JP7173925B2 - Inspection method and manufacturing method for absorbent article with sensor - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an inspection method and a manufacturing method for an absorbent article with a sensor.

2. Description of the Related Art Absorbent articles with sensors are known, which are attached to absorbent articles such as diapers and incontinence pads and have sensors for detecting the presence or absence of urination and the amount of urination by the wearer. As such a sensor, the applicant of the present application proposed a sensor provided with a plurality of electrodes and conductors connected thereto on a flat sheet base material from the viewpoint of improving the comfort of wearing the absorbent article. (Patent Document 1).

The sensor detects electrical properties that are altered by urine. From the viewpoint of maintaining the quality of sensors that detect such electrical properties, an inspection process that inspects the connection state between the conductors that make up the electric circuit of the sensor and the electronic members such as electrodes and terminals in the manufacturing process. It is common to be manufactured through As a method of detecting such connection failure, for example, Patent Document 2 describes a method of attaching a temperature sensor to a terminal portion and detecting a temperature rise due to connection failure.

JP 2016-032520 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-286052

The sheet-shaped sensor described in Patent Document 1 has a sensor element consisting of a plurality of electrodes and conductor portions. connection point increases. In such a sensor, it is necessary to inspect all connection points one by one. Therefore, the more connection points there are, the more labor and time it takes to check for poor connection. The technique described in Patent Literature 2 does not efficiently inspect the connection state of a plurality of connection points to facilitate inspection work. Therefore, when the manufactured sensor is inspected at the time of shipment, it is desirable to improve the efficiency and simplification of the inspection work.

In addition, when the sensor is inspected after the sensor is attached to the absorbent article, the inspection must be performed in a state where there is a difference in thickness due to the flexibility of the absorbent article itself and the expansion and contraction of the elastic member. was there. In order to solve such a phenomenon, for example, a sensor is inspected by pressing a plate-shaped object fixed to a support base against an inspection object. However, in this case, the inspection results tend to be blurred due to insufficient or excessive pressing of the plate-like object against the inspection object. Therefore, a method for accurately inspecting malfunction of the sensor has been desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the problem of the present invention relates to an inspection method and a manufacturing method that can solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.

The present invention provides a positive electrode array in which a plurality of positive electrodes are electrically connected to each other via a first conductor, and a negative electrode array in which a plurality of negative electrodes are electrically connected to each other via a second conductor. and a connection terminal portion electrically connected to these electrode rows and connectable to an external inspection device.
a step of placing the absorbent article on a flat surface and connecting the connection terminal portion and the inspection device;
A step of stacking the test board and the sensor so as to face each other, and applying the weight of the test board to the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row;
A method for inspecting an absorbent article with a sensor, comprising the step of measuring the impedance between the positive electrode and the negative electrode while the weight of the test board is applied to the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row. It provides.

The present invention also provides a method for producing a sensor-equipped absorbent article comprising an absorbent body having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent body interposed between these sheets, and a sensor, comprising:
An inspection step for determining the presence or absence of defects in the sensor,
The sensor includes a positive electrode array in which a plurality of positive electrodes are electrically connected via a first conductor, and a negative electrode array in which a plurality of negative electrodes are electrically connected via a second conductor. and a connection terminal section to which an external inspection device can be connected,
The inspection step includes a step of connecting the connection terminal portion and the inspection device;
The test board and the sensor are laminated so as to face each other, and the impedance between the positive electrode and the negative electrode is measured in a state in which the weight of the test board is applied to the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row. and a step of measuring.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the defect of the sensor which has several electrodes with which the absorbent article was equipped can be inspected simply, in a short time, and accurately.

1(a) and 1(b) are plan views showing an example of an absorbent article with a sensor to be inspected by the inspection method of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a sensor included in the absorbent article with sensor shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 1(b). FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an inspection apparatus suitable for use in the inspection method of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of the inspection management apparatus shown in FIG. FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are perspective views showing the arrangement positions of an absorbent article with a sensor and an inspection processing device in one embodiment of the inspection method of the present invention. 7A and 7B are enlarged schematic diagrams of the sensor S for explaining the inspection method of the present invention. FIGS. 8(a) to 8(c) are perspective views showing arrangement positions of an absorbent article with a sensor and an inspection processing device in another embodiment of the inspection method of the present invention. FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) are perspective views showing positions of arrangement of an absorbent article with a sensor and an inspection processing device in still another embodiment of the inspection method of the present invention. FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) are perspective views showing arrangement positions of an absorbent article with a sensor and an inspection processing device in still another embodiment of the inspection method of the present invention. FIG. 11 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the sensor S for explaining the inspection method of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure executed by the apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on its preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. First, an absorbent article with a sensor to be inspected by the inspection method of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b). In the following description, the sensor-equipped absorbent article 1 is also simply referred to as a "urine absorbing pad 1". FIG. 1(a) shows a plan view of the urine absorbing pad 1 viewed from its skin-facing side, and FIG. 1(b) shows a plan view of the urine absorbing pad 1 viewed from its non-skin facing side. . In addition, in FIG.1(b), the state which peeled some members of the urine absorption pad 1 is shown.

As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the urine absorption pad 1 corresponds to the front-rear direction of the wearer, and has a longitudinal direction X extending from the abdomen of the wearer to the back through the crotch. It has a vertically long shape with a width direction Y orthogonal to the . The urine absorbing pad 1 has a crotch portion M arranged in the crotch portion of the wearer, and an abdominal portion F and a back portion R extending in the front and rear thereof. The crotch part M has an excretory part facing part in the central part in the width direction Y, which is arranged to face the excretory part of the wearer when the absorbent article is worn. The urine absorbing pad 1 has a shape that is substantially bilaterally symmetrical with respect to a center line that bisects the pad 1 in the width direction Y and extends in the longitudinal direction X. As shown in FIG.

The urine absorbing pad 1 shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) includes a top sheet 2 located on the wearer's skin-facing side, a back sheet 3 located on the non-skin facing side, and an interposed sheet between the two sheets. It is provided with an absorbent body 4 arranged, and these constitute the absorbent main body 1A. As shown in FIG. 1(b), the non-skin facing surface of the back sheet 3 is provided with a sensor S capable of detecting the presence or absence of bodily fluids such as urine excreted by the wearer. The sensor S can detect the presence or absence of body fluid such as urine by detecting a change in impedance between a state of no urine (non-urination state) and a state of urine (during urination). A sensor S shown in FIG. Details of the sensor S will be described later.

As the surface sheet 2, a liquid-permeable sheet such as a single-layer or multi-layer nonwoven fabric or perforated film can be used. The surface sheet 2 may have an uneven shape in which a plurality of protrusions and recesses are formed on the surface facing the skin, or a ridge-groove shape in which ridges and grooves extending in one direction are alternately formed.

As the backsheet 3, a non-conductive (insulating) one is preferably used, and for example, a liquid-impermeable film or a spunbond/meltblown/spunbond laminated nonwoven fabric can be used. A plurality of micropores may be provided in the liquid-impermeable film to impart water vapor permeability to the film.

As the absorber 4, those conventionally used in absorbent articles such as incontinence pads and disposable diapers can be used. For example, the absorbent body 4 comprises an absorbent core (not shown). The absorbent core is, for example, a pile of hydrophilic fibers such as cellulose such as pulp, a mixed pile of hydrophilic fibers and an absorbent polymer, a pile of absorbent polymer, or between two absorbent sheets. It is composed of a laminated structure in which an absorbent polymer is carried in the body. Only one of the skin-facing surface and the non-skin-facing surface of the absorbent core may be covered with a liquid-permeable core-wrap sheet, and the entire surface including the skin-facing surface and the non-skin-facing surface is covered with the core-wrap sheet. may be covered with As the core wrap sheet, for example, a thin paper made of hydrophilic fibers, a liquid-permeable nonwoven fabric, or the like can be used.

In addition to the top sheet 2, the back sheet 3 and the absorbent body 4 described above, a pair of barriers extending along the longitudinal direction X are provided on both sides along the longitudinal direction X on the side facing the skin as shown in FIG. 1(a). Leakage cuffs 5,5 may be provided. The leakproof cuff 5 generally comprises a proximal end and a free end. The leak-proof cuff 5 has a base end portion on the skin-facing side of the absorbent article and stands up from the skin-facing side. The leak-proof cuff 5 is made of liquid-resistant or water-repellent and breathable material. At or near the free end of the leak-proof cuff 5, an elastic member 5A made of thread rubber or the like may be arranged in a stretched state. When the absorbent article is worn, the contraction of this elastic member causes the leak-proof cuff 5 to stand up toward the wearer's body, and the liquid excreted on the topsheet 2 flows on the topsheet 2. Leakage to the outside in the width direction of the absorbent article is effectively prevented.

As used herein, the term “skin-facing surface” refers to the surface of the absorbent article or its constituent members (for example, the absorbent body 4) that faces the wearer's skin when the absorbent article is worn, i.e. The side close to the skin, and the “non-skin facing surface” is the surface of the absorbent article or its constituent members that faces the side opposite to the skin side (clothing side) when the absorbent article is worn. It is the side farthest from the person's skin. It should be noted that the term "when worn" as used herein means a state in which the absorbent article is maintained in a normal and appropriate wearing position, that is, in a correct wearing position of the absorbent article.

An embodiment of the sensor S is shown in FIG. The sensor S provided on the non-skin-facing surface of the back sheet 3 includes, as shown in FIG. each has a negative electrode 21b. The plurality of positive electrodes 21a are electrically connected to each other via the first conductor portion 21c, and these form a conductive positive electrode row 21A. Similarly, the plurality of negative electrodes 21b are electrically connected to each other via a second conductor portion 21d, forming a conductive negative electrode row 21B. Conductive connection terminal portions 25A and 25B to which an external inspection device can be connected are electrically connected to one end sides of the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B, respectively. The positive electrodes 21a and the negative electrodes 21b shown in the figure are connected in series via the conductor portions 21c and 21d, respectively, but may be connected in parallel. The extending direction of the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B coincides with the longitudinal direction X of the urine absorbing pad 1, and the direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B It matches the width direction Y of the pad 1 .

In FIG. 2, the sensor S has a positive electrode row 21A and a negative electrode row 21B arranged parallel to each other. are arranged so as to sandwich two adjacent positive electrode rows 21A. When viewed along the longitudinal direction X, the plurality of positive electrodes 21a and the plurality of negative electrodes 21b are arranged such that each positive electrode 21a and each negative electrode 21b are adjacent to each other. Each of the positive electrode rows 21A, 21A shown in the figure further has a positive electrode row connecting portion 21D for electrically connecting them. The sensor S having such a structure includes a positive electrode row connection portion 21D, a positive electrode 21a, and a negative electrode 21b when the entire sensor S is viewed along the longitudinal direction X from the ventral portion F in plan view. It has a macroscopic pattern shape having a plurality of repeating units in the longitudinal direction X. The sensor S shown in FIG. 2 has a shape that is substantially symmetrical with respect to a center line CL2 extending in the longitudinal direction X by dividing the sensor S into two halves in the width direction Y. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, two positive electrode rows 21A and two negative electrode rows 21B are formed. The number of rows of each electrode row 21A, 21B can be appropriately changed according to the dimensions of the positive electrode 21a and the negative electrode 21b. Specifically, the number of rows of each electrode row 21A, 21B is preferably One or more rows, more preferably two or more rows, preferably 16 rows or less, more preferably 15 rows or less.

The sensor S provided in the urine absorbing pad 1 applies a voltage (AC voltage) that periodically changes with time to the sensor S to detect high-frequency impedance, thereby detecting impedance changes with high accuracy. That is, it is possible to detect urination with high accuracy. The sensor S can detect the spread of urine based on the position of each sensor S that has detected a change in impedance due to urination. Quantity, etc. can be obtained.

In FIG. 2, two positive electrode rows 21A are connected at one end in the longitudinal direction X to one positive electrode side connection terminal portion 25A via a positive electrode row connection portion 21D. That is, the two positive electrode rows 21A share one positive electrode side connection terminal portion 25A. 25 A of connection terminal parts connected to 21 A of positive electrode row|line|columns become a structure arrange|positioned at the center area|region of the width direction Y in the planar view of the sensor S. FIG. In the negative electrode rows 21B shown in the figure, one negative electrode side connection terminal portion 25B is connected to each row, but the configuration is not limited to this. The side connection terminal portion 25B may be shared.

For convenience of explanation, the sensor S shown in FIG. , and the electrode, the electrode row, and the connection terminal portion connected to the negative electrode of the inspection device are respectively referred to as the “negative electrode,” the “negative electrode row,” and the “negative electrode side connection terminal portion,” but are not limited to this form. do not have. That is, the negative electrode of an external inspection device is connected to the positive electrode 21a, the positive electrode row 21A, and the positive electrode side connection terminal portion 25A shown in FIG. A positive electrode of an external inspection device may be connected to the negative electrode side connection terminal portion 25B. In either case, the inspection method of the present invention is applicable.

From the viewpoint of improving the sensitivity of the sensor, the sensor S preferably has one or more positive electrodes 21a arranged in one row of the positive electrode rows 21A in the longitudinal direction X. More preferably, 1 or more and 25 or less are arranged per unit. From a similar point of view, the sensor S preferably has one or more negative electrodes 21b arranged in the longitudinal direction X per negative electrode row 21B, and one negative electrode 21b per row of the negative electrode row 21B. More preferably, 25 or less are arranged. In addition, from the viewpoint of improving the air permeability in the thickness direction of the absorbent article, the positive electrode 21a, the negative electrode 21b, and the positive electrode row connection portion 21D are each provided with a thickness within a range that does not impair the conduction and sensitivity of the sensor S. It is also preferable that one or more through holes 21p penetrating in the direction are provided.

As shown in FIG. 1(b), the urine absorbing pad 1 preferably has dimensions to cover the sensor S for the purpose of protecting the non-skin facing side of the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B in the sensor S. A cover sheet 7 may be further provided. The covering sheet 7 shown in the figure is arranged on the non-skin facing side of the back sheet 3 and constitutes the non-skin facing surface of the incontinence absorbing pad 1 . A positive electrode row 21A and a negative electrode row 21B are interposed between the back sheet 3 and the cover sheet 7 . In this embodiment, a bonding means (not shown) such as an adhesive or an adhesive is provided on a part or the whole of the surface of the cover sheet 7 facing the non-skin facing surface of the back sheet 3, and the sensor S The covering sheet 7 can be held on the non-skin facing side of the urine absorbing pad 1 so as to cover it. The covering sheet 7 is preferably composed of nonwoven fabrics manufactured by various manufacturing methods such as spunlace nonwoven fabrics, meltblown nonwoven fabrics, spunbond nonwoven fabrics, and air-through nonwoven fabrics, from the viewpoint of obtaining good breathability and touch. When the cover sheet 7 is further provided, as shown in the figure, it is preferable to expose both the connection terminal portions 25A and 25B from the viewpoint of accuracy improvement and simplicity of inspection described later. Moreover, it is also preferable that the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B are formed on a base material 27, which will be described later.

The plurality of negative electrodes 21b are preferably grounded via the negative electrode side connection terminal portion 25B when performing each inspection process described later, and the center line CL2 extending in the longitudinal direction X of the sensor S is used as a reference. More preferably, the outermost negative electrode 21b is grounded. By grounding the negative electrode 21b arranged in such a position, the sensor S can reduce the intrusion of external noise, improve the inspection accuracy described later, or measure the accuracy during actual use after shipment. can be improved.

21 A of positive electrode rows and the negative electrode row 21B are comprised including the electroconductive material. Examples of the conductive material 20 include conductive ink, conductive thread, conductive sheet, conductive tape, conductive cloth, conductive mesh, conductive double-sided tape, and metal foil. Or it can be used in combination of two or more. The method of holding the conductive material on the urine absorbing pad 1 may be appropriately selected according to the type of the conductive material to be used. Alternatively, a conductive material may be printed or vapor-deposited on a base material such as the cover sheet 7 or an electrically insulating film, and then the base material may be adhered to the backsheet 3 .

Among the aspects described above, the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B are preferably formed by printing using conductive ink as the conductive material. By using such a method, it becomes possible to simplify the manufacturing process and reduce the manufacturing cost. A printing method for forming the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B by printing is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include inkjet printing, rotary printing, flexographic printing, screen printing, and gravure printing. The positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B may be formed, for example, by coating so as to have a predetermined shape shown in FIG. It may be formed by removing unnecessary portions so as to have a predetermined shape.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B are formed on one surface of an electrically insulating sheet-like base material 27 made of a raw material such as polyethylene terephthalate or low-density polyethylene. The surfaces of the positive electrode rows 21A and the negative electrode rows 21B that are not in contact with the substrate 27 are arranged so as to face the non-skin facing surface of the urine absorbing pad 1 . A cover sheet 7 is provided on the other surface of the base material 27 . The base material 27 is formed to have substantially the same shape as the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B in a plan view. does not exist. Alternatively, the entire area of one surface of the sensor S including the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B is covered so that the base material 27 is exposed at the site where the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B are not present. shape.

As the conductive ink, one containing at least a conductive material and a liquid medium and, if necessary, a dispersant, a binder, a resin, a curing agent and the like can be used. Examples of the conductive substance include powders of metals such as silver and copper, and powders of carbon (carbon black). The liquid medium preferably has a boiling point of 80° C. or higher and 100° C. or lower at normal pressure. Specific examples include organic solvents such as dodecane, tetradecane, terpineol, n-heptane, and PGMEA, water, and water-soluble solvents, or mixtures thereof. The content of the liquid medium in the conductive ink is preferably 10% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less with respect to the total mass of the ink.

For each of the connection terminal portions 25A and 25B, for example, metal snaps having electrical conductivity can be used. In addition to or instead of this, the connection terminal portions 25A and 25B are made of metal connectors, fasteners, hook-and-loop fasteners (magic tape (registered trademark), etc.), screws, hooks, bite-type fasteners, or the like. may be used.

A method for inspecting an absorbent article with a sensor according to the present invention will be described below. The inspection method of the present invention comprises a step of arranging the absorbent article 1 with a sensor (urinary absorption pad 1) on a plane and connecting the connection terminal portion and the inspection device, and the test board 62 and the sensor S facing each other. and applying the weight of the test board 62 to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B; and measuring the impedance between the and the negative electrode. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the positive electrode side connection terminal portion 25A and the negative electrode side connection terminal portion 25B are collectively referred to as "connection terminal portion 25".

Specifically, the inspection method of the present invention determines whether or not there is a defect that causes malfunction of the sensor S by measuring the impedance generated between the electrodes. Modes of defects that cause malfunction of the sensor S include, for example, between the positive electrode 21a and the first conductor portion 21c caused by disconnection, loss, breakage, poor formation (improper printing of the electrode, etc.), and An example of this is a conduction failure occurring in at least one of the negative electrode 21b and the second conductor portion 21d. If the impedance is measured and it is determined from the obtained measurement that none of the above phenomena has occurred, there is no defect that causes malfunction of the sensor S, so the sensor S or the absorbent with the sensor S The article is determined to be good. On the other hand, if it is determined that any of the above phenomena occurs by measuring the impedance and comparing the changes, there is a defect that causes the sensor S to malfunction. The absorbent article with sensor S is determined to be defective.

An example of an inspection apparatus suitable for use in the inspection method of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. FIG. The inspection apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 4 is for determining whether the operation of the sensor S is good or bad. The inspection device 100 includes an inspection management device 40 and an inspection processing device 50 . The inspection processing apparatus 50 has a test unit 60 including a test board 62 for applying a load to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B, and an absorbent article (urine absorbing pad 1) having a sensor S to be inspected. It has a mounting unit 70 that is mounted.

In the inspection apparatus 100, the inspection management apparatus 40 and the inspection processing apparatus 50 preferably have the configuration shown in FIG. 5, for example. The inspection management device 40 can cause the inspection processing device 50 to inspect for malfunctions, and detect malfunctions based on the measurement results output from the inspection processing device 50 .

The inspection management apparatus 40 includes a control unit 41 that controls inspection processing operations, performs processing for determining malfunctions based on inspection results, and the like, and a storage unit 42 that stores data such as inspection conditions and inspection results. there is
The control unit 41 includes an inspection processing unit 411 , a malfunction determination unit 412 , a malfunction point identifying unit 413 , and an output unit 414 . The impedance measurement value is sent to the inspection management apparatus 40 by the output unit 414 via a display unit (not shown) such as a display provided in the inspection management apparatus 40 or a communication medium, that is, a wired, wireless, optical, or other network. It is possible to output to another device that cooperates, for example, the display unit of a general-purpose computer, or the display unit of a tablet or smart phone in which an application is installed.
The storage unit 42 has a storage area for storing inspection condition data 421 , inspection data 422 , malfunction determination data 423 , and a storage area for storing malfunction location data 424 .

The inspection processing unit 411 reads out the inspection condition data 421 from the storage unit 42 and causes the inspection processing device 50 to inspect for malfunction based on the inspection condition data 421 .
The inspection condition data 421 includes the dimensions and area of the test board 62, the voltage and frequency applied to the sensor S through the connection terminal section 25, the application time of the voltage, the number of times the test board 62 contacts the sensor S, the sensor Information such as the contact position with the test board 62 in S, whether or not the test board 62 is pressed, the pressure at the time of pressing, the mass of the test board 62, and the like are included.

The inspection processing device 50 can detect various defects such as poor conduction between the electrodes and the conductors by measuring the impedance between the electrodes. The inspection processing device 50 can apply a predetermined voltage to each positive electrode 21a and each negative electrode 21b of the sensor S for a predetermined period of time via a plug portion 64 connected to each connection terminal portion 25A, 25B.

The test unit 60 includes a first movable portion 61A having a test board 62 and a second movable portion 61B having a connector portion 63 and a plug portion 64. As shown in FIG. Each movable part 61A, 61B in the test unit 60 can be independently moved up and down or rotated by a movable mechanism (not shown) provided in each movable part 61A, 61B. ing. With such a configuration, the test board 62 is pressed against the positive electrode array 21A and the negative electrode array 21B of the sensor S, and the connection terminal portion 25 of the sensor S and the inspection apparatus 100 are electrically connected. You can do it.

The connector section 63 is connected to the connection terminal section 25 of the sensor S via the plug section 64 and applies to the sensor S the AC voltage supplied from the inspection apparatus 100 . The connector section 63 acquires the impedance of the sensor S and sends the impedance to the inspection management device 40 .

The first movable portion 61A and the test board 62 are connected via a pair of first support members 61a. Further, the second movable portion 61B and the connector portion 63 are connected via a second support member 61g.

It is also preferable that the test unit 60 comprises support means H for supporting the test board 62, and the support means H is used to perform the tests described later. In the test unit 60 shown in FIGS. 4 and 6(a) and (b), the test board 62 is mounted while being supported by the first movable portion 61A so that the test board 62 can move vertically. there is That is, the first movable portion 61A includes support means H for supporting the test board 62, and the first movable portion 61A and the test board 62 are not fixed to each other.

The test board 62 shown in FIG. 4 and FIGS. 6(a) and (b) has a pair of columnar first support members 61a arranged on its upper surface so as to pass through the first movable portion 61A. One end of each support member 61a is connected and fixed to the test board 62, and the other end of each support member 61a is provided with a locking member 61b. In the form shown in the figure, each support member 61a is disposed via a through-hole that penetrates the first movable portion 61A in the thickness direction, and the test board 62 is displaced when an external force having a vertical component is applied. It can move vertically together with the support member 61a. In the state before inspection shown in FIG. 6A, the locking member 61b and the spacer portion 61s arranged on the upper surface of the first movable portion 61A are in contact with each other, and the test board 62 is separated from the first movable portion 61A. The test board 62 can be supported in a suspended state so as not to fall off. In the inspection state shown in FIG. 6(b), the locking member 61b and the spacer portion 61s are not in contact with each other, so that the test board 62 is released from its supporting state, and the weight of the test board 62 is applied to the object to be inspected. It is possible.

The mounting unit 70 has a stage 71 that holds the urine absorbing pad 1 having the sensor S on its upper surface, and a moving mechanism 72 that moves the stage 71 in the planar direction of the sensor S. The moving mechanism 72 can be moved in the plane direction (longitudinal direction X and width direction Y) of the sensor S by sliding means such as bearings or a plurality of motors (not shown), for example.

Using the inspection apparatus 100 having the above configuration, the operation of the sensor S in the absorbent article with the sensor (the urine absorbing pad 1) is inspected. An embodiment of the inspection method of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) and FIG. 6(a) and 6(b) are diagrams showing the positional relationship between the urine absorbing pad 1 and the test unit 60 in each step of the testing method of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining impedance between a positive electrode 21a and a negative electrode 21b adjacent to . In the following description, for convenience of explanation, attention is focused on the urine absorbing pad 1 to be tested, the test processing device 50, and the test board 62, the connector portion 63 and the plug portion 64 in the test unit 60, and other members are omitted. However, the above description applies appropriately to points that are not particularly described regarding the urine absorbing pad 1 and the inspection device 100 .

In this inspection method, the impedance between electrodes is measured while the absorbent article to be inspected is placed on a flat surface, and the presence or absence of defects that cause malfunction of the sensor S is determined. This inspection method includes a step of electrically connecting the connection terminal portion 25 and the inspection apparatus 100 (connecting step), and a step of applying the weight of the test board 62 to the sensor S to obtain impedance (measuring step). Prepare. In the following description, the impedance obtained in the measurement process is also called "output value".

The connecting step and the measuring step may be performed simultaneously, or one of them may be performed before the other. That is, after connecting the connection terminal portion 25 and the inspection device 100, the weight of the test board 62 may be applied to the sensor S to obtain the impedance, and the connection between the connection terminal portion 25 and the inspection device 100 may be performed. At the same time, the weight of the test board 62 may be applied to the sensor S to obtain the impedance. You may gain beadance.

Regarding one embodiment of this inspection method, a method of connecting the connection terminal portion 25 and the inspection apparatus 100 and simultaneously applying the weight of the test board 62 to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B is taken as an example, and FIG. Description will be made with reference to a) and (b).

First, as shown in FIG. 6A, the urine absorbing pad 1 to be inspected is placed on a flat surface such as a stage 71 or the like. In the form shown in the figure, the connection terminal portion 25 and the plug portion 64 are not connected.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the connection terminal portion 25 and the plug portion 64 of the urine absorbing pad 1 are electrically connected by contacting, press-fitting, or fitting with each other. In this state, a predetermined AC voltage is applied to the sensor S for a predetermined time. At the same time, the test unit 60 is lowered to load the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B of the sensor S with the weight of the test board 62 itself. At this time, the lower surface of the test board 62 and the arrangement surface of the sensor S are stacked so as to face each other, and the test board 62 is pressed against the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B of the sensor S. is in a good state. From the viewpoint of making it easier to face the test board 62 and the sensor S, the movement mechanism 72 of the placement unit 70 moves the urine absorbing pad 1 placed on the stage 71 so as to be positioned below the test board 62 in the vertical direction. Adjusting is also preferable.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6(a), before the test, the test unit 60 is in a state in which the test board 62 is suspended and supported by the first movable portion 61A, which is the support means H. It's becoming Next, when the test unit 60 is lowered as shown in FIG. 6B, the lower surface of the test board 62 is pressed against the non-skin-facing surface of the sensor S. Then, as shown in FIG. In this state, when the test unit 60 is further lowered, the first movable portion 61A, which is the support means H, and the test board 62 move closer to each other due to the reaction force from the urine absorbing pad 1 caused by pressing. The test board 62 slides. Due to this sliding, the locking member 61b arranged on the test board 62 and the spacer portion 61s arranged on the upper surface of the first movable portion 61A are separated from each other. The support state of the board 62 is released. The descent of the test unit 60 is stopped when the contact between the first movable portion 61A, which is the support means H, and the test board 62 and the contact between the locking member 61b and the spacer portion 61s do not occur. With such a configuration, the weight of the test board 62 can be applied to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B.

Here, "pressing" means that the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B in the sensor S are arranged so as to be in direct surface contact with the main surface of the test board 62, and that the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B It includes both a state in which an insulator is interposed between the electrode row 21B and the main surface of the test board 62, and a load due to the weight of the test board 62 itself is applied to the surface on which the sensor S is arranged. In the present invention, the mode in which the test board 62 and the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B are brought close to each other with a space provided between them without any other member interposed between them is such that the weight of the test board 62 is reduced. Since it is virtually impossible to load the sensor S, it is excluded from this aspect of the invention.

The "state in which an insulator is interposed" includes the case where an insulating film is provided on the surface of the sensor S, the case where the surface of the test board 62 facing the sensor S is provided with an insulating film, or the case where the sensor For example, a fibrous body 80, which will be described later, is arranged between the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B in S and the test board 62, and the like. The insulating coating may be formed including, for example, the base material 27 and the like.

The term "self-weight" means that only the weight of the test board 62 is applied to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B, and is meant to exclude intentionally generated loads. In the present invention, the weight of the test board 62 includes not only the weight of the test board 62 itself, but also the weight of members immovably fixed to the test board 62 . For example, when using the test unit 60 shown in FIG. 4 and FIGS. Accordingly, the total weight of the connected members such as conductors is applied to the sensor S as the dead weight of the test board 62 in the present invention. On the other hand, since the supporting means H, which is in a state where the weight of the test board 62 is applied to the sensor S, is released from supporting the test board 62, the weight of the supporting means H and the members connected thereto No load on S.

The pressure (pressing load) applied to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B by the weight of the test board 62 is determined by the weight of the test board 62, from the viewpoint of uniformly adhering the test board 62 and the sensor S and improving the inspection accuracy. and area is preferably 4 g/cm ² or more, more preferably 5 g/cm ² or more, and preferably 20 g/cm ² or less, more preferably 18 g/cm ² or less. In order to set such a pressing load, the mass and area of the test board 62 may be appropriately changed. For example, when the area of the test board 62 is 435 cm ² , the test board 62 preferably has a mass of 1750 g or more and 7350 g or less. By applying such a pressing load to the test object, even if there is a difference in thickness due to contraction of the elastic member arranged in the absorbent article such as the urine absorbing pad 1, the test board 62 and the sensor S can be made constant, and the inspection accuracy can be further improved.

As described above, the urine absorbing pad 1 is arranged so that the surface on which the sensor S is arranged (the non-skin facing surface of the urine absorbing pad 1) faces the lower surface of the test board 62. There are no particular restrictions. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), the urine absorbing pad 1 may be folded in three in the width direction Y, or alternatively, may be unfolded. . In either state, the absorbent article (urine absorption pad 1) to be inspected is stretched along the planar direction of the sensor S by, for example, a tension imparting mechanism (not shown) provided in the inspection device 100. It is preferable from the viewpoint of improving the inspection accuracy that tension is applied.

The output value obtained by this method is a value obtained by measuring the impedance between the positive electrode 21a and the negative electrode 21b that constitute the sensor S. This makes it possible to determine whether or not there is continuity between the positive electrodes 21a and 21a and between the negative electrodes 21b and 21b. In order to improve the operation of the sensor S, it is preferable that the positive electrodes 21a and the negative electrodes 21b are electrically connected to each other.

As shown in FIG. 7, a portion having two positive electrodes and two negative electrodes will be described as an example. As shown, a first impedance Z1 between the first positive electrode 21a1 and the first negative electrode 21b1, a second impedance Z2 between the first negative electrode 21b1 and the second positive electrode 21a2, and a second positive Each has a third impedance Z3 between the electrode 21a2 and the second negative electrode 21b2. When the sensor S to be inspected does not have poor connection of each electrode, poor printing, or the like, that is, when the operation of the sensor S is good, the impedance output from the inspection apparatus 100 is the impedance Z1, Z2 , Z3.

On the other hand, when at least one of the positive electrodes 21a and the negative electrodes 21b is not electrically connected, that is, when the sensor S malfunctions, there is a portion where the impedance between the electrodes is not measured. Thus, the measured combined impedance when the sensor S is performing poorly changes to be lower than when the sensor is performing well.

Specifically, it is possible to measure only the impedance between the electrodes located closer to the connection terminal portion 25 than the connection point where the conduction failure occurs. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the connection point P1 between the second positive electrode 21a2 and the first conductor portion 21c joined thereto and positioned closer to the connection terminal portion 25 than the second positive electrode 21a2 is defective in connection. , the impedance to be measured is only the first impedance Z1. In this case, since the second impedance Z2 and the third impedance Z3 are not measured, at least one of the second positive electrode 21a2 and the second negative electrode 21b2 related to these impedances Z2 and Z3 has poor connection with the conductor. can identify what is happening.

Further, when a part of the impedance is not measured, a conduction failure occurs at the connection portion located on the connection terminal portion 25 side among the impedances that are not measured. For example, the connection point P2 between the first negative electrode 21b1 and the second conductor portion 21d joined thereto and located on the side opposite to the connection terminal portion 25 side of the first negative electrode 21b1 causes a connection failure. If so, the measured impedance is the combined impedance of the first impedance Z1 and the second impedance Z2, and the third impedance Z3 is not measured. As a result, it is possible to narrow the connection location where the conduction failure occurs between the first negative electrode 21b1 and the second negative electrode 21b2 related to the third impedance Z3.

Determining whether the operation of the sensor S is good or bad, that is, whether or not there is continuity between the positive electrodes 21a and 21a and between the negative electrodes 21b and 21b, was measured by this inspection method. This can be done by comparing the output value with a reference value. As the reference value, for example, the combined impedance when there is no malfunction of the sensor S, the impedance output from the inspection device 100 when the inspection device 100 and the connection terminal portion 25 are not connected, and the impedance output from the inspection device 100 and the connection terminal portion 25 is connected and the test board 62 is spaced apart.

To determine whether the operation of the sensor S is good or bad, for example, the above-described reference value or an allowable value within a certain range from the reference value is set as a threshold, and the output value measured by this inspection method is compared with the threshold. can be done by Specifically, if the impedance measured by this inspection method is within the threshold, it can be determined that "there is no defect that causes malfunction of the sensor S", and if the impedance measured by this inspection method is outside the threshold , it can be determined that "there is a defect that causes the malfunction of the sensor S". These comparisons and determination of the presence/absence of defects in the sensor S may be performed manually, or may be processed within the inspection management device 40 .
The setting of the threshold value and its range can be changed as appropriate depending on the material and configuration of the absorbent article to be inspected and the sensor, the measurement conditions such as the measurement environment, etc., but the same conditions as the impedance measurement by this inspection method It is preferable to adopt and set the reference value measured under the measurement conditions.

According to such an inspection method, it is possible to comprehensively detect defective conduction between the plurality of positive electrodes 21a or the plurality of negative electrodes 21b and the conductor portions 21c and 21d within the range where the test board 62 is pressed. It is possible to perform malfunction inspection simply and in a short time. For example, if there is a connection failure at the connection point between the electrode and the conductor part, it is possible to narrow down the connection points where the connection failure may occur to some extent. can be easily done. In addition, since the test board 62 can be uniformly loaded with its own weight as a pressure load in the surface direction of the sensor S, there is a difference in thickness due to the flexibility of the article itself and the expansion and contraction of the elastic member. Even when the sensor-equipped absorbent article is to be inspected, it is possible to accurately determine whether the operation of the sensor is good or bad.

The form of the test processing device 50 is not particularly limited as long as the weight of the test board 62 can be applied to the positive electrode array and the negative electrode array of the sensor to be tested. Other embodiments of the inspection processing apparatus 50 include, for example, the forms shown in FIGS. 8 to 10. FIG. In the form shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, in addition to the first movable part 61A and the test board 62 having the form shown in FIG. A rod-shaped second support member 62a extending along the longitudinal direction of the movable portion 61A is connected to the movable portion 61A, and these constitute support means H for supporting the test board 62. As shown in FIG. One end of the second support member 62a is connected to the support member rotation portion 62b, so that the first movable portion 61A can rotate together with the test board 62 with the second support member 62a as a rotation axis. . The stage 71 in the mounting unit 70 has a moving mechanism 72 slidable in the direction along the width direction Y of the sensor S on its side surface. With this moving mechanism 72 , the urine absorbing pad 1 placed on the stage 71 can be adjusted so as to be positioned below the test board 62 in the vertical direction.

The procedure of the inspection method in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8(a) to (c) is, for example, as follows. First, as shown in FIG. 8A, the stage 71 of the mounting unit 70 is slid in the direction along the width direction Y of the sensor S and pulled out, and the urine absorbing pad 1 to be inspected is placed on the stage 71. do. After that, as shown in FIG. 8B, the stage 71 on which the urine absorbing pad 1 is arranged is slid in the direction along the width direction Y and pushed into a predetermined position. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 8(c), the second support member 62a is rotated so that the test board 62 is arranged on the lower side, and the test board 62 and the sensor S are stacked so that they face each other. . When the test board 62 is pressed against the non-skin facing surface of the sensor S by the rotation of the second support member 62a, the reaction force from the urine absorbing pad 1 generated by the pressing causes the first support member 62a constituting the support means H to move. The support state of the test board 62 by the movable portion 61A is released. With such a configuration, the weight of the test board 62 can be applied to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B.

Yet another embodiment of test processor 50 is shown in FIGS. 9(a) and (b). In the form shown in the figure, a pair of ring-shaped first support members 61a are arranged on the upper surface of the test board 62 in a manner connected thereto. The support means H in this embodiment includes a test board support portion 62c as a movable portion and a pair of rod-like third support members 62d connected to the test board support portion 62c. A pair of third support members 62d extend in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction X of the test board 62, and are arranged so as to pass through holes in the annular first support member 61a. The support means H having such a configuration supports the test board 62 while being suspended from the rod-like third support member 62d.

The procedure of the inspection method in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B is as follows. First, before inspection, the test board 62 is suspended and supported by the third support member 62d that constitutes the support means H, as shown in FIG. 9A. When the test board support portion 62c is lowered, the lower surface of the test board 62 is pressed against the non-skin facing surface of the sensor S. In this state, when the test board support portion 62c is further lowered, the first support member 61a provided on the test board 62 is separated from the third support member 62d as shown in FIG. The support state by the means H is released. With such a configuration, the weight of the test board 62 can be applied to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B of the sensor S.

Yet another embodiment of test processor 50 is shown in FIGS. 10(a) and (b). In the form shown in the figure, a rectangular parallelepiped first support member 61a is arranged on the upper surface of the test board 62 so as to be connected thereto. In the support means H in this embodiment, the movable portion is in the form of a robot arm. The test board 62 is suspended and supported while the first support member 61a is gripped by the robot arm.

The procedure of the inspection method in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) is as follows. First, before inspection, as shown in FIG. 10(a), the test board 62 is gripped and supported by the robot arm constituting the support means H via the first support member 61a. ing. Next, the robot arm is lowered to press the lower surface of the test board 62 against the non-skin facing surface of the sensor S. In this state, when the grip of the test board 62 by the robot arm is released, the test board 62 remains placed on the sensor S as shown in FIG. is released. With such a configuration, the weight of the test board 62 can be applied to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B of the sensor S.

The support means H of each embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 may form part of the test unit 60 or may be formed separately from the test unit 60 . When the supporting means H shown in each figure is configured as a part of the test unit 60, the supporting means H may be linked or connected to the first movable section 61A and configured separately from the first movable section 61A. may have been Further, the support means H may be connected to the inspection management apparatus 40 to move the support means H up and down and to control the same. may be moved and controlled.

Matters that are commonly applicable to each of the above-described embodiments will be described below.

In this inspection method, the inspection may be performed without interposing anything between the test board 62 and the sensor S. From the viewpoint of doing so, it is preferable to perform the test with the fibrous body 80 arranged between the test board 62 and the sensor S. The fibrous body 80 is preferably an insulator.

The arrangement means is not particularly limited as long as the fibrous body 80 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the test board 62 and the sensor S when the impedance is measured using the inspection device 100 . For example, the fibrous body 80 may be directly attached to the surface of the test board 62 facing the sensor S in advance, or may be attached to the surface of the sensor S facing the test board 62 in advance. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 to 10, the fibrous body 80 in this embodiment uses the covering sheet 7 as the fibrous body 80, and the covering sheet 7 as the fibrous body 80 is attached on the sensor S in advance. form. Instead of this, or in addition to this, a fiber body 80 separate from the covering sheet 7 may be used.

As the fibrous body 80, a fibrous material capable of absorbing irregularities on the surface of the test board 62 can be used. Examples thereof include fiber sheets such as nonwoven fabrics and woven fabrics.
Examples of the fiber material include cellulose fibers such as pulp fibers, polyolefins such as polypropylene and polyethylene, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, and various known synthetic fibers such as polyamides such as nylon. The synthetic fiber may be a core-sheath type or side-by-side type composite fiber composed of a plurality of types of resin components. These fibers can be used singly or in combination of two or more. A fiber sheet made of one or more of these materials may be used. Examples of nonwoven fabrics include nonwoven fabrics produced by various methods such as spunlaced nonwoven fabrics and meltblown nonwoven fabrics.
When the cover sheet 7 is used as the fibrous body 80, the various nonwoven fabrics mentioned above can be used.

From the viewpoint of absorbing the unevenness of the surface of the test board 62, the thickness of the fibrous body 80 is preferably 10 μm or more, more preferably 100 μm or more, and preferably 500 μm or less, more preferably 300 μm or less. When the surfaces of the test board 62 and the electrodes are not subjected to an insulating treatment such as an insulating coating, which will be described later, the fibrous body 80 is preferably made of an insulating material.

Alternatively, an insulating film may be formed by printing an insulating ink or placing an insulating film or the like on the surfaces of the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B that constitute the sensor S. . As the insulating ink, a composition capable of forming an insulating layer made of a resin such as an acrylic resin, a urethane resin, an epoxy resin, a polyimide resin, or a polyethylene resin can be used. Alternatively, a metal foil such as a copper foil can be used as the electrode instead of applying conductive ink. In such a case, an insulating layer can be formed by applying a surface treatment to form an oxide film or the like. . These insulating layers preferably have a dielectric constant of 2 or more in a vacuum.

In the measurement process, the urine absorbing pad 1 to be inspected may be placed in a state in which no tension is applied, or may be placed in a state in which tension is applied. Even if there is a difference in thickness due to contraction or the like of the elastic member arranged in the absorbent article such as the urine absorbing pad 1, from the viewpoint of further improving the inspection accuracy by reducing the difference in thickness, It is also preferable to measure the impedance while applying tension to the absorbent article to be inspected in the longitudinal direction or the width direction. In this case, the applied tension and its direction can be appropriately changed according to the dimensions of the absorbent article to be inspected and the inspection apparatus 100. Taking the urine absorbing pad 1 shown in FIG. It is preferable to apply a tension of 0.5 N to 10 N in the longitudinal direction X. The tension can be applied, for example, by providing the placement unit 70 with a tension applying mechanism or the like.

As a material for the test board 62, a conductive material such as metal, conductive carbon, or conductive resin can be used. From the viewpoint of improving impedance measurement accuracy, the test board 62 is preferably made of a conductive metal. Examples of metals used for the test board 62 include aluminum, nickel, iron, copper, tungsten, and stainless alloys. The test board 62 is preferably made of a metal containing aluminum and inevitable impurities, or an alloy containing aluminum, from the viewpoint of rust resistance, lightness and ease of handling. Alternatively, the test board 62 can be obtained by depositing these metals on the surface of a non-metallic member such as synthetic resin, or attaching it as a foil. In addition, the test board 62 may be provided with an insulating coat layer, which will be described later, on the surface facing the sensor S, or may be subjected to surface treatment to form an oxide film or the like to form an insulating layer. . These insulating layers preferably have a dielectric constant of 2 or more in a vacuum.

The shape of the test board 62 is not particularly limited and can be any shape. preferably in the form of The size of the test board 62 is also not particularly limited, but the area of the test board 62 should be at least a set of positive electrode 21a and negative electrode 21b that can generate impedance, and conductors 21c and 21d connecting the electrodes. It is sufficient if it has an area that can be covered. From the viewpoint of facilitating the inspection by determining the presence or absence of defects in the sensor S in a single inspection, the area of the test board 62 is set so that all pairs of the positive electrode 21a and the negative electrode 21b in the sensor S and the electrodes are connected. It is preferable to have an area that can cover the conductor portions 21c and 21d. Moreover, the thickness of the test board 62 is sufficient as long as the test board is not deformed, and the thickness is preferably 1 mm or more and 25 mm or less. In addition to this, a member for increasing the rigidity of the test board 62 may be further provided.

The voltage applied to the sensor S through the plug portion 64 is preferably an AC voltage, and more preferably a rectangular wave of approximately 300 kHz or more and 2 MHz or less. Also, the voltage application time is preferably short from the viewpoint of power saving, and more preferably 100 milliseconds (ms) or less.

From the viewpoint of increasing the inspection efficiency by determining whether the sensor S is operating properly in a series of steps, the step of obtaining a reference value used when determining whether the sensor S is operating properly or not is performed using the weight of the test board 62 as the weight of the sensor S. is preferably provided prior to the step of obtaining the impedance to be output by loading the .

When the impedance output from the inspection device 100 in a state in which the inspection device 100 and the connection terminal portion 25 are not connected is used as the reference value, the impedance value of the inspection device 100 itself (hereinafter, this is also referred to as the first measurement value ) can be used. By comparing the first measured value with the output value measured with the weight of the test board 62 applied to the sensor S, it is possible to determine whether the electrode is poorly connected or formed based on the degree of decrease.

When the impedance output when the inspection device 100 and the connection terminal portion 25 are connected and the test board 62 is separated from the test board 62 is used as the reference value, the impedance value measured in the connection process described above (hereinafter referred to as , which is also referred to as a second measurement value) can be used. By comparing the second measured value with the output value measured with the weight of the test board 62 applied to the sensor S, it is possible to determine poor connection or poor formation of the electrode from the degree of decrease.

The second measured value is a value obtained by measuring the impedance between the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B that constitute the sensor S. By comparing the second measured value with the first measured value described above, , the presence or absence of continuity between the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B can be determined. For good operation of the sensor S, it is preferable that there is no electrical continuity between the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B.

Specifically, when neither the positive electrode row 21A nor the negative electrode row 21B are electrically connected, as shown in FIG. Since it has the impedance Z4 and has the fifth impedance Z5 between the second positive electrode row 21A2 and the second negative electrode row 21B2, the second measured value output from the inspection device 100 is the combined impedance of the impedances Z4 and Z5. If the sensor S is operating normally, the second measured value will be approximately equal to the first measured value and will not change.

On the other hand, when the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B are electrically connected, at least one of the fourth impedance Z4 and the fifth impedance Z5 described above is lowered. The second measured value output from changes to be lower than the first measured value.

Whether or not there is continuity between the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B can be determined by comparing the first measured value and the second measured value. For example, the range with the upper and lower limits of the first measured value ± 5% is set as the allowable range, and when the second measured value changes within the allowable range, "the difference between the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B It can be determined that there is no conduction between On the other hand, when the second measured value changes outside the allowable range, it can be determined that "the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B are electrically connected". The setting of the allowable value and its range can be appropriately changed depending on the material and configuration of the absorbent article to be inspected and the sensor, the measurement conditions such as the measurement environment, and the like.

By further performing these steps, in addition to electrode connection failure and printing failure in the sensor S, unintended continuity between the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B can be detected, resulting in sensor malfunction. can be determined from another point of view. As a result, the inspection for defects that cause malfunction of the sensor can be performed simply and in a short time through a series of steps, and the accuracy can be further improved.

As shown in FIG. 5, the comparison between the first measured value and the second measured value, the comparison between the second measured value and the output value obtained by the measurement process, and the determination of the presence or absence of defects in the sensor S are performed by inspection. It may be performed automatically within the management device 40 .

The inspection processing unit 411 causes the inspection processing device 50 to perform the aforementioned malfunction inspection based on the inspection conditions of the inspection condition data 421 . The inspection processing unit 411 acquires the impedance measurement results (the output value, the first measurement value, and the second measurement value) measured by the inspection processing device 50 and stores them as inspection data 422 in the storage unit 42 .

The malfunction determination unit 412 determines whether or not the sensor S malfunctions based on the inspection data 422 and the malfunction determination data 423 stored in the storage unit 42 . Based on the first measured value, the second measured value, and the output value stored in the inspection data 422, the malfunction determination data 423 is set with an allowable value within a certain range, and the allowable value is stored. good too.

Specifically, the first measured value and the second measured value are compared to determine whether there is unintended conduction between the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row, and the second measured value is set based on the first measured value. If the values are within the allowable range, it is determined that there is no unintended conduction between the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row. On the other hand, comparing the first measured value and the second measured value, if the second measured value falls outside the range of allowable values based on the first measured value, unintended conduction between the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row occurs. determined to exist.

In addition, regarding the presence or absence of poor conduction between the positive electrodes and between the negative electrodes, the second measured value and the output value are compared, and the output value exceeds the allowable value set based on the second measured value. If it is within the range, it is determined that there is no defective conduction between the positive electrodes and between the negative electrodes. On the other hand, comparing the second measured value with the output value, if the output value is out of the range of allowable values based on the second measured value, the range where the test board 62 is pressed has a gap between the positive electrodes and between the positive electrodes. It is determined that there is a location where poor conduction occurs between the negative electrodes. The malfunction determination unit 412 stores these determination results in the storage unit 42 as malfunction determination data 423 .

The malfunction location identification unit 413 narrows down the connection locations of the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row where the malfunction is likely to occur for the sensor S determined to be malfunctioning by the malfunction determination unit 412 . Specifically, among the electrodes whose impedance was not measured in the range where the test board 62 was pressed, the electrode closest to the connection terminal portion 25 side and the conducting wire portion connected to it were identified as having poor connection or electrode connection. It is specified as a place where there is a possibility that a formation defect such as The malfunction location identification unit 413 stores information on locations where poor connection or poor formation of electrodes or the like may occur as malfunction location data 424 in the storage unit 42 .

Each processing unit in the control unit 41 is provided with a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc., and a predetermined program or software in the inspection management device 40. This function is realized by incorporating That is, each information processing described above is realized using hardware resources.

A preferred procedure performed by inspection apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIG. The same figure shows a flowchart showing a processing procedure executed by the inspection apparatus 100 .

The inspection management device 40 in the inspection device 100 causes the inspection processing device 50 to inspect the sensor S for malfunction. More specifically, the inspection processing unit 411 of the control unit 41 in the inspection management device 40 causes the inspection processing device 50 to perform the malfunction inspection based on the inspection condition data 421 stored in the storage unit 42, and the inspection results Certain inspection data 422 is stored in the storage unit 42 (step S1).

Next, the malfunction determination unit 412 determines whether there is a malfunction in the sensor S based on the inspection data 422 stored in the storage unit 42, and stores the malfunction determination data 423, which is the determination result, in the storage unit 42. Store (step S2). The presence or absence of a malfunction is determined by comparing the first measured value and the second measured value, or comparing the second measured value and the third measured value, depending on whether each measured value falls within the range of allowable values. be judged. In this determination, if it is determined that there is a malfunction (step S2, Yes), the malfunction location identification unit 413 determines the malfunction location in the sensor S based on the malfunction determination data 423 stored in the storage unit 42. The location where there is a possibility of is specified or the range is narrowed down, and the malfunction location data 424 is stored in the storage unit 42 (step S3).

Next, the output unit 414 outputs the malfunction determination data 423 and the malfunction location data 424 stored in the storage unit 42 to the inspection apparatus 100 via a display unit (not shown) provided in the inspection apparatus 100 or a communication medium. 100 is output to a display unit or the like of another device (step S4), and the inspection process ends. When it is determined that there is no malfunction in the sensor S (step S2, No), the output unit 414 outputs the malfunction determination data 423, which is the result of determination that there is no malfunction, to the aforementioned display unit (step S4). ) to end the inspection process.

The inspection method described above can be incorporated as one step in a method for manufacturing an absorbent article with a sensor. For example, after manufacturing an absorbent article having a predetermined shape including the absorbent main body 1A having the top sheet 2, the back sheet 3 and the absorbent body 4, and the sensor S by a known method, the connecting terminal portion 25 of the sensor S is manufactured. and the inspection apparatus 100 are connected, and in that state, the test board 62 and the sensor S are stacked so as to face each other, and the weight of the test board 62 is applied to the positive electrode row 21A and the negative electrode row 21B. Then, a step of measuring the impedance between the positive electrode 21a and the negative electrode 21b may be performed. Even in this case, poor connection between the electrode and the conductor, poor connection between the electrode and the terminal, poor connection between the conductor and the terminal, loss or breakage of the electrode, breakage or disconnection of the lead, terminal Since it is possible to detect various defects at various positions, such as damage to parts and defective printing of conductive ink, it contributes to an improvement in inspection efficiency during manufacturing and, in turn, productivity.

In this manufacturing method, as in the inspection method described above, the step of obtaining the first measured value and the second measured value used to determine whether the operation of the sensor S is good or bad is performed before obtaining the output value in the measuring step. is also preferred. It is preferable that the step of obtaining the first measured value is performed before manufacturing the absorbent article with the sensor, and the allowable value and its range based on the first measured value are set in advance. Further, after performing the step of obtaining the second measured value and before performing the step of obtaining the output value in the measuring step, a step of removing the absorbent article determined to be defective may be provided. In this case, the step of obtaining the output value does not have to be performed on the defective product, so that the inspection efficiency during manufacturing can be further increased, and the productivity can be further improved. From the viewpoint of facilitating the discharge of defective products in the manufacturing process of absorbent articles, the normal reference value based on the first measured value and the second measured value, and the normal reference value from the normal reference value are used as the malfunction determination data 423 as described above. A certain range of acceptable values may be set.

Although the present invention has been described above based on its preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible. For example, as an absorbent article with a sensor to be tested, a urine absorbing pad was described as an example, but any absorbent article used to absorb bodily fluids can be used, such as diapers and incontinence pads. can also be applied to absorbent articles.

In addition, although the absorbent article having the sensor S has been described as the subject of the main inspection, instead of this, only the sensor S may be the subject of inspection. When only the sensor S is to be inspected, the inspection method described above may be performed after the sensor S is manufactured and before the sensor S is placed on the absorbent article.

When the inspection method described above is incorporated as one step in the method of manufacturing an absorbent article with a sensor, the placement unit 70 may be configured as a belt conveyor on which the urine absorbing pad 1 is placed and transported from the viewpoint of improving production efficiency. good (not shown). The belt conveyor includes an endless belt with both longitudinal ends joined together and a pair of rollers. , the urine absorbing pad 1 can be moved to a predetermined position. After that, after performing the above-described connecting step and measuring step, the test unit 60 and the urine absorbing pad 1 are separated from each other, and the urine absorbing pad 1 is transported to a downstream process.

In addition, although the number of connection terminal portions 25A and 25B in the sensor S constituting this inspection object is different, they may be the same. Moreover, the shape of each connection terminal part 25A, 25B may be the same, and may differ. In such a case, the plug portion 64 is configured so as to correspond to the position, shape, number, etc. of the connection terminal portions.

Sensor S may be used in conjunction with other sensors. For example, a sensor S and an acceleration sensor may be attached to the absorbent article 1 to detect urination and the posture of the wearer.

Each processing unit such as the inspection processing unit 411 constituting the control unit 41 in the inspection management apparatus 40 may be partly software (program), or partly or wholly may be a hardware circuit. There may be.

The output unit 414 may output at least one of the inspection data 422, the malfunction determination data 423, and the malfunction location data 424, or may output all three data.

The test unit 60 is vertically movable or rotatable, but may be connected to the inspection processing device 50 and automatically moved by a moving mechanism provided in the device 50. However, it may be manually movable up and down. Also, both the test unit 60 and the mounting unit 70 may be vertically movable, or only the mounting unit 70 may be vertically movable.

1 Absorbent article with sensor (urine absorption pad with sensor)
1A Absorbent main body 2 Surface sheet 3 Back sheet 4 Absorber 7 Covering sheet 21A Positive electrode row 21B Negative electrode row 21a Positive electrode 21b Negative electrode 21c First conductor part 21d Second conductor part 25, 25A, 25B Connection terminal part 100 Inspection Apparatus 50 Inspection processing device 60 Test units 61A, 61B Movable part 62 Test board 63 Connector part 64 Plug part 70 Mounting unit 80 Fiber body H Support means S Sensor X Longitudinal direction Y Width direction Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5 Impedance

Claims (6)

a positive electrode row in which a plurality of positive electrodes are electrically connected to each other via a first conductor; a negative electrode row in which a plurality of negative electrodes are electrically connected to each other via a second conductor; A method for inspecting a sensor-equipped absorbent article comprising a sensor having a connection terminal portion electrically connected to an electrode row and capable of being connected to an external inspection device, comprising:
a step of placing the absorbent article on a flat surface and connecting the connection terminal portion and the inspection device;
A step of stacking the test board and the sensor so as to face each other, and applying the weight of the test board to the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row;
and measuring the impedance between the positive electrode and the negative electrode while the weight of the test board is applied to the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row. A method for inspecting an absorbent article with a sensor using a support means for supporting the test board,
While the test board is supported by the support means, the test board and the sensor are stacked so as to face each other, and then
2. The method for inspecting an absorbent article with a sensor according to claim 1, wherein the support by said support means is released and the weight of said test board is applied to said positive electrode row and said negative electrode row. 3. The method for inspecting an absorbent article with a sensor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a fiber body is sandwiched between the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row and the test board, and the weight of the test board is applied. . The method for inspecting an absorbent article with a sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the test board is made of metal containing aluminum. The sensor-equipped absorbent article inspection method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row are formed by printing. A method for producing an absorbent article with a sensor, comprising an absorbent body having a top sheet, a back sheet, and an absorbent body interposed between the two sheets, and a sensor, comprising:
An inspection step for determining the presence or absence of defects in the sensor,
The sensor includes a positive electrode array in which a plurality of positive electrodes are electrically connected via a first conductor, and a negative electrode array in which a plurality of negative electrodes are electrically connected via a second conductor. and a connection terminal section to which an external inspection device can be connected,
The inspection step includes a step of connecting the connection terminal portion and the inspection device;
The test board and the sensor are laminated so as to face each other, and the impedance between the positive electrode and the negative electrode is measured in a state in which the weight of the test board is applied to the positive electrode row and the negative electrode row. A method for manufacturing an absorbent article with a sensor, comprising the step of measuring.

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