JP2007089773A - Absorber for wear article and its production method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the use of a fluff pulp and the process of cutting out the width reducing portion of a core portion when forming the core portion of an absorber for a wear article. <P>SOLUTION: The width reducing portion 1a is formed between both the ends of the core portion 1 with absorbability in a longitudinal direction of the same; the core portion 1 is enveloped between a top side sheet 2 and a back side sheet 3; the core portion 1 is constituted of the aggregate portion of a long fiber body 4 comprising a strand; the width reducing portion 1a is formed such that the long fiber bodies 4 nearer to both the end sides in a longitudinal direction are bent greater; and the top side sheet 2 and the back side sheet 3 are connected along the width reducing portion 1a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an absorbent body provided on a wearing article such as a diaper or a napkin and a method for manufacturing the same.

  In general, the absorbent body has a basic structure in which an absorbent core portion is enclosed by a top side sheet and a back side sheet, and is appropriately provided with a liquid attracting sheet, a design sheet, and the like. Generally, a core part has a width | variety narrowing part formed in the width | variety narrower than this both ends between the length direction both ends. The width restricting portion is formed in order to make it easy to fit to the crotch and to obtain a worn article having an absorption capability in the lower abdomen and the buttock, and a typical shape thereof is an hourglass shape.

  Conventionally, the core part is manufactured by pulverizing roll pulp as a raw material with a hammer mill or the like to form fluff pulp, and adsorbing the fluff pulp into the pattern shape of the suction drum peripheral surface (for example, Patent Documents). 1) or fluff pulp was formed into a sheet shape, and the fluff pulp sheet was cut into the shape of the core portion (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent No. 3249712 JP 2004-141620 A

However, since the conventional core portion uses fluff pulp, a pulp pulverization process is required, and the pulverized pulverized pulp may adversely affect other devices. Furthermore, when the fluff pulp and the absorbent polymer are mixed, the fluff pulp and the absorbent polymer tend to be agglomerated in the liquid absorption state in the core portion. When such a lump is generated, fluff pulp is unevenly distributed in the core portion, which is not preferable for maintaining the absorption performance.
Moreover, in the manufacturing method like patent document 2, since the width | variety narrowing part of a core part is cut out from a fluff pulp sheet, a raw material tends to be wasted.

  Then, the subject of this invention is to make it unnecessary to use the fluff pulp and to cut out the width | variety narrowing part of a core part, in forming the core part of the absorber for wear articles.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention employs a configuration in which the core portion is composed of an assembly of long fiber bodies and the width narrowing portion is formed by curving the long fiber bodies. And

  As the long fiber body, for example, one in which a plurality of yarns are bundled like a strand or one having a certain thickness can be used. The aggregated portion of the long fiber bodies can be constituted by arranging a plurality of long fiber bodies in a plane or in a stacked manner.

(Function)
By adopting a configuration in which the core part is composed of an aggregate part of long fiber bodies, the pulp crushing step is eliminated by a crusher or the like as in the case of using fluff pulp. As a result, the amount of dust accompanying the formation of the core portion is significantly less than when formed from fluff pulp. Moreover, since a core part consists of a long fiber body, even when an absorptive polymer is mixed, it is hard to become a lump with an absorptive polymer like a fluff pulp in a liquid absorption state.

  Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which the width narrowed portion is formed by curving the long fiber body, it is not necessary to cut out the width narrowed portion from the gathered portion of the long fiber bodies. For this reason, the advantage which can form a core part from the continuous fiber body supplied continuously is also acquired.

Specifically, in the above configuration, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the width restricting portion is formed by compressing the core portion from both ends in the width direction. According to this configuration, since the width narrowing portion is formed in the portion located at the center of the crotch, the density of the long fiber body can be increased in the portion of the core portion that is most required to absorb.
In addition, if the configuration in which the long fiber body is joined in the width direction between adjacent ones is adopted, the movement of the long fiber body is prevented when the wearer stands or bends, and as a result, the core part mold The collapse can be prevented and the absorption performance can be stabilized.

  Moreover, in the said structure, the structure currently formed when the said width | variety narrowing part curves more largely the long fiber body by the side of the width direction is employable. In this configuration, since the long fiber body has a smaller amplitude as it approaches the center in the width direction, the long fiber bodies can be densely arranged near the center of the core portion. In this configuration, the long fiber body located in the vicinity of the center in the width direction may be arranged linearly or substantially linearly.

  Here, if the configuration in which the top side sheet and the back side sheet are joined at a portion located between adjacent long fiber bodies is adopted, the long fiber body is in the width direction when the wearer stands or bends. As a result, it is possible to prevent the core portion from being deformed and to stabilize the absorption performance.

  Moreover, in the said structure, if the structure which the said top side sheet | seat and the back side sheet | seat are joined along the said width | variety narrowing part is adopted, the outline of a width narrowing part will be maintained more reliably.

  The manufacturing method of the absorbent article for a wearing article according to the present invention includes a width restricting portion forming step of feeding the long fiber body in a gathered state having a width and curving from the both ends in the width direction at a constant interval in the feed direction. A wrap body forming step for including the long fiber body in the aggregated state so as to be sandwiched between the top sheet and the back sheet in a state where the width squeezed part is maintained, and the obtained wrap body between the width squeezed parts If the structure including the cutting step for forming the core portion by cutting at the above is adopted, the absorbent article for a wearing article according to the present invention is continuously formed in a series of flows without cutting out the narrowed portion while using the long fiber body. can do.

  Specifically, in the width narrowing portion forming step, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the long fiber bodies are fed in an aggregated state with a constant width and compressed from both ends in the width direction at a constant interval in the feed direction. In addition, if the configuration in which the adjacent long fiber bodies are fed in the width direction is adopted in the width drawing portion forming step, the long fiber bodies are prevented from moving in the width direction, and as a result, the long length It becomes easy to send the fibrous body in a wide aggregate state.

  Moreover, in the said width | variety narrow part formation process, the structure bent to a sine wave shape so that it may curve so that the long fiber body of the width direction both ends can be employ | adopted. In this configuration, since the long fiber body has a smaller amplitude as it approaches the center in the width direction, the long fiber bodies can be densely arranged near the center of the core portion. In addition, you may arrange | position the long fiber body located in the width direction center vicinity in linear form or substantially linear form.

  Here, in the wrap body forming step, if a configuration in which the top side sheet and the back side sheet are joined at a portion located between adjacent long fiber bodies, the long fiber bodies may shift in the width direction. It is prevented, and the conveyance path of the long fiber body can be set in a complicated manner.

  Moreover, the said lap | wrap body formation process WHEREIN: The structure which joins the said top side sheet | seat and a back side sheet | seat along the shape of the said width | variety narrowing part is employable. According to this structure, even if the said width | variety narrowing part tries to expand | swell by the elastic recovery force of an aggregate | assembly part, it comes to be controlled by a junction part, As a result, shape loss of a core part can be prevented.

  In the width drawn portion forming step, a strand can be used for the long fiber body. Since the strand is formed by twisting a plurality of yarns in a bundle shape, the strand is easy to convey, and the flexibility of the core portion can be easily increased by opening.

  In the said structure, if the structure which opens the said long fiber body by the jet flow which passed along the said top side sheet between the said lap | wrap body formation process and the said cutting process is employ | adopted for a porous sheet for the said top side sheet | seat. In addition, the flexibility and uniformity of the core portion is enhanced, and as a result, the fit of the absorbent article for a wearing article is improved.

  The long fiber body, the top side sheet, and the back side sheet can be heat-sealed, and the long fiber body, the top side sheet, and the back side sheet are formed after the wrap body forming step. If the structure including the sealing step of fusing between the narrowed-down portions and cutting the aggregated long fiber bodies at the fusing portion in the cutting step is adopted, the absorbent article for wearing articles is simultaneously with the cutting. Can be formed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to form the core portion of the absorbent article for a worn article without using fluff pulp and to eliminate the need to cut out the narrowed portion of the core portion. .

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The absorbent body 10 for a wearing article shown in FIG. 1 includes a core portion 1 having an absorptivity with a top side sheet 2 and a back side sheet 3.

  The core part 1 consists of the aggregate | assembly part of the long fiber body 4, as shown by the arrow line in FIG. More specifically, the long fiber body 4 is a strand in which a plurality of yarns 5 are bundled. The long fiber bodies 4 are arranged in a plane in the width direction in a state where the directions are aligned in the length direction. In addition, you may adhere | attach the long fiber body 4 which adjoins.

  For the yarn 5, it is preferable to use synthetic fibers such as rayon, cellulose acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyester, and polyolefin for fusing together with the top side sheet and the back side sheets 2 and 3. Moreover, in order to raise the absorptivity of the core part 1, the thread | yarn 5 has a self-absorption property.

  Furthermore, if the long fiber body 4 is made into a fiber-opening state, the absorptivity of the core part 1 will increase more and the fit feeling of the absorber 10 can be improved. In particular, when a filament processed yarn is used as the yarn 5, the flexibility of the core portion 1 can be improved by crimping each yarn 5. In addition, if an absorptive polymer is mixed in the gap | interval of the thread | yarn 5, the absorptivity of the core part 1 can also be improved.

  In the plan view, the core portion 1 has a width narrower between both ends in the length direction (in this embodiment, the ends 10a and 10a of the absorber 10 coincide with each other by fusion described later). Thus, the width narrowed portion 1a is formed.

  The width narrowing portion 1a is formed so that the difference width B increases as it advances from the width direction both ends 1b of the length direction both ends 10a toward the center in the length direction by curving the long fiber body 4. In addition, the curvature of the width | variety narrowing part 1a can be changed suitably, and can also be made into the shape which combined the some curve thru | or straight line. The width restricting portion 1a can also be formed at a certain distance from the both ends 1b and 1b.

  The shape of the narrowed portion 1a is maintained against the elastic recovery of the core portion 1 by joining the top sheet 2 and the back sheet 3 along the shape of the narrowed portion 1a. Specifically, the overlapping portions 2o, 3o of the top side sheet 2 and the back side sheet 3 are bonded together.

  The overlapping portions 2o and 3o can be used as side flap joints.

  The top side sheet 2 and the back side sheet 3 have heat-fusibility, the top side sheet 2 is liquid permeable, and the back side sheet 3 is liquid impermeable. One of the top side sheet 2 and the back side sheet 3 can be a carrier sheet.

  Ends 10 a and 10 a in the length direction of the absorbent body 10 are closed by fusing the core portion 1, the top side sheet 2, and the back side sheet 3. Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the said absorber 10 for wearing articles is described.

(Width reduction part forming process)
FIG. 2 schematically shows a production line for the absorbent article 10 for a worn article. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of continuous long fiber materials 21 are sent to the forming device 102 by the transport roller 101 in a gathered state in a plane. The continuous long fiber material 21 may be conveyed after adhering between adjacent ones.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the continuous long fiber material 21 sent to the forming apparatus 102 is compressed at regular intervals in the feed direction by a pair of pads 102a and 102a moving forward and backward with respect to both ends in the width direction. A curved portion is formed.

  The compression of the continuous long fiber material 21 by the pad 102a may be performed so that the curved portion has a larger curvature than the width narrowed portion 1a in consideration of the elastic recovery of the continuous long fiber material 21. (Hereinafter, this curved portion is referred to as the width restricting portion 1a regardless of the illustration). In addition, when the thing which can fix shape by heating is used as a long fiber body, the compression shape of the continuous long fiber body material 21 can be maintained by giving the said heating in the forming apparatus 102. FIG.

(Lap body forming process)
Next, the continuous long fiber material 21 is conveyed in a state in which the shape of the width narrowing portion 1a is maintained, and is included so as to be sandwiched between the top side continuous sheet 22 and the back side continuous sheet 23 from above and below.

  The back side continuous sheet 23 is preliminarily coated with an adhesive in advance. First, the continuous long fiber material 21 contacts the back side continuous sheet 23. Thereafter, the top side continuous sheet 22 is overlaid on the back side continuous sheet 23 so as to cover the continuous long fiber body material 21, and is pressed entirely by the pressure roller 103, and the portions corresponding to the overlapping portions 2o and 3o are bonded. The As a result, the top-side continuous sheet 22 and the back-side continuous sheet 23 are joined along the shape of the width restricting portion 1a (see FIG. 1). Note that the continuous long fiber material 21 may be brought into contact with the top-side continuous sheet 22.

  In the first embodiment, the continuous long fiber material 21 and the continuous sheets 22 and 23 are heat-bondable to each other. Therefore, fusion can be employed for the joining in the wrap body forming step.

(Sealing process)
As shown in FIG. 2, the continuous lap body 24 formed by the wrap body forming step is sent to the sealing device 104. As shown in FIG. 4, the sealing device 104 heats the continuous lap body 24 across the width narrowed portions 1 a, and the continuous long fiber material 21, the top continuous sheet 22, and the back continuous sheet. 23 are fused together. Thereby, the continuous wrap body 24 will be in the state by which the said absorber 10 for wear articles was formed continuously by the melt | fusion part m formed between the said width | variety narrowing parts 1a.

(Cut process)
Next, the continuous lap body 24 is sent to the cutting device 105, and the cutting device 105 cuts the middle part of the fusion part m on the transverse line c across the width direction, and as a result, the continuous long fiber body. The material 21, the top continuous sheet 22 and the back continuous sheet 23 are cut simultaneously. Thereby, the said absorber 10 for wear articles is formed. In addition, you may give the said sealing process and this cutting process without a time difference in general.

  In the absorbent article for wearing article 10, when another sheet is provided outside the top-side continuous sheet 22 or the back-side continuous sheet 23, the other sheet is thermally fused with the top-side continuous sheet 22 or the back-side continuous sheet 23. It is only necessary to use those that can be attached and that can be set in common with the fusing temperatures of the top continuous sheet 22, the back continuous sheet 23, and the continuous long fiber material 21.

The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In this description, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same components as those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals.
As shown in FIG. 5, in the absorbent body 30 for a wearing article according to the second embodiment, the core portion 31 (the range indicated by the arrow line in FIG. 5) is a state in which a plurality of long fiber bodies 4 are separated in the width direction. It consists of the gathering part lined up with.

  The width narrowed portion 1a is formed by bending the long fiber body 4 to a greater extent as the long fiber bodies on both ends in the width direction.

  The top side sheet 2 and the back side sheet 3 are joined at a portion 32 positioned between adjacent long fiber bodies 4.

  Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the said absorber 30 for wear articles is described. In the width restricting portion forming process of the second embodiment, a forming device 302 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is used instead of the forming device 102. The forming device 302 includes a guide 302a that is passed in the width direction above the back-side continuous sheet 23, and a swing device 302b that reciprocates in the width direction along the guide 302a.

  Each swinging device 302b is provided with a forming guide 302c through which the continuous long fiber material 21 is passed, and each continuous long fiber material 21 is formed into a sine wave shape as the swinging device 302b vibrates sinusoidally. It is arranged on the side continuous sheet 23. Here, each swing device 302b is set to have a smaller amplitude as it is closer to the center of the back-side continuous sheet 23 in the width direction. As a result, the continuous long fiber material 21 to be arranged is more greatly curved as the long fiber material is located at both ends in the width direction.

  In the lapping step, the overlapping portion 22a located between the adjacent long fiber bodies 4 between the top continuous sheet 22 and the back continuous sheet 23 is continuously formed by the protrusions 303a formed on the outer periphery of the pressure roller 303. The top-side continuous sheet 22 and the back-side continuous sheet 23 are joined together by adhesion at this portion. In the lapping step, the overlapping portion 22a may be fused. Further, the overlapping portion 22a may be joined intermittently as long as the continuous long fiber material 21 can be prevented from shifting in the width direction.

  The third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 8, in the absorbent article for a wearing article 40 according to the third embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, a porous sheet is used for the top side sheet 41 in the core portion forming step. . The encapsulated long fiber body 4 is in an open state. Hereinafter, this opening process will be described.

(Opening process)
An air jet is applied to each long fiber body 4 through the hole 42 of the top sheet 41 between the wrap body forming step and the cutting step. Here, since the long fiber body 4 is a strand, the gap between the yarns 5 is widened by the air jet, and the long fiber body 4 is opened. Thereby, the core part obtained has higher flexibility and uniformity than the core part 1 according to the first embodiment, and as a result, the fit of the resulting absorbent article for wearing articles is also relatively improved. Can do.

  The air jet is passed from both ends in the width direction excluding the vicinity of the width center of the top side sheet 41. For this reason, at the time of fiber opening, it is prevented that the long fiber body 4 is biased to the width direction one end side. Further, the hole 42 in the vicinity of the center of the width of the top side sheet 41 functions as an air escape hole, and the joint portion between the top side sheet 41 and the back side sheet 3 is also prevented from being broken.

(A) The top view of the absorber for wear articles concerning a 1st embodiment, (b) Sectional drawing of the Ib-Ib line of (a), (c) Sectional drawing of the Ic-Ic line of (a) The schematic diagram of the manufacturing line of the absorber for wearing articles which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Operational diagram of the forming device of FIG. The conceptual diagram of the sealing process and cutting process of the absorber for wearing articles which concerns on 1st Embodiment. (A) The top view of the absorber for wear articles concerning a 2nd embodiment, (b) Sectional drawing of the Vb-Vb line of (a), (c) Sectional drawing of the Vc-Vc line of (a) Schematic diagram of the forming apparatus according to the second embodiment Schematic of width narrowing part forming process according to the second embodiment Conceptual diagram of the opening process according to the third embodiment

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Core part 2 Top side sheet 3 Back side sheet 4 Long fiber body 10 Absorber for wearing articles

Claims (11)

  In the absorbent article for a wearing article in which a narrowed portion is formed between both ends in the length direction of the core portion having absorbency, and the core portion is included in the top side sheet and the back side sheet, the core portion is An absorbent article for a wearing article, comprising an aggregate portion of long fiber bodies, wherein the width narrowing portion is formed by curving the long fiber bodies.   The absorbent article for a wearing article according to claim 1, wherein the width narrowed portion is formed by compressing the core portion from both ends in the width direction.   The absorbent article for a wearing article according to claim 1, wherein the narrowed portion is formed by bending the long fiber body at both ends in the width direction to be greatly curved.   The absorbent article for a wearing article according to claim 3, wherein the top sheet and the back sheet are joined at a portion located between adjacent long fiber bodies.   The absorbent article for a wearing article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the top sheet and the back sheet are joined along the width narrowed portion. In the method for manufacturing an absorbent article for a wearing article in which a width narrowed portion is formed between both ends in the length direction of the core portion having absorbency, and the core portion is included in a top side sheet and a back side sheet,
A width drawn portion forming step in which the long fiber body is fed in a gathered state with a width and curved from both ends in the width direction at a constant interval in the feeding direction, and the long fibers in the gathered state in a state where the formed width drawn portion is maintained Including a wrap body forming step for enclosing the body so as to be sandwiched vertically between the top side sheet and the back side sheet, and a cutting step for forming the core portion by cutting the obtained wrap body between the narrowed portions. The manufacturing method of the absorber for wearing articles characterized by these.   The method for manufacturing an absorbent article for a wearing article according to claim 6, wherein, in the width narrowing portion forming step, the long fiber bodies are fed in a gathered state arranged in a constant width and compressed from both ends in the width direction at constant intervals in the feed direction.   The manufacturing method of the absorber for wear articles according to claim 6 bent in the shape of a sine wave so that the long fiber object of the width direction end side may be greatly curved in the above-mentioned width restricting part formation process.   The manufacturing method of the absorber for wearing articles of Claim 8 which joins the said top side sheet | seat and a back side sheet | seat in the part located between adjacent long fiber bodies in the said wrap body formation process.   The manufacturing method of the absorbent body for wear articles in any one of Claim 6 to 9 which joins the said top side sheet | seat and a back side sheet | seat along the shape of the said width | variety narrowing part in the said wrap body formation process.   A porous sheet is used for the top side sheet, and the long fiber body is opened by a jet flow through the top side sheet between the wrap body forming step and the cutting step. The manufacturing method of the absorber for wearing articles of description.

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