Folding device, folding system, and folding method for disposable worn article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9259359-B2
Application number	US-201113639356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2011
Priority date	Jun 4, 2010
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A device including: a main folding mechanism for folding a diaper body in two at the crotch portion by rotating first and second main pads having first and second holding surfaces, respectively; and a sub-folding mechanism for folding the flap by rotating a side pad having a sub-holding surface for holding the flap with respect to the first main pad, wherein; a cut-out is formed at a position corresponding to the attachment portion of the second main pad, wherein the cut-out does not allow the attachment portion to be held by the second main pad but instead expose the attachment portion; with the first and second holding surfaces being closed while opposing each other and with the main body folded in two, the cut-out allows the flap to be attached to the attachment portion; and the side pad rotates from a position where it is open while lying next to the first main pad in the girth direction to a position where the sub-holding surface is closed while opposing the first holding surface, fitting into the cut-out.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A folding device for a disposable worn article, the disposable worn article comprising: a main body including a first torso portion covering a portion of a torso of a wearer, a second torso portion covering another portion of the torso of the wearer and a crotch portion covering a crotch of the wearer, which are continuous with one another in a longitudinal direction; and a flap being continuous with an edge portion of the first torso portion extending in the longitudinal direction and extending from the edge portion in a girth direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction so as to be attached to an attachment portion of a non-skin-contact surface of the second torso portion, the folding device comprising:
a first main pad having a first holding surface for holding the first torso portion;
a second main pad having a second holding surface for holding a portion of the second torso portion without holding the attachment portion, the attachment portion exposed;
a main folding mechanism for folding the main body in two at the crotch portion by rotating the first main pad and the second main pad relative to each other so as to transition from a main open state in which the first main pad and the second main pad are open while lying next to each other in the longitudinal direction to a main closed state in which the first holding surface and the second holding surface are closed while opposing facing each other;
a side pad having a sub-holding surface for holding the flap; and
a sub-folding mechanism for folding the flap so that a skin-contact surface of the flap lies on the attachment portion of the non-skin-contact surface of the second torso portion by rotating the side pad with respect to the first main pad from a sub-open position in which the side pad is open while lying next to the first main pad in the girth direction to a sub-closed position in which the sub-holding surface is closed while facing the first holding surface, wherein:
the second main pad defines a cut-out, at a position corresponding to the attachment portion, wherein the cut-out exposes the attachment portion without allowing the attachment portion to be held by the second main pad;
in the main closed state and with the main body folded in two at the crotch portion, the cut-out allows the flap to be attached to the attachment portion of the second torso portion, and the side pad rotates from the sub-open position to the sub-closed position, fitting into the cut-out.

2. A folding device according to claim 1 , wherein the main folding mechanism rotates the second main pad with respect to the first main pad from the main open state to a position where the second holding surface faces the first holding surface and the second holding surface is parallel to the first holding surface.

3. A folding device according to claim 2 , wherein the main folding mechanism comprises: a pair of arms each rotating about a first axis; a wrist for rotatably supporting, in a tip portion of each arm, the second main pad about a second axis parallel to the first axis; and a main driving mechanism for rotating the arm and the wrist in a predetermined rotation direction in order to fold the main body.

4. A folding system comprising a plurality of folding devices according to claim 3 provided on a drum rotating about a main rotation shaft, wherein the first holding surface is provided along a conveyance circle centered about the main rotation shaft, the main driving mechanism comprising:
an arm rotating mechanism for rotating the pair of arms about the first axis so that the second main pad moves from a first position where the second main pad is lying next to the first main pad to a second position where the second main pad is on a circumferentially outer side of the first main pad, as the first holding surface rotates on the conveyance circle following the rotation of the main rotation shaft; and
a wrist rotating mechanism for rotating the second main pad on the wrist about the second axis following the rotation of the arms by the arm rotating mechanism.

5. A folding system comprising a plurality of folding devices according to claim 1 along an outer periphery of a drum rotating about a main rotation shaft, the folding system comprising:
a first cam provided on a side surface of the drum;
a first cam follower guided along the first cam; and
a main driving mechanism for driving the main folding mechanism as the first cam follower circles along the first cam.

6. A folding system according to claim 5 , wherein:
a pair of the side pads and a pair of the sub-folding mechanisms are provided for each first main pad, wherein the folding system comprises:
a pair of second cams provided on the outer periphery surface of the drum;
second cam followers guided along the second cams; and
a sub-driving mechanism for driving each of the sub-folding mechanisms as each of the second cam followers circle along each of the second cams.

7. A folding device according to claim 1 , wherein a first fastener member is provided on the skin-contact surface side of the flap to be folded, and a second fastener member is provided on a non-skin-contact surface of the second torso portion, on which the folded flap lies, and the second fastener member engages with the first fastener member.

8. A folding method for a disposable worn article, the disposable worn article comprising: a main body including a first torso portion covering a portion of a torso of a wearer, a second torso portion covering another portion of the torso of the wearer and a crotch portion covering a crotch of the wearer, which are continuous with one another in a longitudinal direction; and a flap being continuous with an edge portion of the first torso portion extending in the longitudinal direction and extending from the edge portion in a girth direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction so as to be attached to an attachment portion of a non-skin-contact surface of the second torso portion, the method comprising the steps of:
holding the first torso portion by a first main pad, holding the second torso portion by a second main pad without the attachment portion being held and with the attachment portion exposed, and holding the flap by a side pad;
folding the main body at the crotch portion by rotating at least one of the first main pad and the second main pad, without the attachment portion of the second torso portion being held by the second main pad and with the attachment portion exposed, and so that a skin-contact surface of the first torso portion and a skin-contact surface of the second torso portion lie on each other, face each other, and are in contact with each other; and
folding a skin-contact surface of the flap onto the attachment portion by rotating the side pad holding the flap with respect to the first main pad toward the exposed attachment portion, without the attachment portion of the second torso portion being held by the second main pad and with the attachment portion exposed and with the main body folded at the crotch portion by the main pads.

9. A folding device for a disposable worn article, the disposable worn article comprising: a main body portion including a first torso portion covering a portion of a torso of a wearer, a second torso portion covering another portion of the torso of the wearer and a crotch portion covering a crotch of the wearer, which are continuous with one another in a longitudinal direction, the folding device comprising:
a first main pad having a first holding surface for holding the first torso portion;
a second main pad having a second holding surface for holding the second torso portion; and
a main folding mechanism for folding the main body in

Assignees

• Fujita Yukihiko
• Zuiko Corp

Inventors

• Fujita Yukihiko

Classifications

• A61F13/15747

  Folding; Pleating; Coiling; Stacking; Packaging · CPC title

• A61F13/15585 Primary

  of babies' napkins, e.g. diapers (A61F13/15617 - A61F13/15804 take precedence) · CPC title