Wrinkle Smoothing Device for Continuous Sheet Absorbent Articles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wrinkles form around embossing grooves in continuous sheets during the manufacturing of absorbent articles, leading to appearance issues and potential leakage of body fluids.
Innovation Solution
A wrinkle smoothing device comprising three belts that move along inclined paths to pull the continuous sheet outward, smoothing wrinkles while preventing excessive tensile strength that could damage the sheet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the embossing protrusion presses against the central portion of the continuous sheet to form a groove-like depression, then the absorbent body is integrated with the continuous sheet, but wrinkles are formed around the groove-like depression
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing operation is divided into two stages: first forming the groove-like depression to integrate the absorbent body, then subsequently smoothing the wrinkles around the depression. This segmentation of the pressing process resolves the contradiction by separating the integration function from the surface quality function.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove-like depression is formed preliminarily to ensure proper integration of the absorbent body with the continuous sheet before the smoothing operation is applied. This preliminary action ensures that the integration is established first, then the wrinkles are removed without compromising the integration.
2Shape
If the continuous sheet is pulled outward in the width direction to smooth wrinkles, then the appearance is improved, but excessive tensile strength may damage the sheet
Solution Approach 1:
The smoothing operation applies pulling force partially and progressively rather than excessively. The continuous sheet is pulled outward in the width direction to the extent needed to smooth wrinkles, but the force is controlled to prevent damage. This partial action resolves the contradiction by achieving sufficient smoothing without exceeding the sheet's strength limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The pulling force parameters are optimized to achieve wrinkle smoothing while remaining below the damage threshold. By carefully controlling the magnitude and duration of the tensile force applied in the width direction, the sheet is smoothed without being damaged.
3Productivity
If wrinkles remain in the end product, then the manufacturing process is simple, but body fluids may leak along the wrinkles
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into two distinct operations: integration pressing to form the groove-like depression, and subsequent smoothing to remove wrinkles. This segmentation adds a step to ensure reliability by eliminating leakage paths, while the smoothing operation is efficiently integrated into the existing production line.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrinkling that occurs as a side effect of the integration pressing operation is converted into a beneficial smoothing operation. By applying controlled pulling force in the width direction, the wrinkles are transformed from a harmful leakage path into an opportunity to demonstrate process control and improve product reliability.
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
Effectively smooths wrinkles along the travel direction of the continuous sheet, preventing fluid leakage and maintaining the sheet's integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a first belt that moves along a first travel path while retaining the central portion of the continuous sheet; a second belt that is provided adjacent the first belt on one side in the width direction thereof, and that moves along a second travel path while retaining a portion at the one side from the central portion of the continuous sheet; and a third belt that is provided adjacent the first belt on an other side in the width direction thereof, and that moves along a third travel path while retaining a portion at the other side from the central portion of the continuous sheet
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A device that smoothes out wrinkles of a composite body of a continuous sheet, in a state a polymeric material is overlapped to a central portion in a width direction of the continuous sheet that travels, to which a depression is shaped at the central portion by a protruding member being pressed against the central portion from the continuous sheet side. The wrinkle smoothing device for a composite body of a continuous sheet related to an absorbent article includes a first belt that moves along a first travel path while retaining the central portion of the continuous sheet; a second belt that is provided adjacent the first belt on one side in the width direction thereof, and moves along a second travel path while retaining a portion at the one side from the central portion of the continuous sheet; and a third belt that is provided adjacent the first belt on an other side in the width direction thereof, and moves along a third travel path while retaining a portion at the other side from the central portion of the continuous sheet, wherein the second travel path is inclined from the first travel path such that a downstream side is more spaced apart from the first travel path to the one side in the width direction than the upstream side, the third travel path is inclined from the first travel path such that a downstream side is spaced more apart from the first travel path to the other side in the width direction than the upstream side, the second belt retains a portion on the one side of the continuous sheet while relatively sliding in the width direction of the continuous sheet, and the third belt retains a portion on the other side of the continuous sheet while relatively sliding in the width direction of the continuous sheet.