Device for conveying absorbent article and conveyance method using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016250080-A1
Application number	US-201415030619-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

It is aimed to provide a conveying device for absorbent articles capable of precisely sorting an absorbent article between a main conveyance path and a branch path and a conveyance method using the same. A path switching means includes a belt conveying unit with a conveying belt arranged along an annular path and configured to circulate along the annular path to be able to convey an absorbent article and a path switching mechanism configured to switch a conveyance path specified by the conveying belt between a path along which the absorbent article is transferrable from an upstream conveying mechanism to a downstream conveying mechanism and a path along which the absorbent article is guided along a sampling path from the upstream conveying mechanism.

First claim

1 . A conveying device switchable between a state where an absorbent article is conveyed along a main conveyance path set in advance and a state where the absorbent article is conveyed along a branch conveyance path branched off from the main conveyance path, the conveying device comprising:
an upstream conveying mechanism provided on the main conveyance path and configured to convey the absorbent article; a downstream conveying mechanism provided downstream of the upstream conveying mechanism on the main conveyance path and configured to convey the absorbent article; and a path switching means configured to switch a conveyance path of the absorbent article to guide the absorbent article to the branch conveyance path in the process of transferring the absorbent article from the upstream conveying mechanism to the downstream conveying mechanism, the path switching means including a belt conveying unit with a conveying belt arranged along an annular path and configured to circulate along the annular path so as to be able to convey the absorbent article and a path switching mechanism configured to switch a conveyance path specified by the conveying belt between a path along which the absorbent article is transferrable from the upstream conveying mechanism to the downstream conveying mechanism and a path along which the absorbent article is guided along the branch conveyance path from the upstream conveying mechanism.

2 . The conveying device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the path switching means includes a pair of switching conveyors provided between the upstream conveying mechanism and the downstream conveying mechanism on the main conveyance path; each switching conveyor includes the belt conveying unit and the path switching mechanism; and the both path switching mechanisms are capable of switching directions of the both belt conveying units between a state where the absorbent article is conveyed along the main conveyance path while being sandwiched between the both conveying belts and a state where the absorbent article is conveyed along the branch conveyance path while being sandwiched between the both conveying belts.

3 . The conveying device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the upstream conveying mechanism includes a first upstream conveying unit with the path switching means and a second upstream conveying unit configured to convey the absorbent article between the first upstream conveying unit and the second upstream conveying unit; the second upstream conveying unit includes a circulating belt arranged along an annular path for branching including a main path extending along the main conveyance path and an sub path extending along the branch conveyance path and configured to circulate along the path for branching; and the path switching mechanism is configured to switch the path specified by the conveying belt between a state where the absorbent article is conveyed along the main path while being sandwiched between the circulating belt and the path switching mechanism and a state where the absorbent article is guided to the sub path while being sandwiched between the circulating belt and the path switching mechanism.

4 . The conveying device according to claim 3 , wherein:
the annular path of the conveying belt includes a conveying path extending along the main conveyance path; and the path switching mechanism includes a pressing member provided movably with respect to the conveying belt and a driving member configured to drive the pressing member with respect to the conveying belt between a position where a part of the conveying belt extending along the conveying path is pressed from an inner side of the annular path to guide the absorbent article to the sub path and a position where the conveying belt is released from pressing.

5 . The conveying device according to claim 1 , wherein the second upstream conveying unit preferably includes a suction means configured to suck the absorbent article located on a part of the circulating belt extending along the sub path toward the circulating belt.

6 . The conveying device according to claim 1 , wherein the upstream conveying mechanism further includes a defective article sorting unit configured to guide defective articles satisfying a defect condition set in advance out of the absorbent articles conveyed along the main conveyance path to a defective article collection path branched off from the main conveyance path.

7 . The conveying device according to claim 6 , wherein the path switching means further includes a controller configured to control an operation of the path switching mechanism such that the absorbent article is guided to the branch conveyance path when the number of the absorbent articles, except the defective articles, conveyed by the upstream conveying mechanism reaches a preset number.

8 . A conveyance method for conveying an absorbent article using the conveying device according to claim 1 , comprising:
a main conveyance step of conveying the absorbent article along a main conveyance path set in advance; and a branch conveyance step of conveying the absorbent article along a branch conveyance path branched off from the main conveyance path; a conveyance path specified by the conveying belt being set to be able to transfer the absorbent article from the upstream conveying mechanism to the downstream conveying mechanism with the conveying belt kept circulating in the main conveyance step; and the conveyance path specified by the conveying belt being set to guide the absorbent article along the branch conveyance path from the upstream conveying mechanism with the conveying belt kept circulating in the branch conveyance step.

Assignees

• Zuiko Corp

Inventors

• Wada Takao

Classifications

• B65H2406/122

  Nozzles · CPC title

• B65H29/585

  taking samples from the main stream · CPC title

• B65H29/242

  Suction bands or belts · CPC title

• B65H2301/4474

  Pair of cooperating moving elements as rollers, belts forming nip into which material is transported · CPC title

• B65H29/62

  diverting faulty articles from the main streams (control devices detecting faulty articles B65H43/04) · CPC title