JP6252005B2 - Method for manufacturing absorbent article - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an absorbent article in which an absorber is disposed between a liquid-impermeable back sheet on which a design and a marker are printed, and a liquid-permeable top sheet.

  In particular, disposable diapers for infants and the like are printed with a pattern and a charactor in addition to the color of the surface, like clothes, so that users and wearers can use it happily. For example, a liquid-impermeable back sheet is placed inside the cover sheet of a disposable diaper, and a pattern is printed on the surface of the back sheet so that the pattern on the surface of the back sheet can be seen through the cover sheet. Is known from Patent Document 1 and the like. In addition, a liquid-impermeable non-woven fabric printed with a colored non-woven fabric or a pattern is used as a cover sheet for disposable diapers, and a pattern such as a character is directly printed on the surface of a cover sheet.

  When manufacturing such a disposable diaper, the above-mentioned pattern is printed in advance on a continuous sheet of a cover sheet or a back sheet at predetermined intervals, and is cut out at a constant interval while being pulled out and supplied to a disposable diaper production line. It is common to do. For this reason, it is necessary to cut | disconnect the continuous body of a cover sheet or a back sheet | seat correctly according to the position of a pattern, and the marker for that is printed on the continuous body of the cover sheet and the back sheet with the pattern. A technique for detecting this marker using an optical sensor and controlling the cutting position of the continuous body of the cover sheet and the back sheet based on the marker is disclosed in Patent Document 2 and the like.

JP 2010-284430 A Japanese Patent No. 4246020

  The conventional markers disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are pre-printed on one end side (left or right) in the width direction of a continuous body of sheets that move at high speed so as to face an area through which the marker passes. It is necessary to place a sensor in Therefore, when it becomes necessary to use a sheet continuum in which a marker is printed on the other side in the width direction of the sheet continuum, the sheet continuum is passed through a sensor while being inverted 180 °, or The sensor mounting position must be changed. As a result, it is necessary to change a part of the production line according to the marker printing position, or the marker printing position must be specified regardless of the pattern, which reduces the degree of freedom in selecting the pattern. Invite.

  As one means for avoiding such a problem, there is also known a method of determining a cutting position of a continuous sheet by image processing using an image sensor capable of detecting a printing position of a pattern. However, in this method, it is necessary to newly incorporate expensive equipment including an imaging device for image processing, compared to the methods disclosed in References 1 and 2 in which a simple optical sensor can be used.

The object of the present invention is to be able to accurately cut a backsheet continuum on which a pattern is printed without using an expensive imaging device or the like and without remodeling or changing the production line. It is providing the manufacturing method of an absorbent article.

  An absorbent article according to the present invention includes a cover sheet, a liquid-impermeable back sheet bonded to the cover sheet, a liquid-permeable top sheet bonded to the back sheet, and the back sheet and the top sheet. And an absorber disposed between the two. The cover sheet has a front body region, a back body region, and a crotch region. A design and a marker are printed on the back sheet, and the marker is printed on both the left and right sides of the back sheet.

  Designs intended by the present invention include figures, photographs or photographs of people, animals, plants, vehicles, food, tools, clothes, toys, buildings, natural objects, constellations, characters from myths and old tales, animated characters, etc. , Characters, symbols, figures, patterns and combinations thereof. Furthermore, differences in the background and their hues are also included.

  Moreover, the marker which this invention intends should just have the outline shape which a sensor can recognize optically, and can contain at least 1 of a character, a symbol, a design, and these combination. The markers on the left and right sides may be the same character, symbol or design, or different characters, symbols or designs.

  In the absorbent article according to the present invention, it is effective to position the marker in the crotch region. In this case, the marker may be printed on the surface of the back sheet on which the absorber is in contact, and the marker may also serve as an indicator that changes color by contact with urine. It is also possible to print the marker over the entire width direction of the backsheet.

  The marker may be printed symmetrically with respect to the backsheet.

According to the onset bright, be a continuous body sides which facing the backsheet, the sensors and the side facing the markers arranged on the production line of the absorbent article, the cutting position of the back seat of the continuum accurate Can be set to

  When the marker is positioned in the crotch region, positional interference with the symbols positioned in the front body region and the back body region can be eliminated, so that the degree of freedom such as the size of the symbol can be further increased. Further, by attaching the absorbent article to the wearer so that the marker is located in the crotch region of the wearer, the marker can be used as a guide for an appropriate mounting position of the absorbent article for the wearer. it can. Furthermore, when this absorbent article is applied to a diaper for infants and a character, a symbol, or a pattern that is different on the left and right in relation to the left and right of the diaper is used as a marker, the left and right markers can be used for educational purposes. In particular, when the marker is printed on the backsheet surface on the side where the absorber contacts, and this marker is also used as an indicator that changes color by contact with urine, it is easy to replace the absorbent article based on the color change of the marker. Judgment can be made.

  When the marker is printed over the entire width direction of the back sheet, the degree of freedom of the position of the sensor disposed in the production line of the absorbent article is increased, and the position adjustment becomes extremely simple.

  When the marker is printed symmetrically with respect to the back sheet, it is not necessary to re-adjust the position of the sensor disposed on the absorbent article production line, regardless of whether the back sheet continuum is front or back.

It is a three-dimensional projection figure showing the external appearance of one Embodiment which applied the absorbent article by this invention to the underpants type disposable diaper. It is the stereographic projection figure which expand | deploys the diaper shown in FIG. 1, and represents in a decomposition | disassembly state. It is a top view of the continuous body of the back seat | sheet used for the diaper shown in FIG. It is a three-dimensional projection figure showing the external appearance of other one Embodiment which applied the absorbent article by this invention to the underpants type disposable diaper. It is the stereographic projection figure which expand | deploys the diaper shown in FIG. 4, and represents in a decomposition | disassembly state.

  An embodiment of an absorbent article according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and can be applied to other absorbent articles belonging to the spirit of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an external appearance of a first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pants-type disposable diaper. FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the continuum of a back sheet used for this. As shown in FIG. A pants-type disposable diaper (hereinafter may be simply referred to as a diaper) 10 in the present embodiment includes a front body region 10F, a back body region 10R, and a crotch region 10C that connects the front body region 10F and the back body region 10R. And have. Moreover, the waist periphery opening part 10W which surrounds a wearer's waist part with the front body area | region 10F and the back body area | region 10R at the time of wear is formed. Similarly, a pair of left and right leg openings 10L that surround the thighs of the wearer's legs are formed by the lower ends of the front body region 10F and the back body region 10R and the crotch region 10C.

  The diaper 10 in this embodiment is formed by sequentially overlapping and joining a cover sheet 11, a back sheet 12, an absorbent body 13, and a top sheet 14 that touches the wearer's skin from the outside. The left and right side edges of the cover sheet 11 that define the front body region 10F and the back body region 10R of the diaper 10 together with the crotch region 10C are joined together to form a closing portion 10J. As a result, a front waist opening 10W and a pair of left and right leg openings 10L surrounding the thighs of both legs are defined, and the left and right sides of the crotch region 10C of the cover sheet 11 are respectively provided with leg openings. A pair of cutout portions 11c having a semicircular arc shape of 10L is formed. The cover sheet 11 in this embodiment includes an outer outer cover sheet 11o and an inner cover sheet 11i joined to the outer cover sheet 11o. The liquid-impermeable back sheet 12 is joined to the inner cover sheet 11i, and the previous absorber 13 is disposed between the back sheet 12 and the liquid-permeable top sheet 14, and the absorber 13 is attached to the inner cover sheet 11i. Thus, the top sheet 14 is joined to the back sheet 12. Between the outer cover sheet 11o and the inner cover sheet 11i, which are formed of a thin non-woven fabric in order to obtain a good feel, the rubber threads 15 and 16 for forming the leg gathers and the waist gathers are formed. The rubber thread 17 for joining is joined in the extended state.

  In the front body region 10F and the back body region 10R on the outer side surface (joint surface with the inner cover sheet 11i) of the liquid-impermeable back sheet 12 in the present embodiment, different patterns A and B on the back sheet 12 It is formed over almost the entire region in the width direction. In this case, these symbols A and B can be recognized from the outside through the previous cover sheet 11.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when manufacturing the diaper 10, it is necessary to accurately cut the backsheet continuous body 12 w on which the designs A and B are printed together with the markers M in advance to obtain individual backsheets 12. For this reason, the position of the marker M is detected by a sensor arranged on the production line of the diaper 10, and the backsheet continuum 12w is taken along the cutting line 12C indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3 based on this detection information. Cutting is performed at almost regular intervals. In the present embodiment, the crotch region 10C on the outer side surface of the backsheet 12 serves as a reference when the backsheet continuous body 12w is cut along the cutting line 12C (two-dot chain line in FIG. 3) during manufacturing. Markers M are formed on both the left and right sides. The marker M in the present embodiment is formed in a straight line symmetrically with respect to the width direction of the back sheet 12, but as previously described, arbitrary characters and designs and combinations thereof are appropriately employed. To get. As in the present embodiment, the marker M is formed in the crotch region 10C, not in the front body region 10F and the back body region 10R of the diaper 10 that is conspicuous in appearance, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in design of the symbols A and B. Can do. Moreover, by printing the marker M on the crotch region 10C, the appropriate wearing state of the diaper 10 can be easily confirmed using the marker M as a guide for the wearing position of the diaper 10 in the front-rear direction with respect to the wearer. It is possible to maintain the wearing feeling of the wearer well. However, in the present invention, it is not excluded that the marker M is formed in the front body region 10F or the back body region 10R of the backsheet 12, and the left and right markers M are not symmetrical with respect to the width direction of the backsheet 12. It doesn't matter. In this case, since the distance from the left and right markers M to the cutting line 12C along the longitudinal direction of the backsheet continuum 12w is different, the cutting timing of the backsheet continuum 12w after the detection of the marker M is set accordingly. Need to change.

  In this embodiment, since the symbols A and B are formed almost in the entire width direction of the back sheet 12, a sensor for detecting the passage of the marker M prevents the symbols A and B from being erroneously recognized as the marker M. There is a need. It is effective to adopt a hue different from the hues of the patterns A and B as the hue of the marker M so that such erroneous recognition of the sensor can be identified not by an expensive image processing technique but by a simple sensor. is there. As a result, even when an inexpensive color sensor is used, only the marker M can be accurately recognized. More specifically, when the pattern A is printed in the detection area of the marker M by the color sensor (the hatched area in FIG. 3), the hues of the patterns A and B printed in the detection area of the marker M It only has to be different from the hue. In this case, the difference in hue between the marker M and the patterns A and B only needs to be discriminable by a color sensor that optically detects the proportion of light of a plurality of specific wavelengths, and is therefore relatively similar. Even with such a hue, there may be no problem. If a part of the symbols A and B located in the detection region of the marker M has a size that cannot be recognized by the color sensor 22, that is, a size and shape that cannot be detected, the hue of the symbols A and B in this region. There is no problem even if the same as the hue of the marker M.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the above-described embodiment is intended for a production line in which a color sensor is arranged on the left side in the width direction of the backsheet continuous body 12 w. However, the marker M can be detected even in a production line in which a color sensor is arranged on the right side in the width direction of the continuous body 12w of the back sheet or a manufacturing line in which the continuous body 12w of the back sheet needs to be turned over 180 degrees and conveyed. Is possible. The reason is that the markers M are printed on both the left and right sides of the backsheet continuum 12w. In the present invention, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to adjust the position of the color sensor in the production line.

  In general, the absorbent body 13 is obtained by dispersing SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer) in a fluff pulp having a mat shape and enclosing it with tissue. The absorber 13 is arranged so as to extend from the front body region 10F to the back body region 10R through the crotch region 10C. The absorbent body 13 in the present embodiment has an outline shape like an hourglass in which the width of the crotch region 10C located in the center in the longitudinal direction is narrow.

  In the present embodiment, a liquid-impermeable side sheet 18 is joined to the left and right side edges of the liquid-permeable top sheet 14, and a three-dimensional gather is formed on the inner edge of the left and right side sheets 18. The rubber thread 19 is joined in an extended state.

  Note that the manufacturing procedure of the diaper 10 is well known in Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-346825, and deviates from the gist of the present invention, so the description thereof is omitted. To do.

  The structure of the diaper 10 targeted by the present invention is not limited to the above-described structure, and any structure may be used as long as it is a diaper including the configuration of the absorbent article defined in the claims. It may be a structure. For example, the present invention can be applied to an unfolded disposable diaper. Further, the marker M and the patterns A and B described above can be printed on the inner surface (the surface on which the absorber 13 is placed) of the back sheet 12 in addition to the cover sheet 11.

  Such other embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, but since the detailed structure of the deployable disposable diaper itself is already well known, the following is a part related to the present invention. Only will be described. Therefore, elements having the same functions as those of the previous embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 4 shows an appearance of the unfolded disposable diaper in the present embodiment in use, and FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the unfolded state. In this embodiment, the left and right side edges of the back body region 10R of the cover sheet 11 are overlapped and connected to the left and right side edges of the front body region 10F when worn, and the leg opening 10L is formed by the notch 11c. A pair of left and right fastening tapes 20 that can be formed are joined. The fastening tape 20 is bonded to the front patch sheet 21 bonded on the cover sheet 11 in the front body region 10F so as to be repeatedly peelable. In addition, an elastic sheet 22 that extends along the width direction of the cover sheet 11 and gives an appropriate wearing feeling around the waist to the wearer is joined to the upper end portion of the rear body region 10R of the cover sheet 11. Has been.

  On the inner side surface of the back sheet 12 (the surface in contact with the absorber 13), the same symbols A and B and markers M as in the previous embodiment are printed. The marker M in the present embodiment forms a continuous straight line over the entire width direction of the back sheet 12 and includes a coating material that is also used as an indicator that changes color by contact with the wearer's urine. Such indicators themselves are well known in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2009-232987 and 2010-194124, and the hue changes from, for example, warm color yellow to cold color blue due to changes in moisture and pH. It is. Therefore, as the marker M for cutting the backsheet continuous body 12w, the hue before changing due to contact with urine is used.

  When the marker M is formed in the entire width direction of the back sheet 12 as in the present embodiment, the position along the width direction of the color sensor for detecting this is erroneously recognized according to the relationship with the symbols A and B. Can be set at any position that does not cause Similarly to the previous embodiment, the diaper 10 is appropriately worn by the wearer by causing the wearer to wear the diaper 10 so that the marker M is located in the crotch region of the wearer. It can be used as a guide for the position. In particular, since the marker M printed on the back sheet 12 can be seen through the top sheet 14 in the case of the unfolded diaper 10, the position of the marker M relative to the crotch of the wearer when the diaper 10 is worn. Matching can be performed more accurately.

  As described above, the present invention should be construed only from the matters described in the scope of the claims, and in the above-described embodiments, the matters described in all the changes and modifications included in the concept of the present invention are described. Other than possible. That is, all matters in the above-described embodiment are not intended to limit the present invention, and include any configuration not directly related to the present invention. To get.

A, B Design M Marker 10 Disposable diaper 10F Front body area 10R Rear body area 10C Inseam area 10W Waist circumference opening 10L Leg circumference opening 10J Closure part 11 Cover sheet 11c Notch part 11o Outer cover sheet 11i Inner cover sheet 12 Back sheet 12w Back sheet continuum 12C Cutting line 13 Absorber 14 Top sheet 15-17 Yarn rubber 18 Side sheet 19 Yarn rubber 20 Fastening tape 21 Front patch sheet 22 Elastic sheet

Claims (2)

A cover sheet having a front body region, a back body region, and a crotch region, a liquid-impermeable back sheet bonded to the cover sheet, a liquid-permeable top sheet bonded to the back sheet, and the top sheet And an absorbent body disposed between the back sheet and the back sheet, wherein a design and a marker are printed on the back sheet.
Optically detecting the passage of the marker, which is printed on the backsheet continuum along with the design, as a reference when cutting the backsheet continuum at regular intervals;
Cutting the backsheet continuum based on optical detection of the marker, comprising:
The method of manufacturing an absorbent article, wherein the marker is printed on both right and left sides of the back sheet and in the crotch region . The optically detecting step is performed by a color sensor,
Hue of the markers, method of manufacturing an absorbent article according to claim 1, characterized in that different hue of the pattern.

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