Patent Publication Number: US-11655592-B2

Title: Liquid applying apparatus for fiber products

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a liquid applying apparatus for coating at least one liquid onto fiber products, such that the liquid is uniformly distributed on the fiber products that are of a three-layer structure. 
     2. The Related Arts 
     Toilet paper provides uses of water absorption and cleaning and is commonly used in daily living. Interfold tissues currently available in the market have a typical two-layer structure. However, three-layer tissues are now prevailing as they are more comfortable to users. 
     Further, some manufacturers produce tissue paper or nonwovens with liquid coated thereon, and examples are wet tissues or wet napkins to allow a user to wipe or clean articles. Toilet paper or nonwoven may be coated with various liquids, such as water, liquid disinfectant, and alcohol. A user may wipe hands with a piece of wet tissue or wet napkin for disinfection purposes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a liquid applying apparatus for fiber products, which helps alleviate the issue of non-uniform coating in applying a liquid to a fiber product having three or more than three plies, and also helps improve efficiency of production. 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid applying apparatus for fiber products, which is operable to coat a liquid on a surface of each single ply of a fiber product having a three-layer structure so as to achieve uniform application of the liquid in the three-layer fiber product. 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid applying apparatus for fiber products, which includes three liquid applying devices, of which two are operable to apply a liquid to different surfaces of a two-layer fiber product, while the remaining one is operable to apply a liquid on a surface of a single-layer fiber product, the two-layer fiber product and the single-layer fiber product being subsequently stacked and adhesively bonded to make a three-layer fiber product, such that application of the liquid is made uniform in the three-layer fiber product. 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid applying apparatus for fiber products, which includes three liquid applying devices that are operable for individually adjusting the amounts of liquids applied to surfaces of a two-layer fiber product and a single-layer fiber product, so as to make the liquid uniformly distributed in a three-layer fiber product and also to facilitates minute adjustment the liquid amounts applied to the three-layer fiber product. 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid applying apparatus for fiber products, which includes three liquid applying devices that are operable for respectively applying different liquids on a fiber product in order to vary formula, smell, effect of disinfection, and color of the liquid applied to the fiber product. 
     To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a liquid applying apparatus for fiber products, comprising: a first liquid applying device including a first liquid application roller that is operable to coat a first liquid on a first surface of a first fiber product; a second liquid applying device including a second liquid application roller that is adjacent to the first liquid application roller, wherein the first fiber product is movable to pass between the first liquid application roller and the second liquid application roller, and the second liquid application roller is operable to coat a second liquid on a second surface of the first fiber product; and a third liquid applying device including a third liquid application roller that is adjacent to the second liquid application roller, the third liquid application roller being operable to coat a third liquid on a first surface of a second fiber product. The first fiber product and the second fiber product pass between the second liquid application roller and the third liquid application roller and are pressed and laminated by the second liquid application roller and the third liquid application roller. The first fiber product is a multi-layer fiber product and the second fiber product is a single-layer fiber product. 
     In the above liquid applying apparatus, the first liquid applying device comprises a first liquid tank and a first liquid pick-up roller, the first liquid pick-up roller being located between the first liquid application roller and the first liquid tank; the second liquid applying device comprises a second liquid tank and a second liquid pick-up roller, the second liquid pick-up roller being located between the second liquid application roller and the second liquid tank; and the third liquid applying device comprises a third liquid tank and a third liquid pick-up roller, the third liquid pick-up roller being located between the third liquid application roller and the third liquid tank. 
     Preferably, the first liquid pick-up roller, the second liquid pick-up roller, and the third liquid pick-up roller each has a surface that is formed with a plurality of concave portions thereon. 
     Preferably, the first liquid application roller, the second liquid application roller, and the third liquid application roller are each a rubber roller. 
     Preferably, the first liquid, the second liquid, and the third liquid have an identical formula. 
     Preferably, the first fiber product and the second fiber product are laminated and pressed together to form a third fiber product. 
     Preferably, the first fiber product is a two-layer fiber product, and the third fiber product is a three-layer fiber product. 
     Preferably, the second liquid application roller is located between the first liquid application roller and the third liquid application roller. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The FIGURE is a schematic view illustrating a liquid applying apparatus for fiber products according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the FIGURE, a schematic view is provided to illustrate a liquid applying apparatus for fiber products according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the liquid applying apparatus 10  is operable to apply at least one liquid on a fiber product, and mainly comprises a first liquid applying device  11 , a second liquid applying device  13 , and a third liquid applying device  15 . The second liquid applying device  13  is adjacent to each of the first liquid applying device  11  and the third liquid applying device  15 , and the first liquid applying device  11  and the third liquid applying device  15  are not in direct contact with each other. 
     The first liquid applying device  11  comprises a first liquid application roller  111 , and the second liquid applying device  13  comprises a second liquid application roller  131 , wherein the second liquid application roller  131  is adjacent to the first liquid application roller  111 . A first fiber product  12  is movable to pass between the first liquid application roller  111  and the second liquid application roller  131 , wherein the first liquid application roller  111  is operable to apply a first liquid  112  on a surface of the first fiber product  12 , such as a first surface  121 , and the second liquid application roller  131  is operable to apply a second liquid  132  on another surface of the first fiber product  12 , such as a second surface  123 . 
     The third liquid applying device  15  comprises a third liquid application roller  151 , wherein the second liquid application roller  131  is adjacent to the third liquid application roller  151 , and the third liquid application roller  151  is operable to apply a third liquid  152  on a surface of a second fiber product  14 . The first fiber product  12  and the second fiber product  14  are moved to pass between the second liquid application roller  131  and the third liquid application roller  151 . The second liquid application roller  131  and the third liquid application roller  151  are operable to press the first fiber product  12  and the second fiber product  14  together, as being laminated, so as to form a third fiber product  16 . 
     The first liquid  112 , the second liquid  132 , and the third liquid  152  can be liquids of identical or different formulas or compositions. For example, the first liquid  112 , the second liquid  132 , and the third liquid  152  can each be selected as one of an emulsion, a disinfectant agent, perfume, water, a moisturizer, and a cleaning agent, or the likes. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the first liquid applying device  11  further comprises a first liquid tank  113 , which contains and stores therein the first liquid  112 , wherein the first liquid  112  contained in the first liquid tank  113  is transferred to a surface of the first liquid application roller  111  and consequently, the first liquid application roller  111  applies the first liquid  112  to the first surface  121  of the first fiber product  12 . 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first liquid applying device  11  further comprises a first liquid pick-up roller  115 , wherein the first liquid pick-up roller  115  is located between the first liquid tank  113  and the first liquid application roller  111 . The first liquid pick-up roller  115  is set in contact with the first liquid tank  113 , such that when the first liquid pick-up roller  115  is rotate relative to the first liquid tank  113 , the first liquid  112  contained in the first liquid tank  113  is transferred to a surface of the first liquid pick-up roller  115 . Further, the first liquid pick-up roller  115  is also set in contact with the first liquid application roller  111 , so that the first liquid  112  on the surface of the first liquid pick-up roller  115  is transferred to the first liquid application roller  111 . In a different embodiment, there can be multiple first liquid pick-up rollers  115 . 
     The first liquid pick-up roller  115  and the first liquid application roller  111  are each of a cylindrical form, wherein the first liquid pick-up roller  115  is made of a material that is essentially not deformable and the surface of the first liquid pick-up roller  115  is formed with a plurality of concave portions. For example the first liquid pick-up roller  115  may be a metal mesh roller. The concave portions of the first liquid pick-up roller  115  may receive and hold and, thus, transfer the first liquid  112 . The first liquid application roller  111  is made of a material that is deformable, for example the first liquid application roller  111  being a rubber roller, in order to assist the first liquid application roller  111  to apply and thus coat the first liquid  112  on the first surface  121  of the first fiber product  12 . 
     The second liquid applying device  13  and the third liquid applying device  15  are each of a structure that is generally identical to or similar to that of the first liquid applying device  11 . The second liquid applying device  13  comprises a second liquid application roller  131 , a second liquid tank  133 , and/or a second liquid pick-up roller  135 , wherein the second liquid pick-up roller  135  is located between the second liquid tank  133  and the second liquid application roller  131 , and the second liquid application roller  131  is operable to apply and thus coat the second liquid  132  on the second surface  123  of the first fiber product  12 . 
     The third liquid applying device  15  comprises a third liquid application roller  151 , a third liquid tank  153 , and/or a third liquid pick-up roller  155 , wherein the third liquid pick-up roller  155  is located between the third liquid tank  153  and the second liquid application roller  151 , and the third liquid application roller  151  is operable to apply and thus coat the third liquid  152  on a first surface  141  of the second fiber product  14 . 
     Specifically, the first fiber product  12  is a multi-layer fiber product and comprises a lamination of a plurality of single-layer fiber products, and therefore the first fiber product  12  has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of one single-layer fiber product. If liquid is applied to one signal surface of the first fiber product  12 , the liquid may not uniformly penetrate and spread to every part the first fiber product  12 . Further, in the course of application of the liquid to the first fiber product  12 , it takes time to allow the liquid to penetrate, in a very slow manner, into the interior of the first fiber product  12 , and this would increase the time necessary for finishing coating of the liquid. 
     For such problems, the present invention provides an arrangement in which the first liquid applying device  11  and the second liquid applying device  13  are operably to separately and individually apply and thus coat the first liquid  112  and the second liquid  132  on the different surfaces, such as opposite sides, of the first fiber product  12 , such surface being the first surface  121  and the second surface  123  discussed above. The first liquid  112  and the second liquid  132  respectively penetrate through such different surfaces into the interior of the first fiber product  12 , so that the first liquid  112  and the second liquid  132  can spread uniformly to every part of the first fiber product  12  and the time required for the liquids (the first liquid  112  and the second liquid  132 ) to penetrate into the interior of the first fiber product  12  can be shortened. 
     The third liquid applying device  15  is operable to apply and thus coat the third liquid  152  on a surface of the second fiber product  14 , wherein the second fiber product  14  is a single-layer fiber product. The second fiber product  14  generally has a thickness that is smaller than the thickness of the first fiber product  12 . Thus, one single third liquid applying device  15  suffices to make the third liquid  152  uniformly and quickly penetrate into an interior of the second fiber product  14 . 
     The third liquid applying device  15  conveys the second fiber product  14  that has been coated as noted above to the second liquid applying device  13 , such that the second fiber product  14  is stacked on and laminated with the first fiber product  12 . Specifically, the third liquid applying device  15  is operable to apply and thus coat the third liquid  152  on the first surface  141  of the second fiber product  14 , and a second surface  143  of the second fiber product  14  is set in contact with and bonded to the first surface  121  of the first fiber product  12 , such that the first fiber product  12  and the second fiber product  14  are stacked and laminated together to form the third fiber product  16 . 
     Further, the second liquid application roller  131  of the second liquid applying device  13  and the third liquid application roller  151  of the third liquid applying device  15  are set adjacent to each other to press and thus laminate the stacked first fiber product  12  and second fiber product  14 , such that the first fiber product  12  and the second fiber product  14  can be tightly and securely bonded together to form the third fiber product  16 . 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the first fiber product  12  can be a two-layer fiber product, and the second fiber product  14  is a single-layer fiber product, and thus, the third fiber product  16  is a three-layer fiber product. Further, the first fiber product  12  and the second fiber product  14  are made of paper (or pulp) or nonwoven, while the third fiber product  16  is one of toilet paper, facial tissue, wet tissue, facial membrane, and the likes. 
     The second liquid pick-up roller  135  and the third liquid pick-up roller  155  are each made of a material that is essentially not deformable, and the second liquid pick-up roller  135  and the third liquid pick-up roller  155  may have a surface that is formed with a plurality of concave portions respectively. For example, the second liquid pick-up roller  135  and the third liquid pick-up roller  155  may be each metal mesh roller. The second liquid application roller  131  and the third liquid application roller  151  are each made of a material that is deformable, for example the second liquid application roller  131  and the third liquid application roller  151  being each a rubber roller. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the first fiber product  12  is a two-layer fiber product, which comprises two single-layer fiber products. The first liquid applying device  11  and the second liquid applying device  13  respectively apply and thus coat the first liquid  112  and the second liquid  132  on the two single-layer fiber products of the first fiber product  12 , while the third liquid applying device  15  applies and thus coats the third liquid  152  on a surface of a single-layer second fiber product  14 . In other words, the first liquid applying device  11 , the second liquid applying device  13 , and the third liquid applying device  15  are operable to respectively apply and coat the first liquid  112 , the second liquid  132 , and the third liquid  152  a surface of each of the single-layer fiber products, so that the liquids can be uniformly distributed and spread over the third fiber product  16  that is formed as discussed above. 
     In a practical application, the first liquid applying device  11 , the second liquid applying device  13 , and the third liquid applying device  15  are adjustable for the amounts of the first liquid  112 , the second liquid  132 , and the third liquid  152  applied thereby. For example, the first liquid application roller  111 , the second liquid application roller  131 , and the third liquid application roller  151  can be controlled and adjusted in respect of rotating speeds thereof in order to adjust the amounts of application of the first liquid  112 , the second liquid  132 , and the third liquid  152 . 
     Specifically, the first liquid applying device  11  is arranged upstream of the second liquid applying device  13  and/or the third liquid applying device  15 , and the second liquid applying device  13  is located between the first liquid applying device  11  and the third liquid applying device  15 , wherein the second liquid application roller  131  is located between the first liquid application roller  111  and the third liquid application roller  151 . 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the first liquid  112  is first applied by the first liquid applying device  11  to coat on the first surface  121  of the first fiber product  12 , and then, the second liquid  132  is applied by the second liquid applying device  13  to coat on the second surface  123  of the first fiber product  12 . In a different embodiment, the first liquid applying device  11  and the second liquid applying device  13  are operable to simultaneously apply the first liquid  112  and the second liquid  132  to respectively coat on the different surfaces of the first fiber product  12 . 
     The above is provided only to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Equivalent variations and modifications that fall within the shape, the structure, the feature, and the spirit of the present invention as defined in the appended claims are considered within the scope of the present invention that is solely defined in the appended claims.