Abstract:
This distributing device for absorbent articles is provided with a main conveyor path, a branch conveyor path that branches from the main conveyor path, a main conveyor path that conveys absorbent articles along the main conveyor path, a diverting mechanism that diverts absorbent articles in the main conveyor path from the main conveyor path to the branch conveyor path, and a branch conveyor mechanism that conveys the absorbent articles diverted by the diverting mechanism along the branch conveyor path. The diverting mechanism is provided with a diverting part for diverting the absorbent articles. The diverting part moves without stopping, entering the main conveyor path from a standby position outside the main conveyor path and then, after leaving the main conveyor path, returning to the standby position.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a National Phase of International Application Number PCT/JP2011/072904, filed Sep. 28, 2011, and claims priority from Japanese Application Number 2010-223041, filed Sep. 30, 2010. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a sorting system and sorting method for absorbent products. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Known in the art is a sorting system for products which is provided with a main conveyor path, a branch conveyor path which is branched from the main conveyor path, a main conveyor mechanism which conveys a product along the main conveyor path, a sorting mechanism which diverts a product in the main conveyor path from the main conveyor path to the branch conveyor path, and a branch conveyor mechanism which conveys the product which was diverted by the sorting mechanism along the branch conveyor path, in which sorting system the sorting mechanism is provided with a sorting member which diverts an absorbent product, and the sorting member descends from a standby position outside the main conveyor path to the inside of the main conveyor path, then rises and retracts from the main conveyor path and returns to the standby position (see PLT 1). 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     PLT 1 Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2002-79187 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     In the above-mentioned sorting system, the sorting member is temporarily stopped inside the main conveyor path. Therefore, the time when the sorting member is positioned inside the main conveyor path becomes relatively long. 
     However, if the time when the sorting member is positioned in the main conveyor path is long, the succeeding product which should be conveyed along the main conveyor path is also likely to be diverted by the sorting member to the branch conveyor path. That is, the products are likely to be unable to be accurately sorted. This problem is particularly serious when conveying products along the main conveyor path at a high speed. 
     Solution to Problem 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sorting system for an absorbent product which is provided with: a main conveyor path; a branch conveyor path which is branched from the main conveyor path; a main conveyor mechanism which conveys an absorbent product along the main conveyor path; a sorting mechanism which diverts an absorbent product in the main conveyor path from the main conveyor path to the branch conveyor path; and a branch conveyor mechanism which conveys an absorbent product which was diverted by the sorting mechanism along the branch conveyor path, wherein the sorting mechanism is provided with a sorting member which diverts the absorbent product, and wherein the sorting member is moved, without being stopped, from a standby position outside the main conveyor path to the inside of the main conveyor path, then is retracted from the main conveyor path and is returned to the standby position. 
     Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sorting method for absorbent products including: conveying an absorbent product along a main conveyor path, using a main conveyor mechanism; diverting the absorbent product in the main conveyor path to a branch conveyor path which is branched from the main conveyor path, using a sorting mechanism; and conveying the absorbent product which was diverted by the sorting mechanism along the branch conveyor path, using a branch conveyor mechanism, wherein the sorting mechanism is provided with a sorting member which diverts an absorbent product, and wherein the sorting member is moved, without being stopped, from a standby position outside the main conveyor path to the inside of the main conveyor path, then is retracted from the main conveyor path and returned to the standby position. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     It is possible to make a sorting member quickly retract from a main conveyor path, so absorbent products can be accurately sorted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a sorting system. 
         FIG. 2  is a view showing sorting members. 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing a sorting system for explaining a sorting action. 
         FIG. 4  is a view showing a sorting system for explaining a sorting action. 
         FIG. 5  is a view showing a sorting system for explaining a sorting action. 
         FIG. 6  is a view showing a sorting system for explaining a sorting action. 
         FIG. 7  is a view showing a sorting system for explaining a sorting action. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a sorting system  1  for absorbent products such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, incontinence pads, and diapers. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the sorting system  1  is provided with a main conveyor path  4 M and a branch conveyor path  4 B which has been branched from the main conveyor path  4 M at a branching point B. In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , the main conveyor path  4 M extends in the horizontal direction in a straight line, while the branch conveyor path  4 B extends at a slant from the main conveyor path  4 M downward in a straight line. 
     The sorting system  1  is further provided with a main conveyor mechanism  2 M which conveys the absorbent products along the main conveyor path  4 M, a sorting mechanism  3  which diverts absorbent products in the main conveyor path  4 M from the main conveyor path  4 M to the branch conveyor path  4 B, and a branch conveyor mechanism  2 B which conveys absorbent products which were diverted by the sorting mechanism  3  along the branch conveyor path  4 B. 
     The main conveyor mechanism  2 M is provided with a pair of conveyor belts  5 UU and  5 UL which are arranged facing each other at an upstream side of the sorting mechanism  3  and a pair of conveyor belts  5 DU and  5 DL which are arranged facing each other at a downstream side of the sorting mechanism  3 . 
     The conveyor belt  5 UU is strung around a drive pulley  6 UU and idle pulleys  7 UU 1 ,  7 UU 2 , and  7 UU 3  and is rotated by the drive pulley  6 UU. Similarly, the conveyor belt  5 UL is strung around a drive pulley  6 UL and idle pulleys  7 UL 1 ,  7 UL 2 , and  7 UL 3  and is rotated by the drive pulley  6 UL. Further, the conveyor belt  5 DU is strung around the drive pulley  6 DU and idle pulley  7 DU and is rotated by the drive pulley  6 DU. Similarly, the conveyor belt  5 DL is strung around the drive pulley  6 DL and idle pulley  7 DL and is rotated by the drive pulley  6 DU. 
     The part of the conveyor belt  5 UU between the pulleys  7 UU 1  and  7 UU 2  and the part of the conveyor belt  5 UL between the pulleys  7 UL 1  and  7 UL 2  extend substantially parallel to the main conveyor path  4 M, while the lower side part of the conveyor belt  5 DU between the pulleys  6 DU and  7 DU and the upper side part of the conveyor belt  5 DL between the pulleys  6 DL and  7 DL also extend substantially parallel to the main conveyor path  4 M. 
     The absorbent products are conveyed while being gripped between the part of the conveyor belt  5 UU between the idle pulleys  7 UU 1  and  7 UU 2  and the conveyor belt  5 UL between the idle pulleys  7 UL 1  and  7 UL 2 , then are conveyed while being gripped between the conveyor belt  5 DU and the conveyor belt  5 DL, therefore are conveyed along the main conveyor path  4 M. In this case, the conveyor belts  5 UU,  5 UL,  5 DU, and  5 DL are moved at substantially equal speeds with each other. 
     On the other hand, the branch conveyor mechanism  2 B is provided with the conveyor belt  5 UL which is common to the main conveyor mechanism  2 M. The part of the conveyor belt  5 UL between  7 UL 2  and  7 UL 3  extends substantially parallel to the branch conveyor path  4 M. Absorbent products which are diverted by the sorting mechanism  3  to the branch conveyor path  4 M are conveyed by the conveyor belt  5 UL between the idle pulleys  7 UL 2  and  7 UL 3 , therefore are conveyed along the branch conveyor path  4 B. In this way, in the example shown in  FIG. 1 , the conveyance speed along the main conveyor path  4 M and the conveyance speed along the branch conveyor path  4 B are made equal to each other. Note that the branch conveyor mechanism  2 B may also be provided with a separate conveyor belt from the main conveyor mechanism  2 M. Further, the conveyor belts  5 UU,  5 UL,  5 DU, and  5 DL may also be configured from belts of types which hold the conveyed absorbent products by negative pressure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and also  FIG. 2 , the sorting mechanism  3  is provided with, for example, a pair of sorting members  8 A and  8 B for sorting the absorbent products and rotation devices  9 A and  9 B such as electric motors for making the corresponding sorting members  8 A and  8 B rotate about axes of rotation R. These sorting members  8 A and  8 B are plate shaped and are arranged in a direction cutting across the main conveyor path  4 M and branch conveyor path  4 B, in particular in a perpendicular direction. 
     In this case, the axes of rotation R are substantially parallel to the main conveyor path  4 M and are substantially vertical to the branch conveyor path  4 B, therefore the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are rotated substantially parallel to the conveyor surface  2 BS of the branch conveyor mechanism  2 B ( FIG. 2 ). Further, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are made to move by substantially the same speed as the conveyance speed of the branch conveyor mechanism  2 B, that is, the movement speed of the conveyor belt  5 UL, in other words, within a range of ±10% of the conveyor belt movement speed. Furthermore, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are arranged with respect to the conveyor belt  5 UL so that the absorbent products are gripped between the rotating sorting members  8 A and  8 B and conveyor belt  5 UL. In other words, the distance between the sorting members  8 A and  8 B and the conveyor belt  5 UL is set so that the absorbent products are gripped between the rotating sorting members  8 A and  8 B and conveyor belt  5 UL. 
     In  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are at the standby position outside the main conveyor path  4 M. In this case, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B partially overlap. 
     When absorbent products A should be conveyed along the main conveyor path  4 M, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are held at the above-mentioned standby position. As a result, the absorbent products A are conveyed by the conveyor belts  5 UU and  5 UL, then are conveyed by the conveyor belts  5 DU and  5 DL. 
     When the absorbent products A should be conveyed along the branch conveyor path  4 B, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are rotated synchronously with each other. As a result, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B leave the standby position and enter into the main conveyor path  4 M whereby the absorbent products A are diverted from the main conveyor path  4 M to the branch conveyor path  4 B. 
     In this case, the rotation operation of the sorting members  8 A and  8 B is started so that the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are positioned inside the main conveyor path  4 M before the absorbent products A which should be diverted to the branch conveyor path  4 B reach the branching point B. In this embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the rotation operation of the sorting members  8 A and  8 B is started so that the front ends AE of the absorbent products A strike the leading end parts  8 AE and  8 BE of the sorting members  8 A and  8 B. 
     Next, as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the absorbent products A are gripped between the rotating sorting members  8 A and  8 B and the conveyor belt  5 UL while being conveyed along the branch conveyor path  4 B. In this way, the absorbent products A are diverted or the conveyance direction of the absorbent products A is changed. 
     The sorting members  8 A and  8 B are further rotated and, as shown in  FIG. 7 , are retracted from the main conveyor path  4 M to separate from the absorbent products A. Next, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are further rotated and returned to the standby position ( FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ). When the sorting members  8 A and  8 B return to the standby position, rotation stops and, therefore, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are held at the standby position. 
     In this case, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are moved without stopping so as to leave the standby position, cut across the main conveyor path  4 M, and return to the standby position. 
     On this point, it can be considered that the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are rotated in a single direction so as to leave the standby position, cut across the main conveyor path  4 M, and return to the standby position. That is, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B which cut across the main conveyor path  4 M are returned to the standby position without again cutting across the main conveyor path  4 M. Alternatively, it can also be considered that the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are retracted from the main conveyor paths  8 A and  8 B along a path different from the path followed when entering the main conveyor paths  8 A and  8 B. 
     Whatever the case, in this embodiment of the present invention, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B can be made to quickly retract from the main conveyor path  4 M. Therefore, subsequent absorbent products which should be conveyed along the main conveyor path  4 M can be prevented from being diverted by the sorting members  8 A and  8 B to the branch conveyor path  4 B. Therefore, even when the absorbent products are conveyed at a high speed, the absorbent products can be accurately sorted. 
     Further, as explained above, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are rotated substantially in parallel with the conveyor surface  2 BS of the branch conveyor mechanism  2 B at substantially equal speeds with the movement speed of the conveyor belt  5 UL. Further, the sorting members  8 A and  8 B are arranged with respect to the conveyor belt  5 UL so that the absorbent products are gripped between the sorting members  8 A and  8 B and the conveyor belt  5 UL. As a result, the absorbent products A can be reliably diverted to the branch conveyor path  4 B. 
     In the above embodiment, a pair of sorting members  8 A and  8 B which are moved synchronously with each other are provided. However, there may also be a single sorting member or three or more members. 
     Further, it is also possible to make a plurality of sorting members move independently from each other. That is, for example, when diverting a preceding absorbent product to the branch conveyor path  4 B, it is also possible to make only the sorting member  8 A rotate, while when diverting a succeeding absorbent product to the branch conveyor path  4 B, it is possible to make only the sorting member  8 B rotate. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           1  sorting system 
           2 M main conveyor mechanism 
           2 B branch conveyor mechanism 
           3  sorting mechanism 
           4 M main conveyor path 
           4 B branch conveyor path 
           8 A,  8 B sorting members 
         A absorbent products