Method for manufacturing cotton swab

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method of a cotton swab capable of surely manufacturing the cotton swab suitable as a medical cotton swab as compared with a conventional one.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a cotton swab according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an adhesive sterilization step of sterilizing a predetermined adhesive to generate a sterilized adhesive, an adhesive application step of applying the sterilized adhesive generated in the adhesive sterilization step to an end of a rotating shaft, and an adhesive supply step of supplying a plurality of fibers to the end of the rotating shaft. A fiber supply step of winding a plurality of fibers around the portion of the surface of the end portion to which the sterilized adhesive is applied in the adhesive application step, a molding step of molding the plurality of fibers wound around the end portion of the shaft unit in the fiber supply step into a lump shape, and a drying step of fixing the plurality of fibers molded into the lump shape at the end portion of the shaft unit in the molding step to the end portion of the shaft unit by drying the end portion of the shaft unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2-1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a medical swab. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been medical cotton swabs used in various surgeries and treatments, and some are used through artificial openings in the body to apply medicine or perform mechanical tasks such as tissue ablation, visual field development, and hemostasis. Such conventional medical cotton swabs are manufactured in the same manner as ordinary non-medical cotton swabs, by adhering cotton fibers to a shaft with a specific adhesive (glue), and the manufactured cotton swabs are then sterilized (disinfected) to form medical cotton swabs (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Furthermore, in such conventional medical cotton swabs, the adhesive used to bond the cotton fibers to the shaft is the same as that used in ordinary non-medical cotton swabs. This adhesive is a water-based adhesive whose main adhesive component is polyvinyl alcohol, and preservatives such as sodium benzoate and parabens are added to prevent spoilage during storage before use at the cotton swab manufacturing factory (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-085256 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-129714 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-163203 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because medical cotton swabs are used in various medical procedures through artificial openings in the human body, it is necessary that the swabs themselves contain no preservatives. Therefore, the use of a water-based adhesive that does not contain preservatives as the specified adhesive used in the manufacturing method of such cotton swabs has been considered. However, because water-based adhesives that do not contain preservatives are prone to bacterial growth, there is a risk that bacteria will grow in the areas of the manufactured cotton swabs where the specified adhesive is applied, rendering the swabs unsuitable for medical use. Furthermore, while cotton swabs manufactured using water-based adhesives that do not contain preservatives have been sterilized to make them suitable for medical use, the fiber mass portion, which is formed by bonding multiple cotton fibers in an intertwined manner to the shaft, is densely packed with multiple cotton fibers. This densely packed cotton fibers can result in insufficient sterilization of the adhesive applied to the shaft, potentially rendering the swabs unsuitable for medical use. In other words, there is a need for a manufacturing method of cotton swabs that can reliably produce cotton swabs more suitable for medical use than ever before.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and one of its objects is to provide a method for manufacturing cotton swabs that can reliably manufacture cotton swabs that are more suitable for medical use than conventional methods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve at least some of the above-mentioned problems, and can be realized as the following application examples. Note that the reference symbols and supplementary explanations in this section indicate the correspondence with the embodiments described later to help understand the present invention, and do not limit the present invention in any way.

[0008] A method for manufacturing cotton swabs (cotton swabs 1, 200, 300, 400) as an example of application of the present invention is a method for manufacturing cotton swabs having a fiber mass portion formed by adhering a mass of fibers to at least one end (shaft end portions 15, 215, 315, 415) of a rod-shaped shaft portion (shaft portion 10), and the method comprises the following steps: an adhesive sterilization step of sterilizing an adhesive (predetermined adhesive) to produce a sterilized adhesive; an adhesive application step of applying the sterilized adhesive produced in the adhesive sterilization step to the end portion of the rotating shaft portion; a fiber supplying step of supplying a plurality of fibers to the end portion of the rotating shaft portion, thereby wrapping the plurality of fibers around the portion of the surface of the end portion to which the sterilized adhesive was applied in the adhesive application step; a molding step of molding the plurality of fibers wound around the end portion of the shaft portion in the fiber supplying step into a mass; and a drying step of drying the end portion of the shaft portion, thereby fixing the plurality of fibers molded into a mass at the end portion of the shaft portion in the molding step to the end portion of the shaft portion.

[0009] In the method for manufacturing a cotton swab according to the above-described application example, the forming step includes applying the sterilized adhesive to the plurality of fibers wound around the end of the shaft portion and then forming the fibers into a mass; The drying step may dry the sterilized adhesive applied to the plurality of fibers formed into a mass. Furthermore, in the method for manufacturing a cotton swab of the above-mentioned application example, the adhesive may be an aqueous adhesive containing polyvinyl alcohol as an adhesive component. And, in the method for manufacturing a cotton swab of the above-mentioned application example, the adhesive may be one that does not contain a preservative. And, in the method for manufacturing a cotton swab of the above-mentioned application example, the adhesive sterilization step may produce the sterilized adhesive by a sterilization treatment using an autoclave. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1]FIG. 1A is an overall view showing a schematic configuration of a cotton swab 1 of a first example, which is an example of an embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a fiber lump portion 20 in the cotton swab 1, illustrating the schematic configuration of the fiber lump portion 20. [Figure 2-1] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing the cotton swab 1. [Figure 2-2] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a manufacturing apparatus 100 for the cotton swab 1. FIG. [Figure 3] (A) is a table illustrating the results of a physical property test on the change in physical properties over time in a sterilized adhesive, and (B) is a table illustrating the results of a microbial limit test on the growth of microorganisms over time in both a non-sterilized adhesive and a sterilized adhesive. [Figure 4-1] 10A is an overall view showing the schematic configuration of a cotton swab 200 of a second embodiment, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of a fiber lump portion 220 in the cotton swab 200 for explaining the schematic configuration of the fiber lump portion 220. FIG. [Figure 4-2] 10A is an overall view showing the schematic configuration of a cotton swab 300 of a third embodiment, and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of a fiber lump portion 320 in the cotton swab 300 for explaining the schematic configuration of the fiber lump portion 320. FIG. [Figure 4-3] 10(A) is an overall view showing the schematic configuration of a cotton swab 400 of a fourth embodiment, and FIG. 10(B) is a cross-sectional view of a fiber lump portion 420 in the cotton swab 400 for explaining the schematic configuration of the fiber lump portion 420. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the following embodiments, and various forms may be adopted as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0012] <Description of the Structure of the Swab 1 of the First Embodiment> First, the overall configuration of a cotton swab 1 of Example 1, which is an example of an embodiment to which the present invention is applied, will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1(A) is an overall view showing the schematic configuration of the cotton swab 1, and Figure 1(B) is a cross-sectional view of the fiber lump portion 20 in the cotton swab 1 to explain the schematic configuration of the fiber lump portion 20.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1(A), the cotton swab 1 comprises a cylindrical shaft portion 10 having a substantially circular cross section, and a fiber mass portion 20 formed in a mass of predetermined fibers (cotton fibers in this example) at one end of the shaft portion 10, with an overall length of approximately 308.0 mm. The shaft portion 10 is a paper shaft with a substantially circular cross section having a diameter of approximately 2.4 mm. The fiber mass portion 20 is formed in a mass at one end of the shaft portion 10, with the surface of the end portion of the shaft portion 10 covered with a plurality of predetermined fibers.

[0014] 1(B), fiber agglomerates 20 are formed so as to cover the surface of shaft end 15, which is one end of shaft portion 10, and are formed in a generally spindle shape with a maximum length (maximum diameter in cross section) of approximately 5.0 mm in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of shaft portion 10. In order to adhere the plurality of predetermined fibers that form fiber agglomerates 20 to shaft portion 10, a sterilized adhesive, which is a predetermined adhesive that has been sterilized as described below, is applied to the surface of shaft end 15, thereby adhering fiber agglomerates 20 to shaft end 15 of shaft portion 10.

[0015] Here, the predetermined adhesive in the cotton swab 1 will be described. The predetermined adhesive is an aqueous adhesive whose main adhesive component is polyvinyl alcohol and whose solvent is water. The predetermined adhesive has a viscosity (at 20°C) of 42±10 mPa·sec, a pH of 7.0±1.0, a solids content (%) of 6.0±1.0%, a foreign matter content (pieces / kg) of 0, and an appearance that is adjusted to be transparent to slightly opaque. Furthermore, the predetermined adhesive does not contain common preservatives such as phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, or parabens, or ingredients such as cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), orthophenyl phenol (OPP), benzalkonium chloride (BZC), or chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG).

[0016] <Explanation of manufacturing method of cotton swab 1> Next, a method for manufacturing the cotton swab 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2-1 and 2-2. Figure 2-1 is a flowchart illustrating the method for manufacturing the cotton swab 1. Figure 2-2 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of an apparatus 100 for manufacturing the cotton swab 1.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2-1, the method for manufacturing the cotton swab 1 sequentially involves the following steps: an adhesive sterilization step in which a predetermined adhesive (non-sterilized adhesive) is sterilized to produce a sterilized adhesive; an adhesive application step in which the sterilized adhesive is applied to the shaft end 15 of the shaft portion 10, where the fiber mass portion 20 will be formed; a fiber supply step in which a plurality of predetermined fibers are supplied so that the predetermined fibers are wound around the shaft end 15 of the shaft portion 10; a forming step in which the predetermined fibers, which have been formed into a mass by winding the plurality of predetermined fibers, are rolled on a forming plate to form the mass of predetermined fibers into a predetermined shape (approximately spindle shape); and a drying step in which the sterilized adhesive is dried using heat from a heater or supplied with hot air to harden the sterilized adhesive.

[0018] Here, the adhesive sterilization step in the manufacturing method of the cotton swab 1 of this embodiment will be described. In the adhesive sterilization step, a predetermined adhesive (unsterilized adhesive) sealed in a 2 L polypropylene container is sterilized in an autoclave (not shown) under conditions of 103.4 KPa and 121°C for 20 minutes. This adhesive sterilization step produces a sterilized adhesive from the predetermined adhesive, which is unsterilized.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2-2 , the manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a conveying device 105, an adhesive application device 110, a fiber processing device 120, a fiber supplying device 130, a molding device 140, and a drying device 150. The conveying device 105 sequentially conveys the shafts 10 at predetermined intervals in the direction of travel so that the shafts 10 pass through the adhesive application device 110 and other devices to perform various manufacturing processes. The conveying device 105 also includes a conveyor unit 106 that operates at an arbitrary speed with the shafts 10 placed at predetermined intervals to convey the shafts 10, a fixed belt 107 that is fixed to contact the shafts 10 on the conveyor unit 106 at a position where the shafts 10 are sandwiched between the conveyor unit 106 and the fixed belt 107, and a stopper (not shown) provided on the conveyor unit 106 to restrict movement of the placed shafts 10 in the direction opposite to the direction of travel. Here, the transportation of multiple shafts 10 by the transport device 105 will be specifically described. In the transport device 105, the shafts 10 placed on the conveyor unit 106 are transported in the forward direction while sandwiched between the conveyor unit 106 and the fixed belt 107. Therefore, a stress for rotating the shafts 10 around the axis in the opposite direction to the forward direction acts on the shafts 10, and the shafts 10 are transported in the forward direction while rotating at a speed corresponding to the operating speed of the conveyor unit 106 (they are transported while rotating once every approximately 2 seconds). The shafts 10 on the conveyor unit 106 are configured to be locked by a stopper and to be transported in the forward direction while being rotatable around the axis. The conveyor unit 106 is also configured so that the operating speed can be arbitrarily changed by a control unit (not shown) of the transport device.

[0020] The adhesive applicator 110 is a device that carries out an adhesive application step in which sterilized adhesive is applied to the shaft end 15 of the shaft portion 10 that is being transported by the transport device 105. The adhesive applicator 110 includes a shaft feeder (not shown) that places the shaft portions 10 one by one on the conveyor portion 106 of the transport device 105, and an adhesive applicator 118 for applying sterilized adhesive to the end of the shaft portion 10. By the adhesive application step in the adhesive applicator 110, the sterilized adhesive is applied to the entire surface of the shaft end 15 where the fiber mass portion 20 of the shaft portion 10 is formed.

[0021] The fiber processing device 120 is a device that unwinds a sliver made of a predetermined fiber and processes it into a plurality of predetermined fibers that are supplied by the fiber supply device 130. The fiber processing device 120 includes a reel (not shown) around which a sliver made of the predetermined fiber is wound, and a cutting unit (not shown) that rotates the reel to cut and unwind the sliver into a plurality of predetermined fibers.

[0022] Fiber supplying device 130 supplies predetermined fibers processed by fiber processing device 120 to shaft portion 10 being transported by transporting device 105, and is a device that performs a fiber supplying process in which a plurality of predetermined fibers are attached to shaft end portion 15 of shaft portion 10 to which sterilized adhesive has been applied, and then wound up. Through the fiber supplying process in fiber supplying device 130, a plurality of predetermined fibers are attached in clumps over the entire surface of shaft end portion 15 to which sterilized adhesive has been applied.

[0023] The molding device 140 is used to mold a mass of predetermined fibers attached to the shaft end 15 of the shaft portion 10 being transported by the transport device 105, and is an apparatus for performing a molding process in which the mass of predetermined fibers attached to the shaft end 15 is molded into a predetermined shape (approximately spindle-shaped) using a plurality of molding plates 145. The molding device 140 includes a molding agent applicator 148 for applying a sterilized adhesive as a molding agent to the surface of the mass of predetermined fibers attached to the shaft end 15 of the shaft portion 10, and a plurality of molding plates 145. During the molding process in this molding device 140, the shaft portion 10 is transported while rotating around its axis, so that the molding agent applicator 148 applies the sterilized adhesive to the entire surface of the mass of predetermined fibers on the shaft end 15, and the mass of predetermined fibers with the sterilized adhesive applied to its surface is pressed against the multiple molding plates 145 while rotating around the shaft portion 10, thereby molding it into the predetermined shape.

[0024] Drying device 150 hardens the sterilized adhesive applied to the shaft end 15 of shaft portion 10 and the surface of a mass of predetermined fibers formed into a predetermined shape at shaft end 15, and is a device that performs a drying process to dry and harden the sterilized adhesive by supplying heat from a heater or hot air to shaft end 15 to which the sterilized adhesive has been applied and the surface of the mass of predetermined fibers at shaft end 15 of shaft portion 10 being transported by transporting device 105. Drying device 150 can also blow hot air at a predetermined air pressure onto the entire shaft portion 10 being transported by transporting device 105, thereby blowing off and removing the predetermined fibers that are not adhered to shaft end 15.

[0025] As described above, the cotton swab 1 of this embodiment is used as a medical cotton swab, and therefore the cotton swab 1 manufactured by the manufacturing apparatus described above may be sterilized. For example, the sterilization of the cotton swab 1 may be performed in an autoclave (not shown) at a temperature of 120°C for 20 minutes.

[0026] <Explanation of physical property tests and microbial limit tests for sterilized adhesives> Next, the results of the physical property test and the microbial limit test for the sterilized adhesive will be explained with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3(A) is a table for explaining the results of the physical property test for the change in the physical properties of the sterilized adhesive over time, and Figure 3(B) is a table for explaining the results of the microbial limit test for the growth of microorganisms over time for a specific adhesive (non-sterilized adhesive) and a sterilized adhesive.

[0027] First, we will outline the procedures for testing the physical properties of sterilized adhesives. In the physical property tests, sterilized adhesives stored under specified conditions (avoiding direct sunlight and stored at room temperature (15°C to 25°C)) are measured for five test items at each measurement month (0 months immediately after sterilization, 5 months after sterilization, and 6 months after sterilization). The five test items are an appearance test to visually check for discoloration, a pH test to measure changes in pH, a solids content test to measure solidification of ingredients, a foreign matter test to visually check for the presence of foreign matter, and an odor test to check for odor generation. The standard values ​​in Figure 3(A) are the standard values ​​for a given adhesive (appearance test: transparent to slightly opaque, pH test: 7.0±1.0, solids content test: 6.0±1.0, foreign matter test: none, odor test: none).

[0028] As shown in Figure 3(A), in the physical property tests for the sterilized adhesive after 0 months, the appearance test was "clear," the pH test was "6.5," the solid content test was "6.2," the foreign matter test was "none," and the odor test was "none." All test items were within the specified range, so the physical property test was "passed." The sterilized adhesive after 5 months also had the appearance test "slightly cloudy," the pH test was "6.3," the solid content test was "6.3," the foreign matter test was "none," and the odor test was "none." All test items were within the specified range, so the physical property test was "passed." The sterilized adhesive after 6 months also had the appearance test "slightly cloudy," the pH test was "6.3," the solid content test was "6.3," the foreign matter test was "none," and the odor test was "none." All test items were within the specified range, so the physical property test was "passed." Therefore, the sterilized adhesive falls within the specified adhesive specification range in the physical property test, and therefore can be used without problems in the cotton swab manufacturing method of the present embodiment. In particular, the sterilized adhesive six months after sterilization falls within the specified adhesive specification range, and therefore can be used without problems in the cotton swab manufacturing method of the present embodiment, even six months after sterilization.

[0029] Next, we will explain the outline of the microbial limit test procedures for a specified adhesive (non-sterilized adhesive) and a sterilized adhesive. In the microbial limit test, the fungal count and bacterial count are measured for each of the non-sterilized adhesive and sterilized adhesive stored in a constant temperature and humidity chamber under specified conditions (40±2°C / 60%RH5%RH) at each measurement month. For non-sterilized adhesive, the measurement months are 0 month, which corresponds to the state immediately after production of the non-sterilized adhesive, 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months after production. For sterilized adhesive, the measurement months are 0 month, which corresponds to the state immediately after sterilization, 2 months, 4 months, and 6 months after sterilization. The microbial limit test complies with the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association's Cosmetics Microbial Limit Testing Method, and for fungal counts, a score of "less than 10" is marked as "○ (pass)" and "10 or more" is marked as "× (fail)." For bacterial counts, a score of "less than 10" is marked as "○ (pass)" and "10 or more" is marked as "× (fail)."

[0030] As shown in Figure 3(B), in a microbial limit test for a given adhesive (unsterilized adhesive), for the unsterilized adhesive after 0 months, the fungal count is "less than 10" and the bacterial count is "less than 10" and the test is "passed", but for the unsterilized adhesive after 2 months, the fungal count is "10 or more" and the bacterial count is "failed", and for the unsterilized adhesive after 4 months, the fungal count is "failed" and the bacterial count is "failed" and for the bacterial count is "10 or more", and for the unsterilized adhesive after 6 months, the fungal count is "failed" and the bacterial count is "failed" and for the bacterial count is "10 or more". On the other hand, in the microbial limit test for sterilized adhesive, the non-sterilized adhesive after 0 months had a fungal count of "less than 10" and a bacterial count of "less than 10" and passed the test; the non-sterilized adhesive after 2 months had a fungal count of "less than 10" and a bacterial count of "less than 10" and passed the test; the non-sterilized adhesive after 4 months had a fungal count of "less than 10" and a bacterial count of "less than 10" and passed the test; and the non-sterilized adhesive after 6 months had a fungal count of "less than 10" and a bacterial count of "less than 10" and passed the test. Therefore, in swabs manufactured using sterilized adhesive, the growth of microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria is prevented in the applied sterilized adhesive, so not only are preservatives and other ingredients not extracted, but microorganisms above the specified value are also not detected.

[0031] <Description of the Structure of the Swab 200 of the Second Embodiment> Next, the overall configuration of a cotton swab 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4-1. Fig. 4-1(A) is an overall view showing the schematic configuration of the cotton swab 200, and Fig. 4-1(B) is a cross-sectional view of the fiber lump portion 220 of the cotton swab 200 for explaining the schematic configuration of the fiber lump portion 220.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 4-1(A), swab 200 comprises shaft portion 10, which is a paper shaft similar to that of swab 1 of the first embodiment described above, and fiber mass portion 220 formed of a predetermined fiber (cotton fiber in this embodiment) at one end of shaft portion 10, with an overall length of approximately 308.0 mm. Fiber mass portion 220 is formed in a mass shape at one end of shaft portion 10, with a plurality of predetermined fibers covering the surface of the end portion of shaft portion 10, so that the maximum length in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of shaft portion 10 (maximum diameter of cross section) is approximately 7.0 mm, and includes first mass portion 222a, second mass portion 222b, third mass portion 222c, fourth mass portion 222d, fifth mass portion 222e, and first reduced diameter portion 225a, second reduced diameter portion 225b, third reduced diameter portion 225c, and fourth reduced diameter portion 225d, which will be described later.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4-1(B), the fiber mass 220 is formed by bonding the surface of the shaft end 215, which is one end of the shaft portion 10, to the shaft end 215 with a sterilized adhesive so as to cover the surface. The fiber mass 220 is formed by arranging the following in order from the tip side of the shaft end 215: a first mass 222a that is substantially spherical and molded to cover the tip of the shaft end 215; a second mass 222b that is molded on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft end 215 so as to have a convex shape perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft portion 10; a third mass 222c that is molded to have substantially the same shape as the second mass 222b; a fourth mass 222d that is molded to have substantially the same shape as the second mass 222b and the third mass 222c; and a fifth mass 222e that is molded to have substantially the same shape as the second mass 222b, the third mass 222c, and the fourth mass 222d. The fiber mass 220 is formed with a first reduced diameter portion 225a, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the first mass 222a and the curved surface of the second mass 222b; a second reduced diameter portion 225b, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the second mass 222b and the curved surface of the third mass 222c; a third reduced diameter portion 225c, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the third mass 222c and the curved surface of the fourth mass 222d; and a fourth reduced diameter portion 225d, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the fourth mass 222d and the curved surface of the fifth mass 222e. In other words, the fiber mass portion 220 has the first reduced diameter portion 225a, the second reduced diameter portion 225b, the third reduced diameter portion 225c, and the fourth reduced diameter portion 225d, and thus has a shape resembling a mass of fibers formed therein, with five mass portions having approximately the same maximum length (maximum diameter of cross section) in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft portion 10 (approximately 7.0 mm), and four constricted reduced diameter portions.

[0034] Here, a method for manufacturing the cotton swab 200 of this embodiment will be described. In the method for manufacturing the cotton swab 200, the adhesive sterilization step, adhesive application step, fiber supply step, molding step, and drying step are performed in this order, similarly to the method for manufacturing the cotton swab 1 described above. However, unlike the method for manufacturing the cotton swab 1, a reduced diameter portion forming step is performed in the molding step, in which reduced diameter portions such as the first reduced diameter portion 225b in the fiber mass portion 220 are formed. Therefore, the reduced diameter portion forming step in the molding step of the method for manufacturing the cotton swab 200 of this embodiment will be described. First, in the molding step of the cotton swab 200, the fiber mass is molded so that its cross-section along the central axis of the shaft portion 10 has a substantially elliptical shape before the reduced diameter portion forming step is performed and before the reduced diameter portion is formed. Then, a reduced diameter portion forming step is performed in which a predetermined mold is pressed against the molded fiber mass along the outer circumferential surface of the shaft end portion 15 at predetermined locations, thereby forming five mass portions along with four reduced diameter portions compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10. That is, in the plurality of reduced diameter portions such as the first reduced diameter portion 225a, the density of a predetermined fiber is higher than in the fiber mass portions such as the first mass portion 222a.

[0035] <Description of the Structure of the Swab 300 of the Third Embodiment> Next, the overall configuration of a cotton swab 300 according to a third embodiment, which is an example of an embodiment to which the present invention is applied, will be described with reference to Fig. 4-2. Fig. 4-2(A) is an overall view showing the schematic configuration of the cotton swab 300, and Fig. 4-2(B) is a cross-sectional view of the fiber lump portion 320 of the cotton swab 300, illustrating the schematic configuration of the fiber lump portion 320.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 4-2(A), swab 300 comprises shaft portion 10, which is a paper shaft similar to that of swab 1 of the first embodiment described above, and fiber mass portion 320 formed of a predetermined fiber (cotton fiber in this embodiment) at one end of shaft portion 10, with an overall length of approximately 308.0 mm. Fiber mass portion 320 is formed in a mass shape at one end of shaft portion 10, with a plurality of predetermined fibers covering the surface of the end of shaft portion 10, so that the maximum length in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of shaft portion 10 is approximately 5.0 mm, and includes first mass portion 322a, second mass portion 322b, third mass portion 322c, fourth mass portion 322d, fifth mass portion 322e, and first reduced diameter portion 325a, second reduced diameter portion 325b, third reduced diameter portion 325c, and fourth reduced diameter portion 325d, which will be described later.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4-2(B), the fiber mass 320 is formed by bonding the surface of the shaft end 315, which is one end of the shaft portion 10, to the shaft end 315 with a sterilized adhesive so as to cover the surface. The fiber mass 320 is formed by arranging the following masses in order from the tip side of the shaft end 315: a first mass 322a that is substantially spherical and molded to cover the tip of the shaft end 315; a second mass 322b that is molded on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft end 315 so as to have a convex shape perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft portion 10; a third mass 322c that is molded to have substantially the same shape as the second mass 322b; a fourth mass 322d that is molded on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft end 315 so as to have a convex shape perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft portion 10; and a fifth mass 322e that is molded to have substantially the same shape as the fourth mass 322d. The fiber mass 320 is formed with a first reduced diameter portion 325a, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the first mass 322a and the curved surface of the second mass 322b; a second reduced diameter portion 325b, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the second mass 322b and the curved surface of the third mass 322c; a third reduced diameter portion 325c, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the third mass 322c and the curved surface of the fourth mass 322d; and a fourth reduced diameter portion 325d, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the fourth mass 322d and the curved surface of the fifth mass 322e. In other words, fiber mass portion 320 has first reduced diameter portion 325a, second reduced diameter portion 325b, third reduced diameter portion 325c, and fourth reduced diameter portion 325d, and thus has a fiber mass-like shape formed with three mass portions having approximately the same maximum length (maximum cross-sectional diameter) in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of shaft portion 10 (approximately 5.0 mm), two mass portions having approximately the same maximum length (maximum cross-sectional diameter) in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of shaft portion 10 (approximately 3.0 mm) but smaller than the three mass portions at the tip end, and four constricted reduced diameter portions. Note that swab 300 of this embodiment is manufactured by approximately the same manufacturing method as that of the second embodiment described above, and the four reduced diameter portions of swab 300 are formed by performing a reduced diameter portion-forming step in the molding process that is approximately the same as that of swab 200 of the second embodiment described above.

[0038] <Description of the Structure of the Swab 400 of the Fourth Embodiment> Next, the overall configuration of a cotton swab 400 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4-3. Fig. 4-3(A) is an overall view showing the schematic configuration of the cotton swab 400, and Fig. 4-3(B) is a cross-sectional view of the fiber lump portion 420 of the cotton swab 400 for explaining the schematic configuration of the fiber lump portion 420.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 4-3(A), the cotton swab 400 has a shaft portion 10, which is a paper shaft similar to the cotton swab 1 of the first embodiment described above, and a fiber mass portion 420 formed of a predetermined fiber (cotton fiber in this embodiment) at one end of the shaft portion 10, and has an overall length of approximately 308.0 mm. Fiber mass 420 is formed at one end of shaft 10 in a mass shape where a plurality of predetermined fibers cover the surface of the end of shaft 210, with the maximum length perpendicular to the central axis of shaft 10 being approximately 11.5 mm, and includes first mass 422a, second mass 422b, third mass 422c, fourth mass 422d, fifth mass 422e, and first reduced diameter mass 425a, second reduced diameter mass 425b, third reduced diameter mass 425c, and fourth reduced diameter mass 425d, which will be described later.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 4-3(B), fiber lump portion 420 is formed by bonding the surface of shaft end portion 415, which is one end of shaft portion 10, to shaft end portion 415 with a sterilized adhesive so as to cover the surface. Fiber lump portion 420 is formed in order from the tip side of shaft end portion 415, including: a substantially hemispherical first lump portion 422a molded to cover the tip of shaft end portion 415; a second lump portion 422b, a third lump portion 422c, and a fourth lump portion 422d molded on the outer circumferential surface of shaft end portion 415 so as to form a convex shape perpendicular to the central axis of shaft portion 10; and a tapered fifth lump portion 422e that forms the base of second lump portion 422b and fiber lump portion 420. The fiber mass 420 is formed with a first reduced diameter portion 425a, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the first mass 422a and the curved surface of the second mass 422b; a second reduced diameter portion 425b, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the second mass 422b and the curved surface of the third mass 422c; a third reduced diameter portion 425c, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the third mass 422c and the curved surface of the fourth mass 422d; and a fourth reduced diameter portion 425d, which is a portion compressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 10 between the curved surface of the fourth mass 422d and the fifth mass 422e. Furthermore, the maximum length (maximum diameter of the cross section) of the fiber lump 420 in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft section 10 is smaller for the second lump 422b than for the first lump 422a, smaller for the third lump 422c than for the second lump 422b, smaller for the fourth lump 422d than for the third lump 422c, and smaller for the fifth lump 422e than for the fourth lump 422d. In other words, by forming the first reduced diameter section 425a, the second reduced diameter section 425b, the third reduced diameter section 425c, and the fourth reduced diameter section 425d, the fiber lump 420 has a shape resembling a lump of fibers formed with five lump sections and four constricted reduced diameter sections, whose maximum length (maximum diameter of the cross section) in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft section 10 gradually decreases from the tip side. The cotton swab 400 of this embodiment is manufactured by a manufacturing method substantially similar to that of the second embodiment described above, and the four reduced diameter portions of the cotton swab 400 are formed by carrying out a reduced diameter portion forming step in the molding process, which is substantially similar to that of the cotton swab 400 of the second embodiment described above.

[0041] <Features of the manufacturing method of the cotton swabs 1, 200, 300, and 400 of this embodiment> The manufacturing method for the cotton swabs 1, 200, 300, and 400 of the above-described embodiment is a method for manufacturing the cotton swabs 1, etc., in which the fiber mass portion 20, etc., in which a mass of fibers is adhered to at least one end, such as the shaft end portion 15, of the rod-shaped shaft portion 10 is formed, and includes the following steps: an adhesive sterilization step of sterilizing a predetermined adhesive to produce a sterilized adhesive; an adhesive application step of applying the sterilized adhesive produced in the adhesive sterilization step to the shaft end portion 15, etc. of the rotating shaft portion 10; The method is characterized by carrying out the following steps: a fiber supplying step in which a plurality of fibers are supplied and wound around the portion of the surface of the shaft end 15, etc. on which the sterilized adhesive has been applied in the adhesive application step; a molding step in which the plurality of fibers wound around the shaft end 15, etc. of the shaft portion 10 in the fiber supplying step are molded into a predetermined lump shape; and a drying step in which the shaft end 15, etc. of the shaft portion 10 is dried to fix the plurality of fibers molded into a predetermined lump shape on the shaft end 15, etc. of the shaft portion 10 in the molding step to the shaft end 15, etc. of the shaft portion 10.

[0042] In this method for manufacturing cotton swabs 1, etc., a sterilization process is performed on a predetermined adhesive that is a non-sterilized adhesive to produce a reliably sterilized sterilized adhesive, and then the sterilized adhesive is used in the adhesive application process, fiber supply process, molding process, and drying process to manufacture cotton swabs 1, etc. In other words, this method for manufacturing cotton swabs 1, etc., can manufacture cotton swabs 1, etc. using a sterilized adhesive that is reliably sterilized in the adhesive sterilization process, and therefore can reliably manufacture cotton swabs 1, etc. that are suitable for medical use, compared to conventional methods for manufacturing cotton swabs that use non-sterilized adhesive that has not been sterilized, and ultimately can be a method for manufacturing medical cotton swabs with a higher yield than conventional methods.

[0043] Furthermore, according to the manufacturing method of the cotton swab 1 etc. of the above-described embodiment, the molding step can be performed by applying a sterilized adhesive as a molding agent to a plurality of fibers wound around the axial end portion 15 etc. of the shaft portion 10, and then molding the fibers into a predetermined block shape, and the drying step can be performed by drying the sterilized adhesive applied to the plurality of fibers molded into the predetermined block shape. With this manufacturing method of the cotton swab 1 etc., the molding step can be performed using a molding agent, so the cotton swab 1 etc. can be molded into a desired shape, and the molding agent used is a sterilized adhesive that has been reliably sterilized in the adhesive sterilization step and is suitable as an adhesive for use in medical swabs, so that cotton swabs 1 etc. suitable for medical use can be manufactured more reliably than conventional methods.

[0044] Furthermore, according to the manufacturing method of the cotton swabs 1, etc. of the above-described embodiment, the predetermined adhesive can be an aqueous adhesive containing polyvinyl alcohol as an adhesive component. This manufacturing method of the cotton swabs 1, etc. is suitable as an adhesive (molding agent) for medical cotton swabs, and therefore, cotton swabs 1, etc. suitable for medical cotton swabs can be manufactured more reliably than conventional methods.

[0045] According to the manufacturing method of the swab 1 etc. of the above embodiment, the predetermined adhesive can be one that does not contain preservatives. This manufacturing method of the swab 1 etc. is particularly suitable as an adhesive (molding agent) to be used for medical swabs used in medical procedures through artificial openings in the human body, and therefore, the swabs 1 etc. suitable for medical use can be manufactured more reliably than conventional methods.

[0046] Furthermore, according to the manufacturing method of the cotton swab 1 etc. of the above embodiment, the adhesive sterilization step can produce a sterilized adhesive by a sterilization treatment using an autoclave. With such a manufacturing method of the cotton swab 1 etc., it is possible to reliably sterilize, for example, a non-sterilized adhesive that does not contain a preservative, and produce a sterilized adhesive suitable as an adhesive (molding agent) to be used in medical cotton swabs, so that the cotton swabs 1 etc. suitable for medical use can be manufactured more reliably than conventional methods.

[0047] <Other embodiments> In the above-described embodiment of the method for manufacturing a cotton swab 1 or the like, the predetermined adhesive is described as a preservative-free aqueous adhesive primarily composed of polyvinyl alcohol. However, the predetermined adhesive may be any aqueous adhesive as long as it does not contain a preservative. Specifically, for example, the predetermined adhesive may be an aqueous adhesive whose main component is vinyl acetate ethylene, an acrylic emulsion adhesive, a natural polymer adhesive composed of starch, dextrin, or various proteins, a natural rubber adhesive, a polychlorinated adhesive, a liquid polyurethane adhesive, or the like. Furthermore, the predetermined adhesive may be preservative-free but may contain various additives for stabilizing the chemical structure of the components in the aqueous adhesive, such as a pH adjuster or surfactant. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment of the method for manufacturing a cotton swab 1 or the like, the sterilized adhesive used in the adhesive application step and the sterilized adhesive used in the molding step are described as being the same. However, the sterilized adhesive used in the adhesive application step and the sterilized adhesive used in the molding step may be preservative-free aqueous adhesives, but each may be a sterilized adhesive containing different main adhesive components.

[0048] In the cotton swab 1 and the like of the above-described embodiment, the fiber mass portion 20 and the like are formed so that cotton as a predetermined fiber is formed into a mass, but the predetermined fiber may be various fibers. Specifically, for example, the predetermined fiber may be various natural fibers such as wool, various chemical fibers such as polyester, various regenerated fibers such as rayon, etc., and the fiber mass portion 20 and the like may be made of one type of fiber from among these multiple types of fibers, or may be made of two or more types of fibers.

[0049] In the cotton swab 1 and the like of the above-described embodiment, the size and shape of the fiber lump portion 20 and the like are as described above, but this is not limited thereto, and fiber lump portions of various sizes and shapes may be provided. For example, the size of the fiber lump portion may vary depending on the length of the predetermined fiber used, or the fiber lump may have various shapes, such as a teardrop shape with a pointed tip.

[0050] In the cotton buds 1 and the like of the above-described embodiments, the shaft portion 10 is made of paper, but this is not limiting and the shaft may be made of various materials. For example, the shaft may be made of various resins such as thermoplastic resins containing polypropylene, or may be made of bamboo or wood, or may be made of metal such as aluminum, molded into a rod shape.

[0051] The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments and modifications, but the above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and the present invention includes equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1,200,300,400...cotton swab, 10...shaft portion, 15,215,315,415...shaft end portion, 20,220,320,420...fiber mass portion, 100...manufacturing apparatus, 105...conveyor device, 106...conveyor portion, 107...fixed belt, 110...adhesive application device, 118 adhesive applicator, 120...fiber processing apparatus, 130...fiber supply device, 140...forming device, 145...forming plate, 148...forming agent applicator, 150...drying apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a cotton swab, which includes manufacturing a cotton swab having a fiber mass portion formed by adhering a mass of fibers to at least one end of a rod-shaped shaft portion, comprising: an adhesive sterilization step of subjecting the adhesive to a sterilization treatment to produce a sterilized adhesive; an adhesive application step of applying the sterilized adhesive produced in the adhesive sterilization step to the end of the rotating shaft portion; a fiber supplying step of supplying a plurality of the fibers to the end of the rotating shaft portion, thereby winding the plurality of fibers around the portion of the surface of the end portion to which the sterilized adhesive has been applied in the adhesive application step; a molding step of molding the plurality of fibers wound around the end of the shaft portion in the fiber supplying step into a mass; a drying step of drying the end of the stem portion to fix the plurality of fibers formed into a mass at the end of the stem portion in the molding step to the end of the stem portion; A method for producing a cotton swab, comprising:

2. The method for manufacturing a cotton swab according to claim 1, the molding step applies the sterilized adhesive to the plurality of fibers wound around the end of the shaft portion and then molds the fibers into a mass; The drying step dries the sterilized adhesive applied to the plurality of fibers formed into a mass. A method for manufacturing a cotton swab.

3. The method for manufacturing a cotton swab according to claim 1, The adhesive is a water-based adhesive containing polyvinyl alcohol as an adhesive component. A method for manufacturing a cotton swab.

4. The method for manufacturing a cotton swab according to claim 1, The adhesive is preservative-free. A method for manufacturing a cotton swab.

5. The method for manufacturing a cotton swab according to claim 1, The adhesive sterilization step generates the sterilized adhesive by a sterilization treatment using an autoclave. A method for manufacturing a cotton swab.

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