ITTO20130518A1 - PROCEDURE FOR CARRYING OUT HYGIENE-HEALTH ARTICLES WEARABLE IN GUISA DI MUTANDINA PROVIDED WITH SIDE PANELS AND ITS APPARATUS - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION of the industrial invention entitled:

â € œProcedure to make wearable sanitary articles like panties equipped with side panels and related equipmentâ €

TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

Technical field

The present description refers in general to the production of sanitary articles of the wearable type in the form of panties.

This denomination is used here in its broadest sense, such as to include, for example, baby diapers of the preclosed type (ie those currently called â € œtraining pantâ €) and products for incontinence.

Technological background

In the sector of wearable sanitary wares like panties (diapers for children and babies, diapers for incontinence, etc.) the general structure represented, by way of example, in figure 1, has been increasingly affirming itself. an article of the type considered here is shown in an unfolded condition and with the surface in contact with the user's body facing the observer.

Such article 10 consists of a central body or â € œchassisâ € 12 intended to be arranged according to a general hollow configuration around the groin area of the user. The body 12 includes an absorbent core 15 sandwiched between an upper sheet (or topsheet) 13 which can be partially or totally permeable to body fluids and a waterproof lower sheet (or backsheet) 14.

To allow article 10 to be worn like a panty, by closing it around the user's waistline, there are side panels (or side panels), i.e. laminar elements, respectively rear 16 and front 18, which can be connected in closed condition around the user's lifeline by means of closing elements 25 placed in correspondence with the distal edges 161 of the side panels 16.

The side panels or side panels 16 are particularly complex and sophisticated closing systems: to fully satisfy the needs of use, the side panel must both perform functions of a structural nature (allowing the closure of the sanitary ware around the legs and to the user's waist region, ensuring the maximum degree of wearability), and to allow the skin to breathe, avoiding unwanted maceration of the user's epidermis due to local humidity stagnation. Examples of sanitation facilities inspired by this approach are illustrated, for example, in documents EP-A-0 669 121 or WO-A-95/17871.

To ensure a good fit of the hygienic-sanitary product, the rear panel 16 must have a trapezoidal shape, with the internal edge 163 shaped so as to form an obtuse angle with the longitudinal axis Y12 of the diaper. Conversely, the outer edge 162 can be perpendicular to the aforementioned Y12 axis or, as in the case illustrated here, it can also have an obtuse angle of the same width, in absolute value, but in the opposite direction to that formed by the aforementioned edge. internal 163.

Document TO2011A000287 describes a process for the production of absorbent sanitary products with side panels having the outer edge 162 and the inner edge 163 forming an angle of the same width with the Y12 axis of the diaper, that is, with the side panels 16 which they have a symmetrical conformation.

However, the process described in the aforementioned document has room for improvement. In fact, the production method is linked to the structure of the absorbent product, which must be made according to the teachings given in the document EP 0 263 720 B1, i.e. the absorbent product must have a topsheet made in three pieces, in particular a permeable central layer. to liquids and two side layers, or â € œcuffsâ €, impermeable to liquids, and the side panels can only be applied to the two lateral strips of liquid impermeable material.

Purpose and summary

The known technique to which reference has been made therefore leaves an essential problem open: being able to produce a sanitary product with shaped panels, made without the production of waste material for the panels themselves, regardless of the structure of the topsheet.

According to the present invention, this object is achieved thanks to a process having the characteristics recalled in claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention form the subject of the subordinate claims. The invention also relates to a corresponding apparatus for the implementation of the present method.

The claims form an integral part of the technical teaching administered herein in relation to the invention.

Brief description of the figures

The invention will now be described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, in which:

- figure 1 is a general plan view of a wearable sanitary article like a panty provided with side panels of the type described here, shown in extended position,

- figure 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II of figure 1,

- figure 3 is a plan view of the side panel of the item illustrated in figure 1,

- figure 4 is a perspective view of a plant for the production and application of side panels operating according to the solution described here,

- figure 5 is a side elevation view of the implant in figure 4,

- Figures 6, 7, 8 and 10 illustrate subsequent steps of the process for manufacturing and applying the side panels of the type described here,

- figure 9 is a larger scale view of detail M of figure 8,

- figure 11 is a side elevation view of a further plant for the production and application of the side panels operating according to the solution described here.

Detailed description

The following description illustrates various specific details aimed at an in-depth understanding of the embodiments. The embodiments can be made without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other cases, known structures, materials or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the various aspects of the embodiments.

The reference to "an embodiment" in the context of this description indicates that a particular configuration, structure or feature described in relation to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, phrases such as â € œin one embodimentâ €, possibly present in different places of this description, do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, particular conformations, structures or characteristics can be combined in any suitable way in one or more embodiments.

The references used here are for convenience only and therefore do not define the scope of protection or the scope of the forms of implementation.

Figure 1 of the annexed drawings schematically represents a sanitary article 10 that can be worn in the form of a panty, shown here in a flat lying position. In its essential terms, and without any intention of limiting the scope of the invention, Article 10 may be a conventional type baby panty diaper or adult diaper, intended to be sold open and to be closed in panty after being been placed on the user's body.

Various embodiments of the present invention are, in any case, capable of being applied also to articles currently called â € œtraining pantâ € intended to be sold already closed in the panty configuration and to be slipped onto the user's body.

As already said, in essential terms, the product 10 is composed, according to an overall typology to be considered known per se:

- of a main body or â € œchassisâ € 12 intended to be worn by the user around the groin area or â € œcrotch portionâ €, assuming a general hollow or U-shaped conformation,

- of two side panels or side panels 16 transversely aligned with each other, which protrude on opposite sides of one of the two ends of the main structure 12, and

- of two further side panels 18 also transversely aligned with each other, which protrude from opposite sides of the end of the main body 12, opposite to the end from which the side panels 16 protrude.

The specific characteristics of the main body 12 are not in themselves relevant for the purposes of understanding and describing the solution presented here. It will suffice to recall, by way of synthesis, that the main body 12 is defined by a longitudinal axis Y12 and by a transverse axis X12 perpendicular to each other, by a first waist edge or front waist edge 3 and a second waist edge or edge rear waist 4, both parallel and equidistant to the transverse axis X12; from a first lateral edge 5 and from a second lateral edge 6 which join the first waist edge 3 with the second life edge 4, both parallel and equidistant to the longitudinal axis Y12.

The main body 12 further comprises a first waist region or front waist region 7 contiguous with the aforementioned first waist edge 3, a second waist region or rear waist region 8 contiguous with the aforementioned second waist edge 4 and an inguinal region 9 which connects said first waist region 7 and second waist region 8.

The main body or chassis 12 can present a structure in which they are usually recognizable (in addition to various other accessory elements):

- an upper layer or â € œtopsheetâ € 13 permeable to liquids, intended to be facing the user's body,

- a lower layer or â € œbacksheetâ € 14 impermeable to body fluids, intended to be facing outwards, ie in contact with the clothing worn by the user; And

- an absorbent core or â € œcoreâ € 15, interposed between the aforementioned layers, i.e. between the topsheet 13 and the backsheet 14.

As already mentioned, article 10 is intended to be worn with the main body 12 arranged in a basin in the perineal region of the user, with the panels 18 protruding from the first waist region or front waist region 7, thus That said panels 18 are also called front panels, and with the panels 16, or rear panels, which protrude from the second waist region or rear waist region 8 and allow through closure systems 25, for example with micro hooks or adhesives, to close the hygienic-sanitary article 10 around the user's waist.

As well known to those skilled in the art, in addition to these elements, in the main body 12 there can usually be present numerous additional components such as for example: elastic structures, liquid acquisition layers, graphic elements for embellishment and / or indication of use, etc., which make it possible to have a very numerous range of realizations of sanitary articles 10, as well as widely documented in the technical literature.

Moreover, the front side panels 18 can also be absent. In this case the rear panels 16 will cooperate directly with the frontal region of the main body 12 giving the hygienic-sanitary article, in the extended position, a T-shaped configuration.

The side panels or side panels are normally present on both the front 7 and rear 8 waist regions of the main body 12 in the case of the â € œtraining pantâ € items, where the distal edges of the various panels are welded together to give in article 10, as sold, the closed conformation.

It is emphasized that the connotation â € œfrontâ € and â € œrearâ € is used here only to distinguish the two ends from each other and therefore has no specific relevance as regards the way in which the product is finally worn.

The side panels 16 and 18 are connected to the main body 12 according to known methods, for example by heat sealing or gluing with â € œhot meltâ € glues. The welding of the panels 16 and / or 18 to the main body 12 of the article 10 can take place either by inserting the single side panels 16 in a sandwich between the topsheet 13 and the backsheet 14 of the main body 12 (as illustrated in figure 2), or by connecting them directly on the topsheet 13, i.e. on the surface that is facing the user's body, or by placing them directly on the backsheet 14, i.e. on the external surface of the hygienic-sanitary article 10, or on the surface that is in contact with the user's clothing.

The side panels or side panels 16 can be made, for example, with materials constructed according to the criteria better described in documents WO-A-01/91666 and WO-A-01/92013. This also as regards the possibility of giving the panels 16 characteristics of â € œtranspirationâ €, with the formation of openings that allow the passage of steam and help to keep the user's skin dry.

The example of implementation illustrated here refers to the case, more frequent in the `` open '' products sold, in which the rear side panels 16 present in the second waist region 8 of the central body 12 are equipped with closing systems 25, while the panels 18 which protrude laterally from the front end 7 of the central body 12 give article 10 (ideally seen in an open and extended position, as shown in figure 1) the typical hourglass shape, accentuated by the fact that the rear panels 16 have a generally trapezoidal shape.

In the sanitary article 10 described here, each rear side panel 16, as illustrated in figure 1 and in figure 3, is defined by a proximal edge 160, which connects to the main body 12, by a distal edge 165, on which the closing system 25 can be applied, and by two opposite transverse edges 162 and 163, in which the aforementioned first transverse edge 162 contributes to the definition of the waist edge of the hygienic-sanitary article, while the second transverse edge 163 contributes to edge definition for the legs. In each of the aforementioned panels 16 it is also possible to identify a transverse axis X16 parallel to the transverse axis X12 of the main body 12 and passing through the midpoints E and F of the proximal edges 160 and distal 165 of the rear panel 16. Therefore, according to the present invention, each of said panels 16 has a characteristic symmetrical shape, in which the opposite transverse edges 162 and 163 are symmetrical with respect to the aforementioned transverse axis X16. In the hygienic-sanitary article 10, illustrated in figure 1, the shape of the panels 16 traces a profile in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, with the closing element 25 generally applied to the center of the minor base of the trapezium, i.e. to the center of the distal edge 165. In each panel 16, moreover, it is possible to define a longitudinal axis Y16 parallel to the longitudinal axis Y12 of the main body 12 and equidistant from the proximal edges 160 and distal 165 of the aforementioned panel 16. With reference to the longitudinal axis Y16 , it is possible to easily determine the characteristic dimension, or average length, of each side panel 16, i.e. its production pitch P16, which is equal to the distance between the intersection points G and H of the longitudinal axis Y16 with the transverse edges 162 and 163 of the panel. The distance between the longitudinal axis of the panel Y16 and the longitudinal axis Y12 of the main body 12 also defines the center distance L for the positioning of the rear panel 16 on the hygienic-sanitary article 10 once assembled.

Both the wheelbase L and the wheelbase P16 are dimensions chosen according to the size of the hygienic-sanitary item 10 to be made.

We want to underline the fact that, by virtue of the symmetry of the two transversal edges, the connotations used to indicate the aforementioned transversal edges are used only to distinguish the two ends of the panel 16 and therefore have no relevance as regards the modalities with which panel 16 is made.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate, according to a preferred embodiment, a possible plant 1 for the production of sanitary products 10, such as for example baby diapers, provided with side panels 16 of the type described here.

In plant 1 it is possible to identify the central plane of the process a which longitudinally divides the production process in half, ie the material that is continuously fed and subsequently the articles themselves once produced. Said centerline plane a, moreover, is perpendicular to the absorbent articles 10 when they themselves, or the material and / or parts of which they are composed, such as for example the topsheet 13 or the backsheet 14, are in the form of a continuous belt.

The centerline plane a also contributes to the determination of the centerline of the apparatuses 11 which cooperate in the production process as the intersection of the aforesaid centerline plane a with the apparatuses themselves. It is also possible to identify a direction of production of the side panels A, which in the embodiments exemplified in figures 5 and 11 attached goes from right to left, and it is also possible to identify a general direction of production of the main body of the article sanitation Aâ € ™. The two directions A and Aâ € ™ can be in agreement, as illustrated in figure 5, or discordant, as represented in the procedure in figure 11.

In the preferred embodiment, illustrated in Figure 5, the web of material or sheet 30 necessary to make the side panels 16 is supplied to the production line from a roll 300 by means of a material feeding unit in web 350 of per se note. On the strip of material 30 it is possible to identify a longitudinal axis Y30, a first longitudinal edge 32 and a second longitudinal edge 33.

In the preferred embodiment, the tape 30 passes through an operating unit 40 which cuts, spacers and deposits on it a plurality of closure elements 25 in the form of strips of multilayer material, which, as can be easily appreciated from Figure 6, are applied on both longitudinal edges 32 and 33 of the sheet 30. The closing elements 25 are applied on the longitudinal edges 32 and 33 of the sheet 30 offset from each other, that is, each closing element 25 applied on an edge, is located in a position of equidistance from the other two closing elements 25 which precede and follow it, but which are applied on the opposite edge. Each closing element 25 identifies and characterizes a side panel 16. Therefore, the closing elements 25 are applied on each edge with a constant spacing equal to double the pitch P16 characteristic of the panel 16, maintaining instead a distance equal to the aforementioned pitch P16 with respect to the two closing elements 25 closer together, however, placed on opposite edges.

As regards the operations of cutting, spacing and application (cut & slip) of elements coming from tape material, which must be placed at fixed distances between them on a material that is also sheet, limiting themselves to the patent documents of ownership of the Applicant, it is possible to use a unit 40 whose technical solution is described in EP-A-1 864 768.

The materials of the closure elements 20 are dispensed from rolls of web material 200, also unwound from feeding units 250 of web material known per se. As already mentioned above, said material 20 can be provided with closing systems with adhesive or, more appreciated solution, it can be provided with hook formations 22 capable of cooperating with complementary materials provided with lapp formations (loop) 180, such as to create a Hook-and-Loop or â € œmechanicalâ € type closure, much appreciated by users for the possibility of opening and closing the system countless times without compromising the tightness of the closure and for the fact that this type of closure It is insensitive to any contamination by emollient creams for the user's skin and / or by body fluids.

Materials in tape 20 provided with hook formations 22 advantageously usable in applications of this type can be the single-layer closure system CP 1 M 61 FHL1 or the two-layer system CP 2 MY 61 FHL1 both produced by KOESTER GmbH & Co KG Industriestrasse, 2, D-96146 Altendorf / Germany.

As can be clearly seen in the production process scheme of the side panels 16 in figure 6, the closing systems 25 are applied on the longitudinal edges 32 and 33 of the sheet 30 so as to make the portion of the belt 25 protrude towards the outside. provided with the actual closing element 22; therefore, downstream of the station 40 there is a bending device 50, generally made with two tunnels having a helical shape, placed laterally to the belt 30 near the respective longitudinal edges 32 and 33, which complete the application operation closing systems 25 folding them according to a general V-shape so as to bring each closing system 25 to embrace the opposite face of the sheet 30.

The connection of the closing systems 25 to the belt for the rear panels 30 can then be re-welded with a pressing operation carried out by a station 60 which normally consists of two counter-rotating rollers.

Said pressing station 60 dosing to the downstream equipment the correct quantity of material 30 according to the production rate of the line.

At the exit of the pressing station 60 the sheet 30 enters a cutting unit 90 where a series of cuts 95 are made which create a succession of side panels 16.

The cutting station 90 can be a mechanical cutting station, for example with rotating knives, or a laser cutting unit, for example of the type described in EP 1 736 272 B1.

The cuts 95 are generally oblique with respect to the direction of advancement of the web material 30, so as to make a sequence of panels 16 available. Each panel 16 is rotated by 180 ° with respect to the previous panel and the next panel, in the general plane of the panels 16. The cut is made without creating discontinuities between adjacent panels 16. In this phase of the procedure, the longitudinal axis Y16 of the panels 16 coincides with the longitudinal axis Y30 of the strip material 30. Therefore, all the geometric relationships linked to the longitudinal axis Y16 of the panel can be traced back to the longitudinal axis Y30 of the aforementioned web material 30.

Thanks to the symmetry of the cuts 95, in the continuous sequence of panels 16 it is possible to define two plurality of panels: a first plurality of side panels 16â € ™ oriented so that the distal edge 165 coincides with the longitudinal edge 32 of the sheet 30, and a second plurality of side panels 16â € ™ â € ™ in which the distal edge 165 coincides with the longitudinal edge 33, and in which each panel of a plurality is preceded and followed by a panel of the other plurality.

In the succession of side panels 16, at the exit of the cutting unit 90, it is possible to define a plurality of pairs of panels 16A, consecutive to each other, where each of said pairs consists of a panel of the first plurality 16â € ™ and from a panel of the second plurality 16â € ™ â € ™ and which will be applied on the same main body 12.

In each pair of panels 16A it is possible to define a longitudinal axis of the pair Y16A coincident with the longitudinal axes Y16 of the panels 16â € ™ and 16â € ™ â € ™ which form the pair itself and coplanar with the center plane a, and a transverse axis of the pair X16A orthogonal to said longitudinal axis of the pair Y16A and equidistant from the transverse axes X16 of the two panels 16â € ™, 16â € ™ â € ™ of the pair 16A in question. Furthermore, the transverse axis X16A is characterized by the fact that it passes through the point of intersection K between the longitudinal axis of the pair Y16A and the transverse edges 162 and 163 of the panels 16 'and 16' adjacent to each other. They.

Since the distance between two transverse axes X16 of two consecutive side panels 16 is equal to the production pitch P16 of panels 16, it follows that the distance between the transverse axis X16A of the pair of panels 16A and the transverse axis X16 of each of the panels 16 that make up the aforementioned pair 16A is equal to half of the pitch P16.

The two panels 16â € ™ and 16â € ™ â € ™ belonging to a pair 16A, in order to be connected on the opposite lateral edges 5 and 6 of the main body 12 of a sanitary article 10, such as the one represented in figure 1, must first be correctly ordered both transversely and longitudinally, as clearly illustrated in figure 6; that is, the two panels 16â € ™ and 16â € ™ â € ™ forming the pair 16A must be oriented so that the respective proximal edges 160 are facing each other, while the respective distal edges 165 are projected laterally towards the outside. Moreover, they must be spaced transversely from each other, so that the longitudinal axis Y16 of each panel 16 is spaced from the center plane a at the selected center distance L, always maintaining mutual parallelism. In addition to this, the two panels of the pair 16A, which were originally placed one in front of the other, must be aligned with each other so that their respective transverse axes X16 coincide with each other.

In the preferred embodiment, as schematically illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, each pair of panels 16A is taken from the continuous sequence of panels 16, with a repitch unit 100 made according to per se known criteria. For example, limiting ourselves to the patent documents owned by the Applicant, as regards the repitch operation, it is possible to resort to the solutions described in EP-A-1 179 495 and in EP-A-1 772 403.

Said repitch unit 100 distances the pairs 16A of consecutive panels along the production direction of the panels A at a given pitch P2, which can correspond to the length of the sanitary article 10. Thereafter, each pair of panels 16A, thus Spaced from the next, it is taken from an orientation unit 110 which prepares the panels 16â € ™ and 16â € ™ â € ™ belonging to the pair 16A in question to be applied on the main body 12, typically on one of the sheets which constitute it such as for example the topsheet 13 or the backsheet 14, when still said main body, and in particular the sheets that compose it, are presented in the form of a single continuous belt.

The orientation unit 110 consists of a plurality of gripping systems 115 equidistant from each other which, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 11, are arranged on the external surface of a drum 170 rotating around its axis X110 In the preferred embodiment, the aforesaid gripping systems 115 are spaced apart at a distance corresponding to the application step P2 previously imposed on the successive pairs of panels 16A by the repitch unit 100.

Each of the grip systems 115 is made up, in turn, of a first shoe 116 and a second shoe 118 capable of picking up the panels 16 'and 16' of the relative pair from the repitch unit 100 .

Each of said gripping systems 115 is designed to pick up a pair of panels 16A from the repitch unit 100 at the pickup point U and deliver the panels 16â € ™ and 16â € ™ â € ™ of the pair correctly ordered at the point of release R to the downstream process unit which, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, is the welding unit 500 which joins the panels 16 to the main body 12 or directly on it or on one of its main sheets that constitute it, such as the topsheet 13 or the backsheet 14.

In the preferred embodiment, both shoes 116 and 118 of each gripping system 115, schematized in Figures 8 and 10, rotate around respective axes of rotation YI and YII perpendicular to both the rotation axis X110 of the orientation unit 110 , and to the general surface 120 of the shoes in their pick-up and release position. In fact, the surface 120, in the preferred embodiment, is the surface of a cylinder whose axis coincides with the axis of rotation X110 of the orientation unit 110, and coincides with the surface of the shoes. 116 and 118 when they are in the pick-up U and release R positions of the panels 16. The aforementioned shoes 116 and 118 in the path between the pick-up or pick-up point U and the release point R pass from a first configuration to a second configuration rotating around the aforementioned axes of rotation YI and YII. In fact, in the pick-up area U of the pair of panels 16A, well illustrated in figure 8, the two shoes 116 and 118 are paired with each other one behind the top, while as shown in figure 10, in the release area R the two shoes are in an extended position towards the outside, to transfer the panels 16â € ™ and 16â € ™ â € ™ of the aforementioned pair 16A to the processing unit located downstream, being, by now, the aforementioned panels 16â € ™ and 16â € ™ â € ™ correctly oriented by virtue of the 180 ° rotation performed by each of the shoes 116 and 118.

The first shoe 116 and the second shoe 118 of each gripping system 115 pick up and hold the respective panels 16 with a part of the respective external surfaces, said gripping area 125.

The grip area 125 of each shoe is that part of the surface of the single shoe 116 or 118, which coincides with the general surface 120 of the shoes themselves, and also follows the external shape of the panels 16 and has a plurality of holes 129 which, connected to a source of sub-atmospheric pressure 400 through a vacuum distributor 410 per se known, allows it to pick up and maintain the aforesaid panels 16 in position during the rotation and alignment operations.

The grip area 125 of each shoe is delimited by an external edge 135, an internal edge 130, a first transverse edge 132 and a second transverse edge 133.

Since the gripping area traces the external shape of the panel 16, the distal edges 165 and proximal 160 and the transverse edges 162 and 163 of the panel correspond, but not necessarily coincide, with the respective external edges 135 and internal 130 and with the transverse edges 132 and 133 of the gripping area 125 of the relative shoe 116 and 118. In fact, in the preferred embodiment, as illustrated in Figure 8, the two gripping shoes 116 and 118 are designed so that when they are paired one behind the other in the pick-up position of the pair of panels 16A from the repitch 100, the two contiguous transverse edges 132 and 133 do not come into contact with each other, but define a constant gap 138 for the entire length of the transverse edge of each shoe. The aforementioned distance between the edges of the two shoes is necessary to avoid collisions between them due to the play generated by the rotation mechanisms to which they are connected. Typical values for gap 138 may range from 0.5mm to 5mm, with preferred values ranging from 1mm to 2mm.

For each gripping system 115, similarly to what has been seen for the pair of panels 16A, it is possible to define characteristic geometric elements, in particular:

- the center line Y115 defined as the intersection of the center line of the process a with the gripping areas 125 of the respective shoes 116 and 118; when the aforesaid shoes are paired one behind the other in the withdrawal position U, the centerline Y115 coincides with the centerline 11 of the drawings; and - the transverse axis X115 parallel to the axis of rotation X110 of the orientation unit 110 which intersects the aforementioned centerline Y115 at point K equidistant from the two transverse edges 132 and 133 of the two shoes when they are paired one behind the other, ie in the phase of removing the panels from the repitch 100, as illustrated in figure 9 which shows detail M of figure 8 on an enlarged scale.

The centerline Y115 and the transverse axis X115 of the gripping system 115, when the latter presents the two shoes 116 and 118 in the paired pick-up position, coincide respectively with the longitudinal axis Y16A and the transverse axis X16A of the pair of panels 16A.

According to the present invention, the correct orientation and the correct position of each panel 16, i.e. the correct ordering of the panels, is obtained by rotating the two shoes 116 and 118 of each gripping system 115 by 180 ° around the respective axes of rotation YI and YII.

At the end of the rotation each single panel 16 of the belonging pair 16A is correctly oriented with respect to the main body 12 of the absorbent article 10 on which it must be placed. To ensure that the panels 16â € ™ and 16â € ™ â € ™ of the pair 16A are correctly oriented with a single 180 ° rotation movement, it is of fundamental importance the correct identification of the relative position of the rotation axes YI and YII of the shoes 116 and 118.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Figure 7, and with reference to the geometric elements of the pair 16A of the panels 16â € ™ and 16â € ™ â € ™, the axes of rotation YI and YII are positioned on opposite sides of both axes X16A and Y16A of the pair of panels 16A. Each axis of rotation YIe YIIÃ is located on the part of the proximal edge 160 of the respective panel 16. Each of the aforementioned rotation axes YIe YIIÃ is placed at a distance from the transverse axis X16A of the pair of panels 16A equal to 0.25P16 where P16 is the production step of panel 16 and at a distance from the longitudinal axis Y16A of the pair of panels 16A equal to 0.5L, where L is the selected distance between the axis Y12 of the main body 12 and the longitudinal axis Y16 of each side panel 16 applied to the hygienic-sanitary article 10.

The positions of the rotation axes YI and YII respectively of the first and second shoes 116, 118 can be defined using the geometric elements characteristic of each gripping system 115, therefore, similarly to what has been said previously, it is possible to state that the rotation axes YI and YII of shoes 116 and 118 are placed on opposite sides both of the transverse axis X115e and of the centerline Y115 of the gripping system 115, and each axis of rotation YIe YII of shoes 116 and 118 is located on the part of the proximal edge 160 of the panel 16 that the respective shoe will order with the next rotation; in addition, each of the aforementioned axes of rotation YI and YII of the shoes 116 and 118 is placed at a distance from the transverse axis X115 of the gripping system 115 equal to 0.25P16 where P16 is the pitch of the panel 16 and at a distance from the center line Y115 of the gripping system 115 equal to 0.5L, where L is the selected distance between the axis Y12 of the main body 12 and the longitudinal axis Y16 of a side panel 16 on the sanitary article 10.

As shown in figures 8 and 10, the two shoes 116 and 118 perform a rotation of 180 ° around their respective axes of rotation YI and YII, both in the same direction and in the same direction C, but in such a way as to make them move away from each other. on the other hand, all this while their respective gripping system 115 moves from the gripping region U of the pair of panels 16A from the repitch 100 to the release point R.

The rotation of the single shoes 116 and 118 during their rotation motion around the X110 axis can be carried out, for example, by providing each of the aforementioned shoes 116 and 118 with an appropriate kinematics, known per se, capable of following the profile of a mechanical cam, or by equipping each shoe with an electric motor driven by an appropriate control system capable of piloting it in the correct position. Apparatus suitable for carrying out the aforementioned operations of 180 ° rotation of the panels 16 in their lying plane are widely described in EP-A-0 997 123.

At the end of the rotation of the two shoes 116 and 118, as clearly shown in figure 7 and in figure 10, each of the panels 16 will be with the proximal edge facing the proximal edge of the other panel of the pair, that is towards the plane of process center line a, with the distal edge facing outwards and with the respective longitudinal axis Y16 at the center distance L with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pair Y16A, and therefore, with respect to the process center line a. Moreover, thanks to the eccentric rotation of 0.25P16 of the individual shoes, the panel 16â € ™, of the first plurality, rotated by 180 ° from the first shoe 116, is delayed by 0.75P16, while, on the other hand, the panel 16â € ™ â , Of the second plurality, rotated by 180 ° by the second shoe 118, is accelerated by 0.75P16, with the final result of having the transverse axes X16 of the panels 16 coinciding with each other and coinciding with both the transverse axis X16A of the respective pair original of panels 16A before orientation and both with the transverse axis X115 of the gripping system 115, as well as parallel to the axis of rotation X110 of the rotation and alignment unit 110, as well as perpendicular to the centerline 11 of the aforementioned alignment device 110.

At this point the pairs of panels 16A correctly ordered and spaced from each other at the pitch P2 corresponding to the length of the hygienic-sanitary article 10 are available to be applied on the respective main bodies 12 of the aforementioned articles 10, by means of a welding unit 500 in the which the main body 12 or one of its main sheets constituting it (such as the topsheet 13 or the backsheet 14) is brought together by means of belt conveyor systems 550, well known in the art, when it is still in the form of a single strip of material, thus achieving the desired result with only two processing units, ie a repitch device 100 and an orientation device 110 arranged in cascade to each other.

In an alternative embodiment, as illustrated in the diagram of figure 11, it is possible to proceed by first making a spacing of the panels 16 of a fixed pitch P2 sufficiently large to prevent the shoes 116 and 118 of a gripping system 115 during their rotation interfere with the shoes of a contiguous gripping system 115, then carry out a final spacing at application step P3 with the panels 16 of each pair 16A already ordered.

In the further preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 11, the first spacing operation carried out downstream of the cutting unit 90 with the repitch device 100 gives the pairs of panels 16A a fixed separation pitch P2 which is independent of the final separation step P3 desired for the panels 16. The choice of carrying out a first spacing P2 independent of the final separation step P3 of the panels 16 brings with it the advantage connected to the fact that the orientation unit 110 is independent from the final step P3e therefore it will be unique for all types of products and therefore will not be subject to adaptation operations or, as they are called in jargon, â € œsize changeâ €.

Once the panels 16 have been correctly oriented by the unit 110, they are fed to a further repitch unit 600, also made according to criteria known per se, that is, according to the criteria already mentioned above with reference to the repitch group 100.

The first repitch unit 100 is configured in such a way as to bring the panels 16 to its exit with a fixed separation pitch P2, while the second repitch unit 600 is made in such a way as to be able to selectively vary the separation pitch. final P3 between pairs of successive panels 16 according to the specific application requirements on the respective sanitary articles 10.

The fact of implementing the spacing of the panels 16 in two stages, first separating them by a fixed pitch P2, and then adjusting the separation pitch to the desired value P3, after having correctly oriented them, allows to optimize the exploitation of the motors of both units. repitch 100 and 600, especially when the variation dynamics of the final separation step P3si is particularly wide.

Assuming, by way of pure example, that it is necessary to take into account possible variations of the final separation pitch P3 in the range between 360 and 600 mm, we can hypothesize a solution in which the first repitch unit 100 brings the separation pitch P2 between the pairs of 16A at a fixed value between 350-400 mm.

The pairs of panels 16A correctly ordered and spaced apart at the final application step P3 are applied on the main body 12 of the sanitary articles 10. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in figure 11 the second repitch unit 600 delivers the panels 16 to the € ™ heat sealing unit 500 which applies them, for example, to the main body 12 when it is still in the form of a continuous chain of blanks conveyed into the aforementioned welding unit 500 by means of suitable transport systems 550, for example a belt , well known in the art.

Examples of heat sealing units 500 suitable for joining strip materials of the type used in the present invention are available in the patent literature, as an example see EP-B 0 295 957 entitled â € œDynamic mechanical bonding method and apparatusâ €.

Downstream of the 500 unit there is normally an apparatus which folds the panels 12 over the main body 12 of the article 10 so as to minimize the overall dimensions in view of packaging.

Examples of equipment suitable for bending protruding elements are available in the patent literature, by way of example see US 7,500,941 B2.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the details of construction and the embodiments may be widely varied with respect to those described and illustrated without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS 1. Process for the production of sanitary articles (10) that can be worn like a panty having a main body (12) and at least one pair of side panels (16), comprising the steps of: - feeding along a production direction (A) a continuous strip of laminar material (30) having a longitudinal axis (Y30), a first longitudinal edge (32) and a second longitudinal edge (33); - cutting (90, 95) said continuous strip of laminar material (30) forming a continuous array of side panels (16), in which each side panel (16) has a transverse axis (X16), a longitudinal axis (Y16), a proximal edge (160) and a distal edge (165) parallel to the longitudinal axis (Y16), and two transverse edges (162, 163) inclined and symmetrical with respect to the transverse axis (X16), said continuous array including a first plurality of lateral panels (16â € ™) having respective distal edges (165) coinciding with said first longitudinal edge (32) and a second plurality of lateral panels (16â € ™ â € ™) having respective distal edges (165) coinciding with said second longitudinal edge (32), and in which each side panel (16â € ™) of the first plurality is preceded and followed by a side panel (16â € ™ â € ™) of the second plurality, called continuous row of side panels ( 16) having a pitch of the panels (P16) equal to the distance between p intersection points (G and H) of said longitudinal axis (Y30) of said continuous belt (30) with said transverse edges (162, 163) of said side panels (16); - defining pairs of side panels (16A), each of said pairs of side panels (16A) being composed of a side panel (16â € ™) of said first plurality and of a side panel (16â € ™ â € ™) of said second plurality; - spacing (100) consecutive pairs of side panels (16A) from each other of a first separation step (P2) along said production direction (A), - in each pair of side panels (16A) rotate by 180 ° said side panel (16â € ™) of said first plurality and said side panel (16â € ™ â € ™) of said second plurality about respective first axis of rotation ( YI) and second axis of rotation (YII) perpendicular to the general surface (120) of said pair of side panels (16A), in such a way as to align the respective transverse axes (X16) of said side panels (16â € ™ , 16â € ™ â € ™) of said pair of side panels (16A), in which during said rotation the longitudinal axes (Y16) of said side panels (16â € ™, 16â € ™ â € ™) of said pair of panels lateral (16A) are spaced in the transverse direction of a selected center distance (L) with respect to the longitudinal axis (Y30) of said continuous strip of laminar material (30); - provide a succession of main bodies (12) of sanitary articles (10); And - apply (500) said side panels (16â € ™, 16â € ™ â € ™) of each pair of side panels (16A) on respective main bodies (12) of said succession. 2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that said first and second rotation axes (YI and YII) are arranged on opposite sides with respect to a longitudinal axis (Y16A) of the pair of side panels (16A) and on opposite sides with respect to a transversal axis (X16A) of the pair of side panels (16A), and in which each of said rotation axes (YI and YII) is placed at a distance from said transversal axis (X16A) of the pair of side panels (16A) equal at a quarter of said pitch of the panels (P16) and at a distance from said longitudinal axis (Y16A) equal to half of said selected center distance (L). 3. Process according to claim 2, characterized in that said side panel of the first plurality (16â € ™) and said side panel of the second plurality (16â € ™ â € ™) of each of said pairs of side panels (16A) are rotated 180 ° around the respective rotation axes (YI, YII), in the same direction, in such a way as to move the side panels (16â € ™, 16â € ™ â € ™) of each pair of side panels (16A) apart from each other ). 4. Process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the operation of subjecting the side panels (16), after said rotation operation and before said application operation (500), to a further operation of spacing (600) in a direction coinciding with said production direction (A) with a second separation step (P3). 5. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - attributing (100) to said first separation step (P2) a constant value, e - selectively vary (600) said second separation step (P3) according to the format of the sanitary articles (10) on which said side panels (16) are applied. 6. Apparatus for making sanitary articles (10) that can be worn like a panty having a main body (12) and at least one pair of side panels (16), comprising: - a feeding unit (350) adapted to feed along a production direction (A) a continuous strip of laminar material (30) having a longitudinal axis (Y30), a first longitudinal edge (32) and a second longitudinal edge (33); - a cutting unit (90) configured to cut said continuous strip of laminar material (30) so as to form a continuous array of side panels (16), in which each side panel (16) has a transverse axis (X16 ), a longitudinal axis (Y16), a proximal edge (160) and a distal edge (165) parallel to the longitudinal axis (Y16) and two transversal edges (162, 163) inclined and symmetrical with respect to the transverse axis ( X16), said continuous array including a first plurality of side panels (16â € ™) having respective distal edges (165) coinciding with said first longitudinal edge (32) and a second plurality of side panels (16â € ™ â € ™) having respective distal edges (165) coinciding with said second longitudinal edge (32), and in which each side panel (16â € ™) of the first plurality is preceded and followed by a side panel (16â € ™ â € ™) of the second plurality ; said continuous array of side panels (16) having a pitch of the panels (P16) equal to the distance between points of intersection (G and H) of said longitudinal axis (Y30) of said laminar material (30) with said transverse edges (162, 163) of said side panels (16); - a repitch unit (100) configured to take pairs of side panels (16A), each of said pairs of side panels (16A) being composed of a side panel (16â € ™) of said first plurality and of a panel lateral (16â € ™ â € ™) of said second plurality, and for spacing (100) consecutive pairs of side panels (16A) from each other of a first separation step (P2) along said production direction (A); - an orientation device (110) provided with a plurality of gripping systems (115) configured to pick up successive pairs of side panels (16A) and to perform, for each pair of side panels (16A), a 180 ° rotation of said side panel (16â € ™) of said first plurality and of said side panel (16â € ™ â € ™) of said second plurality around respective first axis of rotation (YI) and second axis of rotation (YII) perpendicular to the surface general (120) of said pair of side panels (16A), in such a way as to align the respective transverse axes (X16) of said side panels (16â € ™, 16â € ™ â € ™) of said pair of panels with each other lateral (16A), in which during said rotation the longitudinal axes (Y16) of said side panels (16â € ™, 16â € ™ â € ™) of said pair of side panels (16A) are spaced in the transverse direction of a selected center distance (L) with respect to the longitudinal axis (Y30) of said belt c continuous of laminar material (30); - means adapted to supply a succession of main bodies (12) of sanitary articles (10); And - an application unit (500) suitable for applying (500) said side panels (16â € ™, 16â € ™ â € ™) of each pair of side panels (16A) on respective main bodies (12) of said succession . 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a second repitch unit (600) adapted to distance the side panels (16) from each other at a second separation step (P3), positioned after said orientation device (110 ) and before said application unit (500).