CN104487036B - Liquid application device and liquid application method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a liquid applying device (1, 100) for applying a liquid having a viscosity in the range of 0.05 to 4 Pa·s to a web (3) being continuously conveyed for manufacturing absorbent articles. The liquid applying device (1, 100) comprises: a tank (11) for storing the liquid; a liquid applying nozzle (13) for applying the liquid to one surface (3ff) of the web (3); a pump (17) for supplying the liquid in the tank to the liquid applying nozzle (13) via a tube (15); and a suction device (5, 105) having a surface (5f, 105f) facing the other surface (3fs) of the web (3). The surface (5f, 105f) of the suction device (5, 105) includes at least a suction area (AS) for sucking the web (3).

Description

Liquid application device and liquid application method

technical field

The present invention relates to a liquid application device and a liquid application method for applying liquid to a conveyed web.

Background technique

Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which low-viscosity liquids such as detergents, softeners, and water-soluble antibacterial agents are applied to components constituting absorbent articles in order to improve the feel and texture of absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and sanitary napkins. piece.

In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses an absorbent article manufacturing method for continuously manufacturing an absorbent article in which a liquid (skin care agent) is applied to a conveyed web (constituent sheet).

prior art literature

patent documents

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-229959

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-143240

Contents of the invention

The problem to be solved by the invention

When the web is conveyed, sometimes wrinkles and slack may occur due to its stretchability, and as a result, there is a possibility that the web may bend. In addition, sometimes the liquid applied to the web does not impregnate sufficiently in the thickness direction of the web.

However, Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not refer to this.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a liquid application device and a liquid application method, which can reduce the occurrence of wrinkles and slack in the web and suppress the meandering of the web during the transfer of the web, and at the same time make the liquid applied to the web The low viscosity liquid impregnates well into the interior of the web.

means to solve the problem

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention,

Provided is a liquid application device for applying a liquid having a viscosity in the range of 0.05 to 4 Pa·s to a continuously conveyed web used in the manufacture of absorbent articles,

The liquid applicator has:

tanks containing the above liquids;

a liquid application nozzle for applying the liquid to one surface of the web;

a pump that supplies the liquid in the tank to the liquid application nozzle via a tube; and

a suction device having a surface facing the other side of said web;

Said surface of said suction device comprises at least a suction area for suctioning said web.

And, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention,

Provided is a liquid application method for applying a liquid having a viscosity in the range of 0.05 to 4 Pa·s to a continuously conveyed web used in the manufacture of absorbent articles,

The liquid application method includes:

A process of preparing a liquid application device having:

tanks containing the above liquids;

a liquid application nozzle for applying the liquid to one surface of the web;

a pump that supplies the liquid in the tank to the liquid application nozzle via a tube; and

a suction device having a surface facing the other side of said web; and

Said surface of said suction device comprises at least a suction area for suctioning said web;

the step of attracting said web in said attracting region by means of said attracting device; and

The process of applying a liquid to a web as described above.

The effect of the invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a liquid application device and a liquid application method, which can reduce the occurrence of wrinkles and slack in the web and suppress the meandering of the web during the transfer of the web, and at the same time make the low-viscosity liquid applied to the web The liquid fully impregnates the interior of the web.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a liquid applicator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of Fig. 1 around the adsorption cartridge.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of Fig. 2 .

4 is a line diagram showing the outer peripheries of the adsorption cylinder, the inlet roller, and the outlet roller of the liquid applicator according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a liquid applicator according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a liquid applicator according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention, similar to Fig. 5 .

detailed description

(first embodiment)

Next, a liquid applicator 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 .

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a liquid applicator 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The liquid application device 1 applies a low-viscosity liquid to one face 3ff of the web 3 being conveyed. In the first embodiment, the web 3 is constituted by a bonded sheet on which an absorber is bonded to a top sheet of a disposable diaper or a sanitary napkin at regular intervals along the conveyance direction MD. In another embodiment, the web 3 is a finished, semi-finished or raw material for an absorbent article. Absorbent articles include disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the liquid applicator 1 includes a suction cartridge 5 (corresponding to a suction device). The suction drum 5 has a surface 5 f facing the other face 3 fs of the web 3 . In the first embodiment, the web 3 is sucked by the surface 5 f of the suction drum 5 and the liquid is applied on the surface 5 f of the suction drum 5 . The structure and function of the adsorption cylinder 5 will be described in detail later.

In the first embodiment, the liquid applicator 1 further includes an inlet roller 7 a and an outlet roller 7 b, and these rollers are, for example, free rollers that do not have a driving source. The web 3 is guided by the inlet roll 7a onto the suction drum 5, in particular onto the surface 5f of the suction drum 5, and by the outlet roll 7b to the subsequent process.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the liquid application device 1 includes a tank 11 containing a liquid and a nozzle 13 (corresponding to a liquid application nozzle) for applying the liquid to the sheet 3 . The liquid application device 1 further includes a pump 17 that supplies the liquid contained in the tank 11 to the nozzle 13 through the tube 15 . The delivery amount of the pump 17 can be varied. The tank 11 is arranged at a position higher than the pump 17 . As a result, the liquid in the tank 11 reaches the pump 17 by its own weight. In addition, a filter 19 for removing impurities mixed in the liquid is disposed on the pipe 15 between the tank 11 and the pump 17 .

A liquid flow meter 21 is disposed in a portion of the pipe 15 between the pump 17 and the nozzle 13 . The liquid flow meter 21 detects the amount of liquid flowing through the tube 15 , that is, the amount of liquid actually applied to the sheet 3 . Therefore, the amount of liquid actually applied to the sheet 3 can be easily detected.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the amount of liquid supplied from the liquid applicator 1 to the sheet 3 is as small as about 10 ml/min. Therefore, the liquid flow meter 21 used in the first embodiment is a Corian flow meter. Corrosion flowmeters are suitable for measuring the amount of such small quantities of liquids. However, in another embodiment, the liquid flow meter 21 is of other forms.

A Coriolis flowmeter is a flowmeter that utilizes the principle of Coriolis force. That is, if the tube is vibrated while the liquid to be measured is passed through, for example, a U-shaped or linear tube, the tube will be deformed. The magnitude of this deformation depends on the flow of liquid circulating in the tube. Therefore, if the magnitude of the deformation of the tube is detected, the flow rate of the liquid can be detected.

In the first embodiment, the nozzle 13 internally includes: a liquid discharge path (not shown); a pneumatically driven nozzle valve (not shown) for opening or closing the liquid discharge path; and an air chamber (not shown). icon). That is, when air pressure is applied to the air chamber of the nozzle 13, the nozzle valve is opened, and the liquid is ejected from the liquid flow path. On the other hand, when the application of air pressure to the air chamber is stopped, the nozzle valve is closed, and the ejection of the liquid is stopped.

The liquid applicator 1 further includes a first compressor 23 . The air chamber of the nozzle 13 and the first compressor 23 are connected via a first gas pipe 25 . In this example, a solenoid valve 27 for opening and closing the nozzle valve is arranged in the first gas pipe 25 between the nozzle 13 and the first compressor 23 . When the solenoid valve 27 for opening and closing the nozzle valve is opened, air pressure is applied to the nozzle 13 to open the nozzle valve. When the solenoid valve 27 for opening and closing the nozzle valve is closed, the nozzle valve is closed.

In addition, the nozzle 13 is provided with an air flow path (not shown) in communication with or adjacent to the liquid flow path.

The liquid application device 1 further includes a second compressor 29 . The air circulation path of the nozzle 13 is connected to the second compressor 29 via the second gas pipe 31 . In the second gas pipe 31 , another solenoid valve 33 and a regulator 35 for adjusting the air pressure in the second gas pipe 31 are installed. When the solenoid valve 33 is opened, the compressed air is ejected from the air flow path, and the liquid ejected from the liquid flow path through the outlet 13 o is atomized and applied to the sheet 3 . When the solenoid valve 33 is closed, the supply of compressed air to the air circulation path is stopped.

In another embodiment, the liquid is ejected from the nozzle 13 without the use of compressed air. In yet another embodiment, the liquid is applied to the web 3 by eg a brush, roller or the like.

In the first embodiment, the nozzle 13 is provided with one outlet 13 o, and the outlet 13 o is directed toward the center of the suction cylinder 5 and further vertically toward one surface 3ff of the web 3 . The liquid ejected from the outlet 13 o spreads into, for example, a conical shape with the outlet 13 o as an apex, and is applied to one surface 3 ff of the web 3 over a constant area. In order to use the existing nozzle 13 to change the application range of the liquid to the web 3, especially to change the application range in the width direction CD ( FIG. 3 ) of the web perpendicular to the conveying direction MD, the blowing outlet 13 o of the nozzle 13 is changed. The distance from one face 3ff of the web 3. In addition, in order to expand the application range of the liquid to the web 3 in the transport direction MD, the application time of the liquid is extended.

In another embodiment, in order to expand the application range of the liquid in the width direction CD (Fig. 3) of the web, a plurality of blowing ports arranged on the width direction CD (Fig. 3) of the web 3 are arranged on the nozzle. . Thereby, the application range of the liquid in the width direction CD ( FIG. 3 ) of the web can be changed without changing the distance of the nozzle 13 from the surface 5 f of the adsorption cylinder 5 .

In the first embodiment, the liquid has a viscosity in the range of 0.05 to 4 Pa·s at least when it is applied to the sheet 3 . Preferably, the liquid has a viscosity in the range of 0.05 to 4 Pa·s at 20 to 25° C. and 1 atm. In another embodiment, the liquid is a liquid having a viscosity higher than this viscosity. In yet another embodiment, the liquid is a liquid having a viscosity lower than this viscosity.

In addition, the viscosity of the liquid is detected as follows. At the desired temperature, the kinematic viscosity was measured according to JISK 2283 using a Cannon-Fenske viscometer, and the density was measured according to JIS K 2249 using a vibrating density meter. Based on the above results, the viscosity at this temperature was calculated using the following formula.

Viscosity (Pa·s) = kinematic viscosity (m ² /s) × density (kg/m ³ )

In the first embodiment, the liquid is, for example, petroleum hydrocarbons, animal and vegetable oils, animal and vegetable waxes, fatty acid ester compounds, alkyl ethoxylates, fatty acid ester ethoxylates, fatty alcohols, silicones alkanes etc. In another embodiment, the liquid is a pH adjuster, an antimicrobial, an aroma, a perfume, or the like.

In the first embodiment, for example, the web is a combined sheet of the top sheet and the absorbent body of a disposable diaper, and the liquid is intermittently applied from the liquid application device 1 on the web 3 corresponding to the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the disposable diaper. part. However, in another embodiment, the liquid is intermittently applied to other portions of the disposable diaper, or any portion of the other absorbent article. In yet another embodiment, the liquid is continuously applied to the web 3 from the liquid application device 1 in the transport direction MD.

The liquid applicator 1 further includes a controller 37 . The controller 37 is constituted by, for example, a computer including a CPU (microprocessor), a memory, an input port, and an output port. To the input port of the controller 37, the liquid flow meter 21 and the like are connected. To an output port of the controller 37, the pump 17, the solenoid valve 27 for opening and closing the nozzle valve, and the like are connected. The pump 17 , solenoid valve 27 and the like are controlled according to signals from the controller 37 . In addition, the conveying operation of the web 3 is controlled by the controller 37 and is synchronized with the intermittent liquid spraying from the nozzle 13 , specifically, the opening and closing timing of the solenoid valve 27 for opening and closing the nozzle valve. As a result, the liquid can be applied to a desired portion of the one surface 3ff of the web 3 .

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of FIG. 1 around the adsorption cylinder 5 , and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2 . The adsorption cylinder 5 includes a rotating portion 5r that rotates together with its cylinder axis 5ds and a non-rotating non-rotating portion 5s located inside the adsorption cylinder 5, which are made of a hard material such as metal. These rotating parts 5r and 5 s of non-rotating parts extend continuously in the rotating direction of the adsorption|suction cylinder 5, respectively. One end (not shown) of the cylindrical shaft 5ds is connected to a rotary driving device (not shown) such as a motor, and the rotating part 5r of the adsorption cylinder 5 can be rotationally driven by the driving force thereof. In addition, in the first embodiment, regarding the adsorption cylinder 5, the radial direction RD means a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the cylinder axis 5ds extends.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the rotating portion 5r includes a side surface portion 5rs, an outer peripheral base portion 5rc, and a mesh portion 5rm. The side part 5rs constituting one side surface of the adsorption cylinder 5 is connected to the other end 5dse of the cylinder shaft 5ds by a connection member such as a bolt. Further, the outer peripheral base portion 5rc constituting the outer peripheral portion of the adsorption cylinder 5 together with the mesh portion 5rm is connected to the radially outermost portion of the side surface portion 5rs by a connecting member such as a bolt. In the first embodiment, the mesh portion 5rm is formed by stacking a plurality of mesh-shaped sheets that are a mesh made of, for example, metal or resin material.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the non-rotating portion 5s includes a hollow shaft 5ss and a side wall 5sw. The hollow shaft 5ss is inserted substantially coaxially into the cylindrical shaft 5ds in its hollow portion. A bearing 5br is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical shaft 5ds and the inner peripheral surface of the hollow shaft 5ss. The hollow shaft 5ss is fixed to, for example, a wall of the device (not shown) in order to prevent rotation and to support the load of the adsorption cylinder 5 as a whole.

The hollow shaft 5ss is connected on its outer peripheral surface to the side wall 5sw extending in the radial direction RD of the adsorption cartridge 5 between the outer surface of the hollow shaft 5ss and the inner surface of the outer peripheral base 5rc via a connecting member such as a bolt. On the outermost portion in the radial direction of the side wall 5sw, an annular body 5sr made of, for example, felt is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral base portion 5rc. Since the annular body 5sr extends continuously in the rotation direction of the adsorption cylinder 5, it has an annular shape. With the annular body 5sr, a certain airtightness is ensured between the rotating outer peripheral base 5rc and the non-rotating side wall 5sw, and sliding resistance therebetween is reduced. The material of the annular body 5sr is not limited to felt, and other materials may be used as long as it exhibits the above-mentioned function.

With the above structure, the hollow portion 5h defined by the hollow shaft 5ss, the side wall 5sw, the annular body 5sr, and the outer peripheral base 5rc is defined inside the adsorption cylinder 5 .

As shown in FIG. 3 , an exhaust hole 5swv is provided on the side wall 5sw of the adsorption cylinder 5 , and one end of a pipe 41 is connected to the adsorption cylinder 5 at the exhaust hole 5swv. Thereby, the inside of the duct 41 communicates with the hollow portion 5h. In addition, the other end of the duct 41 is connected to an exhaust pump (not shown) that discharges the air in the hollow portion 5h in the direction F. As shown in FIG. It should be noted that, in the first embodiment, only one pipe 41 and one exhaust pump are used. However, if the suction volume of air cannot reach the desired suction volume by using one exhaust pump, a plurality of exhaust holes 5swv are provided in the side wall 5sw, and the plurality of exhaust pumps are respectively connected to the adsorption cylinder 5 through the pipe 41. , so that the amount of attraction can be increased.

On the other hand, in the first embodiment, a large number of through holes 5rcp penetrating from the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral base portion 5rc to the inner peripheral surface are provided in the outer peripheral base portion 5rc. The through-holes 5rcp are provided so as to be substantially evenly distributed on the surface of the outer peripheral base 5rc. In addition, in FIG. 3, although the through-hole 5rcp provided in the inner surface of the outer peripheral base part 5rc is shown, only a part is shown in the same figure for convenience of illustration. Furthermore, the mesh portion 5rm composed of a plurality of mesh-shaped sheets can allow air to pass through as described above. Therefore, the hollow portion 5h communicates with the outside of the adsorption cartridge 5 .

With the above structure, the exhaust pump (not shown) exhausts the air in the hollow portion 5h, and on the other hand, from the outside of the adsorption cylinder 5, passes through the web 3 located on the mesh portion 5rm, the mesh portion 5rm, and the outer peripheral base portion 5rc. Air is introduced into the hollow part 5h through the through hole 5rcp.

In the first embodiment, the surface 5f of the adsorption cylinder 5 facing the other surface 3fs of the web 3 is the outer surface of the mesh portion 5rm according to the structure of the adsorption cylinder 5 described above.

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , in the first embodiment, in the adsorption cartridge 5 , a spacer 43 is provided inside the hollow portion 5 h to be in contact with a part of the inner surface of the outer peripheral base 5 rc, and the spacer 43 passes through A jig (not shown) is attached to the hollow shaft 5ss or the side wall 5sw. The abutting portion where the spacer 43 abuts against the inner surface of the outer peripheral base 5rc is made of, for example, felt from the same purpose as the annular body 5sr. The spacer 43 blocks air intake from the outside of the adsorption cartridge 5 through the through-hole 5rcp of the outer peripheral base 5rc at the contact portion.

By providing the spacer 43, as shown in FIG. . In another embodiment, no spacer 43 is provided on the adsorption cylinder 5, and the entire circumference of the surface 5f of the adsorption cylinder 5 is the suction area AS that attracts the web 3, and does not include the non-suction area AN.

Therefore, in the first embodiment, the suction drum 5 sucks the web 3 in the suction area AS included in the surface 5f facing the other surface 3fs opposite to the liquid-applied surface 3ff. As described above, the through-holes 5rcp are provided substantially uniformly distributed on the surface of the outer peripheral base 5rc. Furthermore, since the mesh portion 5rm having the above-mentioned structure is provided on the outer surface of the adsorption cartridge 5, the suction paths from the outside of the adsorption cartridge 5 to the through holes 5rcp branch in many numbers. Therefore, irrespective of the position of the portion of the web 3 located in the suction area AS, the portion of the web 3 can be attracted with a substantially uniform attractive force on the surface 5f.

With the above structure of the adsorption cylinder 5 , the web 3 is adsorbed and held on the surface 5 f by being attracted by the adsorption cylinder 5 . As a result, the web 3 is conveyed with the rotation of the adsorption cylinder 5 by which the web 3 is conveyed in the liquid application device 1 of the first embodiment.

According to the liquid applicator 1 of the first embodiment, the following effects can be exhibited.

(1) In the first embodiment, the parts of the web 3 located in the suction area AS of the surface 5f of the adsorption cylinder 5 are all attracted with substantially uniform suction force to be conveyed while being held on the surface 5f. As a result, when the web 3 is conveyed, occurrence of wrinkles and slack in the web 3 is reduced, and meandering of the web 3 can be suppressed.

(2) By sucking the liquid applied to one surface 3ff of the web 3 from the other surface 3fs of the web 3, the liquid can be moved inside the web 3 from the side of the one surface 3ff to the side of the other surface 3fs. As a result, the liquid applied to the web 3 can be sufficiently impregnated inside the web 3 . In addition, in order to fully exhibit this effect, the air permeability of the web 3 is preferably high air permeability. The web 3 of the first embodiment is a combined sheet of the top sheet and the absorbent body as described above, and generally does not contain materials with low air permeability such as plastic films contained in the back sheet of absorbent articles, so the air permeability of the web 3 The property is preferably high air permeability.

(3) By suctioning the web 3 from the thickness direction of the web, the thickness of the web 3 located in the suction area AS of the surface 5 f of the suction drum 5 can be reduced. As a result, the liquid applied from one face 3ff of the web 3 tends to impregnate in the thickness direction of the web 3 .

(4) Since the liquid is applied to the web 3 without contacting the web 3 using the nozzle 13, even if the surface of the web 3 is uneven, as long as it is within the application range of the nozzle 13, regardless of such The liquid can be applied regardless of the unevenness.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the suction area AS of the surface 5f of the adsorption cylinder 5 preferably includes at least the liquid application area AA, which corresponds to the application range of the liquid applied to the web 3 by the nozzle 13, along the The length area of the outer circumference of the adsorption cylinder 5. This is because the web 3 is less likely to be wrinkled and slack in the suction area AS of the surface 5f of the adsorption cylinder 5, so that the liquid can be properly applied to a desired range of the one surface 3ff of the web 3. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the suction area AS does not include the liquid application area AA.

Next, FIG. 4 is a line diagram showing the outer peripheries of the adsorption cylinder 5, the inlet roller 7a, and the outlet roller 7b of the liquid applicator according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In addition, FIG. 4 is a view when the adsorption cylinder 5, the entrance roller 7a, and the exit roller 7b are seen in the extension direction of the cylinder axis|shaft 5ds of the adsorption cylinder 5. As shown in FIG.

As shown in Figure 4, the common tangent line L1 of the periphery of setting suction cylinder 5 and inlet roller 7a and the tangent point of the periphery of adsorption cylinder 5 are first point P1, establish the common tangent line L2 of the periphery of adsorption cylinder 5 and outlet roller 7b and The tangent point of the outer circumference of the adsorption cylinder 5 is the second point P2. At this time, the surface 5f of the adsorption cylinder 5 is preferably in the area APP, including the non-suction area AN (FIG. 2) that does not attract the web 3, and the area APP is opposite to the rotation direction R of the adsorption cylinder 5 from the first point P1. A region along the length of the surface 5f of the adsorption cartridge 5 along the outer circumference to the second point P2. This is because: if the web 3 is sucked by the suction drum 5 between the suction drum 5 and the inlet roll 7a, and/or between the suction drum 5 and the outlet roll 7b, there is a possibility that the web 3 will not be conveyed in a straight line and There is a possibility that the transfer of the web 3 cannot be carried out normally. In another embodiment, the above-mentioned area APP does not include the non-attractive area AN ( FIG. 2 ).

Furthermore, the range of the non-suction area AN ( FIG. 2 ) is defined by the size and position of the partition 43 in the circumferential direction of the adsorption cylinder 5 .

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , it is preferable that the liquid applicator 1 further includes a cover 45 that accommodates the adsorption cartridge 5 and the nozzle 13 therein. This is because it is possible to prevent the liquid sprayed from the nozzle 13 from scattering to the surroundings, and it is also possible to prevent dust such as lint flying from the outside of the liquid applicator 1 from adhering to the web 3 . In the first embodiment, the cover 45 has a box-like shape surrounding its periphery and its upper side. In another embodiment, the liquid applicator 1 does not include the cover 45 .

In addition, it is preferable that at least one side of the cover 45 is made of a transparent material so that the inside thereof can be visually confirmed even during use. In the first embodiment, the front surface of the cover 45 is made of a transparent material.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2 , in the cover 45 , a first opening 45wf for carrying the web 3 into and out of its interior is provided. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2 , it is preferable to provide the cover 45 with the second opening 45ws located on the lower side in the vertical direction with respect to the first opening 45wf. By providing the second opening 45ws separately from the first opening 45wf, more air can be introduced into the cover, and the suction efficiency of suction from the outside of the adsorption tube 5 can be improved. Also, by positioning the second opening 45ws on the lower side in the vertical direction with respect to the first opening 45wf, it is possible to suppress the garbage such as lint that may fly around the cover 45 from being sucked into the cover 45 . As long as the second opening 45ws is located on the lower side in the vertical direction with respect to the first opening 45wf, a plurality of them can be provided on any surface of the cover 45 .

In addition, in another embodiment, a filter (not shown) is provided in the second opening 45ws so as not to attract garbage such as lint. In yet another embodiment, the second opening 45ws is not provided in the cover 45 .

(second embodiment)

Next, a liquid applicator 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5 . In addition, regarding the second embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be described in particular. In addition, the components other than the differences between the first embodiment and the second embodiment can be applied to the second embodiment, and those skilled in the art can combine these components arbitrarily within the obvious range.

Fig. 5 is a schematic partial sectional view of a liquid applicator 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In addition, in FIG. 5 , the mechanism for ejecting the liquid from the nozzle 13 is the same as that in FIG. 1 , so description thereof is omitted.

The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment mainly in that the web 3 is sucked using a suction box 105 (corresponding to a suction device) instead of the suction cylinder 5 ( FIG. 1 , etc.).

As shown in FIG. 5 , the web 3 is conveyed in the conveying direction MD by conveying devices 107 a and 107 b on the upper surface 105 f of the suction box 105 in the vertical direction.

In the second embodiment, the suction box 105 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, and includes a body portion 105b constituting an outline portion of the suction box 105 and a hollow portion 105h inside the body portion 105b.

As shown in FIG. 5 , an exhaust hole 105bv is provided on the lower portion 105b1 of the body portion 105b of the adsorption box 105 , and one end of the pipe 41 is connected to the adsorption box 105 at the exhaust hole 105bv. Thereby, the inside of the duct 41 communicates with the hollow portion 105h. In addition, the other end of the duct 41 is connected to an exhaust pump (not shown) that discharges the air in the hollow portion 105h toward the direction F. As shown in FIG. In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the suction amount can be increased by providing a plurality of exhaust holes 105bv in the main body portion 105b and connecting a plurality of exhaust pumps to the adsorption box 105 via pipes 41, respectively.

On the other hand, in the second embodiment, a large number of through-holes 105bp are provided in the upper portion 105bu of the main body portion 105b. Furthermore, the through-holes 105bp are provided so as to be substantially uniformly distributed over the entire surface of the upper portion 105bu. Furthermore, on the upper surface in the vertical direction of the suction box 105, a mesh portion 105m similar to the mesh portion 5rm of the first embodiment is provided. And the mesh part 105m which consists of several mesh-shaped sheets can pass air. Therefore, the hollow portion 105h communicates with the outside of the adsorption box 105 .

Furthermore, in the second embodiment, according to the structure of the suction box 105 described above, the surface 105f of the suction box 105 facing the other surface 3fs of the web 3 is the outer surface of the mesh portion 105m.

With the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 5 , the surface 105f of the suction box 105 includes a suction area AS capable of suctioning the web 3 as a length region of the surface 105f in the range where the through holes 105bp are provided.

The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the web 3 slides on the surface 105f of the suction box 105 . However, the suction box 105 as a whole is conveyed while being attracted by substantially uniform suction force. As a result, when the web 3 is conveyed, as in the first embodiment, occurrence of wrinkles and slack in the web 3 can be reduced, and meandering of the web 3 can also be suppressed.

Also in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the suction area AS includes at least the liquid application area AA, which is the length area of the surface 105 f of the adsorption box 105 , for applying the liquid. As a result, in the suction area AS of the surface 5f of the adsorption cylinder 5, since the web 3 is unlikely to be wrinkled or slack, the liquid can be properly applied to a desired range of the one surface 3ff of the web 3 . In another embodiment, the suction area AS does not include the liquid application area AA.

(Modification)

Next, a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 6 . FIG. 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a liquid applicator 100 according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention, similar to FIG. 5 . In this modification, the liquid application device 100 further includes a mesh belt 109 .

As shown in FIG. 6 , the mesh belt 109 is wound on a pair of rollers 109 a and 109 b around the suction box 105 . In this modified example, the mesh belt 109 is an air-permeable endless belt formed of a mesh-shaped sheet that is a mesh made of a material such as metal or resin.

At least one of the pair of rollers 109a, 109b is rotationally driven by a drive source such as a servo motor (not shown) so that the mesh belt 109 moves in the transport direction MD on the surface 105f of the suction box 105 .

In the adsorption box 105 of this modification, a side portion 105bs of the body portion 105b is provided with an exhaust hole 105bv, and one end of the pipeline is connected to the exhaust hole 105bv to prevent interference between the suction belt 109 and the pipeline (not shown). Furthermore, the other end of the pipe is connected to an exhaust pump (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 6 , the liquid application device 100 of the present modification includes an inlet roller 7 a and an outlet roller 7 b. The web 3 is guided by the entrance roll 7a onto the mesh belt 109 and by the exit roll 7b to the subsequent process.

The web 3 on the mesh belt 109 is sucked by the suction box 105 in the suction area AS, thereby being sucked and held on the outer surface of the mesh belt 109 . As a result, the web 3 is conveyed with the movement of the mesh belt 109 , and in the liquid application device 100 of the present modification, by the mesh belt 109 .

In this modification, the parts of the web 3 located on the suction area AS of the surface 105f of the suction box 105 are all attracted with a substantially uniform suction force to be conveyed while being held on the outer surface of the mesh belt 109 . As a result, occurrence of wrinkles and slack during conveyance can be reduced, and meandering of the web 3 can also be suppressed.

In addition, all the features that can be understood by those skilled in the art from the description of this specification, drawings, and claims are described in this specification only in association with and in combination with specific other features. However, as long as those features are not explicitly excluded, or as long as the combination is not technically impossible or meaningless, they can be independently combined with one or more other features disclosed herein in any combination.

As an example, the liquid applicator 100 of the second embodiment does not include the cover 45 included in the liquid applicator 1 of the first embodiment. However, a modified embodiment in which the liquid applicator 100 of the second embodiment includes the cover 45 accommodating the nozzle 13 and the adsorption box 105 is also included in the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is defined as follows.

(1) A liquid application device for applying a liquid having a viscosity in the range of 0.05 to 4 Pa·s to a continuously conveyed web used in the manufacture of an absorbent article,

The liquid application device described above has:

tanks containing the above liquids;

a liquid application nozzle for applying the liquid to one surface of the web;

a pump that supplies the liquid in the tank to the liquid application nozzle via a tube; and

a suction device having a surface facing the other side of said web;

Said surface of said suction device comprises at least a suction area for suctioning said web.

(2) The liquid application device according to (1), wherein,

The suction area includes at least a liquid application area where the liquid is applied.

(3) The liquid application device according to (1) or (2), wherein,

The above-mentioned suction device is an adsorption cylinder,

The above-mentioned surface of the above-mentioned suction device is the outer peripheral surface of the above-mentioned adsorption cylinder,

The above-mentioned web is sucked by the above-mentioned suction drum which is rotationally driven, while being conveyed with the rotation of the above-mentioned suction drum.

(4) The liquid application device according to (3), wherein,

It is also provided with: an inlet roll for guiding the above-mentioned web to the above-mentioned suction drum, and an outlet roll for guiding the above-mentioned web from the above-mentioned suction drum to a subsequent process,

Set the tangent point of the outer circumference of the above-mentioned adsorption cylinder and the above-mentioned inlet roller and the tangent point of the outer circumference of the above-mentioned adsorption cylinder as the first point, and set the tangent point of the common tangent line of the outer circumference of the above-mentioned adsorption cylinder and the above-mentioned outlet roller and the outer circumference of the above-mentioned adsorption cylinder. In the case of the second point, the surface of the suction device includes a non-suction area where the web is not sucked along the outer circumference from the first point to the second point in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the adsorption cylinder.

(5) The liquid application device according to (1) or (2), wherein,

The above-mentioned suction device is a suction box,

The above-mentioned surface of the above-mentioned suction device is the surface on the vertically upper side of the above-mentioned suction box,

Said web is sucked by said suction box while being conveyed on said surface of said suction box.

(6) The liquid applicator according to (5), wherein

It is also equipped with a mesh belt that is hung around the above-mentioned adsorption box,

The above-mentioned web is conveyed along with the movement of the above-mentioned mesh belt.

(7) The liquid application device according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein

A cover for accommodating the liquid application nozzle and the suction device inside is also provided.

(8) The liquid application device according to (7), wherein

In the above hood, there is

a first opening for transporting said web into and out of said enclosure; and

The second opening is located on the lower side in the vertical direction with respect to the first opening.

(9) The liquid application device according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein

The above-mentioned liquid is intermittently applied to the above-mentioned web.

(10) A liquid application method for applying a liquid having a viscosity in the range of 0.05 to 4 Pa·s to a continuously conveyed web used in the manufacture of an absorbent article,

The above-mentioned liquid application method includes the following steps:

A process of preparing a liquid application device having:

tanks containing the above liquids;

a liquid application nozzle for applying the liquid to one surface of the web;

a pump that supplies the liquid in the tank to the liquid application nozzle via a tube; and

a suction device having a surface facing the other side of said web; and

Said surface of said suction device comprises at least a suction area for suctioning said web;

the step of attracting said web in said attracting region by means of said attracting device; and

The process of applying a liquid to the above-mentioned web.

Explanation of reference signs

1, 100 liquid application device

3 webs

3ff a side

3fs another side

5 adsorption cylinder (suction device)

5f surface

11 cans

13 nozzle (liquid application nozzle)

15 tubes

17 pumps

105 suction box (suction device)

105f surface

AS attraction area

Claims (8)

1. A liquid application device for applying a liquid having a viscosity in the range of 0.05 to 4 Pa·s to a continuously conveyed web used in the manufacture of absorbent articles, The liquid application device has: a tank containing said liquid; a liquid application nozzle for applying the liquid to one face of the web; a pump that supplies liquid in the tank to the liquid application nozzle via a tube; and a suction device having a surface facing the other side of the web; said surface of said attraction means comprises at least an attraction area for attracting said web; It is characterized in that the liquid application device further includes a cover for accommodating the liquid application nozzle and the suction device inside; In the hood, there is a first opening for transporting the web into and out of the enclosure; and The second opening is located on the lower side in the vertical direction than the first opening. 2. The liquid applicator of claim 1, wherein: The suction area includes at least a liquid application area for the liquid application. 3. The liquid applicator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The suction device is an adsorption cartridge, The surface of the suction device is the outer peripheral surface of the adsorption cylinder, The web is attracted by the suction drum driven in rotation while being conveyed with the rotation of the suction drum. 4. The liquid applicator of claim 3, wherein: Also having: an inlet roll guiding the web to the suction drum, and an outlet roll guiding the web from the suction drum to a subsequent process, Set the tangent point between the outer circumference of the adsorption cylinder and the inlet roller and the outer circumference of the adsorption cylinder as the first point, and set the common tangent line between the outer circumference of the adsorption cylinder and the outlet roller and the adsorption When the tangent point of the outer circumference of the cylinder is the second point, the surface of the suction device extends from the first point along the outer circumference to the second point in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the adsorption cylinder. , including non-attractive regions that do not attract said web. 5. The liquid applicator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The suction device is a suction box, The surface of the suction device is a surface on the vertically upper side of the suction box, The web is attracted by the suction box while being conveyed on the surface of the suction box. 6. The liquid applicator of claim 5, wherein: It is also equipped with a mesh belt hanging around the adsorption box, The web is conveyed as the mesh belt moves. 7. The liquid applicator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The liquid is intermittently applied to the web. 8. A method of applying a liquid, applying a liquid having a viscosity in the range of 0.05 to 4 Pa·s to a continuously conveyed web used in the manufacture of absorbent articles, The liquid application method includes the following steps: A process of preparing a liquid application device having: a tank containing said liquid; a liquid application nozzle for applying the liquid to one face of the web; a pump that supplies liquid in the tank to the liquid application nozzle via a tube; and a suction device having a surface facing the other side of the web; and said surface of said attraction means comprises at least an attraction area for attracting said web; the step of attracting said web at said attraction zone with said attraction device; and the step of applying a liquid to said web; It is characterized in that the liquid application device further includes a cover for accommodating the liquid application nozzle and the suction device inside; In the hood, there is a first opening for transporting the web into and out of the enclosure; and The second opening is located on the lower side in the vertical direction than the first opening.