Absorbent Fiber Distribution Apparatus with Recycling Duct
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing absorbent cores for disposable absorbent articles are costly and do not effectively balance absorbency and cost, as they rely heavily on defibrating pulp material and superabsorbent particles without efficient recycling of fluff materials.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus that combines a defibrating station for generating fresh absorbent fibers with a recycling duct to control the quantity of recycled and freshly defibrated fluff, along with a forming unit for creating moulded absorbent material deposit structures, allowing for the distribution of superabsorbent particles to form absorbent cores with adjustable layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional defibrating and forming processes are used, then absorbent cores can be produced, but production costs are high and there is no effective balance between absorbency and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a recycling duct that captures fluff particles generated during the defibrating process and returns them to the forming pocket. This recovery system prevents waste of absorbent material while maintaining the required absorbency performance, directly addressing the contradiction between production cost and absorbency by reusing previously discarded fluff particles
Solution Approach 2:
The recycling duct creates a feedback loop where fluff particles are continuously monitored, collected, and fed back into the forming process. This closed-loop system allows for optimization of material usage, ensuring that the right quantity of fluff is recovered and reused, thereby balancing cost efficiency with absorbency requirements
2Ease of manufacture
If recycled fluff is used to reduce cost, then production cost decreases, but control over quantity and distribution of fresh vs. recycled fluff is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The recycling duct incorporates adjustable elements that allow dynamic control over the amount of recycled fluff returned to the forming pocket. This enables the system to adapt the ratio of fresh to recycled fluff based on production requirements, providing precise control over material composition while maintaining cost efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows for changing the parameters of fluff distribution by controlling the flow rate and quantity of recycled fluff through the recycling duct. By adjusting these parameters, the system can optimize the mixture of fresh and recycled fluff to achieve desired absorbency levels at reduced cost
3Loss of substance
If a recycling duct is added to recover fluff particles, then material waste is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recycling duct is integrated with the existing defibrating and forming apparatus, merging the recycling function into the current system architecture. This combination approach reduces the need for entirely separate recycling equipment, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while still achieving significant reduction in fluff particle waste
4Reliability
If fresh defibrated fluff is used to ensure absorbency, then absorbency is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By recovering and recycling fluff particles that would otherwise be discarded, the system reduces the need to produce and use entirely new fresh fluff for every production cycle. This recovery process maintains absorbency requirements while reducing the quantity of fresh fluff needed, thereby lowering production costs
Solution Approach 2:
The recycling system allows the process to serve itself by reusing its own by-product (fluff particles) as a valuable resource. This self-service approach reduces dependency on continuous input of fresh expensive fluff material while maintaining the absorbency performance required for product functionality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the production of absorbent cores that balance absorbency and cost by efficiently using recycled and fresh fluff, allowing for customizable absorbent material distribution and reduced production costs while maintaining high absorbency.
Implementation Method 1
a defibrating machine suitable for defibrating a sheet of pulp material and generating fresh absorbent fibers and a first airflow
Implementation Method 2
a recycling duct by-passing the defibrating machine and conveying recycled absorbent fibers from a filtering apparatus
Implementation Method 3
An airflow conveys the pulp fibers and superabsorbent particles to a forming pocket where the absorbent fibers and superabsorbent particles are deposited
Implementation Method 4
a plurality of forming pockets arranged on the outer circumferential surface of said forming drum, each forming pocket comprising a mould cavity
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus for distributing absorbent fibers (18) onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising a defibrating station (12) configured to generate absorbent fibers (18) and a first airflow (24), the defibrating station (12) comprising a. a defibrating machine (16) suitable for defibrating a sheet of pulp material (14) and generating fresh absorbent fibers (18) and a first airflow (24), b. a recycling duct (100) by-passing the defibrating machine (16) and conveying recycled absorbent fibers (18) from a filtering apparatus (210), wherein the defibrating machine (16) and the recycling duct (100) are fluidically connected to at least one duct (22,22a,22b).