# US 2016/0250080 A1 · Device for conveying absorbent article and conveyance method using same

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- Number: US 2016/0250080 A1
- Document ID: US20160250080A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/030,619
- Filed: 2014-10-21
- Published: 2016-09-01
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-11
- Assignees: Zuiko Corporation
- Applicants: Zuiko Corporation
- Inventors: Takao Wada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160250080A1

## CPC

- A61F 13/15764: {Transferring, feeding or handling devices; Drives}
- A61F 13/15772: {Control}
- B65G 47/64: Switching conveyors
- B65H 29/12: by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands {or rollers}
- B65H 29/242: {Suction bands or belts}
- B65H 29/58: Article switches or diverters
- B65H 29/585: {taking samples from the main stream}
- B65H 29/62: diverting faulty articles from the main streams (control devices detecting faulty articles B65H43/04)
- B65H 2301/4461: by blowing air towards handled material
- B65H 2301/4474: Pair of cooperating moving elements as rollers, belts forming nip into which material is transported
- B65H 2404/2613: Means for changing the transport path, e.g. deforming, lengthening
- B65H 2404/2693: Arrangement of belts on movable frame
- B65H 2406/122: Nozzles
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

It is aimed to provide a conveying device for absorbent articles capable of precisely sorting an absorbent article between a main conveyance path and a branch path and a conveyance method using the same. A path switching means includes a belt conveying unit with a conveying belt arranged along an annular path and configured to circulate along the annular path to be able to convey an absorbent article and a path switching mechanism configured to switch a conveyance path specified by the conveying belt between a path along which the absorbent article is transferrable from an upstream conveying mechanism to a downstream conveying mechanism and a path along which the absorbent article is guided along a sampling path from the upstream conveying mechanism.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A conveying device switchable between a state where an absorbent article is conveyed along a main conveyance path set in advance and a state where the absorbent article is conveyed along a branch conveyance path branched off from the main conveyance path, the conveying device comprising:
an upstream conveying mechanism provided on the main conveyance path and configured to convey the absorbent article;
a downstream conveying mechanism provided downstream of the upstream conveying mechanism on the main conveyance path and configured to convey the absorbent article; and
a path switching means configured to switch a conveyance path of the absorbent article to guide the absorbent article to the branch conveyance path in the process of transferring the absorbent article from the upstream conveying mechanism to the downstream conveying mechanism,
the path switching means including a belt conveying unit with a conveying belt arranged along an annular path and configured to circulate along the annular path so as to be able to convey the absorbent article and a path switching mechanism configured to switch a conveyance path specified by the conveying belt between a path along which the absorbent article is transferrable from the upstream conveying mechanism to the downstream conveying mechanism and a path along which the absorbent article is guided along the branch conveyance path from the upstream conveying mechanism.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein:
the path switching means includes a pair of switching conveyors provided between the upstream conveying mechanism and the downstream conveying mechanism on the main conveyance path;
each switching conveyor includes the belt conveying unit and the path switching mechanism; and
the both path switching mechanisms are capable of switching directions of the both belt conveying units between a state where the absorbent article is conveyed along the main conveyance path while being sandwiched between the both conveying belts and a state where the absorbent article is conveyed along the branch conveyance path while being sandwiched between the both conveying belts.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein:
the upstream conveying mechanism includes a first upstream conveying unit with the path switching means and a second upstream conveying unit configured to convey the absorbent article between the first upstream conveying unit and the second upstream conveying unit;
the second upstream conveying unit includes a circulating belt arranged along an annular path for branching including a main path extending along the main conveyance path and an sub path extending along the branch conveyance path and configured to circulate along the path for branching; and
the path switching mechanism is configured to switch the path specified by the conveying belt between a state where the absorbent article is conveyed along the main path while being sandwiched between the circulating belt and the path switching mechanism and a state where the absorbent article is guided to the sub path while being sandwiched between the circulating belt and the path switching mechanism.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The conveying device according to claim 3, wherein:
the annular path of the conveying belt includes a conveying path extending along the main conveyance path; and
the path switching mechanism includes a pressing member provided movably with respect to the conveying belt and a driving member configured to drive the pressing member with respect to the conveying belt between a position where a part of the conveying belt extending along the conveying path is pressed from an inner side of the annular path to guide the absorbent article to the sub path and a position where the conveying belt is released from pressing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the second upstream conveying unit preferably includes a suction means configured to suck the absorbent article located on a part of the circulating belt extending along the sub path toward the circulating belt.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the upstream conveying mechanism further includes a defective article sorting unit configured to guide defective articles satisfying a defect condition set in advance out of the absorbent articles conveyed along the main conveyance path to a defective article collection path branched off from the main conveyance path.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The conveying device according to claim 6, wherein the path switching means further includes a controller configured to control an operation of the path switching mechanism such that the absorbent article is guided to the branch conveyance path when the number of the absorbent articles, except the defective articles, conveyed by the upstream conveying mechanism reaches a preset number.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A conveyance method for conveying an absorbent article using the conveying device according to claim 1, comprising:
a main conveyance step of conveying the absorbent article along a main conveyance path set in advance; and
a branch conveyance step of conveying the absorbent article along a branch conveyance path branched off from the main conveyance path;
a conveyance path specified by the conveying belt being set to be able to transfer the absorbent article from the upstream conveying mechanism to the downstream conveying mechanism with the conveying belt kept circulating in the main conveyance step; and
the conveyance path specified by the conveying belt being set to guide the absorbent article along the branch conveyance path from the upstream conveying mechanism with the conveying belt kept circulating in the branch conveyance step.