JP3908391B2 - Tampon manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When the present invention continuously manufactures a product with a string, particularly a tampon to which a string used for pulling out after actual use is attached, it detects a defective product caused by the defect of the string and automatically detects this defective product from the production line. The present invention relates to a manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus for a stringed product that can be eliminated.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, when continuously manufacturing products with strings attached to the base, if there are defective parts such as knots, fuzz balls, fluff, etc. on the long string fed from the string supply source (bobbin), As a result, defective products may occur. If a defective product is generated, this defective product must be separated from the non-defective product and removed from the production line. This problem also occurs, for example, in the manufacturing process of a tampon that is a menstrual treatment product.
[0003]
The tampon is continuously manufactured at a high speed by the steps outlined below. First, hydrophilic fibers such as absorbent cotton and rayon cotton are defibrated and blended to form a band-like body called a fleece (cotton band). Next, the fleece is cut into a predetermined length to form a strip-shaped base body to be a tampon main body, and a cord for pulling out the tampon after actual use (hereinafter referred to as a “drawing cord”) from the base body in the cording step ”). Next, the base body with the string is wound into a columnar shape, and a preformed body is formed in a shape in which the drawn string extends from one end face of the formed columnar body, and the diameter of the preformed body is reduced. The end surface (the end surface that becomes the insertion head in actual use) opposite to the end surface (hereinafter referred to as the “end surface with the string”) from which the string extends is rounded and processed into a tampon.
[0004]
In the above-described tying step, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the leading end 2a of the long cord 2 fed out from the lace supply source (bobbin) 17 is hung on the base 1 and predetermined from the side edge of the base. The long string 2 in the vicinity of the knot 2c is cut by the string cutter 132 at the position where the length L (about 15 cm) is pulled out, and the substrate with the string is separated. As shown in FIG. 3B, the string that is looped around the base body 1 is wound around the base body 1 as shown in FIG. (End surface with string) It becomes the draw string 3 extending from 1a.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above-described tying step, the long string 2 is fed out from the string supply source 17, and the long string 2 is partially formed with fluff and fluff in the manufacturing process, and the manufacturing process and the string supply source. Since the knots are formed when the bobbin that becomes 17 is replaced, these knots, fluff, fluff, and the like are present as defective portions in the long string. If the long string 2 including these defective parts is used for associating the base body 1 as it is, the defective part becomes a resistance when passing through a guide, a groove, or the like of the assembling process, thereby disturbing the timing of the process. The string 3 cannot be attached to the regular position of the base 1, the length of the drawn string 3 does not reach the specified value L, or the knot 2c when the ring is formed becomes unstable. In an extreme case, the knot 2c Defective products that do not conform to the standards are generated.
[0006]
This defective product is difficult to detect by optical means such as a CCD camera on the production line from compression molding through the preformed body 4 to manufacture of the tampon. It was. However, visual inspection of high-speed moving objects requires skill and low accuracy, and there is a high possibility that defective products that fail inspection are packaged as they are and mixed into tampon products. Further, when a defective portion such as a knot is found during the traveling process of the long string 2 from the string supply source 17 to the tying portion during high-speed operation, a defective product including the defective portion is visually searched for. In order to do so, continuous operation had to be temporarily suspended. For this reason, the string defect has significantly hindered the productivity of continuous operation.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to automatically detect and automatically detect defective products due to string defects when continuously manufacturing products with strings such as tampons. It is providing the manufacturing method of the product with a string which can be excluded automatically, and the manufacturing apparatus used for this manufacturing method.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a tip of a long string fed from a string supply source when a string is attached to a base body, which is an absorbent body forming a tampon body, and the tampon is continuously manufactured. Is attached to the substrate via a string inspection means capable of detecting a defective portion of the string, and the substrate with the string to which the leading end of the string is attached is separated from the long string and then transferred to the production line . The preformed body is formed by winding the base with a string in a cylindrical shape so that the central portion is the core, and in the compression molding process, the preform is compression-molded in the direction in which the diameter of the cylindrical body is reduced, A separation means is provided after the compression molding process on the line, and when the string inspection means detects a defective portion of the string, the substrate with the string attached to the defect line and transported to the production line is calculated. the substrate is wound, compression formed When is a tampon obtained has reached the separating means, separating means to provide a method for manufacturing a tampon which is adapted to eliminate from the production line this tampon as a defective product. In the above, the cord attached to the base of this can be a withdrawal cord used to pull out the tampon body after rolling out actual use from one end of the absorbent body. The present invention is also an apparatus for continuously manufacturing a tampon by attaching a string to a base body which is an absorbent body forming a main body of a tampon , the string supply source, the string inspection means, the stringing means, the calculating means, and the sorting means. and and a winding means and the compression molding means, the strap supply source, continuously feeding toward a long cord to said linkage means, said cord inspection means, the cord supply and the tying means It is possible to detect a defective portion of a long string that is installed in the middle of the string supply source, and the stringing means uses the tip of the long string that is extended from the string supply source as the base. The string-attached base to which the tip of the string is attached is separated from the long string and then transferred to the production line, and the winding means winds the string-attached base in a columnar shape so that the center is the core. To form a preform, and the compression molding means is a preform. Compression molded in a direction to reduce the diameter of the cylindrical body, calculating the arithmetic means when said string inspection means detects a defective portion of the string, the string-attached substrate is carried to the manufacturing line the defect portion is attached The separation means is transmitted to the sorting means, and the sorting means is installed after the compression molding step on the production line and is obtained from the stringed base on the basis of the exclusion signal from the calculation means. An apparatus for producing a tampon that eliminates a tampon as a defective product from the production line is provided. The string inspection means is preferably made of a photocoupler array.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to examples relating to the manufacture of tampon. In one embodiment of the present invention, the tampon is manufactured through the manufacturing process shown schematically in FIG.
First, in the carding step 11, for example, rayon cotton and absorbent cotton are mixed and repeatedly defibrated and mixed until a uniform composition is obtained. The obtained mixed cotton is sent to the fleece forming step 12, and a continuous belt-like fleece 6 is formed.
The fleece 6 is sent to the linking process 13. In this tying step 13, the fleece 6 is cut into a predetermined length by the fleece cutter 131 to form a strip-like base 1 that forms the main body of the tampon. A series of operations is performed in which a string is attached to the central portion in the length direction, the string attached by the string cutter 132 is separated from the long string 2, and the substrate with the string is carried out to the production line. Here, the string attached to the base body 1 becomes the drawn string 3.
[0009]
In the next winding step 14, the stringed substrate obtained in the stringing step 13 is wound into a columnar shape so that the central portion becomes a core, and the preform 4 is formed. This preform 4 is sent to the compression molding step 15 and is compression molded in the mold so that the diameter of the cylindrical body is reduced. At the same time, the end of the drawn string 3 is extended in this state (opposite end face 1a with the string). The side end (insertion head) is rounded.
The molded product is taken out from the mold and sent to the separation step 16. This separation step 16 has a separation means 161 installed on the production line, and the normal tampon 7 passes through this separation means 161 and is sent to the production line for the next packaging step or the like.
[0010]
The obtained tampon 7 has a cylindrical shape with a body diameter of 10 mm to 15 mm and a length of about 40 mm to 55 mm, one end face (insertion head 7a) is rounded into a hemisphere, and the other end face (end face 1a with string). ), An annular drawn string 3 having a length of about 10 cm to 15 cm extends, and the drawn string 3 is in close contact with the end surface 1 a with the string.
[0011]
When the tampon is continuously produced by the production line, the long cord 2 fed out from the cord supply source 17 is sent to the cording step 13 via the cord inspection means 18 capable of detecting the defective portion 2b of the cord. It is done. In this tying step 13, the leading end 2 a of the long lace 2 is wound around the center of the base 1 by a tying means (not shown), and a predetermined length (about 15 cm) from the side edge of the base 1. Only at the position where it is pulled out, it is bound to the middle portion of the long string 2 and is separated from the long string 2 by the string cutter 132 in the vicinity of the knot 2c to form an annular drawn string 3 attached to the base 1. .
[0012]
The string inspection means 18 is composed of a photocoupler array. Here, in the photocoupler array, as shown by reference numeral 20 in FIG. 2, a large number of pairs of light projecting elements 21 and light receiving elements 22 facing each other with a gap H therebetween are arranged in parallel, and a curtain of parallel rays is formed in the gap H. It has come to be. Therefore, when an object such as a string is inserted into the gap H, the cross-sectional diameter can be measured in a non-contact manner as the number of light receiving elements 22a. When the long string 2 is passed through the light curtain of the photocoupler array 20, the number of the light receiving elements 22a to be shielded is the normal part 2 of the long string, and a defective part due to a knot, a pill, a fluff or the like. It is clearly different from 2b, and the defective portion 2b shields more light receiving elements 22a. As a result, the photocoupler array 20 can immediately detect the presence of the defect 2b.
[0013]
The string inspection means 18 comprising the photocoupler array is connected to the calculation means 19 through an information transmission path. When the string inspection means 18 detects the defective part 2b of the string, the calculating means 19 calculates the base with the string attached to the defective part 2b and carried to the production line, and outputs an exclusion signal to the sorting step 16 described above. introduce. This separation step 16 has an airfoil separation means 161, and based on an exclusion signal from the calculation means 19, the base with a string to which the defective portion 2 b is attached is excluded from the production line as a defective product 8.
[0014]
During the continuous production of the tampon 7 by operating the production line at a constant speed, there is a defect 2b such as a knot, fluff, fluff and the like on the long string 2 fed out from the string supply source 17. When the part 2 b passes the string inspection means 18, the string inspection means 18 detects this defective part 2 b and sends detection information to the calculation means 19. The calculating means 19 calculates the timing at which the stringed base body to which the defective portion 2b is attached reaches the sorting step 16 on the production line operated at a constant speed, and sends this information to the sorting step 16. Based on this information, the sorting step 16 waits for a defective product 8 to be sent. When the defective product 8 reaches the sorting step 16, the sorting unit 161 is operated to remove it from the production line, and the sorted product is separated. The means 161 immediately returns to the original normal position.
[0015]
In the manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for a stringed product according to the present invention, the string inspection means 18 detects the string defect portion 2b in advance, and the defective product 8 incorporating the defect portion 2b is subjected to the sorting step 16 as in the above embodiment. Since the calculation means 19 calculates the arrival timing and the sorting means 161 is operated based on this information to eliminate the defective products 8, it is not necessary to search and eliminate the defective products by visual inspection. Labor saving and improvement in detection accuracy can be achieved, and productivity can be improved because there is no need to interrupt the continuous operation even if the long string 2 fed from the string supply source 17 has a defective portion 2b.
[0016]
In the said Example, although the separation process 16 is installed after the compression molding process 15, as long as the arrangement | positioning is after the cording process 13, it may be anywhere on a production line. Generally, in a continuous production apparatus for tampons, there are many cases where a stringing step 13, a winding step 14, and a compression molding step 15 are configured in series. In this case, the separation step 16 is performed after the compression molding step 15. It is convenient to arrange.
[0017]
Although the above embodiment relates to the manufacture of a tampon, the present invention is not limited to this. Other products with strings, for example, products with strings, ribbons, tapes, etc. laid on the package, such as shipments and gifts, products with strings, wires, threads, etc. attached to substrates such as plastic, metal, and wood When defective products are generated due to defects such as string, ribbon, tape, wire, thread, wiring, cord, etc. The production method and production apparatus of the present invention can be advantageously applied.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
In the manufacturing method of a stringed product according to the present invention, a long string fed from a string supply source is attached to a base via a string inspection means, and the base with a string to which a defective portion of the string is attached is separated by a separating means on the production line. Since it is intended to be excluded as a defective product, when manufacturing products with strings such as tampons continuously, defective products due to string defects can be automatically detected and eliminated, and visual inspection is performed. It can be abolished, reducing manpower, increasing detection accuracy, and greatly improving productivity.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a process diagram showing an embodiment of a manufacturing method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of a string inspection means. FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams showing an example of a conventional product with strings. Perspective view showing the process 【Explanation of symbols】
1: Base 1a; End surface 2 with string: Long string 2a; Tip 2b; Defect 2c; Knot 3: Pulled string 4: Pre-formed body 6: Fleece 7: (Normal) Tampon 8: Defective product 11: Cotton Step 12: Fleece forming step 13: Stringing step 131; Fleece cutter 132; String cutter 14: Winding step 15: Compression molding step 16: Sorting step 161; Sorting means 17: String supply source 18: String inspection means 19: Calculation Means 20: photocoupler array 21: light projecting element 22: light receiving element 22a; light shielded light receiving element H: gap

Claims (4)

When a string is attached to a base body, which is an absorber that forms the tampon body, and a tampon is continuously manufactured, a string that can detect a defective portion of the string at the leading end of a long string fed from a string supply source It is attached to the base via the inspection means, and the base with the string to which the leading end of the string is attached is separated from the long string and then transported to the production line so that the central part of the base with the string is the core in the winding process. In the compression molding process, the preform is compression molded in the direction in which the diameter of the cylinder is reduced, and a separation means is provided after the compression molding process on the production line. When the string inspecting means detects a defective part of the string, the base with the string attached to the defective part and carried to the production line is calculated, and the base with the string is wound and compression molded. the separation hand tampons Upon reaching the method for producing a tampon classification unit is characterized in that so as to eliminate from the tampon manufacturing line as a defective product. Cord attached before Kimoto body, producing a tampon according to claim 1, characterized in that the withdrawal string used to pull out the tampon body after rolling out actual use from one end of the absorbent body Method. An apparatus for continuously manufacturing a tampon by attaching a string to a base body which is an absorbent body forming a tampon body , a string supply source, a string inspection means, a stringing means, a computing means, a sorting means, a winding means, Compression molding means ,
The string supply source continuously feeds a long string toward the stringing means,
The string inspection means can detect a defective portion of a long string installed in the middle of the string supply source and the stringing means and fed from the string supply source,
The tying means attaches the leading end portion of the long string fed from the lace supply source to the base, and removes the base with the cord to which the leading end of the cord is attached from the long cord, and then carries it out to the production line. ,
The winding means forms a preform by winding a stringed base body in a columnar shape so that the center part is a core,
The compression molding means compresses the preform in a direction in which the diameter of the cylindrical body decreases,
When the calculation means detects the string defect portion, the calculation means calculates the string-attached base body to which the defect portion is attached and carried to the production line, and transmits an exclusion signal to the sorting means, And the said classification means is installed after the compression molding process on the said production line, and excludes the tampon obtained from the said base with a string based on the exclusion signal from the said calculation means from a production line as a defective article. An apparatus for producing a tampon , characterized in that: 4. The apparatus for manufacturing a tampon according to claim 3, wherein the string inspecting means comprises a photocoupler array.

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