Apparatus and method for manufacturing absorptive article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10987254-B2
Application number	US-201816763048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2018
Priority date	Nov 17, 2017
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus and method for manufacturing an absorptive article are capable of suppressing the occurrence of wrinkles in a constituent element of the absorbing article when transferring the constituent element to a downstream conveying device. A main suction pad that moves along a cylindrical or conical first virtual path surface receives a constituent element from an upstream conveying device, changes the orientation by 90° and conveys the constituent element to a second position. Sub-suction surfaces of the first and second sub-suction pads move around a second reference center line along a cylindrical or conical second virtual path surface centered on the second reference center line, while being aligned with each other with a space therebetween, suction end portions of the constituent element at the second position, and transfer the constituent element to the downstream conveying device at a third position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for manufacturing absorptive article that receives a constituent element of an absorptive article from an upstream conveying device and after changing an orientation of the constituent element during conveying, transfers the constituent element to a downstream conveying device, the apparatus for manufacturing absorptive article comprising:
a main suction pad having a main suction surface curved to an arcuate surface shape between one end and another end and disengageably suctioning the constituent element, the main suction surface passing a first position and a second position by moving along a cylindrical or conical first virtual path surface centered on a first reference center line and in a circumferential direction of the first virtual path surface, the first virtual path surface being adjacent to the upstream conveying device at the first position, a reference direction connecting the one end and the other end of the main suction surface changing in orientation with respect to the circumferential direction of the first virtual path surface while the main suction surface moves, the reference direction being parallel to the circumferential direction of the first virtual path surface when the main suction surface passes the first position, and the reference direction being perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the first virtual path surface when the main suction surface passes the second position;
a first sub-suction pad having a first sub-suction surface disengageably suctioning a portion of the constituent element, the first sub-suction surface passing the second position and a third position by moving around a second reference center line and along a cylindrical or conical second virtual path surface centered on the second reference center line, the second virtual path surface being adjacent to the first virtual path surface at the second position and being adjacent to the downstream conveying device at the third position; and
a second sub-suction pad having a second sub-suction surface disengageably suctioning another portion of the constituent element, the second sub-suction surface passing the second position and the third position at the same time as the first sub-suction surface by moving around the second reference center line and along the second virtual path surface while being aligned with the first sub-suction surface with a space therebetween,
wherein at the second position, the main suction surface of the main suction pad mutually approaches or contacts the first sub-suction surface of the first sub-suction pad and the second sub-suction surface of the second sub-suction pad, and the space between the first sub-suction surface and the second sub-suction surface when the first sub-suction surface and the second sub-suction surface pass the third position becomes greater than the space between the first sub-suction surface and the second sub-suction surface when the first sub-suction surface and the second sub-suction surface pass the second position, and
wherein the first sub-suction surface of the first sub-suction pad includes
a first inner suction surface being a curved surface lying along a third virtual conical surface that is internally tangent to a first virtual conical surface contacting or approaching the first virtual path surface and being centered on the first rotational center line and is smaller in radius than the first virtual conical surface, and
a first outer suction surface being a portion of a cylindrical curved surface that is internally tangent to a first virtual cylindrical surface centered on the first rotational center line, the first virtual cylindrical surface being adjacent to a large diameter side of the first virtual conical surface, and is smaller in radius than the first virtual cylindrical surface, and
the second sub-suction surface of the second sub-suction pad includes
a second inner suction surface being a curved surface lying along a fourth virtual conical surface that is internally tangent to a second virtual conical surface contacting or approaching the first virtual path surface and being centered on the second rotational center line, the second virtual conical surface being such that a small diameter side of the second virtual conical surface opposes a small diameter side of the first virtual conical surface, and is smaller in radius than the second virtual conical surface, and
a second outer suction surface being a portion of a cylindrical curved surface that is internally tangent to a second virtual cylindrical surface centered on the second rotational center line, the second virtual cylindrical surface being adjacent to a large diameter side of the second virtual conical surface, and is smaller in radius than the second virtual cylindrical surface.

2. The apparatus for manufacturing absorptive article according to claim 1 , wherein
the first virtual path surface and the second virtual path surface are cylindrical,
the first reference center line and the second reference center line are parallel to each other,
the first sub-suction pad rotates around a first rotational center line,
the second sub-suction pad rotates around a second rotational center line,
a portion of the first rotational center line further to the second sub-suction pad side than a first opposing portion opposing the first sub-suction pad and a portion of the second rotational center line further to the first sub-suction pad side than a second opposing portion opposing the second sub-suction pad intersect at an intersection and an angle at the second position side of angles formed by the first rotational center line and the second rotational center line is not less than 170° but less than 180° , and
a portion of the first rotational center line further to the first opposing portion side than the intersection and a portion of the second rotational center line further to the second opposing portion side than the intersection are positioned further to the second position side than a straight line that passes through the intersection and is parallel to the second reference center line.

3. The apparatus for manufacturing absorptive article according to claim 2 , further comprising: a controller that is capable of making a first speed when the first sub-suction surface and the second sub-suction surface pass the second position and a second speed when the first sub-suction surface and the second sub-suction surface pass the third position differ.

4. The apparatus for manufacturing absorptive article according to claim 1 , further comprising: a controller that is capable of making a first speed when the first sub-suction surface and the second sub-suction surface pass the second position and a second speed when the first sub-suction surface and the second sub-suction surface pass the third position differ.

5. A method for manufacturing absorptive article by which a constituent element of an absorptive article is received from an upstream conveying device and after the constituent element is changed in orientation during conveying, the constituent element is transferred to a downstream conveying device, the method for manufacturing the absorptive article comprising:
a first step in which a main suction surface that is curved to an arcuate surface shape between one end and another end and disengageably suctions the constituent element passes a first position and a second position by moving along a cylindrical or conical first virtual path surface centered on a first reference center line and in a circumferential direction of the first virtual path surface, the first virtual path surface being adjacent to the upstream conveying device at the first position,
while the main suction surface moves, a reference direction connecting the one end and the ot

Assignees

• Zuiko Corp

Inventors

• Arima Takashi
• TAKANAMI Miyuki

Classifications

• B65H5/14

  Details of grippers; Actuating-mechanisms therefor · CPC title

• B65G2201/022

  Flat · CPC title

• B65G47/848

  the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means · CPC title

• B65H2701/1924

  Napkins or tissues, e.g. dressings, toweling, serviettes, kitchen paper and compresses · CPC title

• B65H5/12

  Revolving grippers, e.g. mounted on arms, frames or cylinders · CPC title