Device for manufacturing a foil element for absorbent articles

Abstract

Device (1, 1a, 1b) for producing a film element for absorbent articles, comprising: a feed cylinder (21, 21a) with a cylinder outer or shell surface (211) which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a rotation axis (R1) pointing in a horizontal direction and provided with a plurality of feed holes, which are a plurality of feed recesses (212) arranged circumferentially in the cylinder shell surface (211), and which is provided for rotation about the rotation axis (R1) in a predetermined direction of rotation; a particle filling element (23) for receiving particles of an absorbent or deodorizing material above the feed cylinder (21, 21a) and for successively filling the plurality of feed holes with particles through a particle filling opening (232) facing the cylinder shell surface (211);a half-cover part (222) extending from the particle filling opening (232) in the direction of rotation to a lower part of the feed cylinder (21, 21a) to cover a part of the cylindrical surface (211) of the feed cylinder (21, 21a); ​​a first film conveying roller (31) arranged below the feed cylinder (21, 21a) and in the immediate vicinity of the lowest part of the feed cylinder (21, 21a), having a first roller surface (311) which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a first central axis (J1) pointing in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation (R1), provided for rotation about the first central axis (J1) in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation in order to convey a first film element (91), which is a continuous film, along the first roller surface (311);a second film feed roller (41) arranged in the direction of rotation in front of the lowest part of the feed cylinder (21, 21a) and in the immediate vicinity of the feed cylinder (21, 21a) and the first film feed roller (31), having a second roller shell surface (411) which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a second central axis (J2) pointing in the axial direction, and provided for rotation about the second central axis (J2) in the same direction as the direction of rotation, in order to convey a second film element (92), which is a continuous film, along the second roller shell surface (411) and to layer the second film element (92) on top of the first film element;a particle collision surface (224) extending from the cylindrical surface (211) between the lowest part of the feed cylinder (21, 21a) and the second film feed roller (41), designed to collide with some of the particles emitted forward from a feed hole that has passed through the half-cover part (221) in the direction of rotation of the feed cylinder (21, 21a), and to guide the colliding particles onto the first film element (91); and a film joining or laminating component for laminating or joining or bonding the first film element (91) and the second film element (92), wherein the particle collision surface (224) is an inclined surface inclined forward in the direction of rotation with respect to a vertical downward direction.

Description

Field of TechnologyThe present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a sheet member for an absorbent article.Prior ArtAbsorbent articles such as light incontinence absorbent pads used by attaching to the inside of disposable diapers conventionally use absorbent sheets made by sandwiching and fixing particles of a high absorbent resin or the like between two sheet members of a non-woven fabric or the like. In the production of such absorbent sheets, particles of the high-absorbency resin are applied to one sheet member being conveyed at a constant speed, and then the other sheet member is laminated and laminated on the one sheet member.An apparatus for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2013-17563 (Document 1) includes a cylinder part in which a plurality of concave portions are formed in the outer surface to be filled with high-absorbency resin particles, a first sheet conveying roller for conveying a first sheet member near the lowermost part of the cylinder part, and a second sheet conveying roller disposed forward of the lowermost part of the cylinder part in the rotational direction and provided for conveying a second sheet member and layers of the second sheet member on the first sheet member. In the apparatus, particles are ejected from concave portions passing near the lowermost part of the cylinder part, and some of the ejected particles collide with the second sheet member on the second sheet conveying roller and then fall on the first sheet member. The outer surface of the second film conveying roller has a multiplicity of circumferential grooves. These grooves absorb the impact of particles colliding with the second sheet member on the second sheet conveying roller, thus suppressing scattering of particles in the environment.In the apparatus for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles of the document 1, there are cases where particles colliding with the second sheet member on the second sheet conveying roller rebounds upward and sideways and are scattered around the first sheet member and the second sheet member. In particular, particles which collide with the second sheet member at positions above the central axis of the second sheet conveying roller are more likely to rebound to positions above the collision positions and are scattered in the environment.JP 2013 17563 A describes an apparatus for manufacturing a plate member for preventing particles ejected toward a plate member from being scattered to the surroundings. The device includes concave portions filled with particles of resin and disposed on an outer side surface of a cylinder part in the circumferential direction. When each concave portion passes over the lowermost portion, the particles are discharged. A first foil element passes near the lowermost portion of the cylinder part. A second sheet conveying roller is located at the lowermost portion in front of the lowermost portion with respect to a moving direction of the outer side surface of the cylinder member, and conveys a second sheet member along the outer side surface to the vicinity of the lowermost portion to place the second sheet member on the first sheet member 91 that has been sent with particles. In the second sheet conveying roller, annular grooves are formed along the circumferential direction on the outer side surface to receive the impact of particles colliding with the second sheet member on the second sheet conveying roller.JP 2012 147957 A describes an apparatus for manufacturing an absorber by adsorbing the liquid-absorbing granular materials falling on an adsorbing part and laminating them. The apparatus includes an adsorbing member having the adsorbing part on a surface and moving along a predetermined transmission path on the adsorbing part. Further, the apparatus comprises a cover member formed by surrounding the predetermined portion of the transfer path, and having a supply port disposed above the transfer path in a space in the cover member and allowing the liquid-absorbing granular materials to fall toward the surface.JP 4 795 612 B2 describes an ultra-thin absorbent sheet for absorbing body fluids for napkins, disposable diapers, disposable pants and the like, disposable absorbent articles having ultra-thin absorbent sheets and an apparatus for manufacturing ultra-thin absorbent sheets.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is provided for an apparatus for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles, and an object of the present invention is to suppress scattering of particles in the environment.An apparatus for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles according to the present invention comprises a feed cylinder having a cylinder outer surface which is a generally cylindrical surface centered on a rotational axis facing in a horizontal direction and provided with a plurality of feed holes which are a plurality of feed recesses arranged in the circumferential direction in the cylinder outer surface and which is provided for rotation about the rotational axis in a predetermined rotational direction, a particle filling member for accommodating particles of an absorbent or deodorizing material above the feed cylinder and successively filling the plurality of feed holes with particles through a particle filling opening facing the cylinder outer surface, a half lid member extending from the particle filling opening in the rotational direction to a lower part of the feed cylinder for covering a part of the cylinder outer surface of the feed cylinder, a first film feed roller disposed below the feed cylinder and in close proximity to the lowermost part of the feed cylinder, having a first roller shell surface which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a first central axis extending in a parallel axial direction to the rotational axis, provided for rotation about the first central axis in a direction opposite to the rotational direction, in order to feed a first film element which is a continuous film along the first roller shell surface, a second film feed roller disposed in front of the lowermost part of the feed cylinder in the rotational direction and in close proximity to the feed cylinder and the first film feed roller, having a second roller shell surface which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a second central axis facing in the axial direction, and provided for rotation about the second central axis in the same direction as the rotational direction, to convey a second sheet member, which is a continuous sheet, along the second roller shell surface and to stack the second sheet member on the first sheet member, a particle colliding surface extending from the cylinder shell surface between the lowermost part of the supply cylinder and the second sheet conveying roller and provided for colliding with some of the particles emitted forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder from a supply hole that has passed through the half lid part and to guide the colliding particles on the first sheet member, and a sheet bonding member to bond the first sheet member and the second sheet member to each other, wherein the particle colliding surface is an inclined surface inclined forward in the rotational direction with respect to a vertically downward direction. This configuration suppresses scattering of particles in the environment.Another apparatus for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles according to the present invention comprises a supply cylinder which is a substantially cylindrical member centered on a rotation axis facing in a horizontal direction, having a particle accommodating space in which a part of an inner space for accommodating particles of an absorbent or deodorizing material is provided, having a plurality of supply holes which are a plurality of through holes arranged in the circumferential direction, and which is provided for rotation about the rotation axis in a predetermined rotation direction to fill, among the plurality of supply holes, a supply hole facing particles accommodated in the particle accommodating space with particles, a half-lid part which extends from a lower part of the supply cylinder to cover a part of a cylinder outer surface, which is an outer surface of the feed cylinder, extends in a direction opposite to the rotational direction, a separating member covering a part of an inner surface of the feed cylinder to separate the particle accommodating space and a feed hole at the lower part of the feed cylinder, a first film conveying roller disposed below the feed cylinder and in close proximity to the lowermost part of the feed cylinder, comprising a first roller surface which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a first central axis extending in an axial direction parallel to the rotational axis, provided for rotation about the first central axis in a direction opposite to the rotational direction to convey a first film element, which is a continuous film, along the first roller surface, a second film element, which is a continuous film, and a second film surface, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, which is a continuous film, A film feed roller disposed forwardly of the lowermost part of the feed cylinder in the rotational direction and in close proximity to the feed cylinder and the first film feed roller, comprising a second roller shell surface which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a second central axis facing in the axial direction, and provided for rotation about the second central axis in the same direction as the rotational direction to feed a second film member which is a continuous film along the second roller shell surface and to laminate the second film member on the first film member, a particle colliding surface extending from the cylinder shell surface between the lowermost part of the feed cylinder and the second film feed roller and provided for colliding with some of the particles emitted forwardly in the rotational direction of the feed cylinder from a feed hole which has passed the half lid part, and for guiding the colliding particles onto the first sheet member, and a sheet bonding member for bonding the first sheet member and the second sheet member to each other, wherein the particle colliding surface is an inclined surface inclined forward in the rotational direction with respect to a vertically downward direction. This configuration suppresses scattering of particles in the environment.In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the particles emitted from the supply hole that has passed through the half-lid part toward a space between a lower end of the particle colliding surface and the first sheet member on the first sheet conveying roller directly collide with the second sheet member on the second sheet conveying roller at a position below the second central axis of the second sheet conveying roller.In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a lower end of the particle collision surface is disposed below or at the same position as the second central axis of the second film conveying roller in a height direction.In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for manufacturing an absorbent article sheet member further comprises a pair of side wall parts arranged on both sides in the axial direction of a group of supply holes in the cylinder surface exposed between a lower end of the half lid part and the particle collision surface. Each side wall part of the pair is provided in the vicinity of the cylinder surface and continuously from the lower end of the half lid part to the particle collision surface, and extends downward from the cylinder surface.More preferably, a lower end of each partition wall part includes an inclined portion that is inclined downward when the inclined portion extends from the particle collision surface to the half lid part.In another preferred embodiment, the plurality of feed holes includes a plurality of feed hole rows, each feed hole row being a group of feed holes arranged at the same position in the axial direction in the circumferential direction. The apparatus for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles further comprises a partition wall part provided between the pair of side wall parts and continuous from the lower end of the half lid part to the particle collision surface. The partition wall part is provided in close proximity to the cylinder surface and facing a portion of the cylinder surface between the plurality of feeding hole rows and extends downward from the cylinder surface.More preferably, a lower end of the partition wall part includes an inclined portion that is inclined downward when the inclined portion extends from the particle collision surface to the half lid part.In another preferred embodiment, the half-lid member, the particle collision surface and the pair of side wall members are contained in a one-piece member.In another preferred embodiment, the second center axis of the second film conveying roller is disposed at a position that is located forward of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder in the rotational direction and between the cylinder shell surface and the first roller shell surface facing each other in a height direction.These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.Brief Description of the DrawingsFIG. 1 shows a configuration of an apparatus for manufacturing an absorbent sheet according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a feed cylinder and other essential elements; FIG. 3 is a front view of the supply cylinder; FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the feed cylinder and other essential elements; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the feed cylinder and other essential elements; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the feed cylinder and other essential elements; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a first film feed roller; FIG. 8 is a plan view of an absorbent sheet; FIG. 9 is a bottom view of a feed cylinder and other essential elements of an apparatus for producing an absorbent sheet according to a second embodiment; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the feed cylinder and other essential elements; FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the feed cylinder and other essential elements; FIG. 12 shows a configuration of an apparatus for manufacturing an absorbent sheet according to a third embodiment; FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the feed cylinder and other essential elements; FIG. 14 is a front view of the supply cylinder; and Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the feed cylinder and other essential elements.DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTSFig. 1 shows a configuration of an absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention; the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles and produces absorbent sheets by sandwiching particles of an absorbent material between sheet members made of a non-woven fabric or the like. The absorbent films are film members for absorbent articles for use in absorbent articles such as disposable diapers or light incontinence absorbent pads.As absorbent material particles, the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 uses, for example, particles of crosslinked materials of partially neutralized polyacrylic acids, hydrolysates of starch-acrylic acid graft polymers, saponified materials of vinyl acetate-acrylate copolymers, hydrolysates of acrylonitrile copolymers or acrylamide copolymers, or crosslinked materials of these hydrolysates, crosslinked materials of cationic monomers, or crosslinked products of polyamino acid.The absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a supply cylinder 21 that is a substantially cylindrical member centered on a rotation axis R 1 (hereinafter referred to as a "cylinder rotation axis") that faces in a horizontal direction, a first sheet conveyance roller 31 having a substantially columnar shape centered on a first center axis J 1 that faces in a direction (hereinafter referred to as an "axial direction") parallel to the cylinder rotation axis R 1, a second sheet conveyance roller 41 having a substantially columnar shape centered on a second center axis J 2 that faces in the axial direction, and a laminating roller 51 having a substantially columnar shape centered on a third center axis J 3 that faces in the axial direction. For easy understanding of the drawing, the cross sections of the feed cylinder 21 and each roller in Fig. 1 are not hatched diagonally (the same applies to the other drawings).The feed cylinder 21, the first film feed roller 31 and the laminating roller 51 have almost the same diameter. The diameter of the second film conveying roller 41 is smaller than that of the supply cylinder 21, the first film conveying roller 31 and the laminating roller 51. the supply cylinder 21 has a cylinder surface 211 which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on the cylinder rotation axis R1. The first film conveying roller 31 has a first roller shell surface 311, which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on the first center axis J 1. The second film conveying roller 41 has a second roller shell surface 411 which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on the second central axis J 2. The laminating roller 51 has a laminating roller shell surface 511 which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on the third center axis J 3.The first film feed roller 31 is disposed below the feed cylinder 21, and the lowermost part of the feed cylinder 21 and the uppermost part of the first film feed roller 31 are disposed in close proximity to each other. The first center axis J1 of the first film conveying roller 31 is arranged to the right of the cylinder rotation axis R1 of the feed cylinder 21 in FIG. 1. The second film conveying roller 41 is disposed to the right of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21 and the uppermost part of the first film conveying roller 31 in FIG. 1, and in the vicinity of the supply cylinder 21 and the first film conveying roller 31. More specifically, the second center axis J 2 and the second film conveying roller 41 are arranged as a whole to the right of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21 and the uppermost part of the first film conveying roller 31 in FIG. 1, and between the cylinder surface 211 and the first roller surface 311 that are opposed to each other in the height direction. The laminating roller 51 is arranged adjacent to the right side of the first film conveying roller 31 in FIG. 1.The absorbent film manufacturing apparatus 1 further includes a plurality of auxiliary rollers 32 and 42 each having a generally columnar shape centered on a central axis facing in the axial direction, and first and second application members 61 and 62 for applying an adhesive (a hot melt adhesive in the present embodiment). The plurality of auxiliary rollers 32 and the first applying member 61 are arranged to the left of the supply cylinder 21 and the first film conveying roller 31 in FIG. 1. The plurality of auxiliary rollers 42 and the second applying member 62 are arranged to the right of the laminating roller 51 in FIG. 1.The supply cylinder 21 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 1, which is a predetermined rotational direction, about the cylinder rotational axis R 1. The supply cylinder 21 applies, near the lowermost part, particles of an absorbent material (for example, particles of a superabsorbent resin such as a superabsorbent polymer (SAP), hereinafter referred to simply as "particles") to a first sheet member 91 which is a continuous sheet of a non-woven fabric or the like. The first film conveying roller 31 rotates around the first center axis J 1 in the direction opposite to the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 (i.e., rotates clockwise in FIG. 1 ) to convey the first film member 91 along the first roller surface 311 to the vicinity of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21.The second film feed roller 41 rotates about the second central axis J 2 in the same direction as the rotational direction of the feed cylinder 21 (i.e., rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 1 ) in synchronization with the rotation of the first film feed roller 31. the second film feed roller 41 feeds a second film member 92 that is a continuous film of a non-woven fabric or the like along the second roller shell surface 411 to the vicinity of the lowermost part of the feed cylinder 21. As described above, the second film feed roller 41 is disposed to the right of the lowermost part of the feed cylinder 21 in FIG. 1, i.e., to the front of the lowermost part of the feed cylinder 21 in the rotational direction of the feed cylinder 21. The second sheet member 92 fed from the second sheet feed roller 41 to the vicinity of the lowermost portion of the feed cylinder 21 (i.e., to the vicinity of the uppermost portion of the first sheet feed roller 31) is laminated on the first sheet member 91 having passed the uppermost portion of the first sheet feed roller 31.The laminating roller 51 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 1 in synchronization with the rotation of the first film conveying roller 31 about the third center axis J 3. Like the laminating roller 51, each auxiliary roller 42 also rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 1. Each auxiliary roller 32 rotates clockwise in FIG. 1, analogous to the first film conveying roller 31. The first applying member 61 is disposed above the plurality of auxiliary rollers 32 and applies an adhesive to the first sheet member 91. The second applying member 62 is disposed above the plurality of auxiliary rollers 42 and applies an adhesive to the second sheet member 92.The second sheet member 92 that has passed through the second sheet conveying roller 41 is laminated on the first sheet member 91. The first film element 91 and the second film element 92 are then enclosed between the first film conveying roller 31 and the laminating roller 51 and are thereby laminated together. The first film conveying roller 31 and the laminating roller 51 form a film laminating component for laminating the first film member 91 with the second film member 92.Above the supply cylinder 21, there is a particle filling member 23, and the particle filling member 23 includes a particle container 231 disposed above the supply cylinder 21 and provided for containing high-absorbency resin particles, and a level sensor 233 provided in the particle container 231. When the level sensor 233 has detected that the amount of the particles in the particle container 231 is less than or equal to a certain amount, the particle container 231 is filled with particles. The particle container 231 extends approximately parallel to the gravity direction, and a particle filling port 232 facing the cylinder surface 211 of the supply cylinder 21 is formed at the lower end of the particle container 231. The particle filling port 232 faces a portion of the supply cylinder 21 including the top thereof.Around the supply cylinder 21, a first lid member 221 and a second lid member 222 are provided. The first lid member 221 extends from the particle filling port 232 to the lower part of the supply cylinder 21 in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 (i.e., counterclockwise in FIG. 1 ) The first lid member 221 is a half lid member for covering a part of the cylinder surface 211 on the left side of the supply cylinder 21, The second lid member 222 extends from the particle filling port 232 to the lower part of the supply cylinder 21 in the opposite direction to the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 (i.e., clockwise in FIG. 1 ) The second lid member 222 is another half lid member for covering another part of the cylinder surface 211 on the right side of the supply cylinder 21.A portion of the cylinder surface 211 of the supply cylinder 21 between the lower end of the first lid member 221 and the lower end of the second lid member 222, that is, a portion of the cylinder surface 211 exposed at the lower part of the supply cylinder 21 from the first lid member 221 and the second lid member 222, is a particle supply portion 210 in which particles are supplied as described later. The first lid member 221 extends clockwise from the particle supply portion 210 and the second lid member 222 extends counterclockwise from the particle supply portion 210.FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a configuration of the supply cylinder 21 and the vicinity of the supply cylinder 21. FIG. 2 shows a cross section perpendicular to the cylinder rotation axis R 1, and also shows a region located rearward of the cross section (the same applies to FIGS. 5, 6, 10, 13, and 15 ). FIG. 3 shows the cylinder surface 211 of the feed cylinder 21 when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder rotation axis R 1. In FIG. 2, the particles are shown finely diagonally shaded. The first lid member 221 and the second lid member 222 are not illustrated in FIG. 3.As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cylinder outer surface 211 of the supply cylinder 21 has a plurality of supply holes (hereinafter, the supply holes are referred to as "supply recesses 212") arranged in spatial proximity to each other and circumferentially around the cylinder rotation axis R 1 at a plurality of positions in the axial direction. When a group of feeding recesses arranged at the same position around the circumference in the axial direction as shown in FIG. 3 is referred to as a "row 213 of feeding recesses", the above-described plurality of feeding recesses 212 include a plurality of rows 213 of feeding recesses (i.e., feeding hole rows). The plurality of feeding recesses 212 includes, for example, three rows 213 of feeding recesses. Each supply recess 212 has a substantially rectangular shape, for example, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder rotation axis R 1. The bottom surface of each feeding groove 212 is, as shown in FIG. 2, in a cross section perpendicular to the cylinder rotation axis R 1, for example, in an approximately arc-like shape. The feeding grooves 212 may have various shapes, and for example, each feeding groove 212 may have a substantially rectangular shape in a cross section perpendicular to the cylinder rotation axis R 1. The number of rows 213 of feeding recesses formed in the cylinder surface 211 may be one, two, four, or more.As shown in FIG. 2, the portions of the supply cylinder 21 covered by the first lid member 221 and the second lid member 222 except for the supply recesses 212 of the cylinder shell surface 211 are extremely close to or substantially in contact with the inner surface of the first lid member 221 and the inner surface of the second lid member 222.FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the lower parts of the supply cylinder 21, the first lid member 221, and the second lid member 222, i.e., the particle supply portion 210 and the portion near the particle supply portion 210. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion in the vicinity of the particle supply portion 210. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lower end of the second lid member 222 has a front wall part 223 protruding in a direction away from the cylinder outer surface 211 (i.e., outward in the radial direction of the supply cylinder 21). The front wall part 223 is a plate-like member that extends in the axial direction and is provided in the axial direction analogously to the first lid member 221 and the second lid member 222 over the entire width of the region where the plurality of rows 213 of feeding recesses are arranged. The front wall part 223, the first lid member 221, and the second lid member 222 protrude outward from the region where the plurality of rows 213 of feeding recesses are arranged on both sides of the region in the axial direction.The front wall part 223 in FIG. 5 has a substantially planar particle collision surface 224 on the left side (i.e., the rear side in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21) which extends parallel to the axial direction. The particle collision surface 224 extends downward from the cylinder outer surface 211 between the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21 and the second film conveying roller 41. The upper end edge of the particle collision surface 224 faces the cylinder surface 211 while maintaining a small clearance. The lower end edge of the particle collision surface 224 is disposed below or at the same position as the second center axis J 2 of the second sheet conveying roller 41 in the height direction. In FIG. 5, the lower end edge of the particle collision surface 224 is disposed below the second center axis J 2 of the second film conveying roller 41 in the height direction. A lower end surface 225 of the front wall part 223 extends from the lower end edge of the particle collision surface 224 approximately horizontally to the right in FIG. 5.The particle collision surface 224 is inclined rightward in FIG. 5 with respect to a vertical plane including the upper end edge of the particle collision surface 224. In other words, the particle collision surface 224 is an inclined surface inclined forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 with respect to a vertically downward direction. An angle α formed by the above vertical plane and the particle collision surface 224 is preferably greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 90 degrees. In FIG. 5, the angle α is about 65 degrees. The particle collision surface 224 is also inclined rightward (i.e., forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21) in FIG. 5 with respect to a plane including the cylinder rotational axis R 1 of the supply cylinder 21 and the upper end edge of the particle collision surface 224 (see FIG. 2 ).As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pair of side wall members 226 are provided below the supply cylinder 21. The pair of side wall parts 226 are arranged on both sides in the axial direction of the plurality of feeding recesses 212 (i.e., a group of feeding holes) exposed from the first lid member 221 and the second lid member 222 in the particle feeding region 210. In other words, the pair of side wall parts 226 are arranged on both sides in the axial direction of the plurality of supply recesses 212 of the cylinder surface 211 exposed between the lower end of the first lid member 221 and the particle collision surface 224.Each side wall part 226 of the pair is a plate-like member that is approximately perpendicular to the cylinder rotation axis R 1 and extends downward from the cylinder peripheral surface 211. Each side wall part 226 of the pair is continuous from the lower end of the first lid member 221 to the particle collision surface 224 in the vicinity of the cylinder surface 211. The pair of side wall parts 226 connect the lower end of the first lid member 221 and the front wall part 223 located at the lower end of the second lid member 222. Thus, the first lid member 221, the front wall part 223 having the particle collision surface 224, the second lid member 222, and the pair of side wall parts 226 are contained in one-piece member surrounding the supply cylinder 21.A lower end surface 227 of each of the pair of side wall members 226 includes a horizontal portion 227a and an inclined portion 227b. The horizontal portion 227a extends from below the vicinity of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21 approximately horizontally forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21, and connects to the lower end face 225 of the front wall part 223. The inclined portion 227 bis continuous with the horizontal portion 227 abelow the vicinity of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21, and extends downward as it extends rearward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21. In other words, the inclined portion 227 bextends downward as it extends from the particle collision surface 224 to the first lid member 221.In the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, the supply cylinder 21 rotates at high speed about the cylinder rotation axis R 1, and the plurality of supply recesses 212 (see FIG. 2 ) passing under the particle container 231 of the particle filling member 23 are filled with particles one by one by gravity through the particle filling opening 232.In the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1, the outer sides of the particle-filled feeding recesses 212 are covered by the first lid member 221 (i.e., the feeding recesses 212 are covered from the side of the cylinder surface 211) until the feeding recesses 212 reach the particle supply portion 210 at the lower part of the feeding cylinder 21. Subsequently, when each feeding groove 212 passes over the edge of the first lid member 221 at the lower part of the feeding cylinder 21, that is, beyond the front edge of the first lid member 221 in the rotational direction of the feeding cylinder 21, and passes through the particle feeding portion 210, particles in the feeding groove 212 are emitted to the outside of the feeding cylinder 21. The particles from the feeding recesses 212 are emitted forward in the rotational direction of the feeding cylinder 21 approximately along a direction tangential to the cylindrical surface 211 at positions away from the feeding cylinder 21.Fig. 6 shows how particles are emitted from the supply cylinder 21. In FIG. 6, the moving paths of some of the particles emitted from the supply cylinder 21 are indicated by two-dot chain lines and arrows (the same applies to FIG. 15 ). The emission of particles from the supply cylinder 21 starts at the time when the supply recesses 212 have passed beyond the front edge of the first lid member 221. In the following description, the position of this leading edge is referred to as "emission start position A 1.". The emission start position A 1 is located rearward (upstream) of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21 in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 and near the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21, As described above, the supply cylinder 21 rotates at high speed and emits particles from each of the plurality of supply recesses 212 approximately along a tangent of the cylinder surface 211. As shown in FIG. 6, particles emitted at about the emission start position A 1 are directly guided to the first sheet member 91 on the first sheet conveying roller 31.FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the first film conveying roller 31. FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken along a plane including the first central axis J 1 of the first film conveying roller 31. The first roller shell surface 311 has annular grooves 312 formed at a plurality of positions in the axial direction extending circumferentially about the first central axis J 1. The number of annular grooves 312 is equal to the number of rows 213 of feeding recesses (three in the present embodiment) of the feeding cylinder 21 illustrated in FIG. 3.The first film conveying roller 31 is configured such that the first roller surface 311 has a relatively large diameter and the first film member 91 is pulled under a constant tension along the first roller surface 311. Thus, portions 911 of the first sheet member 91 corresponding to the annular grooves 312 have a recessed shape toward the bottom of the annular grooves 312. In other words, the first sheet member 91 has groove portions 911 corresponding to the annular grooves 312. As described above, since the annular grooves 312 of the first sheet conveying roller 31 are disposed at the same positions in the axial direction as the positions of the plurality of rows 213 of feeding recesses, particles emitted from each feeding recess 212 toward the first sheet member 91 as shown in FIG. 6 are directed toward the groove portions 911 and accommodated in the groove portions 911. At this time, even when particles jump back and forth inside the groove portions 911, the side walls of the groove portions 911 suppress scattering of the particles to the outside of the groove portions 911.Particles that, after passing the emission start position A 1, pass with a slight delay from the supply recesses 212 between the first sheet member 91 on the first sheet conveying roller 31 and the lower end of the particle collision surface 224 directly collide with the second sheet member 92 on the second sheet conveying roller 41. Particles emitted from the supply recesses 212 with a further delay directly collide with the particle collision surface 224 of the front wall part 223, bounce back from the particle collision surface 224, and are guided to the groove portions 911 of the first sheet member 91 conveyed below the particle collision surface 224.In the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1, the first sheet member 91 is guided to the first sheet conveying roller 31 on the plurality of auxiliary rollers 32 shown in FIG. 1. At this time, the first application member 61 applies an adhesive to a plurality of stripe portions (or linear portions) of the first sheet member 91 to be laminated on the plurality of annular grooves 312 (see FIG. 7 ). These plurality of stripe portions (hereinafter referred to as "adhesive application portions") are located at the same positions in the axial direction as the positions of the plurality of rows 213 of feeding recesses (see FIG. 3 ) of the feeding cylinder 21 and the plurality of annular grooves 312. Thus, the first sheet member 91 has the above-mentioned adhesive application regions located at the groove portions 911 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. As a result, particles guided to the groove portions 911 of the first sheet member 91 can be easily caught in the groove portions 911.As described above, in the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1, particles are emitted from the plurality of supply recesses 212 by the rotation of the supply cylinder 21, and are guided to the first sheet member 91 either directly or indirectly via the second sheet member 92 or the particle collision surface 224. Each supply recess 212 that has guided particles to the first sheet member 91 passes through the particle supply region 210 illustrated in FIG. 1, and moves toward the particle filling opening 232 of the particle filling member 23 with its outer side covered by the second lid member 222 toward the upper part of the supply cylinder 21.On the other hand, the second sheet member 92 on the plurality of auxiliary rollers 42 is guided to the second sheet conveying roller 41. At this time, the second applying member 62 applies adhesive in a strip shape to the positions of the second sheet member 92 that are located at the same positions in the axial direction as the plurality of groove portions 911 of the first sheet member 91. After passing the second sheet conveying roller 41, the sheet member 92 is laminated on the first sheet member 91 in which particles have been guided to each groove portion 911.The first film element 91 and the second film element 92 are enclosed between the first roller shell surface 311 of the first film conveying roller 31 and the laminating roller shell surface 511 of the laminating roller 51. Both (or only one) of the first film conveying roller 31 and the laminating roller 51 are provided with a heater, and portions of the first film member 91 and the second film member 92 that are in contact with the raised portions of the first roller shell surface 311 of the first film conveying roller 31 on both sides of the annular grooves 312 (see FIG. 6 ) are heat-sealed. Accordingly, the first film element 91 and the second film element 92 are laminated together.As a result, an absorbent sheet 95 as shown in Fig. 8 is obtained in which a plurality of stripe-shaped (or linear) particle existence regions 951 where high-absorbency resin particles are dispersed and in which a plurality of stripe-shaped (or linear) particle-free regions 952 where the first sheet member 91 and the second sheet member 92 are laminated with each other and substantially no particles are present are alternately arranged in the widthwise direction. In other words, the absorbent sheet 95 has a plurality of stripe-formed particle existence regions 951. In FIG. 8, the particle existence areas 951 are hatched diagonally.As described above, the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 includes the particle collision surface 224 extending from the cylinder outer surface 211 between the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21 and the second sheet conveying roller 41. Some of the particles emitted forward from the supply recesses 212 in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 and having passed through the first lid member 221 collide with the particle collision surface 224, and the colliding particles are guided to the first sheet member 91 by the particle collision surface 224.Thereby, among the particles emitted from the supply cylinder 21, the number of particles directly colliding with the second sheet member 92 on the second sheet conveying roller 41 is reduced. In other words, direct collision of particles emitted from the supply cylinder 21 with the second sheet member 92 on the second sheet conveying roller 41 can be suppressed. In this way, it is possible to suppress scattering of particles that collide with the second sheet member 92 around the first sheet member 91 and the second sheet member 92. This results in an effective feeding of particles from the feeding cylinder 21 to the first foil element 91.As described above, in the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1, the lower end of the particle collision surface 224 is disposed below or at the same position as the second central axis J 2 of the second sheet conveyance roller 41 in the height direction. In this way, particles emitted from the feeding recesses 212 that have passed through the first lid member 221 toward the space between the lower end of the particle colliding surface 224 and the first sheet member 91 on the first sheet conveying roller 31 directly collide with the second sheet member 92 on the second sheet conveying roller 41 at positions below the second central axis J 2 of the second sheet conveying roller 41. Thereby, scattering of particles collided with the second sheet member 92 in the environment is further suppressed.The particle collision surface 224 is, as described above, an inclined surface inclined forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 with respect to a vertically downward direction. This reduces the impact when the particles collide with the particle collision surface 224. Consequently, particles colliding with the particle collision surface 224 can be guided to the first sheet member 91, and at the same time, scattering of the particles in the surroundings is suppressed. The particle collision surface 224 is also inclined forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 with respect to a plane including the cylinder rotational axis R 1 of the supply cylinder 21 and the upper end edge of the particle collision surface 224. Thereby, scattering of particles colliding with the particle collision surface 224 in the surroundings is further suppressed.In the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1, the side wall parts 226 of the pair are arranged on both sides in the axial direction of the group of the feeding recesses 212 of the cylinder surface 211 exposed between the lower end of the first lid member 221 and the particle collision surface 224. Each side wall part 226 is continuously provided in the vicinity of the cylinder surface 211 and from the lower end of the first lid member 221 to the particle collision surface 224 and extends downward from the cylinder surface 211. This reduces the possibility that particles emitted laterally from the feeding recesses 212 in the particle feeding region 210 or particles colliding with the first roller shell surface 311 of the first film conveying roller 31 (particularly, with raised portions on both sides of the annular grooves 312) and then having rebounded laterally move to the outside of the side wall parts 226. In other words, particles can be guided onto the first film element 91, wherein at the same time a wide lateral scattering of the particles is suppressed.Incidentally, when the supply cylinder 21 rotates at a relatively low speed, particles are emitted in the supply recesses 212 in the vicinity of the emission start position A 1 in a direction away from the cylinder surface 211 instead of in a direction tangential to the cylinder surface 211. The particles then collide with the first sheet member 91 at positions relatively far from the uppermost portion of the first sheet conveying roller 31 and located rearward in the radial direction. In the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 as described above, the lower end of each side wall part 226 of the pair includes the inclined portion 227b which is inclined downward as it extends from the particle collision surface 224 toward the first lid member 221, and the side wall parts 226 are located radially behind the uppermost portion of the first sheet conveying roller 31 in close proximity to the first roller shell surface 311. Thus, side scattering of particles can be suppressed even when the supply cylinder 21 rotates at a relatively low speed.As described above, the first lid member 221, the particle collision surface 224, and the pair of side wall parts 226 are included in one-piece member. Thereby, in manufacturing the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1, it is not necessary to mount a plurality of members respectively corresponding to the first lid member 221, the particle collision surface 224, and the pair of side wall parts 226, and accordingly, manufacturing of the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 is facilitated.FIG. 9 is a bottom view of a particle supply portion 210 and portions in the vicinity of the particle supply portion in an absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 aaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1a, partition wall portions 228 are provided below the supply cylinder 21. The other essential elements are substantially the same as those of the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 1, and essential elements corresponding to those in Fig. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.As illustrated in FIG. 9, two partition wall parts 228 are provided between the pair of side wall parts 226 in the axial direction. Each partition wall part 228 is a plate-like member that is approximately perpendicular to the cylinder rotation axis R 1 and extends downward from the cylinder peripheral surface 211. Each partition wall part 228 faces a region of the cylinder surface 211 between a plurality of rows 213 of feeding recesses in the particle feeding region 210. Each partition wall part 228 is provided in the vicinity of the cylinder surface 211 and continuous from the lower end of the first lid member 221 to the particle collision surface 224. Each partition wall part 228 is included in the above-mentioned one-piece member including the first lid member 221, the front wall part 223 having the particle collision surface 224, the second lid member 222, and the pair of side wall parts 226.FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion in the vicinity of the particle supply portion 210. FIG. 10 shows a cross section along one of the partition wall portions 228. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a lower end surface 229 of each partition wall part 228 includes a horizontal portion 229 aand an inclined portion 229 b. The horizontal portion 229a extends from below the vicinity of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21 approximately horizontally forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21, and connects to the lower end surface 225 of the front wall part 223. The inclined portion 229 bis continuous with the horizontal portion 229 asubstantial to the vicinity of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21, and extends downward as it extends rearward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21. In other words, the inclined portion 229 bextends downward as it extends from the particle collision surface 224 to the first lid member 221.The absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1a provided with the partition wall parts 228 can suppress side scattering of particles contained from the feeding recesses 212 in each of the rows 213 of feeding recesses. More specifically, the apparatus reduces the possibility that particles emitted from each row 213 of feed wells will be guided under other rows 213 of feed wells or under the area between two rows 213 of feed wells adjacent on the first sheet member 91. Accordingly, the absorbent sheet 95 as shown in Fig. 8 in which the plurality of particle existence regions 951 are formed in separate stripes can be easily produced.Further, in the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 a, the lower end of each partition wall part 228 includes the inclined portion 229 bwhich is inclined downward as it extends from the particle collision surface 224 toward the first lid member 221, and the partition wall parts 228 are located radially rearward of the uppermost portion of the first sheet conveying roller 31 in close proximity to the first roller shell surface 311. Thus, side scattering of particles emitted from each row 213 of feeding recesses can be suppressed even when the feeding cylinder 21 rotates at a relatively low speed.Fig. 11 shows another preferred example of the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1a. FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the particle supply portion 210 and a portion in the vicinity of the particle supply portion. In the example illustrated in FIG. 11, each side wall part 226 has a larger thickness in the axial direction than in the example illustrated in FIG. 9, and the both axial ends (i.e., ends on the opposite side to the supply recessed recesses 212) of the pair of side wall parts 226 are approximately overlapped with the both axial ends of the first lid member 221 and the particle collision surface 224. Both circumferential ends of each side wall part 226 are connected to the first lid member 221 and the particle collision surface 224 over the entire axial width. Thereby, the strength of the one-piece member including the first lid member 221, the particle collision surface 224, and the pair of side wall parts 226 is improved. In terms of improving the strength of the one-piece member, portions of the pair of side wall parts 226 and the plurality of partition wall parts 228 that overlap with the first lid member 221 in the height direction may be joined to each other in the axial direction.Fig. 12 shows a configuration of an apparatus 1b for producing an absorbent sheet according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1b comprises, in place of the supply cylinder 21, a supply cylinder 21a having a different structure from that of the supply cylinder 21 shown in Fig. 1. The other essential elements are substantially the same as those of the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 1, and essential elements corresponding to those in Fig. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.The supply cylinder 21 aillustrated in FIG. 12 is a substantially cylindrical member centered on the cylinder rotation axis R 1 in the horizontal direction. Like the supply cylinder 21, the supply cylinder 21 arotates counterclockwise in FIG. 12 about the cylinder rotation axis R 1. The supply cylinder 21a is rotated by driving a belt (not shown) wound circumferentially around the supply cylinder 21a.A tubular exhaust member 24 is provided above the supply cylinder 21 a, and an upper opening of the exhaust member 24 is covered by a bag-like filter 241 made of a non-woven fabric or the like. As in the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 1, the first lid member 221 and the second lid member 222 are provided around the supply cylinder 21a. The first lid member 221 extends from the particle supply portion 210 at the lower part of the supply cylinder 21 ain the direction opposite to the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 a(i.e., clockwise in FIG. 12 ) to the exhaust part 24. The second lid member 222 extends from the particulate supply portion 210 to the exhaust part 24 in the same direction as the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 a. The second lid member 222 is another half lid member that covers another part of the cylinder surface 211 on the right side of the supply cylinder 21 a.FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the supply cylinder 21 a. FIG. 14 shows the cylinder surface 211 of the supply cylinder 21 awhen viewed in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder rotation axis R 1. The first lid member 221 and the second lid member 222 are not illustrated in FIG. 14.As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the supply cylinder 21 aincludes a plurality of supply holes (hereinafter, the supply holes are referred to as "through holes 212 a") that penetrate a side wall 214. The plurality of through holes 212 aare arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and at a plurality of positions in the axial direction about the cylinder rotation axis R 1. When a plurality of through holes 212 aarranged at the same position in the axial direction in the circumferential direction are referred to as a "through hole row 213 a", the supply cylinder 21 aincludes, as illustrated in FIG. 14, three through hole rows 213 a(i.e., supply hole rows). In the present embodiment, each through hole 212 ais substantially rectangular in shape, but the through holes 212 amay have different (e.g., approximately circular) shapes. The supply cylinder 21 amay include one, two, four, or more through hole rows 213 a. Each through hole row 213 aneed not necessarily have a plurality of through holes 212 aarranged at equal intervals.As shown in FIG. 13, in the inside of the supply cylinder 21 a, a partition member 25 covering a part of an inner surface 215 of the side wall 214 of the supply cylinder 21 ais provided. The partition member 25 is provided on the right side of the internal space in FIG. 13, and covers an area on the right side of the inner surface 215 from the vicinity of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21 ato the vicinity of the uppermost part thereof. The circumferential surface of the partition member 25 (i.e., the surface facing the inner surface 215 of the supply cylinder 21 a) faces the lower end portion of the first lid member 221, the entire particle supply region 210, and the entire second lid member 222. The upper part of the inner surface of the partition member 25 is approximately parallel to the direction of gravity, and the lower portion of the inner surface is inclined leftward downward in FIG. 13. In other words, the lower portion of the inner surface of the partition member 25 extends downward in the direction of gravity and linearly approaches the lower portion of the first lid member 221, and it is noted that the lower portion of the inner surface of the partition member 25 may be a curved surface raised downward or upward.A portion of the inner space of the supply cylinder 21a where the partition member 25 is not provided is a particle accommodating space 217 for accommodating high-absorbency resin particles. In FIG. 13, the particles are shown finely diagonally shaded. As described above, since the lower portion of the inner surface of the separating part 25 extends downward and approaches the lower part of the first lid member 221, particles in the particle accommodating space 217 move along the inner surface of the separating part 25 toward the inner surface 215 of the supply cylinder 21 a. The partition member 25 extends almost over the entire axial width of the inner surface 215 of the supply cylinder 21 a, and the particle accommodating space 217 and the through holes 212 aare separated from each other in a region where the inner surface 215 is covered by the partition member 25. Accordingly, the particle accommodating space 217 and the through hole 212 aare also separated from each other at the lower part of the supply cylinder 21 awhere the particle supply portion 210 is present.As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1b comprises a particle filling member 23a on the right side of the supply cylinder 21a in Fig. 14. The particle filling member 23 ais a screw feeder in which a screw conveyer is disposed and which replenishes particles into the particle accommodation space 217 of the supply cylinder 21 afrom one end (the right-side end in FIG. 14 ) in the axial direction of the cylinder 21 a. The particle accommodation space 217 includes a light, ultrasonic, or touch sensitive level sensor 233 a, and the particle accommodation space 217 is replenished with particles when the amount of particles in the particle accommodation space 217 is less than or equal to a certain amount. When the particulate storage space 217 shown in FIG. 13 is replenished with particulates, air in the particulate storage space 217 is discharged primarily through the exhaust member 24. Note that, even if particulates jump out from the supply cylinder 21a into the exhaust part 24, the filter 241 prevents the particulates from jumping out of the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1b.In the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 b, the supply cylinder 21 arotates at high speed about the cylinder rotation axis R 1, and among the plurality of through holes 212 aof the supply cylinder 21 a, through holes 212 afacing the particles in the particle accommodation space 217 are filled with the particles in the particle accommodation space 217. The outer sides of the through holes 212 aare covered by the first lid member 221 (i.e., the through holes 212 aare covered from the side of the cylinder surface 211) until the particle-filled through holes 212 aachtain the particle supply portion 210 at the lower part of the supply cylinder 21 a. Particles in each through hole 212 amoves to a position where the through hole 212 faces the separation part 25, and thereby are separated from the particles in the particle accommodation space 217.Subsequently, when each through hole 212a passes over the edge of the first lid member 221 near the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21a, i.e., beyond the front edge of the first lid member 221 in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21a and passes through the particle supply portion 210, particles filled in the through hole 212a are emitted outside the supply cylinder 21a. More specifically, the emission of particles from the supply cylinder 21 abegins at the time when the through holes 212 arun beyond the above-mentioned edge of the first lid member 221 (i.e., the emission start position A 1). As described above, the supply cylinder 21 arotates at high speed, and particles are emitted forward from each of the plurality of through holes 212 aapproximately along a tangent of the cylinder surface 211 in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 a.Fig. 15 shows how particles are emitted from the supply cylinder 21a. As shown in FIG. 15, particles emitted approximately at the emission start position A 1 are directly guided to the groove portions 911 of the first sheet member 91 on the first sheet conveying roller 31. Particles that, after passing the emission start position A 1, pass from the through holes 212 abetween the first sheet member 91 on the first sheet conveying roller 31 and the lower end of the particle collision surface 224 with a slight delay directly collide with the second sheet member 92 on the second sheet conveying roller 41. Particles emitted from the through holes 212a with a further delay directly collide with the particle collision surface 224 extending downward from the cylinder shell surface 211 between the lowermost part of the supply cylinder 21a and the second sheet conveying roller 41 bounce back from the particle collision surface 224 and are guided to the groove portions 911 of the first sheet member 91 conveyed below the particle collision surface 224.As described above, in the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 b, as in the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, some of the particles emitted forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 afrom the through holes 212 apassed by the first lid member 221 illustrated in FIG. 15 collide with the particle collision surface 224, and the colliding particles are guided to the first sheet member 91 by the particle collision surface 224. In this way, the possibility that particles emitted from the supply cylinder 21 adirectly collide with the second sheet member 92 on the second sheet conveying roller 41 and are scattered around the first sheet member 91 and the second sheet member 92 can be reduced. This results in effective feeding of particles from the feed cylinder 21 ato the first sheet member 91.In the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 b, the lower end of the particle collision surface 224 is disposed below or at the same position as the second central axis J 2 of the second sheet conveyance roller 41 in the height direction. In this way, particles emitted from the through holes 212 a, which have passed through the first lid member 221 toward the space between the lower end of the particle collision surface 224 and the first sheet member 91 on the first sheet conveying roller 31, directly collide with the second sheet member 92 on the second sheet conveying roller 41 at positions below the second central axis J 2 of the second sheet conveying roller 41. Thereby, scattering of particles collided with the second sheet member 92 in the environment is further suppressed.The particle collision surface 224 is an inclined surface inclined forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 with respect to a vertically downward direction. Thereby, when the particles collide with the particle collision surface 224, the impact is reduced. Consequently, particles colliding with the particle collision surface 224 can be guided to the first sheet member 91, and at the same time, scattering of the particles in the surroundings is suppressed. The particle collision surface 224 is also inclined forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 with respect to a plane including the cylinder rotational axis R 1 of the supply cylinder 21 and the upper end edge of the particle collision surface 224. Thereby, scattering of particles colliding with the particle collision surface 224 in the surroundings is further suppressed.Like the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 bincludes a pair of side wall parts 226 on both axial sides of the group of through holes 212 a(i.e., the group of feed holes) of the cylinder shell surface 211 exposed between the lower end of the first lid member 221 and the particle collision surface 224. Each side wall part 226 is continuously provided in the vicinity of the cylinder surface 211 and from the lower end of the first lid member 221 to the particle collision surface 224 and extends downward from the cylinder surface 211. In this way, particles can be guided to the first sheet member 91 while suppressing wide side scattering of particles emitted from the through holes 212 aor which collide and rebounds with the first roller shell surface 311 (more specifically, with raised portions on both sides of the annular grooves 312) of the first sheet conveying roller 31. Further, the lower end of each side wall part 226 of the pair includes the inclined portion 227 bwhich is inclined downward as it extends from the particle collision surface 224 toward the first lid member 221. As a result, it is possible to suppress side scattering of particles even when the supply cylinder 21 arotates at a relatively low speed.The first lid member 221, the particle collision surface 224, and the pair of side wall members 226 are included in one-piece member. Thereby, in manufacturing the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 b, it is not necessary to mount a plurality of members respectively corresponding to the first lid member 221, the particle collision surface 224, and the pair of side wall parts 226, and manufacturing of the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 bis accordingly facilitated.Like the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 aillustrated in FIG. 9, the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 bmay include two partition wall parts 228 (see FIG. 9 ) between the pair of side wall parts 226 in the axial direction, the partition wall parts 228 facing portions of the cylinder surface 211 between the plurality of rows 213 of feeding recesses. This suppresses side scattering of particles emitted from the through holes 212 aincluded in each through hole row 213 a. Accordingly, the absorbent sheet 95 as shown in Fig. 8 in which the plurality of particle existence regions 951 are formed in separate stripes can be easily produced.The lower end of each partition wall part 228 may include the inclined portion 229 b(see FIG. 9 ) inclined downward as it extends from the particle collision surface 224 toward the first lid member 221. In this case, side scattering of particles emitted from each through hole row 213 acan be suppressed even when the supply cylinder 21 arotates at relatively low speed.The above-described absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatuses 1, 1a and 1b can be modified in various ways.For example, in the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, the particle filling opening 232 may not necessarily face the region including the uppermost part of the supply cylinder 21 when the supply recesses 212 are filled with particles at a sufficiently high density, and may be disposed to face a position located before or after the uppermost part of the supply cylinder 21 in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21. The absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1b shown in Fig. 12 may use, as the particle filling member 23a, an air conveyor for conveying a material with compressed air instead of a screw conveyor.The second film conveying roller 41 may have annular grooves extending circumferentially around the second center axis J 2 at each of a plurality of positions in the axial direction of the second roller shell surface 411. The plurality of annular grooves are arranged at the same positions in the axial direction as the positions of the plurality of rows 213 of supply recesses of the supply cylinder 21 or the plurality of through hole rows 213 of the supply cylinder 21 a. The regions of the second film element 92 in which annular grooves are present are not in contact with the second roll shell surface 411 (i.e. arranged at a distance above the second roll shell surface 411). The second sheet member 92 can thus at least partially receive the impact when particles emitted from each supply recess 212 or each through hole 212 atoward the second sheet member 92 collide with the second sheet member 92. Thereby, scattering of particles collided with the second sheet member 92 in the environment is suppressed.The particle collision surface 224 is not necessarily limited to a planar surface, and may be, for example, a curved surface that rises forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 or 21 ain the central part of the axial range where the plurality of rows 213 of supply recesses or the plurality of through hole rows 213 are formed. Alternatively, the particle collision surface 224 may be a wave-shaped curved surface raised forward in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder 21 or 21 ain the area corresponding to each row 213 of supply recesses or each through hole row 213 a.The lower end of the particle collision surface 224 may be disposed above the second center axis J 2 of the second film conveying roller 41. Even in this case, when particles emitted from the supply recesses 212 or the through holes 212 a, which have passed the first lid member 221 to the space between the lower end of the particle collision surface 224 and the first sheet member 91 on the first sheet conveyance roller 31, directly collide with the second sheet member 92 on the second sheet conveyance roller 41 at positions below the second central axis J 2, it is possible to further suppress scattering of the particles that collide with the second sheet member 92 in the environment.The first lid member 221, the front wall member 223 having the particle collision surface 224, and the pair of side wall members 226 need not necessarily be included in one-piece member. The front wall part 223 may be provided independently of the second lid member 222.While the above embodiments describe the production of the absorbent sheet 95 in which the particle existence regions 951 are formed in stripes, an absorbent sheet having dot-shaped particle existence regions can be formed by, for example, enlarging the circumferential pitches of the plurality of feeding recesses 212 of the feeding cylinder 21 or enlarging the circumferential pitches of the plurality of through holes 212a of the feeding cylinder 21a.The configurations of the absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 1, 1a, and 1b can be applied to absorbent article sheet member manufacturing apparatuses for manufacturing deodorizing sheets by applying particles of a deodorizing material to the first sheet member 91 instead of particles of an absorbent material. As particles of deodorizing material, the devices use, for example, particles of activated carbon, silica, alumina, zeolites, an ion exchange resin or a molecular sieve. The deodorizing films are used in absorbent articles such as disposable diapers or light incontinence absorbent pads.The configurations of the above-described preferred embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate as long as they do not mutually contradict each other.Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. Therefore, it is to be understood that numerous modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the invention.List of reference characters1, 1 a, 1 b, an absorbent sheet manufacturing apparatus 21, 21 a, a supply cylinder 23 aparticle filling member 25 separation member 31 first sheet conveyance roller 41 second sheet conveyance roller 51 laminating roller 91 first sheet member 92 second sheet member 211 cylinder shell surface 212 supply recess 212 athrough hole 213 supply recess row 213 athrough hole row 215 inner surface (of the supply cylinder) 217 particle accommodation space 221 first lid member 224 particle collision surface 226 side wall member 227 lower end surface (of the side wall member) 227 b, inclined portion 228 partition wall member 229 lower end surface (of the partition wall member) 229 b, inclined portion 232 particle filling opening 311 first roller shell surface 411 second roller shell surface J 1 first center axis J 2 second center axis R 1 cylinder rotation axis

Claims

An apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles, comprising: a supply cylinder (21, 21a) having a cylinder outer surface (211) which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a rotation axis (R1) facing in a horizontal direction and provided with a plurality of supply holes which are a plurality of supply recesses (212) circumferentially arranged in the cylinder outer surface (211) and which is provided for rotation about the rotation axis (R1) in a predetermined rotation direction; a particle filling part (23) for accommodating particles of an absorbent or deodorizing material above the supply cylinder (21, 21a) and successively filling the plurality of supply holes with particles through a particle filling opening (232) facing the cylinder outer surface (211); a half-lid portion (222) extending from the particle filling port (232) toward a lower portion of the supply cylinder (21, 21a) in the rotational direction to cover a portion of the cylinder surface (211) of the supply cylinder (21, 21a); a first film conveying roller (31) disposed below the supply cylinder (21, 21a) and in close proximity to the lowermost part of the supply cylinder (21, 21a), comprising a first roller shell surface (311) which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a first central axis (J1) directed in an axial direction parallel to the rotational axis (R1), provided for rotation about the first central axis (J1) in a direction opposite to the rotational direction, for conveying a first film element (91) which is a continuous film along the first roller shell surface (311); a second film feed roller (41) disposed forwardly of the lowermost portion of the feed cylinder (21, 21a) in the rotational direction and in close proximity to the feed cylinder (21, 21a) and the first film feed roller (31), comprising a second roller shell surface (411) which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a second central axis (J2) facing in the axial direction, and provided for rotation about the second central axis (J2) in the same direction as the rotational direction to feed a second film member (92) which is a continuous film along the second roller shell surface (411) and to laminate the second film member (92) onto the first film member; a particle colliding surface (224) extending from the cylinder shell surface (211) between the lowermost part of the supply cylinder (21, 21a) and the second film conveying roller (41) and provided for colliding with some of the particles emitted forward from a supply hole having passed through the half lid part (221) in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder (21, 21a) and for guiding the colliding particles onto the first film member (91); and a film bonding member for bonding the first film member (91) and the second film member (92) to each other, wherein the particle colliding surface (224) is an inclined surface inclined forward in the rotational direction with respect to a vertically downward direction.An apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles, comprising: a supply cylinder (21, 21a) which is a substantially cylindrical member centered on a rotation axis (R1) facing in a horizontal direction, having a particle accommodating space (217) in which a part of an inner space is provided for accommodating particles of an absorbent or deodorizing material, having a plurality of supply holes which are a plurality of through holes (212a) arranged in a circumferential direction, and which is provided for rotation about the rotation axis (R1) in a predetermined rotation direction to fill, among the plurality of supply holes, a supply hole facing particles accommodated in the particle accommodating space (217) with particles, a half-lid part (222), extending to cover a part of a cylinder surface (211), which is a cylinder surface of the supply cylinder (21, 21a), from a lower part of the supply cylinder in a direction opposite to the rotational direction; a partition member (25) covering a part of an inner surface of the supply cylinder (21, 21a) to partition the particle accommodating space (217) and a supply hole at the lower part of the supply cylinder (21, 21a); a first film conveying roller (31) disposed below the supply cylinder (21, 21a) and in close proximity to the lowermost part of the supply cylinder (21, 21a), comprising a first roller shell surface (311) which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a first central axis (J1) directed in an axial direction parallel to the rotational axis (R1), provided for rotation about the first central axis (J1) in a direction opposite to the rotational direction, for conveying a first film element (91) which is a continuous film along the first roller shell surface (311); a second film feed roller (41) disposed forwardly of the lowermost portion of the feed cylinder (21, 21a) in the rotational direction and in close proximity to the feed cylinder (21, 21a) and the first film feed roller (31), comprising a second roller shell surface (411) which is a substantially cylindrical surface centered on a second central axis (J2) facing in the axial direction, and provided for rotation about the second central axis (J2) in the same direction as the rotational direction to feed a second film member (92) which is a continuous film along the second roller shell surface (411) and to laminate the second film member (92) onto the first film member (91); a particle colliding surface (224) extending from the cylinder shell surface (211) between the lowermost part of the supply cylinder (21, 21a) and the second film conveying roller (41) and provided for colliding with some of the particles emitted forward from a supply hole having passed through the half lid part (222) in the rotational direction of the supply cylinder (21, 21a) and for guiding the colliding particles onto the first film member (91); and a film bonding member for bonding the first film member (91) and the second film member (92) to each other, wherein the particle colliding surface (224) is an inclined surface inclined forward in the rotational direction with respect to a vertically downward direction.The apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the particles emitted from the supply hole having passed through the half-lid part (221) to a space between a lower end of the particle colliding surface (224) and the first sheet member (91) on the first sheet conveying roller (31) directly collide with the second sheet member (92) on the second sheet conveying roller (41) at a position below the second central axis (J2) of the second sheet conveying roller (41).The apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a lower end of the particle collision surface (224) is disposed below or at the same position as the second central axis (J2) of the second sheet conveying roller (41) in the height direction.The apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a pair of side wall parts (226) disposed on both sides in the axial direction of a group of supply holes in the cylinder surface (211) exposed between a lower end of the half lid part (221) and the particle collision surface, wherein each side wall part (226) of the pair is provided in the vicinity of the cylinder surface (211) and continuous from the lower end of the half lid part (221) to the particle collision surface (224) and extends downward from the cylinder surface (211).The apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles according to claim 5, wherein a lower end of each side wall part (226) of the pair comprises an inclined portion (229b) inclined downward as the inclined portion (229b) extends downward from the particle collision surface (224) toward the half lid part (221).The absorbent article sheet member manufacturing apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the plurality of feed holes comprises a plurality of feed hole rows (213a), each feed hole row (213a) being a group of feed holes arranged in the circumferential direction at the same position in the axial direction, wherein the absorbent article sheet member manufacturing apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) further comprises: a partition part (228) continuously provided between the pair of side wall parts (226) and from the lower end of the half lid part (221) to the particle collision surface, wherein the partition wall part (228) is provided in the immediate vicinity of the cylinder surface (211) facing a portion of the cylinder surface (211) between the plurality of feeding hole rows (213a) and extends downward from the cylinder surface (211).The apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles according to claim 7, wherein a lower end of the partition wall part (228) includes an inclined portion (229a) inclined downward when the inclined portion (229a) extends from the particle collision surface (224) toward the half lid part (221).The apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the half lid part (221, 222), the particle collision surface (224), and the pair of side wall parts (226) are contained in a one-piece member.The apparatus (1, 1a, 1b) for manufacturing a sheet member for absorbent articles according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the second central axis (J2) of the second sheet conveying roller (41) is disposed at a position located forward of the lowermost part of the supply cylinder (21, 21a) in the rotational direction and between the cylinder surface (211) and the first roller surface (311) facing each other in a height direction.

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