 from the lower part of the molded product was slightly larger than that of Comparative Examples 1 to 3, but there was no spillage of the granular material 28 from the upper part of the molded product. . Thereby, in Examples 1-3, it turned out that the granular material 28 is not arrange | positioned at the upper part of a molded product, but is arrange | positioned inside the molded product. Moreover, in Examples 1-3, it was confirmed by visual confirmation that the granular material 28 is unevenly distributed in the inside below the upper surface of a molded product.

  As described above, in Examples 1 to 3, the reason why the granular material 28 is unevenly distributed in the molded product is that the granular material 28 is added to the tow band 60 from the second surface 60b side, so that the granular material 28 becomes the second surface 60b. It is considered that the movement from the side to the first surface 60 a side was suppressed by the plurality of fibers of the tow band 60. Moreover, in Example 1 and 3, the granular material added to the tow band 60 by adding the granular material 28 to the toe band 60 from the 2nd surface 60b side in the state which has arrange | positioned the 1st surface 60a of the toe band 60 to the perpendicular direction upper direction. It is conceivable that the object 28 is prevented from dropping from the second surface 60b side to the first surface 60a side by gravity.

  In Example 2, the angle θ1 is set to 90 °. However, when the arrangement state of the granular material 28 is visually confirmed, the granular material 28 moves to the first surface 60a side as in the first and third embodiments. It turns out that it is suppressed. From this result, even if the particulate matter 28 is added to the tow band 60 from the second surface 60b side of the tow band 60 in a state where the first surface 60a of the tow band 60 is arranged in parallel to the vertical direction, the first surface of the tow band 60 It was confirmed that the granular material 28 can be unevenly distributed in the interior below 60a.

  Moreover, in Example 3, the drop-off amount of the granular material 28 from the lower part of the molded product was reduced as compared with Example 1. The reason for this is that, in the third embodiment, the granular material 28 is added to the tow band 60 on the upstream side of the exit of the corrugated region of the conveyance path 109a, so that the fiber gap of the tow band 60 is reduced compared to the first embodiment. It is considered that the granular material 28 is easily held in the fiber gap of the tow band 60.

  The present invention is not limited to each embodiment, and the configuration and method thereof can be changed, added, or deleted without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Each embodiment may be arbitrarily combined with each other. For example, some configurations or methods in one embodiment may be combined with other embodiments.

  As described above, according to the present invention, in the case of manufacturing an absorbent article including an absorbent body to which water-absorbing particulate matter is added, the absorptive property in which particulate matter is unevenly distributed in the interior below the upper surface of the absorbent body. It has an excellent effect of efficiently producing an article. Therefore, it is beneficial to apply widely as an absorbent article manufacturing apparatus and an absorbent article manufacturing method capable of exhibiting the significance of this effect.

G Gas P Conveyance direction 1 Absorbent article manufacturing device 9,209 Gas opening device 9a, 109a, 209a Conveying path 10,210 Addition device 21 Storage unit 22,222 Supply pipe 28 Granule 43a Opening chamber 60 Tow band 60a First Surface 60b Second surface 61 Absorber 62 Absorbent article 127 Internal space (corrugated region)

Claims (8)

A gas opening device having a fiber opening chamber for opening a bale-like tow band with gas, and a transfer path for transferring the tow band in a predetermined transfer direction;
An addition device for adding particulate matter to the tow band,
In the state where the first surface of the tow band is arranged parallel to or vertically above the vertical direction on the upstream side of the transport direction from the opening of the opening chamber of the transport path, the first surface of the tow band The absorbent article manufacturing apparatus in which the addition apparatus adds the granular material to the tow band from the second surface side located on the opposite side. The first surface of the tow band is disposed vertically upward;
The transport path has a slope region that extends downward from the upstream side in the transport direction toward the downstream side in the transport direction, more upstream than the outlet of the opening chamber,
The absorbent article manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the granular material is added to the tow band in the gradient region. The addition device has a storage part for storing the granular material, a supply pipe having one end connected to the storage part and the other end connected to the transport path,
The absorption according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the supply pipe extends downward from the one end toward the other end, and the granular material flows through the supply pipe from the storage portion toward the conveyance path. Equipment manufacturing equipment. The conveyance path is formed in a corrugated flow path cross section extending in the width direction of the toe band as viewed from the conveyance direction, and the dimension of the conveyance path in the width direction of the toe band is directed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction. A waveform area that decreases
The absorbent article manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the granular material is added to the tow band upstream of the corrugated region in the transport direction. A gas passage having a fiber opening chamber for opening a bale-like tow band with gas and conveying the tow band in a predetermined transfer direction, a gas opening device formed therein, and a granular material on the tow band Using an addition device to add,
In the state where the first surface of the tow band is arranged in parallel to or vertically above the vertical direction on the upstream side in the transport direction from the opening of the opening chamber of the transport path, the first surface of the tow band is The manufacturing method of an absorbent article which adds the said granular material to the said tow band with the said addition apparatus from the said 2nd surface side located in the other side. The first surface of the tow band is arranged vertically upward,
The transport path has a slope region that extends downward from the upstream side in the transport direction toward the downstream side in the transport direction, more upstream than the outlet of the opening chamber,
The manufacturing method of the absorbent article of Claim 5 which adds the said granular material to the said tow band in the said gradient area | region. The addition device has a storage part for storing the granular material, a supply pipe having one end connected to the storage part and the other end connected to the transport path,
The absorption according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the supply pipe is extended downward from the one end toward the other end, and the particulate matter is circulated through the supply pipe from the storage section toward the conveyance path. A method for producing a functional article. The conveyance path is formed in a corrugated flow path cross section extending in the width direction of the toe band as viewed from the conveyance direction, and the dimension of the conveyance path in the width direction of the toe band is directed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction. A waveform area that decreases
The manufacturing method of the absorbent article of any one of Claims 5-7 which adds the said granular material to the said tow band in the upstream of the said conveyance direction rather than the exit of the said waveform area | region.

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