JP6659425B2 - Tow-spread body manufacturing apparatus and tow-spread body manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a tow opened body and a method for manufacturing an opened tow body.

  As a material for absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and fiber articles such as sanitary articles, tow-opened bodies obtained by opening long fiber tows such as cellulose acetate are used. The tow-spread body is manufactured by, for example, opening the crimped tow with a gas while conveying the crimped tow using an opening apparatus. As disclosed in Patent Document 1, as a crimping device, in the width direction of a bale-shaped tow being conveyed, a tow is introduced into a tow inlet having an opening dimension smaller than the width dimension of the tow, and BACKGROUND ART There is known an opening apparatus that opens a tow in a bulky manner while efficiently entangled fibers.

  When manufacturing a tow-spread body, a liquid impregnating agent that changes the state and characteristics of the tow fiber is applied to the surface of the tow by an impregnating device disposed upstream of the opening device in the tow conveying direction. By opening the tow with an opening device, a tow-spread body in which an additive is dispersed may be produced.

JP 2014-221960 A

  By the way, in one direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the tow being conveyed, if the opening dimension of the tow inlet of the opening device is smaller than the size of the tow, the tow is opened at the upstream position of the opening device. Due to the tension acting on the tow when it is drawn into the device, the tow may be compressed in the one direction and the shape of the tow may collapse. For this reason, when the impregnating agent is applied to the surface of the tow by the impregnating device at the position on the upstream side of the opening device, the impregnating agent is unevenly attached to the surface of the tow, and the impregnating agent is uniformly dispersed inside. There is a possibility that the production of the tow opened body becomes difficult.

  Therefore, the present invention uses a fiber opening device in which the opening size of the tow introduction port is smaller than the size of the tow in one direction orthogonal to the tow conveying direction, and opens the tow with the impregnating agent on the surface by the attachment device using a gas. It is an object of the present invention to stably produce a tow-opened body in which an impregnating agent is uniformly dispersed in the case of fibering.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an apparatus for manufacturing a tow-spread body according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an impregnating apparatus for adhering a liquid impregnating agent to the surface of the tow while flowing the tow of the long fiber being conveyed inside. A device, a first transport roll disposed downstream of the attachment device in the transport direction of the tow and transporting the tow to the downstream while winding the tow around a peripheral surface, and in the axial direction of the first transport roll, An opening dimension having a tow inlet smaller than a size of the tow at a contact start position of the first transport roll and the tow, and being disposed on the downstream side of the first transport roll, the tow inlet; And an opening device for opening the tow introduced from the opening with a gas.

  According to the above configuration, the tow is conveyed to the downstream side while being wound around the peripheral surface of the first conveyance roll. Therefore, when the tow is drawn into the opening device at a position on the downstream side of the first conveyance roll, the tow is applied to the tow. The tension exerted on the toe at the upstream position of the first transport roll is reduced by the contact portion between the tow and the peripheral surface of the first transport roll. For this reason, in the axial direction, even when the opening size of the tow introduction port of the opening device is smaller than the size of the tow at the contact start position between the tow and the first transport roll, the tow is drawn into the opening device. Sometimes, the tow flowing through the inside of the attachment device is prevented from being compressed in the axial direction due to the tension acting on the tow, and the form of the tow flowing through the inside of the attachment device can be made difficult to collapse. Accordingly, the impregnating device uniformly impregnates the impregnating agent on the surface of the tow, and the opening device entangles the fibers of the tow efficiently to open the tow in a bulky manner. An opened fiber can be manufactured stably.

  The opening device, a tubular nozzle portion in which an opening chamber in which the tow is opened is formed, and a gas introduction unit that introduces the gas downstream toward the opening chamber. May be provided.

  Thus, in the opening chamber inside the cylindrical nozzle portion, the tow to which the impregnating agent is attached by the impregnating device is efficiently used by using the gas introduced from the gas introduction section toward the opening chamber toward the opening chamber. Can be opened in a bulky manner.

  The first transport roll is disposed in parallel with the first transport roll between the first transport roll and the attachment device in the transport direction, and contacts the tow from a direction opposite to a direction in which the first transport roll contacts the tow. It may further include a second transport roll, and the tow may be transported to the downstream side while being wound meandering around the peripheral surfaces of the first transport roll and the second transport roll when viewed from the axial direction.

  As described above, when viewed from the axial direction, the tow is conveyed to the downstream side while being meanderingly wound around the peripheral surfaces of the first transport roll and the second transport roll, whereby the tow is drawn into the opening device. Since the tension acting on the tow when the tow is applied to the tow at the upstream position of the first transport roll is further alleviated, the tow flowing inside the adhering device is compressed in the axial direction. Can be further prevented.

  A third transport roll disposed between the attachment device and the first transport roll in the transport direction and transporting the tow to the downstream side while winding the tow around a peripheral surface; and a first transport roll in the transport direction. A fourth transport roll that is disposed between the fiber opening device and transports the tow to the downstream side while winding the tow around a peripheral surface, wherein the first transport roll may be a dancer roll.

  Thus, the third transport roll is disposed upstream of the first transport roll, which is a dancer roll, and the fourth transport roll is disposed downstream thereof, and the tow is wound around the peripheral surface of the third transport roll and the fourth transport roll. By applying tension to the tow with the first transport roll, the tension acting on the tow when the tow is drawn into the opening device can be made to be less likely to reach the tow flowing through the inside of the attachment device. Thus, the impregnating agent can be uniformly impregnated on the surface of the tow by the impregnation device.

  The apparatus may further include a plurality of opening roll pairs arranged on the upstream side of the attachment device and opening the tow. As described above, the impregnating agent can be uniformly applied to the surface of the tow by the impregnating device, with respect to the tow that has been satisfactorily opened by the plurality of opening roll pairs.

  The adhering device includes a housing through which the tow is circulated, and at least one spray unit that is disposed inside the housing and sprays the adhering agent toward the tow. Is also good.

  Thereby, the impregnating agent can be continuously and efficiently attached to the surface of the tow flowing through the inside of the housing by using the spraying unit arranged inside the housing, and the production efficiency of the tow spread body can be improved.

  A method for producing an open tow body according to another aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a spread tow of a long fiber which is conveyed using an impregnating device while flowing the tow of the long fiber conveyed inside the impregnating device. Using a first transport roll disposed downstream of the direction of transport of the tow of the attaching device, transporting the tow to the downstream side while winding the tow around the peripheral surface of the first transport roll, In the axial direction of the first transport roll, an opening dimension has a tow inlet which is smaller than the dimension of the tow at the contact start position between the first transport roll and the tow, and the tow inlet is located downstream of the first transport roll. The tow introduced from the tow inlet is opened with a gas using an opening device arranged on the side.

  The fiber opening device having a tubular nozzle portion in which a fiber opening chamber in which the tow is opened is formed, and a gas introduction unit for introducing the gas in the transport direction toward the fiber opening room. Alternatively, the tow may be opened with the gas.

  The first transport roll is disposed in parallel with the first transport roll between the first transport roll and the attachment device in the transport direction, and contacts the tow from a direction opposite to a direction in which the first transport roll contacts the tow. When viewed from the axial direction, the tow may be conveyed to the downstream side while meandering and winding around the peripheral surfaces of the second conveyance roll and the first conveyance roll using a second conveyance roll.

  The first transport roll is a dancer roll, and is transported to the downstream side while winding the tow around a peripheral surface of a third transport roll disposed between the attachment device and the first transport roll in the transport direction. Then, the tow may be conveyed to the downstream side while winding the tow around a peripheral surface of a fourth conveyance roll disposed between the first conveyance roll and the opening device in the conveyance direction.

  The tow may be spread using a plurality of spread roll pairs arranged on the upstream side of the attachment device.

  By using the attachment device having a housing in which the tow is circulated, and at least one spraying unit that is disposed inside the housing and sprays the attachment agent toward the tow, The adhering agent may be sprayed on the surface of the tow.

  According to the present invention, in one direction orthogonal to the tow conveying direction, the tow having an impregnating agent attached to the surface by an adhering device using an opening device in which the opening size of the tow inlet is smaller than the size of the tow is gaseous. When the fiber is opened, a tow-opened body in which the additive is uniformly dispersed therein can be stably manufactured.

FIG. 1 is an overall view of an apparatus for manufacturing an opened tow body according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view as seen from a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the toe band is transported between the attachment device and the transport roll device in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the first transport roll of FIG. 1 as viewed from an axial direction. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the fiber opening device of FIG. 1 as viewed from a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a tow band. It is the front view seen from the upstream of the fiber opening apparatus of FIG. FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the attachment device of FIG. 1 as viewed from a vertical direction. It is the top view which looked down from the perpendicular direction of the tow band which the wrinkle produced. It is the vertical sectional view seen from the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the toe band of the attachment device and the conveyance roll device concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is an upper surface figure which shows the upper surface of the tow spread body of an Example typically. It is a top view which shows typically the upper surface of the tow spread body of a comparative example.

  Hereinafter, each embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The upstream side and the downstream side described below indicate the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction P of the tow band 60 in the transport path 30 of the tow spread body manufacturing apparatus 1 in order.

(1st Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an overall view of a tow opened body manufacturing apparatus 1 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a manufacturing apparatus 1) according to the first embodiment. The manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a first widening device 2, a guide 3, a second widening device 4, an opening roll device 5, an adhering device 6, and a transport roll device 7 from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport path 30 of the tow band 60. , And a fiber opening device 8.

  A packing box 50 is placed below the first widening device 2. In the packing box 50, a bale-shaped tow band 60 made of crimped long fiber tow is folded and packed. Here, the fibers of the tow band 60 are long cellulose acetate fibers, but may be other fibers (for example, at least one of polyolefin, polyester, and polyamide). As an example, in the manufacturing apparatus 1, the tow band 60 is transported in the transport direction P while the width direction of the toe band 60 is kept horizontal.

  The first widening device 2 blows a gas such as air toward the tow band 60 fed upward from the packing box 50, and widens the tow band 60 in one direction orthogonal to the transport direction P (here, the width direction of the tow band 60). . The guide 3 guides the tow band 60 that has passed through the first widening device 2 to the second widening device 4 along the transport path 30. The first widening device 2 and the guide 3 are each supported by an arm (boom) (not shown) extending upward from the housing of the manufacturing device 1. The second widening device 4 has the same configuration as the first widening device 2 and widens the toe band 60 in the one direction. The first widening device 2 and the second widening device 4 are also referred to as banding jet devices.

  The spreader roll device 5 includes a first spreader roll pair 9 arranged on the upstream side and a second spreader roll pair 10 arranged on the downstream side. The first spreading roll pair 9 has a pair of rolls 11 and 12. The second spreading roll pair 10 has a pair of rolls 13 and 14. The second opening roll pair 10 is driven to rotate at a peripheral speed higher than the peripheral speed of the first opening roll pair 9. The tow band 60 that has passed through the second widening device 4 is inserted between the pair of rolls 11 and 12 and is inserted between the pair of rolls 13 and 14. The first opening roll pair 9 and the second opening roll pair 10 apply tension to the tow band 60 at least in the transport direction P, and open (mechanical opening) the tow band 60 in a direction in which the tension is exerted.

  The number of opening roll pairs provided in the manufacturing apparatus 1 may be a plurality of pairs, and may be three or more. Further, at least one of the pair of rolls 11 and 12 and one of the pair of rolls 13 and 14 has a groove in the circumferential direction for opening the tow band 60 in the one direction. It may be formed spirally.

  The adhering device 6 is arranged downstream of the opening roll pair (here, the opening roll pair 10) arranged at the most downstream side in the transport path 30. The adhering device 6 sprays the liquid predetermined adhering agent 40 (see FIG. 2) on the surface of the tow band 60 while circulating the tow band 60 conveyed through the opening roll device 5 inside. Thereby, the attachment device 6 attaches the attachment agent 40 to the surface of the tow band 60. Here, as an example, the impregnating device 6 adjusts the tow band 60 so that the amount of the impregnated agent 40 is in the range of 0.2% by weight or more and 2% by weight or less of the tow band 60 to which the impregnated agent 40 is attached. An impregnating agent 40 is impregnated. The attachment device 6 has a housing 15 extending in the transport direction P and the one direction.

  The transport roll device 7 transports the tow band 60 that has passed through the attachment device 6 toward the opening device 8, and also applies a tension acting on the tow band 60 in the transport path 30 between the attachment device 6 and the opening device 8. adjust. The transport roll device 7 has a first transport roll 16 and a second transport roll 17. Each of the transport rolls 16 and 17 is disposed downstream of the adhering device 6, and transports the tow band 60 to the downstream side while winding the tow band 60 around the peripheral surface. The first transport roll 16 is disposed at an outlet 15 b of the attachment device 6. The second transport roll 17 is disposed in parallel with the first transport roll 16 between the first transport roll 16 in the transport direction P and the attachment device 6. Here, the transport rolls 16 and 17 are arranged with the axial direction kept horizontal. The second transport roll 17 is disposed above the first transport roll 16.

  As an example, the first transport roll 16 and the second transport roll 17 are S-wrap feed rolls. The second transport roll 17 is rotated in a direction opposite to the first transport roll 16, and comes into contact with the toe band 60 from a direction opposite to a direction in which the first transport roll 16 comes into contact with the toe band 60. Seen from the axial direction of the first transport roll 16 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the axial direction), the toe band 60 is wound around the peripheral surfaces of the first transport roll 16 and the second transport roll 17 while meandering. At least one of the first transport roll 16 and the second transport roll 17 may be an expander roll that widens the tow band 60 in the axial direction (the one direction).

  The opening device 8 is disposed downstream of the transport roll device 7 and opens the tow band 60 with gas. Accordingly, the opening device 8 adjusts the tow band 60 so that the tow band 60 becomes bulkier than before the passage of the opening device 8. The fiber opening device 8 has an outer cylinder 18 and an inner cylinder 19 combined with each other. When the tow band 60 passes through the opening device 8, a tow opening body 61 is obtained.

  In this embodiment, the impregnating agent 40 is a liquid (processing liquid) that processes the fibers of the tow band 60 and changes the characteristics of the fibers. As the liquid, for example, a liquid that imparts at least one of the properties of flexibility, surface activity, and antimicrobial properties to the fibers on the surface of the tow spread body 61 and the fibers on the surface of the tow spread body 61 are colored. Coloring liquid. Here, the liquid is a liquid that imparts hydrophilicity to the cellulose acetate fiber, and is, for example, a hydrophilic emulsion. Specifically, the liquid is preferably a hydrophilic liquid having an HLB (Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance) value of 16 or more. More specifically, examples of the liquid include, but are not limited to, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate and polyethylene glycol monostearate.

  The HLB value is a value obtained by equally dividing the numerical range from 0 to 20 into 20 when a substance having no hydrophilic group is HLB = 0 and a substance having no hydrophilic group and having only a hydrophilic group is HBL = 20. Is represented by Therefore, the HBL value of an emulsifier having both lipophilicity and hydrophilicity ranges from a value greater than 0 and less than 20. The emulsifier has such a property that the higher the hydrophilicity relative to the lipophilicity, the larger the HLB value and the solubility in water, and the smaller the hydrophilicity relative to the lipophilicity, the smaller the HLB value and the property that the emulsifier is less soluble in water. The liquid is preferably an o / w emulsion.

  The HLB value is determined, for example, by defining the saponification value of an ester surfactant as S, the acid value of a fatty acid constituting the surfactant as A, and defining the HLB value as 20 (1-S / A). Atlas method may be used. Alternatively, a method may be used in which a substance having a known HBL value is determined from the retention time of a desired substance after obtaining an approximate curve at each measurement point using the results of measuring the retention time at several points by high performance liquid chromatography. . When the HLB value of the liquid is in the range of about 13 to about 16, the liquid is transparently dissolved in water and used as an emulsifier for an o / w emulsion. When the HLB value of the liquid is in a range of more than 16 and about 19 or less, the liquid is transparently dissolved in water and used as a solubilizing agent. In the present embodiment, any of an emulsifier and a solubilizer of an o / w emulsion can be used as the liquid.

  Here, cellulose acetate has both properties of hydrophilicity and lipophilicity by replacing some of the three substituents of cellulose with cellulose ester, and the tendency of the properties changes depending on the degree of substitution and the like. . The substitution degree of general cellulose acetate fiber is about 2.5, but this is set as the range of substitution degree soluble in acetone when acetone is used as a solvent for dissolving cellulose acetate. by. Such a cellulose acetate fiber may become lipophilic by being coated with a fiber oil emulsion in order to prevent breakage due to friction or the like during the spinning process. As described in JP-A-2007-77525, for example, the fiber oil agent emulsion preferably has a total light transmittance of 850 nm of light measured at an emulsion concentration of 5% by weight of 30% or more. By attaching the fiber oil emulsion to the yarn of the cellulose acetate fiber, in the manufacturing process of the tow spread body 61, the cellulose acetate fiber is damaged due to contact abrasion with equipment, and the quality deteriorates or the fiber cut due to abrasion. In addition to significantly suppressing the deterioration of the working environment due to the pieces, the frictional force when the cellulose acetate fiber and the spinning guide come into contact with each other in the spinning process is reduced, and the frequency of the cellulose acetate fiber coming into contact with the Gody roll and being cut is remarkably increased. Can be reduced.

  When manufacturing an absorbent article using the tow spread body 61 constituted by the tow band 60 of the cellulose acetate fiber, both the fiber oil emulsion and the liquid may be attached to the tow spread body 61. The tow opened body 61 is, for example, highly hydrophilic so that the liquid diffusibility can be improved, and body fluids such as urine and blood can be diffused over a wide area of the tow opened body 61, which is advantageous for use. is there. By making the fibers of the tow opened body 61 hydrophilic with the liquid, the liquid absorption properties of the tow opened body 61, particularly the liquid diffusivity and liquid, are maintained while maintaining the liquid permeability which is the original property of the cellulose acetate fiber. Retention (wetting properties) can be improved. Thereby, it is possible to obtain the tow spread body 61 having the above-mentioned respective properties in a well-balanced manner.

  FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view as seen from a direction perpendicular to the transport direction P between the attachment device 6 and the transport roll device 7 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, an internal space 15 c is formed in the housing 15 of the attachment device 6. The housing 15 has an inlet 15a on the upstream side and an outlet 15b on the downstream side. The inlet 15a and the outlet 15b are formed in a size that allows the tow band 60 opened by the opening roll device 5 to pass while maintaining that state.

  The impregnating device 6 has at least one spraying unit that is disposed in the internal space 15 c and sprays the liquid impregnating agent 40 toward the tow band 60. Specifically, the attachment device 6 includes a pair of spray units 20 and 21 provided in the internal space 15 c of the housing 15. The spray unit 20 is disposed above the internal space 15c with the nozzle port 20a facing vertically downward. The spray unit 21 is arranged below the internal space 15c with the nozzle port 21a facing vertically upward. The nozzle openings 20a and 21a extend in the one direction in the internal space 15c of the housing 15. Thus, as an example, the spray units 20 and 21 spray the impregnating agent 40 uniformly in the one direction toward the surface of the tow band 60 being conveyed.

  The spray units 20 and 21 are provided, for example, at positions facing each other with the toe band 60 interposed therebetween in the vertical direction. The spray units 20 and 21 are connected to tubes 22 and 23. An impregnating agent 40 is supplied to the spray units 20 and 21 from outside the impregnating device 6 via tubes 22 and 23.

  A guide member 15d extending downward from the upper portion of the housing 15 and a guide member 15e extending upward from the lower portion of the housing 15 are provided in the internal space 15c of the housing 15. The guide members 15d and 15e guide the tow band 60 being conveyed from the inlet 15a to the outlet 15b, and stabilize the posture of the tow band 60 when the spray units 20, 21 spray the adhering agent 40 on the surface of the tow band. . In a vertical section (hereinafter, simply referred to as a vertical section) of the attachment device 6 orthogonal to the transport direction P, the toe band 60 extends in a direction L that goes straight from the inlet 15a to the outlet 15b. A duct part 24 for discharging a part of the adhesive 40 sprayed from the spray parts 20 and 21 is provided at a lower part of the housing 15.

  The adhering device 6 may include at least one of a rotating brush, a rotating roll, and a rotating disk for applying the adhering agent 40 to the tow band 60, instead of the spray units 20 and 21.

  As an example, the first transport roll 16 of the transport roll device 7 is pivotally supported at a position overlapping the outlet 15 b of the attachment device 6 and at a position where the upper surface of the toe band 60 extending in the direction L and the peripheral surface are in contact. As an example, the second transport roll 17 of the transport roll device 7 is pivotally supported at a position separated from the first transport roll 16 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction and at a position where the lower surface of the toe band 60 and the peripheral surface are in contact. .

  FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the first transport roll 16 of FIG. 1 as viewed from the axial direction. Here, the holding angle θ of the first transport roll 16 is shown as an example. As shown in FIG. 3, when viewed from the axial direction, a straight line r1 passing through the contact start position p1 between the first transport roll 16 and the toe band 60 and the axis O of the first transport roll 16 and the first transport roll 16 The holding angle θ defined as the angle between the position p2 where the toe band 60 is separated and the straight line r2 passing through the axis O of the first transport roll 16 can be set as appropriate. As an example, the holding angle θ is preferably in a range of 30 ° to 210 °, more preferably in a range of 60 ° to 150 °, and further preferably in a range of 90 ° to 120 °. Although not shown, the holding angle of the second transport roll 17 is set, for example, in the same manner as the holding angle θ. The holding angle θ and the holding angle of the second transport roll 17 may be the same or different.

  FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view as seen from a direction orthogonal to the transport direction P of the fiber opening device 8 in FIG. FIG. 5 is a front view seen from the upstream side of the fiber opening device 8 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the attachment device 6 of FIG. 1 viewed from a vertical direction. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the outer cylinder 18 of the fiber opening device 8 has a main body 18a and a nozzle 18b. The main body 18a is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the transport direction P, and has an internal space 25 through which gas flows. The nozzle portion 18b is formed in a cylindrical shape (here, a cylindrical shape) extending downstream from the downstream end of the main body portion 18a, and has a fiber opening chamber 26 therein. The opening chamber 26 is used to open the tow band 60 while transporting the tow band 60 in the transport direction P by gas.

  A gas introduction part 18c for introducing gas into the internal space 25 is provided on a side surface of the main body part 18a. An opening 18d communicating with the internal space 25 is provided in the gas introduction part 18c. The opening 18d is connected to a compressor (not shown), and a gas is introduced from the outside to the internal space 25 through the opening 18d. The gas is air, for example, and is used to transport the tow band 60 in the transport direction P and open the fiber. An opening 18e is provided at the upstream end of the main body 18a. The inner cylinder 19 is inserted into the opening 18e. The cross-sectional shape of the flow passage of the nozzle portion 18b is circular as an example, but is not limited thereto. The cross-sectional shape of the flow channel of the nozzle portion 18b may not be a perfect circle, may be an ellipse, may be a rectangular shape or a polygonal shape.

  The inner cylinder 19 has a toe introduction part 19a and a toe circulation part 19b. The toe introduction portion 19a is formed in a funnel shape, and has an inner diameter reduced from the upstream side to the downstream side. The toe inlet 19a is formed with a toe inlet 19a1. The tow band 60 is introduced into the tow inlet 19a1 toward the fiber opening chamber 26. In the axial direction (the one direction), the opening dimension D of the toe inlet 19a1 is set smaller than the dimension W of the toe band 60 at the contact start position p1. The peripheral shape of the toe inlet 19a1 is circular as an example, but is not limited thereto. The peripheral shape of the toe inlet 19a1 does not have to be a perfect circle and may be an ellipse.

  The tow distribution portion 19b is formed in a tubular shape extending downstream from the downstream end of the tow introduction portion 19a, and has a circulation space 27 through which the tow band 60 flows. The distal end portion 19c located on the downstream side of the toe flow portion 19b is formed in a tapered shape tapering from the upstream side to the downstream side. The front part of the toe introduction part 19a and the tow distribution part 19b are inserted into the internal space 25 of the main part 18a through the opening 18e of the main part 18a.

  The inner peripheral surface of the main body 18a facing the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion 19c is reduced in diameter from the upstream side to the downstream side while maintaining a state of being separated from the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion 19c. Thus, a jet channel 28 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion 19c and the inner peripheral surface of the main body portion 18a. The jet channel 28 has an annular cross-section, and jets the gas introduced from the gas inlet 18 c into the internal space 25 in the transport direction P toward the fiber opening chamber 26 in a jet shape.

  In the opening device 8, the tow band 60 flows from the tow introduction port 19 a 1 of the tow introduction portion 19 a through the circulation space 27 and is conveyed to the opening chamber 26, and the gas introduced from the opening 18 d of the gas introduction portion 18 c is removed. Then, it flows through the jet flow path 28, is jetted into the fiber opening chamber 26 in the transport direction P from the entire circumference of the flow path cross section of the fiber opening chamber 26, and is mixed with the tow band 60. In the opening chamber 26, the tow band 60 is transported in the transport direction P by the jet gas and is opened while entanglement of the fibers. Thereby, the tow opening body 61 obtained by passing through the opening device 8 becomes bulky as compared with the tow band 60 before passing through the opening device 8. The tow opening body 61 is formed by the opening device 8 into a shape in which the vertical direction is the thickness direction as an example, but is not limited thereto.

  Here, in the fiber opening device 8, the tow band 60 is drawn into the tow inlet 19a1 having the opening dimension D smaller than the dimension W by the force of the gas introduced into the jet channel 28 from the opening 18d of the gas introduction unit 18c. For this reason, tension is applied to the tow band 60 that has passed through the transport roll device 7 so as to be compressed in the axial direction.

  FIG. 7 is a top view of the tow band 60 in which the wrinkles 35 are generated, viewed from the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 7, when the manufacturing apparatus does not include the transport roll device 7, the tow band 60 is compressed in the axial direction, so that the surface of the tow band 60 flowing inside the attachment device 6 is transported in the transport direction P. May be generated. When the impregnating agent 40 is sprayed on the surface of the tow band 60 in this state, the impregnating agent 40 adheres to the crests of the wrinkles 35 exposed on the surface of the tow band 60. , The adhering agent 40 is less likely to adhere. As a result, the impregnating agent 40 is non-uniformly adhered to the surface of the tow band 60, and the impregnating agent 40 may be localized inside the tow spread body that has passed through the opening device 8.

  On the other hand, in the manufacturing apparatus 1, the tow band 60 is conveyed to the downstream side while being wound around the peripheral surface of the first conveyance roll 16. The tension acting on the tow band 60 when the tow band 60 is pulled into the toe band 60 at the position on the upstream side of the first transport roll 16 is reduced by the contact portion between the tow band 60 and the peripheral surface of the first transport roll 16. Therefore, even when the opening dimension D of the tow inlet 19a1 is smaller than the dimension W of the tow band 60 at the contact start position p1, the toe band 60 is attached by the tension acting on the tow band 60 when the tow band 60 is drawn into the opening device 8. The tow band 60 flowing through the inside of the device 6 is prevented from being compressed in the axial direction, and the form of the tow band 60 flowing through the inside of the attachment device 6 can be made difficult to collapse. Therefore, while the impregnating agent 40 is uniformly impregnated on the surface of the tow band 60 by the impregnating device 6, the fiber of the tow band 60 is efficiently entangled by the fiber opening device 8, and the tow band 60 is spread bulky and uniformly impregnated inside. The tow spread body 61 in which the agent 40 is dispersed can be manufactured stably.

  Further, since the first transport roll 16 and the second transport roll 17 do not press the surface of the tow band 60 between the peripheral surfaces of the transport rolls 16 and 17 like the nip roll pair, the first transport roll 16 and the second transport roll 17 are spread by the spreading roller device 5. The possibility of crushing the tow band 60 can be reduced.

  In addition, the opening device 8 has a cylindrical nozzle portion 18b in which the opening chamber 26 is formed, and a gas introduction portion 18c that introduces gas downstream toward the opening chamber 26. Therefore, using the gas introduced downstream from the gas introduction unit 18c toward the fiber opening chamber 26, in the fiber opening chamber 26, the tow band 60 to which the impregnating agent 40 is attached by the attachment device 6 is efficiently and bulky opened. Can be fine.

  When viewed from the axial direction, the tow band 60 is conveyed to the downstream side while being meanderingly wound around the peripheral surfaces of the first transport roll 16 and the second transport roll 17, whereby the tow band 60 is opened. The tension acting on the tow band 60 when the tow band 60 is drawn in is further alleviated to reach the tow band 60 at a position on the upstream side of the first transport roll 16. The compression in the axial direction can be further prevented.

  In addition, since the manufacturing apparatus 1 further includes a plurality of opening roll pairs 9 and 10 arranged upstream of the attachment device 6 and opening the tow band 60, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a plurality of opening roll pairs 9 and 10. The impregnating agent 6 can be uniformly applied to the surface of the tow band 60 by the applying device 6 on the tow band 60 that has been opened well.

  Further, the attachment device 6 includes a housing 15 in which an internal space 15c through which the tow band 60 flows is formed, and at least one spray unit 20 that is disposed in the internal space 15c and sprays the attachment 40 toward the tow band 60; 21, the impregnating agent 40 can be continuously and efficiently applied to the surface of the tow band 60 flowing through the internal space 15 c by using the spray units 20 and 21, and the manufacturing efficiency of the tow spread body 61 can be improved. Can be improved. Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described focusing on differences from the first embodiment.

(2nd Embodiment)
FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the attaching device 6 and the transport roll device 107 according to the second embodiment as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the tow band 60. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the transport roll device 107 includes a first transport roll 132, a third transport roll 131, and a fourth transport roll 133.

  The first transport roll 132 is a dancer roll, and is urged downward by an urging device (not shown), for example. The third transport roll 131 is disposed between the adhering device 6 and the first transport roll 132 in the transport direction P, and transports the tow band 60 downstream while winding the tow band 60 around the peripheral surface. The fourth transport roll 133 is disposed between the first transport roll 132 in the transport direction P and the opening device 8, and transports the tow band 60 to the downstream side while winding the tow band 60 around the peripheral surface. The first transport roll 132 may be urged downward by its own weight.

  As described above, the third transport roll 131 is disposed on the upstream side of the first transport roll 132 which is a dancer roll, and the fourth transport roll 133 is disposed on the downstream side, and the circumference of the third transport roll 131 and the fourth transport roll 133 is arranged. By applying tension to the tow band 60 by the first transport roll 132 while winding the tow band 60 around the surface, the tension acting on the tow band 60 at a position downstream of the first transport roll 132 causes the internal space 15 c of the attachment device 6 to move. It is possible to make it even more difficult for the tow band 60 to be circulated, and the adhering device 6 allows the impregnating agent 40 to be uniformly applied to the surface of the tow band 60.

(Confirmation experiment)
Using the coloring liquid as the impregnating agent 40, the tow spread body 61 was obtained as an example by the manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. Using a coloring liquid as the impregnating agent 40, a tow-spread body 161 was obtained as a comparative example by a tow-spread body manufacturing apparatus without a transport roll device. The configurations of the tow-spread body manufacturing apparatuses of the example and the comparative example were the same except for the presence or absence of the transport roll apparatus. The upper surfaces of the tow opened body 61 of the example and the tow opened body 161 of the comparative example are visually checked, and the ratio of the area of the colored region to the entire upper surface of the tow opened bodies 61 and 161 is determined by the tow opening. It was calculated as an attachment ratio (%) of the attachment agent 40 to the bodies 61 and 161. Table 1 shows the results. FIG. 9 is a top view schematically illustrating the upper surface of the tow spread body 61 of the example. FIG. 10 is a top view schematically illustrating the top surface of the tow spread body 161 of the comparative example.

  As shown in Table 1 and FIG. 9, in the example, the colored region 61a occupied 92% of the entire upper surface of the tow spread body 61. The coloring region 61a was distributed over substantially the entire upper surface of the tow spread body 61. As shown in Table 1 and FIG. 10, in the comparative example, the colored region 161a occupied 39% of the entire upper surface of the tow spread body 161. The coloring region 161a was localized on a part of the upper surface of the tow spread body 161.

  As one of the causes for obtaining such a result, in the comparative example, the tension acting on the tow band 60 when the tow band 60 is drawn into the opening device 8 reaches the tow band 60 flowing through the inside of the attachment device 6. As a result, wrinkles 35 are generated on the surface of the tow band 60, and the adhering agent 40 is non-uniformly adhered to the surface of the tow band 60, and the tow spread body 161 having the adhering agent 40 localized on the surface and inside is obtained. It is thought that it was.

  On the other hand, in the embodiment, when the tow band 60 is drawn into the opening device 8, the tension applied to the tow band 60 is prevented from being applied to the tow band 60 when flowing through the inside of the attachment device 6 by the transport roll device 7. It is considered that the impregnating agent 40 was uniformly adhered to the surface of the tow band 60, and the tow spread body 61 in which the impregnating agent 40 was uniformly dispersed on the surface and inside was obtained.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the configuration and method thereof can be changed, added, or deleted without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  As described above, according to the present invention, in one direction orthogonal to the tow conveying direction, the opening size of the tow inlet is attached to the surface by the attaching device using an opening device that is smaller than the size of the tow. When the tow is opened with a gas, it has an excellent effect of stably producing a tow spread body in which an additive is uniformly dispersed. Therefore, it is beneficial to widely apply as a tow-spread body manufacturing apparatus and a tow-spread body manufacturing method that can exhibit the significance of this effect.

D Toe inlet opening dimension P Transport direction W Toe band dimensions (toe dimensions)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tow spread body manufacturing apparatus 6 Spreading apparatus 8 Spreading apparatus 9, 10 Spreading roll pair 15 Housing 15c Internal space 16, 132 1st conveyance roll 17 2nd conveyance roll 18b Nozzle part 18c Gas introduction part 19a1 Tow introduction port 20, 21 spraying section 26 fiber opening room 40 impregnating agent 60 tow band (tow)
61 Tow spread body 131 Third transport roll 133 Fourth transport roll

Claims (12)

An impregnating device for adhering a liquid impregnating agent to the surface of the tow while flowing the tow of the long fiber being conveyed inside,
A first transport roll that is disposed downstream of the attachment device in the transport direction of the tow and transports the tow downstream while winding the tow around a peripheral surface;
In the axial direction of the first transport roll, the opening dimension has a tow inlet smaller than the dimension of the tow at a contact start position between the first transport roll and the tow, and the opening dimension is larger than that of the first transport roll. An opening device for manufacturing a tow-opened body used for an absorbent article, comprising: an opening device that is arranged on the downstream side and opens the tow introduced from the tow inlet through a gas.   The opening device, a tubular nozzle portion in which an opening chamber in which the tow is opened is formed, and a gas introduction unit that introduces the gas downstream toward the opening chamber. The tow spread body manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: The first transport roll is disposed in parallel with the first transport roll between the first transport roll and the attachment device in the transport direction, and contacts the tow from a direction opposite to a direction in which the first transport roll contacts the tow. Further comprising a second transport roll,
3. The toe opening according to claim 1, wherein the tow is conveyed to the downstream side while being meanderingly wound around a peripheral surface of the first conveyance roll and the second conveyance roll when viewed from the axial direction. 4. Fiber manufacturing equipment. A third transport roll disposed between the attachment device and the first transport roll in the transport direction and transporting the tow to the downstream side while winding the tow around a peripheral surface;
A fourth transport roll disposed between the first transport roll and the spreader in the transport direction and transporting the tow to the downstream side while winding the tow around a peripheral surface;
The tow spread body manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first transport roll is a dancer roll.   The tow-spread body manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a plurality of spread roll pairs arranged on the upstream side of the adhering device to spread the tow.   The said attaching device has a housing | casing by which the said tow is distribute | circulated in the said inside, and at least one spray part arrange | positioned inside the said housing | casing and sprays the said adhering agent toward the said tow, The claim | item. Item 6. The tow-spread body manufacturing apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 5. Using an impregnating device, a liquid impregnating agent is impregnated on the surface of the tow while flowing the tow of the long fiber being conveyed inside the impregnating device,
Using a first transport roll disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction of the tow of the attachment device, transporting the tow to the downstream side while winding the tow around the peripheral surface of the first transport roll,
In the axial direction of the first transport roll, the opening dimension has a tow inlet smaller than the dimension of the tow at a contact start position between the first transport roll and the tow, and the opening dimension is larger than that of the first transport roll. A method for producing a tow-spread body used for an absorbent article , wherein the tow introduced from the tow inlet is opened with a gas using an opening device arranged downstream.   The fiber opening device having a tubular nozzle portion in which a fiber opening chamber in which the tow is opened is formed, and a gas introduction unit for introducing the gas in the transport direction toward the fiber opening room. The method for producing a tow-spread body according to claim 7, wherein the tow is spread with the gas using the tow.   The first transport roll is disposed in parallel with the first transport roll between the first transport roll and the attachment device in the transport direction, and contacts the tow from a direction opposite to a direction in which the first transport roll contacts the tow. The tow is conveyed to the downstream side while winding around the periphery of the second conveyer roll and the first conveyer roll while winding the tow as viewed from the axial direction using a second conveyer roll, or 9. The method for producing an open tow body according to item 8. The first transport roll is a dancer roll,
Transporting the tow to the downstream side while winding the tow around a peripheral surface of a third transport roll disposed between the adhering device and the first transport roll in the transport direction;
9. The tow according to claim 7, wherein the tow is conveyed to the downstream side while winding the tow around a peripheral surface of a fourth conveyance roll disposed between the first conveyance roll and the opening device in the conveyance direction. 10. A method for manufacturing an opened fiber.   The method for producing a tow spread body according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the tow is spread using a plurality of spread roll pairs arranged on the upstream side of the attachment device.   By using the attachment device having a housing in which the tow is circulated, and at least one spraying unit that is disposed inside the housing and sprays the attachment agent toward the tow, The method for producing an opened tow body according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the impregnating agent is sprayed on the surface of the tow.

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