JP2004313635A - Method for manufacturing hygienic mask - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for rationally manufacturing a disposable hygienic mask. <P>SOLUTION: Firstly, a continuous expansion nonwoven fabric 1 which is composed of a thermoplastic fiber is prepared. Heat treatment is applied to the central fixed width 2 of this expansion nonwoven fabric 1. By this treatment, the thermoplastic fiber is softened and melted, and the fibers are mutually fused together. The original stretchability is restrained since the zone of the central fixed width 2 is fused and becomes a fused part 4. Also, a stretchable part 5 maintains the original stretchability since the heat treatment is not applied to the zone other than the fused part 4. Afterward, the fabric is folded by letting the central line 6 of the central fixed width 2 as a base line. Thereby, a folded end rim 7 is formed in the fused part 4. Next, the upper side and the lower side of the folded end rim 7 are thermally fused off. By the thermal fusing off, parts of the upper side and the lower side are cut, and the superposed thermally fused parts are mutually thermally stuck at the thermally fused part which become a cut end. Lastly, the disposable hygienic mask is obtained by boring ear holes in the stretchable part 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a disposable hygiene mask, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing a disposable hygiene mask using a stretchable nonwoven fabric.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a mask in which ear hanging holes are formed on the left and right sides of a substantially elliptical elastic nonwoven fabric in the longitudinal direction. In this mask, both the ear-hook portion and the covering portion covering the mouth have elasticity, and are easily adhered to the mouth. There is a drawback in that if it is in close contact with the mouth, it will be difficult to breathe, or if a woman uses it, lipstick may be removed.
[0003]
For this reason, a mask using a highly elastic nonwoven fabric for the ear hanging portion and a low elastic nonwoven fabric for the covering portion has been developed (Patent Document 1). That is, a mask has been developed in which ear covers made of a highly elastic nonwoven fabric are joined to left and right ends of a cover made of a low elastic nonwoven fabric. However, for such a mask, two types of nonwoven fabrics, that is, a high elasticity nonwoven fabric and a low elasticity nonwoven fabric, must be prepared, and there is a regret that the mask cannot be manufactured rationally.
[0004]
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, a mask has been proposed in which one type of elastic nonwoven fabric is used, the ear hanging portion 13 maintains the elasticity, and the covering portion 12 suppresses the elasticity. 2). That is, a stretchable non-woven fabric using thermoplastic fibers as a constituent fiber is used, and a large number of recesses 17 are provided in the cover portion 12, and the thermoplastic fibers are fused in the recesses 17 to suppress stretchability. Has proposed a mask that retains the elasticity of the original elastic nonwoven fabric.
[0005]
Although this mask manufacturing method is not specified in Patent Document 2, it is a method of manufacturing the left and right sides of the mask separately based on the drawing (FIG. 1). In other words, a mask piece composed of one of the left and right ear hook portions 13 and a half of the cover portion 12 is manufactured, and the two mask pieces are overlapped to join each edge of the cover portion 12. However, such a manufacturing method requires accurate polymerization of two mask pieces, and requires strict control. In addition, when the respective edges of the cover 12 are joined, a rigid joint 14 is formed in the longitudinal center of the mask, which may be inferior in appearance and texture.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-7-275384 (page 2, claims)
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-9-149945 (page 2, claims; page 3, FIG. 1)
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Then, this invention aims at providing the method which can manufacture the disposable mask as described in patent document 2 more rationally. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a disposable mask which does not require a strict step of accurately polymerizing a mask piece and does not require a step of joining the edges of the mask piece.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
That is, the present invention provides a step of preparing a long stretchable nonwoven fabric having thermoplastic fibers as constituent fibers, and performing a heat treatment over a certain width at the center of the stretchable nonwoven fabric to soften the thermoplastic fibers. Or, by melting, the thermoplastic fibers are fused to each other, and the stretch of the central fixed width is suppressed as a fused portion, and the stretch other than the fixed width of the center is defined as a stretchable portion. And a step of folding back in the width direction with reference to the center line having the constant center width to form a folded edge at the fused portion, and superimposing the fused portions and the stretchable portions. A step of thermally fusing the upper and lower sides of the folded edge to thermally bond the polymerized heat-sealed portions to each other at the heat-fused portion, and a step of forming an ear hook hole in the polymerized elastic portion. Related to a method for manufacturing a sanitary mask, comprising: A.
[0009]
In the present invention, first, a long stretchable nonwoven fabric 1 is prepared. In addition, the width of the elastic nonwoven fabric 1 is approximately equal to the circumference of the face. The stretchable nonwoven fabric 1 has thermoplastic fibers as constituent fibers. As the thermoplastic fiber, polypropylene fiber, polyethylene fiber, polyester fiber and the like can be used. Further, side-by-side composite fibers or core-sheath composite fibers composed of a combination of polypropylene / polyethylene, polypropylene / polyester, high-melting polyester / low-melting polyester, and the like can also be used. The thermoplastic fibers may be long fibers or short fibers.
[0010]
In order to impart elasticity to the nonwoven fabric to obtain the elastic nonwoven fabric 1, a conventionally known method may be used. For example, when heat is applied to a non-woven fabric having a latent crimpable thermoplastic composite fiber as a constituent fiber and the composite fiber is crimped, the elastic non-woven fabric 1 can be obtained. Specifically, as the latently crimpable thermoplastic conjugate fiber, a side-by-side type conjugate fiber composed of a combination of polypropylene / polyethylene and the like is used. By causing the expression, the elastic nonwoven fabric 1 can be obtained. Further, the nonwoven fabric having thermoplastic fibers as a constituent fiber can be shrunk in the width direction while applying heat to obtain the stretchable nonwoven fabric 1 having elasticity in the width direction. Specifically, when a non-woven fabric made of polypropylene fiber is shrunk in the width direction and heat near the melting point of the polypropylene fiber is applied to thermally fix the non-woven fabric in a contracted state, the elastic non-woven fabric 1 having elasticity in the width direction is obtained. Can be obtained.
[0011]
The heat treatment is performed over the fixed width 2 at the center of the stretchable nonwoven fabric 1 prepared as described above. The width of the center constant width 2 is approximately half the circumference of the face. To perform the heat treatment, for example, the stretchable nonwoven fabric 1 may be passed through a pair of heating rolls 3 having a length corresponding to the width of the center constant width 2 while transporting the stretchable nonwoven fabric 1 in the longitudinal direction (the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2). . 2, only the upper roll of the pair of heating rolls 3 is shown, and the lower roll is not shown. As the heating roll 3, a smooth roll having a smooth peripheral surface, an uneven roll having an uneven portion on the peripheral surface, or the like is used. The temperature of the heating roll 3 is equal to or higher than the melting point of the thermoplastic fiber constituting the stretchable nonwoven fabric 1 (or higher than the melting point of at least one of the components forming the surface when the thermoplastic fiber is a composite fiber). ) Is preferred. By this heat treatment, the surface of the thermoplastic fiber is softened or melted, and the thermoplastic fibers are fused to each other. Therefore, the area of the central fixed width 2 which has been subjected to the heat treatment becomes the fusion portion 4 in which the thermoplastic fibers are fused to each other. As a result of the fusion between the thermoplastic fibers, the initial elasticity of the fused portion 4 is suppressed, and the elasticity is poor. On the other hand, the area having the center constant width 2, that is, the area other than the fused part 4 is not subjected to the heat treatment, and thus has the elastic part 5 which retains the elasticity of the original elastic nonwoven fabric.
[0012]
After the heat treatment, the sheet is folded in the width direction with reference to the center line 6 having a constant center width 2. Then, since the fixed width 2 at the center is the fused portion 4, the fused portion 4 becomes the folded edge 7. Further, since the center line 6 having the constant center width 2 is used as a reference, the fused portions 4 overlap each other, and the elastic portions 5 overlap each other. In addition, before or after the folding, the sheet is cut to a predetermined length (about half the length in the vertical direction of the face) (FIG. 3). Will have.
[0013]
Next, the upper side and the lower side of the folded edge 7 are thermally blown to obtain a shape as shown in FIG. Thermal fusing refers to pressing a heated cutter blade to melt and cut thermoplastic fibers. Therefore, when the upper and lower sides of the folded edge 7 are thermally blown, the upper and lower sides are cut off at the upper and lower sides, so that the upper and lower sides are cut off, and the superposed thermal fusion is performed. The portions 4 are thermally bonded to each other at the thermal fusing portions (cut edges near the upper side and the lower side). The sides other than the upper side and the lower side of the folded edge 7 are not thermally melted and remain folded.
[0014]
Thereafter, an ear hanging hole 8 is formed in the stretched portion 5 that has been polymerized. The step of drilling the ear hook hole 8 may be before or after the above-mentioned thermal fusing, or may be drilled during any other step. Then, the entire shape is cut so as to have a predetermined design to obtain a form as shown in FIG. Thereafter, when the folded edge 7 is opened, a mask having the shape shown in FIG. 6 is obtained.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the method of the present invention, a long stretchable nonwoven fabric is folded in the width direction and polymerized, and the upper and lower sides of the folded edge are thermally melted to easily produce a mask. can do. Therefore, as described in Patent Document 2, a strict step of accurately polymerizing the mask pieces and a step of joining the edges of the mask pieces are not required, and a reasonably disposable hygiene mask can be obtained. This has the effect that it can be performed. In addition, since only the upper side and the lower side of the folded edge are thermally fused, no thermal bonding occurs at the center of the mask due to thermal fusion. Therefore, a rigid bonded portion is not formed at the center of the mask, and an effect that the aesthetic appearance and texture of the mask are excellent is also achieved.
[0016]
Further, in the fused portion, the surface of the thermoplastic fibers is softened or melted and the thermoplastic fibers are fused to each other, so that the gap formed between the thermoplastic fibers is small. And since this fusion | bonded part is an area | region which covers a mouth, it becomes difficult for bacteria and a virus to penetrate through the clearance gap between thermoplastic fibers, and it also has the effect that various infectious diseases can be prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disposable hygiene mask described in Patent Document 2.
FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing a step of performing a heat treatment over a fixed width at the center of the stretchable nonwoven fabric.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a product obtained by forming a folded edge in a fusion bonding portion and polymerizing fusion bonding portions and expansion / contraction portions.
FIG. 4 is a front view of what is obtained by thermally fusing the upper side and the lower side of the folded edge of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a front view of the one shown in FIG. 4 obtained by forming an ear hook hole and cutting it into a predetermined design.
FIG. 6 is a front view of a sanitary mask obtained by opening the sanitary mask shown in FIG. 5 at a folded edge.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Elastic nonwoven fabric 2 Center constant width 3 Heating roll 4 Fused part 5 Elastic part 6 Center line with central constant width 7 Folded edge 8 Ear hole

Claims (3)

A step of preparing a long stretchy nonwoven fabric having thermoplastic fibers as constituent fibers,
The stretchable non-woven fabric is subjected to a heat treatment over a fixed width at the center, so that the thermoplastic fibers are softened or melted, and the thermoplastic fibers are fused to each other. While suppressing the elasticity, the step of maintaining the elasticity as an elastic portion of the area other than the central constant width area,
Folding in the width direction on the basis of the center line having the constant center width, forming a folded edge in the fusion portion, and superposing the fusion portions with each other and the expansion and contraction portions,
By thermally fusing the upper side and the lower side of the folded edge, a step of thermally bonding the polymerized heat-fused portions to each other at the heat-fused portion;
A step of drilling an ear hanging hole in the polymerized elastic part,
A method for producing a sanitary mask, comprising: The hygiene mask according to claim 1, wherein a heat is applied to the non-woven fabric comprising the latently crimpable thermoplastic conjugate fiber as a constituent fiber, whereby the latently crimpable thermoplastic conjugate fiber is crimped to obtain a stretchable non-woven fabric. Production method. The method for producing a sanitary mask according to claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric containing thermoplastic fibers as a constituent fiber is shrunk in the width direction while applying heat to impart elasticity in the width direction to obtain a stretchable nonwoven fabric.

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