TOILET PAPER ROLL MANUFACTURING METHOD

A toilet paper roll manufacturing method is provided with which, when 4-ply toilet paper is torn off, individual layered sheets of the paper are prevented from peeling off each other and a good appearance is ensured. The method includes a step of forming laminated paper 101 by bonding base paper 10a and base paper 11a, a step of forming laminated paper 102 by bonding base paper 13a and base paper 12a, and a step of spraying a bonding liquid to the laminated paper 101 and the laminated paper 102, stacking and pressing the laminated paper 101 and the laminated paper 102 by pressure rollers 23c, and forming 4-ply toilet paper 200.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a 4-ply toilet paper roll that is formed by laminating and rolling up four sheets of paper into a roll.

BACKGROUND ART

Until now, a (1-ply) toilet paper roll formed by rolling up one sheet of paper into a roll or a 2-ply toilet paper roll formed by laminating and rolling up two sheets of base paper into a roll has been manufactured and sold generally.

Furthermore, a toilet paper roll formed by laminating and rolling up three or more sheets of paper into a roll has also been manufactured and sold with intent to increase absorbency.

When the three or more sheets of paper are laminated as described above, the laminated paper is so thick that it is difficult to tear off a pulled-out portion of the laminated paper from a paper roll.

In some of the paper rolls formed by laminating the three or more sheets of paper, perforations are formed in the laminated paper at constant intervals to make the pulled-out portion of the laminated paper easily torn off from the paper roll.

In regard to the manufacturing of the 3-ply toilet paper roll, for example, there is known a method of gluing one ply on a front side to at least one ply in an intermediate layer, forming a micro-embossed pattern in two plies on a rear side, and laminating those three plies in order that the individual plies may become hard to peel off. In regard to the manufacturing of the 4-ply toilet paper roll, there is known a method of forming a decoration embossed pattern in two plies on a front side and forming a micro-embossed pattern in two plies on a rear side. The latter method further includes a step of gluing at least one rear-side ply of the two plies on the front side to at least one front-side ply of the two plies on the rear side (Patent Literature (PTL) 1).

In a variation of the above-mentioned 4-ply toilet paper roll, two layers forming intermediate layers of four plies are glued together. Furthermore, a decoration embossed pattern of large size is formed in two outer-side layers of the four plies, and a micro-embossed pattern formed in the two layers (intermediate layers) glued together are brought into strong contact with the decoration embossed pattern to be laminated in order that those layers may become hard to peel off.

In another example of the above-mentioned 4-ply toilet paper roll, the decoration embossed pattern is formed in one ply on the front side, the micro-embossed pattern is formed in three plies on the rear side, and the one ply on the front side is glued to the second ply from the front side.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The 4-ply toilet paper roll manufactured by laminating multiple sheets of paper as described above includes a portion in which those sheets are laminated, for example, while embossed patterns of different sizes are brought into strong contact with each other without using any bonding liquid such as water or glue. Accordingly, there is a possibility that, when a desired length of the toilet paper is torn off in a state in which the toilet paper roll is attached to a toilet paper holder, the individual laminated paper sheets may peel off each other starting from a torn-off end. If the laminated paper sheets stick out of the toilet paper holder in the loosely peeled-off state, an appearance of the toilet paper deteriorates.

The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-described problem and provides a toilet paper roll manufacturing method with which, when paper a 4-ply toilet paper roll is torn off, individual layered sheets of the paper are prevented from peeling off each other, and a good appearance is ensured.

Solution to Problem

A toilet paper roll manufacturing method according to the present disclosure includes a first step of pulling out base paper from each of multiple base paper rolls; a second step of introducing multiple sheets of the base paper to a lamination unit, laminating the multiple sheets of the base paper, and forming 4-ply toilet paper; a third step of drying the 4-ply toilet paper; and a fourth step of rolling up the 4-ply toilet paper and manufacturing a 4-ply toilet paper roll, wherein the second step includes a fifth step of separating the multiple sheets of the base paper introduced to the lamination unit into multiple sheets of 1-ply base paper; a sixth step of operating a first sprayer to spray a bonding liquid between first base paper and second base paper among the multiple sheets of 1-ply base paper and forming first laminated paper made up of the first base paper and the second base paper; a seventh step of operating a second sprayer to spray the bonding liquid between third base paper and fourth base paper among the multiple sheets of 1-ply base paper and forming second laminated paper made up of the third base paper and the fourth base paper; and an eighth step of operating a third sprayer to spray the bonding liquid between the first laminated paper and the second laminated paper, and operating a first pressure roller to stack and press the first laminated paper and the second laminated paper and to form the 4-ply toilet paper, the sixth step and the seventh step being performed simultaneously.

The sixth step includes applying the bonding liquid to adhere to the first base paper and the second base paper, and stacking and pressing the first base paper and the second base paper by a second pressure roller, and the seventh step includes applying the bonding liquid to adhere to the third base paper and the fourth base paper, and stacking and pressing the third base paper and the fourth base paper by a third pressure roller.

The eighth step includes operating the second sprayer to spray the bonding liquid in an amount enough for causing fiber-to-fiber gaps in the first laminated paper and fiber-to-fiber gaps in the second laminated paper to widen due to permeation of the bonding liquid; and operating the first pressure roller to apply pressure such that water of the bonding liquid is discharged from the fiber-to-fiber gaps in the first laminated paper and the fiber-to-fiber gaps in the second laminated paper.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present disclosure, when paper the 4-ply toilet paper roll is torn off, individual layered sheets of the paper are prevented from peeling off each other, and a good appearance is ensured.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment

FIG.1is an explanatory view illustrating a schematic configuration of a toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1using a toilet paper roll manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

The toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1is constituted to manufacture a 4-ply toilet paper roll300.

The toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1includes, for example, guide rollers2for moving base paper10a, base paper11a, base paper12a, and base paper13aa base paper roll10, a base paper roll11, a base paper roll12, and a base paper roll13, respectively, to a lamination unit20, and the lamination unit20for stacking the base paper10a, the base paper11a, the base paper12a, and the base paper13aand forming 4-ply toilet paper200.

The toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1further includes a drying unit30for drying the 4-ply toilet paper200, and a rolling-up unit40for rolling up the 4-ply toilet paper200after being dried and forming the 4-ply toilet paper roll300.

The base paper10a, the base paper11a, the base paper12a, and the base paper13adescribed here, by way of example, are each 1-ply base paper.

The toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1illustrated inFIG.1is constituted to manufacture the 4-ply toilet paper roll300using the base paper10a, the base paper11a, the base paper12a, and the base paper13aeach being a 1-ply paper sheet.

In the toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1ofFIG.1, for example, the multiple guide rollers2are installed to guide the base paper10athe base paper roll10and the base paper11athe base paper roll11to be stacked and introduced to the lamination unit20, and to guide the base paper12athe base paper roll12and the base paper13athe base paper roll13to be stacked and introduced to the lamination unit20.

FIG.2is an explanatory view illustrating a schematic configuration of the lamination unit20included in the toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1ofFIG.1.

The lamination unit20includes a sprayer22afor spraying a bonding liquid, such as an aqueous solution containing water, a perfume ingredient, and a deodorant ingredient, to stacked portions of the base paper10aand the base paper11a, and a sprayer22bfor spraying the bonding liquid to stacked portions of the base paper12aand the base paper13a. By spraying water from one of the sprayers22aand22band spraying an aqueous solution containing the perfume ingredient, for example, from the other one, a concentration of the above-mentioned aqueous solution can be controlled.

The lamination unit20includes multiple guide rollers21for separating the base paper10aand the base paper11ahaving been held in a stacked state when they are introduced to the lamination unit20, and for moving the base paper10aand the base paper11asuch that a surface of the base paper10aand a surface of the base paper11a, both the surfaces having been held in contact with each other in the stacked state, are positioned to face the location of a space where the sprayer22asprays the bonding liquid.

Furthermore, the lamination unit20includes other multiple guide rollers21for separating the base paper12aand the base paper13ahaving been held in a stacked state when they are introduced to the lamination unit20, and for moving the base paper12aand the base paper13asuch that a surface of the base paper12aand a surface of the base paper13a, both the surfaces having been held in contact with each other in the stacked state, are positioned to face the location of a space where the sprayer22bsprays the bonding liquid.

The lamination unit20includes pressure rollers23afor stacking the base paper10aand the base paper11aand pressing them at the location of the space where the sprayer22asprays the bonding liquid (or near that location), and pressure rollers23bfor stacking the base paper12aand the base paper13aand pressing them at the location of the space where the sprayer22bsprays the bonding liquid (or near that location).

The lamination unit20further includes a sprayer22cfor, when laminated paper101formed by the pressure rollers23aand laminated paper102formed by the pressure rollers23bare stacked, spraying the bonding liquid to respective contact surfaces of the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102.

Moreover, the lamination unit20includes other multiple guide rollers21for moving the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102to the location of a space where the sprayer22csprays the bonding liquid, and pressure rollers23cfor stacking the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102and pressing them at the location of the space where the sprayer22csprays the bonding liquid (or near that location).

An operation of the toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1will be described below.

In the toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1ofFIG.1, for example, long sheets of the base paper10a, the base paper11a, the base paper12a, and the base paper13aare the four single-ply base paper rolls10,11,12, and13, respectively, and are transferred to the lamination unit20by the multiple guide rollers2.

In the lamination unit20, the sheets of base paper10a,11a,12a, and13aintroduced thereto by the guide rollers2are laminated after the bonding liquid has been applied to adhere to those sheets as described later, whereby the 4-ply toilet paper200of long size is formed.

The 4-ply toilet paper200formed in the lamination unit20is introduced to the drying unit30from the lamination unit20.

The drying unit30includes, for example, multiple cylinders arranged in the inside and dries the 4-ply toilet paper200by letting the 4-ply toilet paper200having been introduced to the drying unit30to pass through the cylinders and by applying heat to the 4-ply toilet paper200.

The 4-ply toilet paper200having been dried in the drying unit30is introduced to the rolling-up unit40.

The rolling-up unit40rolls up the 4-ply toilet paper200, introduced to the rolling-up unit40, by a rolling-up pressure roller42and multiple rolling-up rollers43. As a result, the 4-ply toilet paper roll300is manufactured.

Furthermore, the rolling-up unit40includes a cutter41. After a predetermined length of the 4-ply toilet paper200has been rolled up by the rolling-up pressure roller42and the rolling-up rollers43, the 4-ply toilet paper200introduced to the rolling-up unit40is cut by the cutter41.

The rolling-up unit40repeats a step of successively rolling up the 4-ply toilet paper200introduced to the rolling-up unit40and a step of cutting the 4-ply toilet paper200by the cutter41as described above, thus continuing to manufacture the 4-ply toilet paper roll300.

In some cases, for example, the rolling-up unit40may include a cutter (not illustrated) for forming perforations in the 4-ply toilet paper200along a width direction, may form the perforations in the 4-ply toilet paper200at predetermined intervals, and may manufacture the 4-ply toilet paper roll300with the perforations.

FIG.2is the explanatory view illustrating the schematic configuration of the lamination unit20included in the toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1ofFIG.1.

In the toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1, for example, the base paper10aand the base paper11aare stacked and introduced to the lamination unit20by the guide rollers2, and the base paper12aand the base paper13aare stacked and introduced to the lamination unit20by the other guide rollers2.

The lamination unit20includes the multiple guide rollers21and the sprayers22a,22b, and22cfor spraying the above-mentioned bonding liquid.

The lamination unit20further includes, as described later, the pressure rollers23afor pressing the base paper10aand the base paper11ain the stacked state, the pressure rollers23bfor pressing the base paper12aand the base paper13ain the stacked state, and the pressure rollers23cfor pressing the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102in the stacked state.

In the lamination unit20, when the base paper10aand the base paper11ahaving been stacked by the guide rollers2as described above are introduced thereto, the base paper10aand the base paper11aare separated from each other and are then separately transferred to the vicinity of the sprayer22aby the multiple guide rollers21.

Those guide rollers21transfer the base paper10aand the base paper11a, for example, such that a rear surface of the base paper10aand a front surface of the base paper11aare positioned to face each other at the location of the space where the sprayer22asprays the bonding liquid. In other words, the guide rollers21transfer the base paper10aand the base paper11ain such a way that the rear surface of the base paper10aand the front surface of the base paper11ato face the location toward which the bonding liquid is sprayed from the sprayer22a.

For the base paper10aand the base paper11ahaving been transferred to the location of the space where the bonding liquid sprayed is able to adhere to each base paper, the sprayer22asprays the bonding liquid toward, for example, the rear surface of the base paper10aand the front surface of the base paper11a(for adhering to those surfaces).

At that time, the sprayer22asprays the bonding liquid in an amount enough for, in a state in which fiber-to-fiber gaps on a rear surface side of the base paper10aare widened and fiber-to-fiber gaps on a front surface side of the base paper11aare widened due to permeation of the bonding liquid adhering to the surfaces, enabling the fibers to be intertwined when the base paper10aand the base paper11aare stacked.

The lamination unit20includes the pressure rollers23a, for example, at the location of the space where the sprayer22asprays the bonding liquid (or near that location). The pressure rollers23abring the rear surface of the base paper10aand the front surface of the base paper11a, those surfaces including the adhering bonding liquid, into a contact (stacked) state, sandwich the base paper10aand the base paper11a, and apply pressure at such a level, for example, that the bonding liquid (water) permeated in the base paper10aand the base paper11ais discharged to the outside.

Stated another way, with the above-described pressing, the bonding liquid (water) acting to widen the fiber-to-fiber gaps on the rear surface side of the base paper10aand the bonding liquid (water) acting to widen the fiber-to-fiber gaps on the front surface side of the base paper11aare discharged from the fiber-to-fiber gaps, and the fibers are intertwined. Hence the 2-ply laminated paper101made up of the base paper10aand the base paper11abonded to each other is formed.

Furthermore, in the lamination unit20, when the base paper12aand the base paper13ahaving been stacked by the guide rollers2as described above are introduced thereto, the base paper12aand the base paper13aare separated from each other by the multiple guide rollers21and are then separately transferred to the vicinity of the sprayer22bby the multiple guide rollers21.

Those guide rollers21transfer the base paper13aand the base paper12a, for example, such that a rear surface of the base paper13aand a front surface of the base paper12aare positioned to face each other at the location of the space where the sprayer22bsprays the bonding liquid. In other words, the guide rollers21transfer the base paper13aand the base paper12ain such a way that the rear surface of the base paper13aand the front surface of the base paper12aare positioned to face the location toward which the bonding liquid is sprayed from the sprayer22b.

For the base paper13aand the base paper12ahaving been transferred to the location of the space where the bonding liquid sprayed is able to adhere to each base paper, the sprayer22bsprays the bonding liquid toward, for example, the rear surface of the base paper13aand the front surface of the base paper12a(for adhering to those surfaces).

At that time, the sprayer22bsprays the bonding liquid in an amount enough for, in a state in which fiber-to-fiber gaps on a rear surface side of the base paper13aare widened and fiber-to-fiber gaps on a front surface side of the base paper12aare widened due to permeation of the bonding liquid adhering to the surfaces, enabling the fibers to be intertwined when the base paper13aand the base paper12aare stacked.

The lamination unit20includes the pressure rollers23b, for example, at the location of the space where the sprayer22bsprays the bonding liquid (or near that location). The pressure rollers23bbring the rear surface of the base paper13aand the front surface of the base paper12a, those surfaces including the adhering bonding liquid, into a contact (stacked) state, sandwich the base paper13aand the base paper12a, and apply pressure at such a level, for example, that the bonding liquid (water) permeated in the base paper13aand the base paper12ais discharged to the outside.

Stated another way, with the above-described pressing, the bonding liquid (water) acting to widen the fiber-to-fiber gaps on the rear surface side of the base paper13aand the bonding liquid (water) acting to widen the fiber-to-fiber gaps on the front surface side of the base paper12aare discharged from the fiber-to-fiber gaps, and the fibers are intertwined. Hence the 2-ply laminated paper102made up of the base paper13aand the base paper12abonded to each other is formed.

The lamination unit20can simultaneously perform, for example, a step of forming the laminated paper101with the aid of the sprayer22a, the pressure rollers23a, and so on, and a step of forming the laminated paper102with the aid of the sprayer22b, the pressure rollers23b, and so on.

The laminated paper101formed by the pressure rollers23aand the laminated paper102formed by the pressure rollers23bare each transferred by the multiple guide rollers21to the location of the space where the sprayer22csprays the bonding liquid. Those guide rollers21transfer the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102, for example, such that a rear surface of the laminated paper101and a front surface of the laminated paper102are positioned to face each other at the location of the space where the sprayer22csprays the bonding liquid. In other words, the guide rollers21transfer the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102in such a way that the rear surface of the laminated paper101and the front surface of the laminated paper102are positioned to face the location toward which the bonding liquid is sprayed from the sprayer22c.

For the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102having been transferred to the location of the space where the bonding liquid sprayed is able to adhere to each laminated paper, the sprayer22csprays the bonding liquid toward, for example, the rear surface of the laminated paper101and the front surface of the laminated paper102(for adhering to those surfaces).

At that time, the sprayer22csprays the bonding liquid in an amount enough for, in a state in which fiber-to-fiber gaps on a rear surface side of the laminated paper101are widened and fiber-to-fiber gaps on a front surface side of the laminated paper102are widened due to permeation of the bonding liquid adhering to the surfaces, enabling the fibers to be intertwined when the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102are stacked.

The lamination unit20includes the pressure rollers23c, for example, at the location of the space where the sprayer22csprays the bonding liquid (or near that location). The pressure rollers23cbring the rear surface of the laminated paper101and the front surface of the laminated paper102, those surfaces including the adhering bonding liquid, into a contact (stacked) state, sandwich the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102, and apply pressure at such a level, for example, that the bonding liquid (water) permeated in the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102is discharged to the outside.

Stated another way, with the above-described pressing, the bonding liquid (water) acting to widen the fiber-to-fiber gaps on the rear surface side of the laminated paper101and the bonding liquid (water) acting to widen the fiber-to-fiber gaps on the front surface side of the laminated paper102are discharged from the fiber-to-fiber gaps, and the fibers are intertwined. Hence the 4-ply toilet paper200made up of the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102bonded to each other is formed.

The 4-ply toilet paper200formed by the pressure rollers23cis dried by the drying unit30and rolled up by the rolling-up unit40as described above, whereby the 4-ply toilet paper roll300is manufactured.

FIG.3is an explanatory view illustrating another configuration example of the toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1ofFIG.1.FIG.3illustrates part of the other configuration example of the toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1, the part representing a section in which sheets of base paper14aand15abase paper rolls14and15, respectively, are introduced to a lamination unit20.

In the other configuration example of the toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1, the lamination unit20, a drying unit30, a rolling-up unit40, and so on are similar to those illustrated inFIGS.1and2.

The base paper roll14and the base paper roll15are formed, for example, by rolling up respectively the base paper14aand the base paper15aeach of which is made up of 2-ply paper sheets that are not bonded to each other with the bonding liquid or the like.

In the other configuration example illustrated inFIG.3, the 2-ply base paper14athe base paper roll14and the 2-ply base paper15athe base paper roll15are each guided by multiple guide rollers2and introduced to the lamination unit20.

The lamination unit20illustrated inFIG.3has a similar configuration to that of the lamination unit20illustrated inFIG.2. In the lamination unit20, for example, the base paper14ais separated into first 1-ply base paper (not illustrated) corresponding to the base paper10aand second 1-ply base paper (not illustrated) corresponding to the base paper11a, and similar treatment to that for the base paper10aand the base paper11ais performed on the first 1-ply base paper and the second 1-ply base paper.

Furthermore, in the lamination unit20inFIG.3, the base paper15ais separated into third 1-ply base paper (not illustrated) corresponding to the base paper13aand fourth 1-ply base paper (not illustrated) corresponding to the base paper12a, and similar treatment to that for the base paper13aand the base paper12ais performed on the third 1-ply base paper and the fourth 1-ply base paper.

In the lamination unit20inFIG.3, too, the laminated paper101and the laminated paper102are formed, and the 4-ply toilet paper200is formed as in the above-described embodiment.

The toilet paper roll manufacturing apparatus1described here can be constituted to supply, to the lamination unit20, not only the sheets of 1-ply base paper10a,11a,12a, and13afrom the base paper rolls10,11,12, and13, respectively, but also the sheets of 2-ply base paper14aand15afrom the base paper rolls14and15, respectively.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST