HK1163484A - A machine for manufacturing personal sanitary items - Google Patents

Description

Manufacturing machine for manufacturing personal hygiene articles

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a machine for making personal hygiene articles.

The invention is preferably applicable in the manufacture of personal hygiene products such as diapers for babies, sanitary napkins for women, incontinence pads and the like.

Background

Conventional manufacturing machines for manufacturing personal hygiene products comprise a feeding device which supplies a first continuous web and a forming device for forming a series of absorbent pads which are then placed on the first web, the surface of which has been coated with adhesive. The first web providing the so-called backsheet is usually made of an impermeable plastic material such as PET.

These absorbent pads are formed by: the apparatus includes a feed device that feeds a strip of cellulose and an abrasive component through which the cellulose is broken down to produce a mass of loose fibers or fluff.

The fibres are then gathered in special vacuum bags to form absorbent pads which are ready to be applied to the first web.

The first web is carried by a conveyor and guided along a linear feed path. For example, the linear conveyor comprises a conveyor belt.

These absorbent pads are applied to the first web at given points along a straight feed path. Thereafter, similarly along the rectilinear path, the other discrete parts are shaped by the dedicated auxiliary system and applied to the sanitary article under production.

For example in the case of baby diapers or adult incontinence pads, a series of front and rear panels may be added to provide a closure panel.

Thus, in prior art manufacturing machines for manufacturing personal hygiene articles, all assembly steps take place along a straight path.

The prior art machines also comprise a feeding device which feeds a second web which is bonded to the first web so that the absorbent pad remains sandwiched at least between these two webs.

The second web, which provides the so-called topsheet, is made of a nonwoven fabric and constitutes the part of the product that is placed in direct contact with the wearer.

The continuous assembled web is divided into a series of discrete articles at a cutting station.

Disadvantageously, the machines of the prior art suffer from certain drawbacks.

First, the use of a mat comprising a large number of loose fibres provides space that must be specifically dedicated to the production line for manufacturing such materials. Thus, the overall size of the conventional machine must be large.

Furthermore, since the absorbent pads are made of a loose material which is highly volatile and easy to disperse, these absorbent pads have to be handled quite carefully and finely even after application to the first web.

Thus, if the steering of the first web along the rectilinear path is not always precise, the amount of waste produced is not negligible. In particular, the first web often becomes misaligned so that when absorbent pads are placed on the web, these absorbent pads and/or other additional components are incorrectly positioned and the reject must be discarded.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing machine for manufacturing personal hygiene articles, in which the drawbacks associated with the above-mentioned prior art are overcome.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing machine for manufacturing personal hygiene articles having a significantly compact size.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing machine for manufacturing personal hygiene articles in which the amount of waste produced during the production process is significantly reduced.

The objects of the invention are substantially achieved in a manufacturing machine for manufacturing personal hygiene articles, and which is characterized by what is set forth in one or more of the appended claims.

Drawings

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows, in a schematic side view, a manufacturing machine for manufacturing personal hygiene articles according to the present invention;

fig. 2 shows a part of the manufacturing machine shown in fig. 1 in a schematic front view.

Detailed Description

With reference to the accompanying drawings, numeral 1 generally designates a manufacturing machine for manufacturing personal hygiene articles according to the present invention.

The machine 1 comprises a first feeding device 2, the first feeding device 2 feeding a first continuous web 3, which is initially wound on a corresponding drum 4. The first web 3 is preferably made of an impermeable plastic material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and provides what is commonly referred to as a backsheet.

The first feeding device 2 comprises a plurality of idler and tension rollers, indicated with 5, and at least one alignment system 6, by means of which the first web 3 is guided and maintained under correct tension.

In the embodiment described and illustrated, the first feeding device 2 also comprises an auxiliary device 7 by means of which additional components are prepared and applied to the first web 3.

The auxiliary device 7 comprises a cutting and placement mechanism 8 by means of which the additional components are cut to size and successively associated with the first web 3.

By way of example only, the additional component may be a strip of plastic material externally attached to the sanitary article, and the discrete accessories may be subsequently attached to the sanitary article, as will become apparent shortly thereafter.

The machine 1 also comprises a pad making device 9 for preparing a series of absorbent pads for personal hygiene articles. The absorbent pad manufactured by the pad manufacturing device 9 is also applied to the first web 3 by means of the pad manufacturing device.

The mat-making device 9 comprises a feeding device 10 and at least one cutting means 12, the feeding device 10 feeding a shaped and stabilized continuous band 11 of absorbent material, while the band 11 of absorbent material is divided into a series of individual mats by the cutting means 12.

In the illustrated example, the pad making device 9 comprises a cutting device 13 located upstream of the cutting means 12, so that the band of absorbent material 11 can be divided into two distinct portions 11a and 11 b.

More precisely, the mat-making device 9 is equipped with two cutting means 12, by means of which cutting means 12 the portions 11a and 11b are cut from the belt 11 to produce two corresponding pad portions.

The two portions are positioned on the forming wheel 14 staggered with respect to each other and provide a pad contoured to a selected shape.

The mat-making apparatus 9 further comprises a transfer mechanism 15, which transfer mechanism 15 takes up the individual mats from the forming wheel 14 and places them on the first web 3.

In the illustrated example, the forming wheel 14 and/or the transfer mechanism 15 are preferably vacuum components.

The machine 1 also comprises an adhesive dispenser 16 positioned upstream of the mat-making device 9 and operating on the first web 3. The dispenser 16 is designed such that the first web 3 is coated with an amount of adhesive that will ensure that the absorbent pad is applied at least stably to this first web 3.

Advantageously, by using a previously prepared and stable absorbent material, the first web 3 can be guided along the feed path "P" describing a trajectory of a curl substantially having the configuration "S", thus reducing the space required for assembling the personal hygiene article (fig. 2).

To this end, the manufacturing machine 1 comprises a first roller 17 around which the first web 3 is wound and fed continuously, and a second roller 18 paired with the first roller.

The first roller 17 and the second roller 18 rotate in opposite directions and tangentially to each other, thereby establishing in combination a feed path "P" having an "S" configuration.

A first roller 17 is associated with the mat-making device 9 and is positioned downstream of this mat-making device 9.

More precisely, the transfer means 15 of the mat-making apparatus 9 are placed substantially tangential to the first rollers 17 so that the finished mat can be transferred from the forming wheel 14 to the first web 3 at a position coinciding with the first rollers 17.

The adhesive dispenser 16 then occupies a position upstream of the first roller 17.

The first roller 17 and the second roller 18 rotate about respective axes of rotation, designated a and B, which in the illustrated embodiment are placed at different heights.

More precisely, the axis of rotation of the first roller 17 is positioned at a higher level than the axis of rotation B of the second roller 18.

With the rotation axes a and B arranged in this way, the manufacturing machine 1 is made more compact.

Advantageously, the first roller 17 and the second roller 18 have operating surfaces 17a and 18a, respectively, coated with rubber. In other words, the operating surfaces 17a and 18a are covered with a layer of rubber material (not shown in the figures), so that the friction generated between the first web 3 and the two surfaces 17a and 18a ensures a tight adhesion of the web to the first roller 17 and to the second roller 18. This also ensures that the first web 3 is guided accurately during the manufacturing process.

Similarly, to ensure accurate handling of the first web 3, the first and second rollers 17, 18 will preferably have aspirating surfaces.

In other words, the manufacturing machine 1 comprises vacuum means (not shown) so that a suction flow will be generated through a plurality of holes (not shown) in the operative surfaces 17a and 18a of the rollers 17 and 18.

The machine 1 also comprises a second feeding device 19, which second feeding device 19 feeds a second continuous web 20, which is initially wound on a corresponding drum (not shown in the figures). The second web 20 is bonded to the first web 3 at least after the pads have been applied to the first web 3. Thus, the pad remains sandwiched between the first and second webs 3, 20.

The second web 20 is preferably composed of a nonwoven fabric and provides what is commonly referred to as a topsheet. The material of the second web 20 is a material which is placed in direct contact with the wearer's body.

The second feeding device 19 comprises a plurality of idler and tension rollers, indicated with 21, and at least one alignment system 22, by means of which the second strip of material 3 is guided and maintained under correct tension.

A second feeding device 19 is associated with the second roller 18. Thus, the second web 20 is fed to the second rollers 18 so that this second web 20 can be paired with the first web 3 which travels together with the pad from the first rollers 17 at the location of the tangent point T between the first rollers 17 and the second rollers 18.

The assembled parts of product are compressed between the rollers 17 and 18 at the tangent point T to enhance the bonding between the first web 3 and the second web 20.

Thus, the assembled sanitary products emerge from the rollers 17 and 18 one after the other in succession.

In the illustrated example, the manufacturing machine 1 also comprises a preparation device 23 by means of which preparation device 23 the discrete accessories are prepared and applied to the personal hygiene articles.

It can be seen from the figures that such a preparation device 23 for preparing and applying discrete appendages operates on both the first web 3 and the second web 20.

For this purpose, the preparation device 23 occupies a position adjacent to both the first roller 17 and the second roller 18.

In the illustrated example, the preparation device 23 for preparing and applying the discrete accessories comprises a pair of first devices 24 associated with the first roller 17 and a pair of second devices 25 associated with the second roller 18.

Both the first device 24 and the second device 25 comprise respective feed devices 26 and 27 for supplying the strip material and respective cutting mechanisms 28 and 29 by which the discrete elements are cut from the strip.

By way of example, the first means 21 produce a series of front panels and a series of rear panels, respectively, associated with the first web 3 and intended to fasten the sanitary articles in use.

The second means 25 are designed to apply further members to the second web 20 before the second web 20 is bonded to the first web 3.

The machine 1 also comprises a sealing roller 30, which operates by compression and is located in the vicinity of the second roller 18 at a point downstream of the tangent point T.

Reference numeral 31 denotes an outfeed conveyor 31, to which outfeed conveyor 31 the aforesaid continuous hygienic articles are released. A conveyor 31 is positioned adjacent to the second roller 18 immediately downstream of the sealing roller 30. In the illustrated example, the outfeed conveyor 31 comprises a linear conveyor belt 32.

Further along the conveyor 31, the continuous assembled articles may be divided into discrete units by a cutting device (not shown).

The object is achieved by the invention which provides significant advantages.

In fact, given that the absorbent pad is made of a previously prepared and stabilized fluff material, the manufacturing machine no longer requires a dedicated production line for treating the fluff from the starting material. Thus, the overall size of the manufacturing machine is significantly reduced.

Furthermore, the absorbent material can be managed more practically, more easily and more quickly. Thus, the backsheet web can travel along the described and illustrated crimp path having an "S" configuration, thereby further reducing the length of the manufacturing machine without having any adverse effect on the article of manufacture.

Furthermore, with the crimp passage of the "S" configuration established by the rollers, the first web can be more easily held in the correct position.

This also means that the article can be assembled more quickly, and in particular with greater precision and with less waste.

Finally, it is preferred that the reduction in machine length also has the effect of reducing the distance between the point of application of the adhesive and the point at which the article is assembled. Thus, waste products attributable to machine failure are significantly reduced. In fact, if the operation of the machine is disturbed, the waste products can be limited to unfinished articles located between the point of application of the adhesive and the point of completion of the assembly, that is to say articles to which the adhesive has been applied but which lose their tackiness before the assembly step can be completed.

Claims (11)

1. A manufacturing machine for manufacturing personal hygiene articles, comprising:

-a first feeding device (2) by which a first continuous web (3) is guided along a predetermined feeding path (P);

a pad manufacturing device (9), said pad manufacturing device (9) being intended to prepare a series of pads for personal hygiene articles and to apply a single pad to said first web (3);

-a second feeding device (19), said second feeding device (19) feeding a second continuous web (20) so that said second web (20) can be paired with said first web (3) to produce a series of sanitary articles; it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

said mat manufacturing device (9) comprising at least one cutting means (12), by means of which cutting means (12) a continuous band (11) of absorbent material is divided to produce said series of mats; and

the feed path (P) describes a trajectory having substantially an "S" configuration.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that at least said first web (3) is guided around a first roller (17) and said second roller (18) is paired with said first roller; the first roller (17) and the second roller (18) establish, in combination, a feed path (P) having an "S" configuration.

3. The machine according to claim 2, characterised in that said first roller (17) and said second roller (18) rotate about respective axes of rotation (A, B) positioned at different heights from each other.

4. A machine as in claim 3, wherein the axis of rotation (a) of the first roller (17) is positioned at a higher level than the axis of rotation (B) of the second roller (18).

5. A machine as in any claim from 2 to 4, wherein the first roller (17) or the second roller (18) or both are equipped with corresponding rubber-coated operating surfaces (17a, 18 b).

6. A machine as in any claim from 2 to 5, wherein the first roller (17) or the second roller (18) or both are vacuum rollers.

7. A machine as in any claim from 2 to 6, wherein the pad making means (9) are associated with the first roller (17).

8. The machine according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterised in that it comprises a preparation device (23) by means of which discrete accessories are prepared and applied to the personal hygiene article, wherein the preparation device (23) occupies a position adjacent to the first roller (17) or to the second roller (18) or to both rollers.

9. A machine as in any claim from 2 to 8, wherein the feeding means (19) feeding the second continuous web (20) are associated with the second roller (18).

10. The machine according to any one of claims 2 to 9, comprising a dispenser (16) of adhesive positioned upstream of the first roller (17), adhesive being applied by the dispenser to at least the first continuous web (3).

11. The machine according to any of the foregoing claims from 2 to 11, characterised in that the first roller (17) and the second roller (18) rotate in opposite directions.