Segmented Elastic Belt Folding for Wrinkle-Free Diaper Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing production methods for underpants-type disposable diapers require complex and space-consuming facilities, leading to issues with wrinkles, misalignment, and texture deterioration during the folding process of the sheet material, which affects the quality and appearance of the final product.
Innovation Solution
A production method involving the use of a belt-like continuous sheet material with resilient and elastic members, where the material is folded in a C-direction to form a compact elastic belt, allowing for neat and wrinkle-free folding, and the elastic belt is cut to create ventral and dorsal elastic belts, which are then joined and folded to form individual diapers, reducing material misalignment and improving texture and appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the wide sheet material is folded into two to form ventral and dorsal elastic belts, then the production process can be simplified, but the folding facility becomes larger and it is difficult to fold the sheet material neatly without wrinkles
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet material is divided into multiple narrower bands (first sheet material band, second sheet material band, third sheet material band) instead of folding a single wide band. This segmentation allows each narrower band to be folded more easily and neatly, reducing the size of the folding facility while maintaining folding quality and preventing wrinkles.
2Device complexity
If the wide sheet material is folded into two, then the production process is simplified, but the edges of the sheet material are likely to be misaligned, deteriorating texture and appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet material is segmented into multiple narrower bands that are folded and processed separately. This segmentation prevents edge misalignment that occurs when folding wide sheet material, as each narrower band maintains better alignment control during the folding and joining processes, thereby improving texture and appearance quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet material is pre-cut into multiple narrower bands before the folding process. This preliminary action of dividing the wide sheet material into narrower segments ensures that subsequent folding operations can be performed with better alignment and precision, preventing edge misalignment and improving the final product quality.
3Productivity
If separate assembly lines are provided for ventral and dorsal outer bodies, then parallel conveyance is achieved, but the production facilities become larger and more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The production process merges the formation of ventral and dorsal elastic belts into a single continuous process using one sheet material that is divided into multiple bands. This eliminates the need for separate assembly lines for ventral and dorsal outer bodies, achieving parallel production capability while reducing facility complexity and space requirements.
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 method enables production in space-saving facilities with reduced risk of wrinkles and misalignment, resulting in diapers with improved texture and appearance, specifically at the waist edges, while maintaining air permeability and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
disposing resilient and elastic members for imparting elasticity to the ventral side outer body and the dorsal side outer body
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a production method for an underpants-type disposable diaper in space-saving and simple facilities while reducing the risk of occurrence of wrinkles, including: supplying a continuous sheet material in the continuous direction thereof; disposing resilient and elastic members for imparting elasticity to a ventral side outer body and a dorsal side outer body at a CD direction intermediate portion of the sheet material; folding CD direction one side and other side parts across the CD direction intermediate portion toward the side of the CD direction intermediate portion with the resilient and elastic members, sandwiching and fixing the resilient and elastic members in the folded sheet material, and joining together the folded parts and the CD direction intermediate portion to form a continuous elastic belt; cutting the elastic belt at a CD direction intermediate position to obtain a dorsal side elastic belt and a ventral side elastic belt, and then assembling an inner body to the dorsal side elastic belt and the ventral side elastic belt.