Patent Publication Number: US-9903058-B2

Title: Absorbent article manufacturing apparatus and absorbent article manufacturing method

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a National Phase entry of International Application No. PCT/JP2014/075103, filed Sep. 22, 2014, which claims priority of Japanese Application No. 2013-217213, filed Oct. 18, 2013. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an absorbent article manufacturing apparatus and an absorbent article manufacturing method of an absorbent article such as a pet sheet. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventionally, sanitary napkins and disposable diapers have been used as absorbent articles. Pet sheets, which are included in the same category, are also widely used as a toilet for pets. 
     A liquid-permeable top sheet is provided in the portions of such absorbent articles that come into contact with the user&#39;s skin or the like. Furthermore, recently, high liquid draining performance has been demanded for top sheets from the viewpoint of reducing the sense of stickiness to skin for example, and bulky non-woven fabric is considered to be favorable as such a material. 
     Such non-woven fabric is manufactured in a strip-shape using an appropriate method such as carding, and then wound into a roll and stored in the form of a non-woven fabric whole cloth. When the time to be used arrives, the non-woven fabric whole cloth is carried to the absorbent article manufacturing line, and the non-woven fabric is fed from the whole cloth in the line and used as the top sheet material. 
     When non-woven fabric is wound into a non-woven fabric whole cloth, tension is applied in the winding direction during winding to prevent the non-woven fabric from zigzagging or the like. For this reason, non-woven fabric is normally wound tightly due to this tension. Specifically, the non-woven fabric is compressed in the thickness direction and has reduced bulk. Accordingly, when the non-woven fabric is fed from the non-woven fabric whole cloth in the absorbent article manufacturing line, only the non-woven fabric having reduced bulk is fed and supplied, and thus it is not possible to meet the aforementioned demand for bulky non-woven fabric. 
     To address this problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a bulk restoring device is installed upstream in the absorbent article manufacturing line. Specifically, it is disclosed that non-woven fabric fed from a non-woven fabric whole cloth is heated by hot air being blown thereon with a bulk restoring device when the non-woven fabric passes through a predetermined conveying route, and thus the bulk of the non-woven fabric is restored. It is also disclosed that the non-woven fabric after the aforementioned heating is sent as-is to the next processing device in the manufacturing line, without being wound again. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Document 
     [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-137655A 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     The manufacturing line has a plurality of processing devices for manufacturing absorbent articles, in addition to a bulk restoring device. These processing devices are arranged along a first conveying route along which intermediate products such as absorbent bodies related to absorbent articles are conveyed. Typically, the first conveying route is arranged in a straight line along a predetermined first direction in plan view. 
     Here, in the case of inputting to the first conveying route the non-woven fabric that has been restored of bulk by being heated with hot air with a heating unit of the bulk restoring device, when the non-woven fabric is input in a high temperature state, at the time this high temperature non-woven fabric is passed through appropriate processing devices in the first conveying route and processed and the like, this high temperature non-woven fabric may have thermal influence on the processing devices and the intermediate product in the first conveying route and may become a cause of trouble. In other words, the high temperature non-woven fabric may heat the processing devices and the intermediate product, and as a result, there is a possibility of malfunction of the processing devices or deterioration in the quality of the intermediate product. 
     The present invention has been achieved in light of conventional problems such as those described above, and an object thereof is to suppress a non-woven fabric, that is a part that has been heated with hot air of a heating unit, from having a thermal influence on an intermediate product and processing devices of an absorbent article. 
     Solution to Problem 
     A main aspect of the invention for achieving the aforementioned object is an absorbent article manufacturing apparatus including: 
     a first conveying route that is arranged in a straight line along a first direction in plan view; 
     a plurality of processing devices that process an intermediate product of an absorbent article that is conveyed along the first conveying route; 
     a heating unit that restores bulk of a non-woven fabric through heating the non-woven fabric by blowing hot air onto the non-woven fabric while conveying the non-woven fabric along a direction in which the non-woven fabric is continuous, the non-woven fabric being a strip shape and serving as a part of the absorbent article; and 
     a second conveying route that conveys the non-woven fabric in a second direction that intersects the first direction in plan view, the non-woven fabric having been restored of the bulk through heating with the heating unit, the non-woven fabric being input to the first conveying route via the second conveying route. 
     Another aspect of the invention is an absorbent article manufacturing method including: 
     conveying an intermediate product of an absorbent article along a first conveying route that is arranged in a straight line along a first direction in plan view; 
     processing the intermediate product that is conveyed along the first conveying route using a plurality of processing devices; 
     restoring bulk of a non-woven fabric through heating the non-woven fabric by blowing hot air onto the non-woven fabric with a heating unit, while conveying the non-woven fabric along a direction in which the non-woven fabric is continuous, the non-woven fabric being a strip shape and serving as a part of the absorbent article; and 
     inputting the non-woven fabric to the first conveying route, via a second conveying route that conveys the non-woven fabric in a second direction that intersects the first direction in plan view, the non-woven fabric having been restored of the bulk through heating with the heating unit. 
     Other features of the present invention will become evident from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress non-woven fabric that is a part that has been heated with hot air of a heating unit from having a thermal influence on intermediate products and processing devices of absorbent articles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an exterior perspective view of a pet sheet  1 , and  FIG. 1B  is an enlarged perspective view of the pet sheet  1  cut along a line B-B in  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of a manufacturing line  10  for manufacturing the pet sheet  1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a view of a section III-III in  FIG. 2  in the direction indicated by arrows. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic plan view of a sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a  viewed from above. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic side view in which a view of a section A-A in  FIG. 4  in the direction indicated by arrows and a view of a section B-B in  FIG. 4  in the direction indicated by arrows are joined to each other. 
         FIG. 6A  is a schematic side view of a bulk restoring device  60 , and  FIG. 6B  is a cross sectional view of a section B-B in  FIG. 6A . 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cooling unit  71  added immediately downstream of a heating unit  61 . 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a configuration for recovering hot air flowing through outgoing route and return route spaces SP 62   a  and SP 62   b  within the heating unit  61  and returning it to an intake-side portion  67   bs  of a blower  67   b.    
         FIG. 9  is a schematic side view of an absorbent body manufacturing apparatus  111 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     At least the following will become evident from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings. 
     An absorbent article manufacturing apparatus including: 
     a first conveying route that is arranged in a straight line along a first direction in plan view; 
     a plurality of processing devices that process an intermediate product of an absorbent article that is conveyed along the first conveying route; 
     a heating unit that restores bulk of a non-woven fabric through heating the non-woven fabric by blowing hot air onto the non-woven fabric while conveying the non-woven fabric along a direction in which the non-woven fabric is continuous, the non-woven fabric being a strip shape and serving as a part of the absorbent article; and 
     a second conveying route that conveys the non-woven fabric in a second direction that intersects the first direction in plan view, the non-woven fabric having been restored of the bulk through heating with the heating unit, the non-woven fabric being input to the first conveying route via the second conveying route. 
     According to this absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, the non-woven fabric that has been restored of bulk through heating with the heating unit is cooled while being conveyed in the second conveying route, and after the cooling, the non-woven fabric can be input to the first conveying route. Thus, the heated non-woven fabric is effectively suppressed from having a thermal influence on the intermediate product and the processing devices in the first conveying route. 
     In the absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, wherein preferably 
     the heating unit is arranged in a position that does not overlap with the first conveying route in plan view. 
     According to this absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, the heat radiated from the heating unit itself having a thermal influence on the intermediate product and the processing devices in the first conveying route can be effectively prevented. Specifically, although the air heated by the heat radiated with the heating unit travels upward due to the reduced specific gravity thereof, the first conveying route does not exist directly above the heating unit. Thus, it is possible to suppress the thermal influence on the intermediate product and the processing devices in the first conveying route, which the heated air might have. 
     Also, it is likely that empty space remains in a position that does not overlap with the first conveying route in plan view. Thus, for example, in the case of adding a heating unit to an existing absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, it is easy to secure a space for installing the heating unit. 
     In the absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, wherein preferably 
     the non-woven fabric, after having been conveyed upward, is conveyed in the second direction with the second conveying route to directly above the first conveying route, and is input to the first conveying route from upward of the first conveying route. 
     According to this absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, the non-woven fabric that has been heated with the heating unit is conveyed to directly above the first conveying route, via the second conveying route set upward. Thus, a space for a passage for such as workers and vehicles can be secured below the second conveying route, which results in effectively avoiding the second conveying route from preventing passing through of such as workers. 
     In the above absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, wherein preferably 
     the heating unit has a case member equipped with an entrance for the non-woven fabric and an exit for the non-woven fabric, 
     one of an entrance-side portion and an exit-side portion of the case member has a blast opening that blasts the hot air into a space inside the case member toward another one of the entrance-side portion and the exit-side portion, and 
     the other one of the entrance-side portion and the exit-side portion has a discharge port that discharges, from the case member, the hot air that has flowed while being in contact with one surface of both surfaces of the non-woven fabric. 
     According to this absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, hot air is blasted from the blast opening so as to flow from one side to the other side in the conveying direction, and the hot air heats the non-woven fabric while being in contact with one of both surfaces of the non-woven fabric as it flows from the one side to the other side. Accordingly, the bulk of the non-woven fabric can be reliably restored. 
     Also, because the hot air flows over the surface of the non-woven fabric, compression of the non-woven fabric in the thickness direction is effectively prevented. It is thus possible to smoothly perform bulk restoration. 
     In the above absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, wherein preferably 
     the case member has inside an upward facing route that conveys the non-woven fabric upward, 
     the non-woven fabric reaches to directly above the first conveying route from the upward facing route and via the second conveying route, and the non-woven fabric is input to the first conveying route from above the first conveying route, 
     in the upward facing route inside the case member, the blast opening of the heating unit blasts the hot air upward. 
     According to the absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, with the upward facing route that conveys the non-woven fabric upward and that is set inside the case member, the hot air is blasted upward from the blast opening. With the hot air, the non-woven fabric is conveyed with buoyancy of the hot air so as to be blown upward, and upward tension to be applied to the non-woven fabric to lift the non-woven fabric upward can be reduced. Thus, reduction in size in the thickness direction of the non-woven fabric due to the tension, namely reduction of bulk, can be effectively suppressed. 
     In the above absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, it is preferable that absorbent article manufacturing apparatus includes 
     a cooling unit that cools the non-woven fabric that has been heated with the hot air, before the non-woven fabric is input to the first conveying route, wherein 
     the cooling unit has a case member equipped with an entrance for the non-woven fabric and an exit for the non-woven fabric, 
     one of an entrance-side portion and an exit-side portion of the case member has a blast opening that blasts cooling wind into a space inside the case member toward another one of the entrance-side portion and the exit-side portion, and 
     the other one of the entrance-side portion and the exit-side portion has a discharge port that discharges, from the case member, the wind that has flowed while being in contact with one surface of both surfaces of the non-woven fabric. 
     According to this absorbent article manufacturing apparatus, the cooling unit cools the non-woven fabric that was heated by the hot air. Thus, it is possible to more reliably prevent the heated non-woven fabric from having a thermal influence on the intermediate product and the processing devices in the first conveying route. 
     Also, cooling wind is blasted from the blast opening so as to flow from one side to the other side in the conveying direction, and the cooling wind cools the non-woven fabric while being in contact with one of both surfaces of the non-woven fabric as it flows from the one side to the other side. Accordingly, the non-woven fabric can be reliably cooled. 
     Furthermore, because the cooling wind flows over the surface of the non-woven fabric, compression of the non-woven fabric in the thickness direction is effectively prevented. Accordingly, the loss of the restored bulk by the cooling wind can be reliably avoided. 
     An absorbent article manufacturing method including: 
     conveying an intermediate product of an absorbent article along a first conveying route that is arranged in a straight line along a first direction in plan view; 
     processing the intermediate product that is conveyed along the first conveying route using a plurality of processing devices; 
     restoring bulk of a non-woven fabric through heating the non-woven fabric by blowing hot air onto the non-woven fabric with a heating unit, while conveying the non-woven fabric along a direction in which the non-woven fabric is continuous, the non-woven fabric being a strip shape and serving as a part of the absorbent article; and 
     inputting the non-woven fabric to the first conveying route, via a second conveying route that conveys the non-woven fabric in a second direction that intersects the first direction in plan view, the non-woven fabric having been restored of the bulk through heating with the heating unit. 
     According to this manufacturing method of an absorbent article, the non-woven fabric that has been restored of bulk through heating with the heating unit can be cooled while being conveyed along the second conveying route, and after being cooled, the non-woven fabric can be input in the first conveying route. Thus, the heated non-woven fabric can be effectively suppressed from having a thermal influence on the intermediate product and the processing devices in the first conveying route. 
     The Present Embodiment 
     An absorbent article manufacturing apparatus  10  according to the present embodiment manufactures a pet sheet  1  as an example of an absorbent article. 
       FIG. 1A  is an exterior perspective view of the pet sheet  1 , and  FIG. 1B  is an enlarged perspective view of the pet sheet  1  cut along a line B-B in  FIG. 1A . 
     The pet sheet  1  is used in the treatment of excretion from animals such as dogs or cats, and is used in the state of being placed on the floor or the like as shown in  FIG. 1A . The pet sheet  1  has a liquid-permeable top sheet  3  that is rectangular in a plan view, a liquid-impermeable back sheet  5  that has roughly the same shape, and a liquid-absorbent absorbent body  4  interposed between the sheets  3  and  5 , for example. The absorbent body  4  is joined to both the top sheet  3  and the back sheet  5  using a hot-melt adhesive, and the portions of the top sheet  3  and the back sheet  5  that protrude laterally beyond the absorbent body  4 , that is to say peripheral edge portions  3   e  and  5   e  of the sheets  3  and  5 , are joined together using the hot-melt adhesive. 
     It should be noted that the hot-melt adhesive referred to here is a thermoplastic adhesive that can be melted by heat and applied in a fluidized state. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1B , the absorbent body  4  has an absorbent core  4   c , which is formed by laminating liquid-absorbent fibers such as pulp fibers and superabsorbent polymers (so-called SAP) in an approximately rectangular shape in a plan view, as well as a covering sheet that covers the core  4   c , for example. The covering sheet is, for example, a liquid-permeable sheet made of tissue paper or the like, and in this example, two covering sheets  4   t   1  and  4   t   2  are provided. Specifically, the core is covered with the one covering sheet  4   t   1  on the skin-side surface, and covered with the other covering sheet  4   t   2  on the non-skin-side surface. In the following description, the former covering sheet on the skin-side surface, that is to say the covering sheet  4   t   1 , is referred to as “the skin-side covering sheet  4   t   1 ”, and the latter covering sheet on the non-skin-side surface, that is to say the covering sheet  4   t   2 , is referred to as “the non-skin-side covering sheet  4   t   2 ”. It should be noted that both the skin-side surface and the non-skin-side surface may be covered with one covering sheet, and in some cases these covering sheets  4   t   1  and  4   t   2  need not be provided. 
     The back sheet  5  is a film material made of polyethylene (hereinafter, PE), polypropylene (hereinafter, PP), polyethylene terephthalate (hereinafter, PET), or the like. There is no limitation whatsoever to the above examples, and any liquid-impermeable sheet can be used. 
     The top sheet  3  is made up of the non-woven fabric  3 . In this example, out of both surfaces  3   sa  and  3   sb  of the non-woven fabric  3 , the one surface  3   sb  is an approximately flat surface, whereas the other surface  3   sa  has a wavy shape. Specifically, the surface  3   sa  is made up of straight line-shaped groove portions  3   t  and straight line-shaped projection portions  3   p  that are formed alternatingly. The projection portions  3   p  are formed by applying a known air stream blowing process (see JP 2009-11179A, for example) such that fibers that were originally in the groove portion  3   t  regions are laterally blown together so as to pile up, thus forming a sparse state with large gaps between fibers. Accordingly, the non-woven fabric  3  is bulky overall. Also, multiple through-holes  3   h ,  3   h  . . . that penetrate in the thickness direction may be formed in the groove portions  3   t , and these through-holes are provided in this example. 
     The average basis weight of the non-woven fabric  3  is 10 to 200 (g/m 2 ) for example, the average basis weight of the central portion in the projection portions  3   p  is 15 to 250 (g/m 2 ) for example, and the average basis weight of the bottom portion in the groove portions  3   t  is 3 to 150 (g/m 2 ) for example. 
     Also, it is favorable that the fibers of the non-woven fabric  3  are composite fibers having a core-in-sheath structure with a PET core and a PE sheath, but other thermoplastic resin fibers may be used. For example, composite fibers having a core-in-sheath structure with a PP core and a PE sheath may be used, fibers with a side-by-side structure, or single-component fibers made up solely of a thermoplastic resin may be used. 
     Furthermore, the non-woven fabric  3  may have crimped fibers. Note that crimped fibers are fibers having a crimped shape, such as a zigzag shape, an Ω shape, a spiral shape, or the like. 
     Also, the fiber length of the fibers included in the non-woven fabric  3  is selected from the range of 20 to 100 mm for example, and the fiber density is selected from the range of 1.1 to 8.8 (dtex) for example. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of a manufacturing line  10  for manufacturing the pet sheet  1 .  FIG. 3  is a view of a section III-III in  FIG. 2  in the direction indicated by arrows. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the manufacturing line  10  for the pet sheet  1  has a main line  11  and sub lines  30  and  90 . In the main line  11 , basically, conveyance of the absorbent body  4 , which is an intermediate product  1   m  making up a primary part of the pet sheet  1 , assembly of parts  3   a  and  5   a , which are supplied from the sub lines  30  and  90 , to the absorbent body  4 , and various processes for a continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1 , which is an intermediate product  1   m  with a shape changed due to assembly, and the like are sequentially performed, and consequently the pet sheet  1  is finally manufactured. 
     In each of the sub lines  30  and  90 , basically, a pre-treatment is applied to the corresponding part, that is to say the part  3   a  or  5   a . In this example, the parts  3   a  and  5   a  are respectively a continuous sheet  3   a  of the top sheets  3  (simply referred to hereinafter as “the top sheet  3   a ”) and a continuous sheet  5   a  of the back sheets  5  (simply referred to hereinafter as “the back sheet  5   a ”), and the pre-treatment includes application of the hot-melt adhesive to the top sheet  3   a  and the back sheet  5   a , a bulk restoring process for the non-woven fabric  3   a  serving as the material of the top sheet  3   a , and the like, for example. For this reason, in this example, the sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a  and the sub line  90  for back sheets  5   a  are provided as the sub lines  30  and  90 . 
     The following provides a description of the main line  11 , the sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a , and the sub line  90  for back sheets  5   a . In the following description, the three directions of the manufacturing line  10  that are orthogonal to one another are referred to as the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction. Here, the X direction and the Y direction are each oriented in the horizontal direction as shown in  FIG. 3 , whereas the Z direction is oriented in the vertical direction as shown in  FIG. 2 . Also, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the X direction and the Y direction are orthogonal to each other, the X direction corresponds to the “first direction” related to the claims, and the Y direction corresponds to the “second direction” related to the claims. 
     Main Line  11   
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the main line  11  has a straight line-shaped conveying route R 11  along the X direction in plan view. Specifically, when the main line  11  is viewed in the direction parallel to the vertical direction from above in the vertical direction, the main line  11  has the straight line-shaped conveying route R 11  (corresponding to the first conveying route) along the X direction (corresponding to the first direction). The conveying route R 11  is referred to hereinafter as “the main conveying route R 11 ”. 
     The main conveying route R 11  is provided with appropriate conveying devices such as a conveyor  12 CV and a conveying roller  12 R in order to convey the intermediate products  1   m  related to the pet sheet  1 , such as the absorbent body  4  and the continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1 . The conveyor  12 CV is basically configured with an endless belt that is driven to revolve and whose outer circumferential surface serves as the conveying surface. In some cases, however, the conveying surface may be additionally provided with a sucking function and the conveyor  12 CV may be configured to convey the intermediate products  1   m  while sucking them. Alternatively, two endless belts may be arranged above and below so as to face each other, and the conveyor  12 CV may be configured to convey the intermediate products  1   m  while clamping the intermediate products  1   m  between the endless belts with some degree of pressure. The conveying roller  12 R may be a driving roller that drives to rotate using rotation force obtained from an appropriate drive source such as a servo motor, or a driven roller that is driven to rotate by rotation force obtained by being brought into contact with the intermediate products  1   m  to be conveyed. 
     Devices  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 , and  18  (corresponding to the processing devices) that belong to the main line  11 , as well as the conveying devices  12 CV and  12 R, are arranged in the manufacturing line  10  and supported by an appropriate support member (not shown) provided for the manufacturing line  10 . In this example, a so-called panel board (not shown) is used as an example of the support member. This panel board is a plate member erected vertically on a floor portion  10   b  of the manufacturing line  10  and has a vertical surface (surface whose normal direction is oriented in the horizontal direction), and the devices  14 ,  15 , and so on are supported on the vertical surface in a cantilevered state, for example. The normal direction of the vertical surface is orientated in the Y direction, and the Y direction in  FIG. 2  is oriented in a direction penetrating the paper surface of  FIG. 2 . Note that the aforementioned support member is not limited in any way to being a panel board, and another support member may be used. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , multiple absorbent bodies  4 ,  4  . . . are conveyed to the main conveying route R 11  in the X direction, which is the conveying direction, from an upstream process, with intervals in the conveying direction. In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , each of the absorbent bodies  4 ,  4  . . . in the main conveying route R 11  is conveyed in the state where the position in the vertical direction, that is to say the Z direction, is maintained fixed. However, there is no limitation whatsoever to this. Specifically, the position in the Z direction (the vertical direction) of the absorbent bodies  4  may each be changed according to the position in the X direction. 
     To the main conveying route R 11 , the top sheet  3   a  (corresponding to the part) is input from the sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a , at a predetermined position in the X direction, and the back sheet  5   a  is input from the sub line  90  for back sheets  5   a , at the same predetermined position. A joining device  14  is arranged at this input position. 
     In this example, the joining device  14  has a pair of upper and lower rolls  14   a  and  14   b  that are driven to rotate about rotation shafts along the Y direction. The drive source of the pair of rolls  14   a  and  14   b  is a servo motor, for example. The pair of rolls  14   a  and  14   b  is rotated with the motor with their outer circumferential surfaces opposing each other, so as to carry out the absorbent bodies  4  downstream in the X direction. Rotation speed values V 14   a  and V 14   b  of the rolls  14   a  and  14   b  are subjected to cooperation control so as to be approximately the same value as a conveying velocity value V 4  of the absorbent body  4  in the main conveying route R 11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the top sheet  3   a  input from the sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a  is fed in between the pair of rolls  14   a  and  14   b  while being wound around the upper roll  14   a  of the pair of upper and lower rolls  14   a  and  14   b  of the joining device  14 . Furthermore, the back sheet  5   a  input from the sub line  90  for back sheets  5   a  is fed in between the pair of rolls  14   a  and  14   b  while being wound around the lower roll  14   b  of the pair of upper and lower rolls  14   a  and  14   b.    
     Thus, the three materials, namely the top sheet  3   a , the absorbent body  4 , and the back sheet  5   a , pass together between the pair of rolls  14   a  and  14   b , and are clamped with the pair of rolls  14   a  and  14   b  as they pass through, and thus the three materials  3   a ,  4 , and  5   a  are joined. Consequently, the continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1 , which is an intermediate product  1   m  with a shape changed from that of the absorbent body  4 , is manufactured. 
     In the sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a  and the sub line  90  for back sheets  5   a , the hot-melt adhesive is applied to the top sheet  3   a  and the back sheet  5   a  in order to subject them to the aforementioned joining. This application will be described later. 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , in order to make the joining more reliable, three pressing devices  15 ,  16 , and  17  (corresponding to processing devices) are provided in a position in the main conveying route R 11  that is downstream of the joining device  14  in the X direction. The first pressing device  15  is a so-called light pressing device and very lightly presses approximately the entire surface of the continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1 . The second pressing device  16  is a so-called end pressing device and selectively presses portions of the continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1  where the absorbent body  4  does not exist, that is to say the portions between adjacent absorbent bodies  4 ,  4  in the conveying direction. The last third pressing device  17  is a so-called side edge pressing device that selectively presses portions of the continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1  where the absorbent body  4  does not exist, that is to say the both end portions in the Y direction. 
     The inclusion of these three pressing devices  15 ,  16 , and  17  makes it possible for the three members of the non-woven fabric  3   a , the absorbent body  4 , and the back sheet  5   a  to be joined with a higher adhesion strength. 
     A device having a pair of upper and lower rolls  15   a  and  15   b  that rotate with their smooth outer circumferential surfaces opposing each other can be given as an example of the light pressing device  15 . Also, the following devices can be given as examples of the end pressing device  16  and the side edge pressing device  17 . The end pressing device  16  has a pair of upper and lower rolls  16   a  and  16   b  that rotate with their outer circumferential surfaces opposing each other, and two projection portions  16   ap  that correspond to the portions between the absorbent bodies  4 ,  4  are provided on the outer circumferential surface of at least the roll  16   a  of the pair of rolls  16   a  and  16   b . Also, the side edge pressing device  17  has a pair of rolls  17   a  and  17   b  that rotate with their outer circumferential surfaces opposing each other, a pair of ring-shaped projection portions  17   ap ,  17   ap  is respectively provided on the both end portions of the outer circumferential surface in the Y direction on at least the one roll  17   a  of the pair of upper and lower rolls  17   a  and  17   b , and these projection portions  17   ap ,  17   ap  selectively press the portions of the continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1  where the absorbent body  4  does not exist, that is to say the both end portions in the Y direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a rotary cutter device  18  is provided in a position on the downstream side of the side edge pressing device  17  in the main conveying route R 11 . The continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1  pressed with the side edge pressing device  17  passes through the rotary cutter device  18 . 
     The rotary cutter device  18  (corresponding to a processing device) has a pair of upper and lower rolls  18   a  and  18   b . The rolls  18   a  and  18   b  each rotate about a rotation shaft along the Y direction so as to feed the continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1  downstream in the X direction. The drive source of this rotation is a servo motor. The one roll  18   a  of the pair of upper and lower rolls  18   a  and  18   b  is a cutter blade roll  18   a  that has cutter blades  18   c  on the outer circumferential surface thereof, and the other roll  18   b  is an anvil roll  18   b  that receives the cutter blades  18   c  in the smooth outer circumferential surface thereof. When portions of the continuous body  1   a  of pet sheets  1  between absorbent bodies  4 ,  4  pass between these rolls  18   a  and  18   b , the cutter blades  18   c  of the cutter blade roll  18   a  come into contact with the portions and consequently the continuous body  1   a  is cut, and thus pet sheets  1  are manufactured. 
     Sub Line  30  for Top Sheet  3   a    
       FIG. 4  is a schematic plan view of the sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a  viewed from above, and  FIG. 5  is a schematic side view in which a view of a section A-A in  FIG. 4  in the direction indicated by arrows and a view of a section B-B in  FIG. 4  in the direction indicated by arrows are joined to each other. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a  has: a conveying device  31  that feeds the non-woven fabric  3   a  serving as the material of the top sheet  3   a  from non-woven fabric whole cloths  3   a R and conveys it to the aforementioned main conveying route R 11 ; a bulk restoring device  60  that restores the bulk of the non-woven fabric  3   a  by heating the non-woven fabric  3   a  fed from the non-woven fabric whole cloth  3   a R; and adhesive application devices  81  and  82  that apply the hot-melt adhesive for the aforementioned joining, to the non-woven fabric  3   a  with the restored bulk. Note that in the following description, the top sheet  3   a  is simply referred to as “the non-woven fabric  3   a”.    
     Here, as shown in  FIG. 4 , in plan view of the sub line  30 , a heating unit  61  that makes up the main part of the bulk restoring device  60  is located in a position that does not overlap the main conveying route R 11  of the main line  11 . That is to say, the heating unit  61  that heats the non-woven fabric  3   a  by blowing hot air onto the non-woven fabric  3   a  to be conveyed is located in a position that is displaced from the main conveying route R 11  in the Y direction, in plan view. 
     For this reason, before the non-woven fabric  3   a  that has been heated with the heating unit  61  is input to the main conveying route R 11  of the main line  11 , a conveying route R 31 Yd (corresponds to a second conveying route) that conveys the high-temperature non-woven fabric  3   a  in a Y direction (corresponds to a second direction) can be secured, thus the high-temperature non-woven fabric  3   a  can be naturally cooled while passing through the conveying route R 31 Yd. As a result, the non-woven fabric  3   a  that has decreased in temperature can be input to the main conveying route R 11 , and thus the non-woven fabric  3   a  can be suppressed from having thermal influence on the intermediate products  1   m  in the main conveying route R 11  and the devices  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 , and  18  in the main conveying route R 11 . 
     The heat radiated from the heating unit  61  itself is effectively prevented from having a thermal influence on the intermediate products  1   m  in the main conveying route R 11  and the devices  14 ,  15 , . . . in the route R 11 . That is to say, although the air that has been heated with the heat radiated with the heating unit  61  travels upward due to the reduced specific gravity thereof, the main conveying route R 11  does not exist directly above the heating unit  61 , as can be seen from  FIG. 4 . Thus, the heated air is effectively suppressed from having thermal influence on the intermediate products  1   m  and the devices  14 ,  15 , . . . in the main conveying route R 11 . 
     Furthermore, it is likely that empty space remains in a position that is displaced from the main conveying route R 11  in the Y direction in plan view. Thus, in the case of adding the bulk restoring device  60  to an existing manufacturing line  10  for example, it is easy to secure a space for installing the heating unit  61 . 
     Incidentally, the description “the heating unit  61  of the bulk restoring device  60  is located in a position that does not overlap the main conveying route R 11 ” above means “the heating unit  61  is located in a position at which no portion of the heating unit  61  overlaps the main conveying route R 11  in plan view, that is to say when viewed from above”. Specifically, the description means “the heating unit  61  is located in a position at which no portion of the heating unit  61  overlaps the movement locus R 11  of the intermediate products  1   m”.    
     The following provides a description of the constituent elements  31 ,  60 ,  81 , and  82  of the sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a.    
     (1) Conveying Device  31   
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the conveying device  31  has two kinds of conveying routes R 31 X and R 31 Y as conveying routes for the non-woven fabric  3   a . Specifically, the conveying device  31  has the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y for conveying the non-woven fabric  3   a  straight along the Y direction in plan view, and the X direction conveying route R 31 X for conveying the non-woven fabric  3   a  straight along the X direction in plan view, as the conveying routes. The Y direction conveying route R 31 Y is located on the upstream side of the X direction conveying route R 31 X in the conveying direction. Thus, the non-woven fabric  3   a  fed from the non-woven fabric whole cloths  3   a R first passes through the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y. Then, the conveying direction of the non-woven fabric  3   a  is converted from the Y direction to the X direction at a 45°-turn bar TB arranged at the boundary between the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y and the X direction conveying route R 31 X, and consequently the non-woven fabric  3   a  enters the X direction conveying route R 31 X. Here, the X direction conveying route R 31 X in plan view overlaps the main conveying route R 11  of the main line  11  along approximately the entire length of the X direction conveying route R 31 X. Thus, the non-woven fabric  3   a  passes through the X direction conveying route R 31 X, reaches a position directly above a joining device  41  in the main conveying route R 11  ( FIG. 2 ), and at the position, the non-woven fabric  3   a  swiftly enters the main conveying route R 11  from above the main conveying route R 11 . 
     Incidentally, the 45°-turn bar TB is a cylindrical rod-shaped member having a smooth outer circumferential surface, for example, and has been generated from a burnished rod made of metal such as stainless steel, a round rod whose outer circumferential surface has an improved slipperiness due to surface treatment, or the like. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the direction of a central shaft CTB of the turn bar TB that passes through the center of circle, which is the center of the cross section, is oriented in the direction between the X direction and the Y direction in the horizontal plane. Thus, the non-woven fabric  3   a  is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the turn bar TB, the non-woven fabric  3   a  slides along the outer circumferential surface, and thus the conveying direction of the non-woven fabric  3   a  is swiftly converted from the Y direction to the X direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the two kinds of conveying routes R 31 X and R 31 Y are respectively formed with multiple conveying rollers  32 X,  32 X . . . and multiple conveying rollers  32 Y,  32 Y . . . . The Y direction conveying rollers  32 Y with which the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y is formed are supported so as to be rotatable about rotation shafts along the X direction, and thus the non-woven fabric  3   a  is conveyed in the Y direction with the width direction thereof being oriented in the X direction. On the other hand, the X direction conveying rollers  32 X with which the X direction conveying route R 31 X is formed are supported so as to be rotatable about rotation shafts along the Y direction, and thus the non-woven fabric  3   a  is conveyed in the X direction with the width direction thereof being oriented in the Y direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y has feeding devices  35 ,  35 , a material joining device  36 , an accumulator device  37 , and an upstream pinch roll device  38 , lined up in the stated order from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction. The X direction conveying route R 31 X has a tension control device  39  and a downstream pinch roll device  41  lined up in the stated order from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction. Note that the adhesive application devices  81  and  82  are provided in positions on the downstream side of the downstream pinch roll device  41  in the X direction conveying route R 31 X, to apply an adhesive to the non-woven fabric  3   a.    
     The devices  39  and  41  belonging to the X direction conveying route R 31 X, as well as the aforementioned X direction conveying rollers  32 X,  32 X, are supported with the aforementioned panel board that supports the devices  14 ,  15 , and so on in the main conveying route R 11 . On the other hand, the devices  35 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37 , and  38  belonging to the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y, as well as the aforementioned Y direction conveying rollers  32 Y,  32 Y . . . are supported with a support member that is different from the aforementioned panel board in the main conveying route R 11 . The support member (not shown) is a panel board that is arranged along the Y direction on the floor portion  10   b  of the manufacturing line  10 , for example, and has a vertical surface whose normal direction is oriented in the X direction. The devices  35 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37 , and  38  belonging to the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y are supported on the vertical surface in a cantilevered state, for example. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the feeding devices  35  are devices that form the starting end of the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y, and specifically, each of the feeding devices  35  feeds the non-woven fabric  3   a  from the non-woven fabric whole cloths  3   a R, along the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y. For this reason, the feeding devices  35  have rotation shafts along the X direction, and support the non-woven fabric whole cloths  3   a R such that the non-woven fabric whole cloths  3   a R are rotatable about the rotation shafts. The rotation shafts are driven to rotate with a servomotor (not shown) that serves as a drive source, for example, and thus the non-woven fabric  3   a  is fed from the non-woven fabric whole cloths  3   a R. Note that the servo motor performs the feeding operation in coordination with the accumulator device  37 . This coordination will be described later. 
     In this example of a plurality of devices, two feeding devices  35 ,  35  are provided. Basically, they are switched between each other and used alternatingly. Specifically, in this configuration, while one of the feeding devices  35  is feeding the non-woven fabric  3   a , the other feeding device  35  is in the standby state, and then when the non-woven fabric whole cloth  3   a R of the one feeding device  35  runs out, the feeding device  35  in the standby state begins to feed the non-woven fabric  3   a . Note that these feeding devices  35  are well known, and thus will not be described in detail. 
     The material joining device  36  is also a device provided in the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y. At a time somewhat before the operating feeding device  35  completes the feeding of all of the non-woven fabric  3   a  from the non-woven fabric whole cloth  3   a R, the material joining device  36  joins a trailing end portion  3   aee  of the non-woven fabric  3   a  of that whole cloth  3   a R to a leading end portion  3   aes  of the non-woven fabric  3   a  of the non-woven fabric whole cloth  3   a R attached to the standby feeding device  35 . Accordingly, it is possible to continuously feed the non-woven fabric  3   a  without interruption. Note that the material joining device  36  is also well known, and thus will not be described in detail. 
     The accumulator device  37  is also a device provided in the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y, and accumulates the non-woven fabric  3   a  fed from the feeding device  35  so as to be able to be dispensed downstream in the conveying direction. In the case where the non-woven fabric  3   a  is not fed from the feeding device  35 , such as when joining processing is performed with the material joining device  36 , the accumulator device  37  dispenses the non-woven fabric  3   a  accumulated therein downstream, thus preventing downstream processing from being influenced by the pause in feeding from the feeding device  35 . Note that the non-woven fabric  3   a  is fed from the feeding device  35  with a faster velocity value (m/min) than the conveying velocity value (m/min) of the non-woven fabric  3   a  in a position immediately downstream of the accumulator device  37 , from when the pause in feeding from the feeding device  35  ends until when a specified accumulation amount is reached, and thus the accumulator device  37  accumulates an amount of the non-woven fabric  3   a  equal to the amount that was dispensed during the pause in feeding. 
     In this example, the accumulator device  37  has a fixed roller group G 37   s  made up of multiple rollers  37   s ,  37   s  . . . that are fixed at fixed positions, and a movable roller group G 37   m  made up of multiple rollers  37   m ,  37   m  . . . provided so as to be capable of moving back and forth in the vertical direction. The non-woven fabric  3   a  is alternatingly wound around the rollers  37   s  that belong to the fixed roller group G 37   s  and the rollers  37   m  that belong to the movable roller group G 37   m , thus forming loops L 3   a  in the non-woven fabric  3   a  and accumulating the non-woven fabric  3   a.    
     Here, the movable roller group G 37   m  moves back and forth in the vertical direction in accordance with the magnitude of tension (N) in the non-woven fabric  3   a . Specifically, in the case where the magnitude of the tension in the non-woven fabric  3   a  is larger than a tension setting value (N) that has been set in advance, the movable roller group G 37   m  moves such that the loops L 3   a  decrease in size, and thus the accumulated non-woven fabric  3   a  is dispensed and supplied downstream. In the case where the magnitude of the tension in the non-woven fabric  3   a  is smaller than the setting value, however, the movable roller group G 37   m  moves such that the loops L 3   a  increase in size, thus accumulating the non-woven fabric  3   a . Accordingly, in a position immediately downstream from the accumulator device  37 , the magnitude of the tension in the non-woven fabric  3   a  is substantially maintained at the setting value, and in this sense, the accumulator device  37  also exhibits a function similar to that of the later-described tension control device  39 . Note that the accumulator device  37  is also well known, and thus will not be described in further detail. 
     The upstream pinch roll device  38  is also a device provided in the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y, and feeds the non-woven fabric  3   a  to the heating unit  61  of the bulk restoring device  60 . Specifically, it has a pair of rolls  38   a  and  38   b  arranged such that their outer circumferential surfaces oppose each other, and at least either the roll  38   a  or the roll  38   b  is a driving roll  38   a  ( 38   b ) that is driven to rotate with a servo motor (not shown) that serves as a drive source. The non-woven fabric  3   a  is fed to the heating unit  61  with this driving rotation. 
     The driving roll  38   a  ( 38   b ) is driven to rotate in coordination with a driving roll  39   k  of the tension control device  39  located on the downstream side of the heating unit  61  in the conveying direction. For example, the driving roll  38   a  ( 38   b ) of the pinch roll device  38  is driven to rotate so as to maintain a constant ratio R between a rotation speed value V 39   k  of the driving roll  39   k  of the tension control device  39  and a rotation speed value V 38   a  (V 38   b ) of the driving roll  38   a  ( 38   b ) of the pinch roll device  38 . The ratio R (=V 39   k /V 38   a ) is set to any value from 0.9 to 1.1, for example. 
     The tension control device  39  is a device provided in the X direction conveying route R 31 X, and is arranged on the downstream side of the heating unit  61  in the conveying direction. Also, the tension control device  39  adjusts the tension such that the magnitude of the tension (N) in the non-woven fabric  3   a  in a position immediately downstream of the device  39  is a predetermined target value (N). 
     The tension control device  39  is configured using a so-called dancer roll  39   dn . Specifically, the tension control device  39  has a pair of fixed rolls  39   s ,  39   s  that are fixed at fixed positions with a gap between each other in the conveying direction, the dancer roll  39   dn  that is provided in a position between the pair of fixed rolls  39   s ,  39   s  and is provided so as to be capable of moving back and forth in the vertical direction, and a driving roll  39   k  that is provided on the upstream side of the dancer roll  39   dn  in the conveying direction. The non-woven fabric  3   a  is wound around all three of the pair of fixed rolls  39   s ,  39   s , the dancer roll  39   dn , and the driving roll  39   k , and a loop L 3   adn  is formed in the non-woven fabric  3   a  wound around the pair of fixed rolls  39   s ,  39   s  and the dancer roll  39   dn . Force corresponding to twice the target value of the tension in the non-woven fabric  3   a  is applied to the dancer roll  39   dn  in the direction for increasing the size of the loop L 3   adn  of the back and forth moving directions. Accordingly, in the case where the magnitude of the tension in the non-woven fabric  3   a  is larger than the target value, the dancer roll  39   dn  moves such that the loop L 3   adn  decreases in size, whereas in the case where the magnitude of the tension in the non-woven fabric  3   a  is smaller than the target value, the dancer roll  39   dn  moves such that the loop L 3   adn  increases in size. Meanwhile, the driving roll  39   k  is driven to rotate with a servo motor (not shown), and this motor rotates the driving roll  39   k  and feeds the non-woven fabric  3   a  such that the size of the loop L 3   adn  is a predetermined value. For example, in the case where the size of the loop is larger than the predetermined value, the rotation speed value (m/min) of the driving roll  39   k  is reduced, whereas in the case where the size is smaller than the predetermined value, the rotation speed value of the driving roll  39   k  is increased. Accordingly, the magnitude of the tension in the non-woven fabric  3   a  in a position immediately downstream of the tension control device  39  is adjusted so as to be the target value. 
     The downstream pinch roll device  41  is also a device provided in the X direction conveying route R 31 X, and feeds the non-woven fabric  3   a  to the joining device  14  in the main line  11 . Specifically, it has a pair of rolls  41   a  and  41   b  arranged such that their outer circumferential surfaces oppose each other, and at least either the roll  41   a  or the roll  41   b  is a driving roll  41   a  ( 41   b ) that is driven to rotate with a servo motor (not shown) that serves as a drive source. The non-woven fabric  3   a  is fed to the joining device  14  in the main conveying route R 11  of the main line  11  by this driving rotation ( FIG. 2 ). The driving roll  41   a  ( 41   b ) is driven to rotate in coordination with the joining device  14 . For example, the driving roll  41   a  ( 41   b ) of the downstream pinch roll device  41  is driven to rotate such that the rotation speed value of rolls  14   a  and  14   b  included in the joining device  14  and the rotation speed value of the driving roll  41   a  ( 41   b ) of the downstream pinch roll device  41  are approximately the same value. 
     (2) Bulk Restoring Device  60   
       FIG. 6A  is a schematic side view of the bulk restoring device  60 , and  FIG. 6B  is a cross sectional view of a section B-B in  FIG. 6A . Note that the heating unit  61  making up a primary portion of the bulk restoring device  60  is shown in a cross-sectional view in  FIG. 6A . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6A , the bulk restoring device  60  has the heating unit  61  that heats the non-woven fabric  3   a  by blowing hot air onto the non-woven fabric  3   a  while passing it through the interior, and a hot air supplying device  67  that supplies hot air to the heating unit  61 . As described above, the heating unit  61  is provided in the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y, and thus the heating unit  61  is arranged displaced in the Y direction from the main conveying route R 11  in plan view ( FIG. 4 ). Thus, it is easy to secure the conveying route R 31 Yd of the non-woven fabric  3   a  heated with the heating unit  61  along the Y direction. Accordingly, it is easy to swiftly subject the non-woven fabric  3   a  to natural cooling ( FIG. 4 ). 
     Note that the route length of the conveying route R 31 Yd in  FIG. 4  is determined by performing actual experiments, thermal analysis, or the like. For example, the route length of the conveying route R 31 Y is determined based on actual experiments or thermal analysis such that the temperature of the non-woven fabric  3   a  when the non-woven fabric  3   a  passes through the devices  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 , and  18  in the main conveying route R 11  are lower than the upper limit value of the permissible temperatures of the devices  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 , and  18 , and the temperature of the non-woven fabric  3   a  when the non-woven fabric  3   a  is joined to an intermediate product  1   m  (an absorbent body  4  in this example) is lower than the upper limit value of the permissible temperature of the intermediate products  1   m . Here, supposing that the straight line-shaped conveying route R 31 Yd does not have a sufficient route length for cooling, the following configuration may be adopted. Specifically, the multiple Y direction conveying rollers  32 Y,  32 Y . . . may be alternatingly arranged in different positions in the vertical direction along the conveying route R 31 Yd, and multiple loops may be formed by winding the non-woven fabric  3   a  around each of the multiple Y direction conveying rollers  32 Y,  32 Y . . . in a zigzag shape to thus secure the route length of the conveying route R 31 Yd. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B , the heating unit  61  has a case member  62  that is open at the both end portions in the lengthwise direction, and multiple guide rollers  64 ,  64 ,  64  that are provided outside the case member  62  and guide the non-woven fabric  3   a  so as to move back and forth inside the case member  62 . A straight outgoing path and return path in the conveying route for the non-woven fabric  3   a  are formed inside the case member  62  with the guide rollers  64 ,  64 ,  64 . 
     Also, as shown in  FIG. 6A , the case member  62  has a partition member  63  inside, and the partition member  63  divides the space inside the case member  62  into an outgoing route space SP 62   a  and a return route space SP 62   b . Specifically, the outgoing route space SP 62   a  and the return route space SP 62   b  are separated such that air cannot travel therebetween. Also, due to the separation with the partition member  63 , both an outgoing route entrance  62   a in and a return route exit  62   b out for the non-woven fabric  3   a  are formed in one of the both end portions of the case member  62  in the lengthwise direction, and both an outgoing route exit  62   a out and a return route entrance  62   b in for the non-woven fabric  3   a  are formed in the other end portion. 
     Furthermore, of both wall surfaces  63   wa  and  63   wb  of the partition member  63 , the wall surface  63   wa  adjacent to the outgoing route space SP 62   a  (also referred to hereinafter as the outgoing route wall surface  63   wa ), and of the both wall surfaces  63   wa  and  63   wb  of the partition member  63 , the wall surface  63   wb  adjacent to the return route space SP 62   b  (also referred to hereinafter as the return route wall surface  63   wb ) are each provided parallel to the conveying direction and the X direction, and thus the outgoing route wall surface  63   wa  and the return route wall surface  63   wb  are each approximately parallel to the surfaces of the non-woven fabric  3   a . Also, a blast opening  63 Na shaped as a slit elongated in the X direction is provided in a portion of the outgoing route wall surface  63   wa  on the upstream side in the outgoing route (corresponding to the “entrance-side portion of the case member”), and a blast opening  63 Nb shaped as a slit elongated in the X direction is also provided in a portion of the return route wall surface  63   wb  on the upstream side in the return route (this corresponds to the “entrance-side portion of the case member”). 
     More specifically, the partition member  63  has pressure chambers R 63   a  and R 63   b  inside in correspondence with the aforementioned portions. Hot air is supplied from the hot air supplying device  67  into the pressure chambers R 63   a  and R 63   b . The pressure chambers R 63   a  and R 63   b  each have a cross-sectional shape (shape of the cross-section whose normal direction is the X direction) that is a tapered shape that roughly becomes increasingly narrow toward the downstream side in the conveying direction, and are respectively in communication with the corresponding outgoing route and return route spaces SP 62   a  and SP 62   b  at the tip portions of the tapered shape. Accordingly, the tip portions function as the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb. According to such blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb, hot air is blasted toward one of both surfaces of the non-woven fabric  3   a , while also being blasted toward the downstream side in the conveying direction with an acute angle of inclination θ relative to the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a.    
     Accordingly, the hot air blasted from the outgoing route blast opening  63 Na comes into contact with the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  with a velocity component in a direction toward the downstream side in the conveying direction, continues to flow over the surface, and is then discharged to the outside through the exit  62   a out (corresponding to the discharge port) located the most downstream in the conveying direction in the outgoing route space SP 62   a . Also, the hot air blasted from the return route blast opening  63 Nb comes into contact with the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  with a velocity component in a direction toward the downstream side in the conveying direction, continues to flow over the surface, and is then discharged to the outside through the exit  62   b out (corresponding to the discharge port) located the most downstream in the conveying direction in the return route space SP 62   b.    
     The hot air flows over the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  in this way, thus effectively avoiding a situation in which the hot air compresses the non-woven fabric  3   a  in the thickness direction of the non-woven fabric  3   a , thereby making it possible to smoothly perform bulk restoration. 
     Also, by adjusting the hot air flow rate (m 3 /min), a hot air velocity value Vw (m/min) can be set higher than the conveying velocity value V 3  (m/min) of the non-woven fabric  3   a . Accordingly, the hot air blasted from the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb passes over the non-woven fabric  3   a  in a manner of sliding over the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a , and is ultimately discharged to the outside through the exits  62   a out and  62   b out. Accordingly, the hot air can be reliably put in a turbulent state based on the relative velocity difference between the hot air and the non-woven fabric  3   a . As a result, the heat transfer efficiency is dramatically improved, the non-woven fabric  3   a  can be efficiently heated, and the bulk is swiftly restored. Also, the fibers in the non-woven fabric  3   a  are randomly loosened by the hot air in a turbulent state, and the bulk restoration is promoted by this as well. 
     It should be noted that the wind velocity value Vw (m/min) of the hot air is a value obtained by the flow rate (m 3 /min) of hot air supplied to the outgoing route space SP 62   a  or the return route space SP 62   b  being divided by the cross-sectional area of the outgoing route space SP 62   a  or the return route space SP 62   b  (i.e., the area of a cross-section whose normal direction is the conveying direction), for example. 
     Also, it is preferable that the magnitude relationship between the wind velocity value Vw and the conveying velocity value V 3  described above holds true over the entire length of the outgoing route and return route spaces SP 62   a  and SP 62   b  in the conveying direction, but it is not necessarily required to hold true over the entire length. Specifically, as long as the magnitude relationship holds true in even a portion of the spaces SP 62   a  and SP 62   b , the above-described actions and effects related to the turbulent state can be correspondingly obtained. 
     Note that the shapes of the outgoing route and return route blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb are each a rectangle whose lengthwise direction is oriented in the X direction. Also, the X-direction dimension of the outgoing route blast opening  63 Na is assumed to be the same value as the X-direction dimension of the outgoing route space SP 62   a , and the X-direction dimension of the return route blast opening  63 Nb is assumed to be the same value as the X-direction dimension of the return route space SP 62   b , but there is no limitation whatsoever to this. For example, the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb may be smaller. Note that it is preferable that the X-direction dimension of the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb is larger than the width-direction dimension of the non-woven fabric  3   a  (X-direction dimension), and this configuration suppresses heating irregularity in the X direction. 
     Also, the widthwise-direction dimension of the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb (dimension in the direction orthogonal to the lengthwise direction) is selected and set to any value in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm, for example. 
     Furthermore, it is preferable that the angle θ that the hot air blast direction at the positions of the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb forms with the conveying direction of the non-woven fabric  3   a  falls within the range of 0° to 30°, and it is further preferable that this angle θ falls within the range of 0° to 10° ( FIG. 6A ). According to this configuration, it is possible to cause the hot air to reliably flow along the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a.    
     In the example in  FIG. 6A , the heating unit  61  is of the vertical type in which the lengthwise direction of the case member  62  is oriented in the vertical direction, and thus the outgoing route and return route in the conveying route of the non-woven fabric  3   a  are vertical. Also, the route oriented in the direction from top to bottom is defined as the outgoing route and the route oriented in the direction from bottom to top (corresponding to the upward route) is defined as the return route. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 5 , it is possible to connect the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y to the X direction conveying route R 31 X with the height position of the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y in the vertical direction being high. As a result, it is possible to secure a workspace that serves as, for example, a passage for workers and construction vehicles, below the downstream end portion R 31 Yd of the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the aforementioned passage for workers and construction vehicles is set on the floor portion  10   b  of the manufacturing line  10 . With the aforementioned configuration, the downstream end portion R 31 Yd of the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y can be set in a position that is sufficiently separated from the passage in the upward direction so as to be oriented along the Y direction. Thus, it is possible to prevent the Y direction conveying route R 31 Y from obstructing the passage. 
     Also, as shown in  FIG. 6A , in the return route for conveying the non-woven fabric  3   a  upward, hot air is blasted upward from the blast opening  63 Nb. With this hot air, the non-woven fabric  3   a  is conveyed due to the buoyancy of the hot air as if being blown upward. Thus, it is possible to reduce the upward tension that is to be applied to the non-woven fabric  3   a  in order to bring the non-woven fabric  3   a  upward. Consequently, it is possible to effectively suppress a reduction in the thickness-direction dimension of the non-woven fabric  3   a  due to the tension, that is to say a reduction in the bulk. 
     Furthermore, this vertical type is superior in that only a small amount of planar space is required for the installation of the heating unit  61 . 
     However, the heating unit  61  is not limited in any way to being the vertical type, and may be of the horizontal type. Specifically, the lengthwise direction of the case member  62  may be oriented in the horizontal direction so that the outgoing route and the return route related to the conveying route of the non-woven fabric  3   a  are oriented along the horizontal direction. Furthermore, depending on the layout circumstances, the heating unit  61  may be arranged with the lengthwise direction of the case member  62  inclined relative to both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6A , the hot air supplying device  67  has a blower  67   b  and a heater  67   h . The wind generated with the blower  67   b  is heated with the heater  67   h  to generate hot air, and this hot air is supplied to the pressure chambers R 63   a  and R 63   b  of the partition member  63  in the case member  62  of the heating unit  61  via an appropriate pipe member  67   p . The hot air then travels through the pressure chambers R 63   a  and R 63   b  and is blasted through the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb. 
     The blower  67   b  has an impeller  67   i  that rotates using a motor, for example, as a drive source, and an inverter (not shown) that adjusts the rotation speed (rpm) of the motor. Accordingly, it is possible to perform VVVF inverter control, thus making it possible to adjust the flow rate (m 3 /min) to any value via a change in the rotation speed (rpm) of the impeller  67   i.    
     Also, the heater is an electric heater that performs heating using electricity (kW) for example, and the temperature of the hot air can be adjusted to any value by a change in the electricity input amount. Note that regarding the temperature of the hot air, it is sufficient that the temperature at the positions of the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb is greater than or equal to a temperature that is 50° C. lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic resin fibers included in the non-woven fabric  3   a , and also less than the melting point. Setting the temperature in this range makes it possible to reliably restore the bulk while also preventing melting of the thermoplastic resin fibers. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6A , the heater  67   h  may be built into the blower  67   b  or may be provided outside the blower  67   b . In the case of providing the heater  67   h  on the outside, it is sufficient that heaters  67   ha  and  67   hb  are arranged in the vicinity of the case member  62  of the heating unit  61  as shown by virtual dashed double-dotted lines in  FIG. 6A , and this configuration makes it possible to increase the response when adjusting the hot air temperature. Also, in this case, it is further preferable that the heaters  67   ha  and  67   hb  are provided for the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb. In other words, it is sufficient that the heater  67   ha  is provided in correspondence with the outgoing route blast opening  63 Na, and the heater  67   hb  is separately provided in correspondence with the return route blast opening  63 Nb. According to this configuration, it is possible to individually adjust the hot air temperature for the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb, thus making it possible to perform bulk restoration processing with more precise condition settings. 
     Note that the heaters  67   h ,  67   ha , and  67   hb  are not limited in any way to being electric heaters, and any type of heater can be applied as long as it can heat a gas such as air that forms wind. 
     Also, although “wind” refers to a flow of air in this example, besides a flow of air, it broadly encompasses a flow of a gas such as nitrogen gas or an inert gas. In other words, nitrogen gas or the like may be blown out from the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb. 
     (3) Adhesive Application Devices  81  and  82   
     In the example in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , two types of adhesive application devices  81  and  82  are provided in order to apply the hot-melt adhesive to the non-woven fabric  3   a . Both the application devices  81  and  82  are provided in the X direction conveying route R 31 X. More specifically, the application devices  81  and  82  are configured to apply the adhesive to the non-woven fabric  3   a  in a position between a position on the downstream side of the heating unit  61  in the conveying direction and the position of the joining device  14  of the main line  11 . 
     The application devices  81  and  82  respectively have discharge portions  81   a  and  82   a  for discharging the adhesive, as well as a pump (not shown). The pumps feed the hot-melt adhesive to the discharge portions  81   a  and  82   a  in a fluid state, and thus the fluid adhesive is discharged from the discharge portions  81   a  and  82   a.    
     Here, the one application device  81  out of the two types is a contact application device, and the other application device  82  is a contactless application device. The contact application device  81  applies the adhesive with the discharge portion  81   a  in contact with or in the vicinity of the application target, whereas the contactless application device  82  applies the adhesive by dripping it from the discharge portion  82   a  that is sufficiently separated from the application target. 
     In the example in  FIG. 5 , firstly the contact application device  81  applies the adhesive to the non-woven fabric  3   a , and thereafter the contactless application device  82  applies the adhesive at a downstream position. 
     The contact application device  81  applies the adhesive in a solid-coating application pattern in which the application target portions are the portions of the one surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  that do not cover the absorbent bodies  4 ,  4  that is to say the portions of the one surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  that are to be joined to the back sheet  5   a . For this reason, the application device  81  has a slit-shaped nozzle elongated in the Y direction as the discharge portion  81   a , and thus, whereas the adhesive is applied to the non-woven fabric  3   a  over approximately the entire length in the Y direction, the adhesive is discharged intermittently in the conveying direction such that the adhesive is selectively applied to only the aforementioned application target portions. 
     On the other hand, the contactless application device  82  applies the adhesive in a predetermined application pattern in which approximately the entirety of one surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  is the application target portion. Here, this application pattern is a pattern in which multiple linear portions that are continuous in the conveying direction are lined up in the Y direction, and examples of the shapes of these linear portions include such as a straight line along the conveying direction, a spiral line along the conveying direction, and a wavy line along the conveying direction. In order to perform application in this application pattern, the application device  82  has multiple approximately circular hole-shaped nozzles lined up in the Y direction as the discharge portion  82   a , and the adhesive is applied to approximately the entirety of the one surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  in this application pattern by continuously dripping the adhesive from each of the nozzles. 
     Sub Line  90  for Back Sheets  5   a    
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the sub line  90  for back sheets  5   a  is provided directly below the main conveying route R 11  of the main line  11 . Consequently, the back sheet  5   a  is input to the main conveying route R 11  from below the main conveying route R 11  of the main line  11 . 
     The sub line  90  for back sheets  5   a  has: a conveying device  91  that feeds the film material  5   a  serving as the material of the back sheet  5   a  from film material whole cloths  5   a R and conveys the film material  5   a  to the aforementioned main conveying route R 11 ; and an adhesive application device  103  that applies the hot-melt adhesive for the aforementioned joining with the joining device  14 , to the film material  5   a  fed from the film material whole cloths  5   a R. 
     The conveying device  91  has multiple conveying rollers  92 X,  92 X . . . that form the conveying route R 5   a  for back sheets  5   a , two feeding devices  95 , a material joining device  96 , an accumulator device  97 , an upstream pinch roll device  98 , a tension control device  99 , and a downstream pinch roll device  101 . The configurations of the devices  95 ,  95 ,  96 ,  97 ,  98 ,  99 , and  101  are approximately the same as the devices  35 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37 ,  38 ,  39 , and  41  for the above-described sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a . Also, the configuration of the adhesive application device  103  is approximately the same as the aforementioned contactless application device  82 . Thus, the description thereof is omitted. 
     In this example in  FIG. 2 , the conveying route R 5   a  for back sheets  5   a  has a straight line shape along the X direction in plan view, and the conveying route R 5   a  also overlaps the main conveying route R 11  along approximately the entire length thereof in plan view. Thus, it is possible to swiftly input the back sheets  5   a  to the main conveying route R 11  by merely orienting the conveying direction of the back sheets  5   a , which are the film materials  5   a , in the upward direction, in the downstream end portion R 5   ad  of the conveying route R 5   a , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The conveying route R 5   a  of the sub line  90  for back sheets  5   a , however, is not limited in any way to the above. Specifically, as with the conveying route of the sub line  30  for top sheets  3   a  in  FIG. 4 , the conveying route R 5   a  may have a Y direction conveying route and an X direction conveying route, and the Y direction conveying route and the X direction conveying route may be connected to each other with a conveying direction switching mechanism like the 45°-turn bar TB. In such a case, the Y direction conveying route may have the feeding devices  95 ,  95 , the material joining device  96 , the accumulator device  97 , and the upstream pinch roll device  98 , and the X direction conveying route may have the tension control device  99  and the downstream pinch roll device  101 , for example. 
     Other Embodiments 
     Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is for facilitating understanding of the present invention and is not for interpreting the present invention in a limiting manner. Also, modifications and improvements that can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention, as well as equivalents thereof are, needless to say, encompassed within the present invention. For example, modifications such as the following are possible. 
     Although the manufacturing line  10  for pet sheets  1  is given as an example of the apparatus for manufacturing an absorbent article in the above embodiment, there is no limitation whatsoever to this. For example, the concept of the present invention may be applied to an apparatus for manufacturing a diaper or a sanitary napkin. If this is the case, for both the diaper and the sanitary napkin, a non-woven fabric for the top sheet can be given as an example of the part to be heated with the heating unit  61  of the bulk restoring device  60 . 
     The part to be heated with the heating unit  61 , however, is not limited in any way to a non-woven fabric for top sheets. In other words, a non-woven fabric for the material of another component required to have bulkiness may be heated with the heating unit  61 . 
     Although the non-woven fabric  3  ( 3   a ) having multiple straight line-shaped projection portions  3   p ,  3   p  . . . on one surface as shown in  FIG. 1B  is given as an example of the non-woven fabric  3  ( 3   a ) for the top sheet  3  ( 3   a ) in the above embodiment, there is no limitation whatsoever to this. For example, it may be a non-woven fabric in a normal mode, that is to say a non-woven fabric with approximately flat surfaces on both sides. 
     Although the heating unit  61  of the bulk restoring device  60  heats the non-woven fabric  3   a  in both the outgoing route and the return route as shown in  FIG. 2  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation whatsoever to this. For example, in the case where the bulk is sufficiently restored in only either the outgoing route or the return route, either the outgoing route blast opening  63 Na or the return route blast opening  63 Nb may be omitted. Conversely, if bulk restoration is not sufficient with merely two paths, namely the outgoing route and the return route, multiple heating units  61  may be provided rather than merely one, and the non-woven fabric  3   a  may be heated in three or more paths. Note that providing the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb in correspondence with the outgoing route and the return route is preferable due to shortening the dimension of the heating unit  61  in the lengthwise direction while also reliably ensuring a conveying route length for the non-woven fabric  3   a  that is needed for bulk restoration. 
     Although the heating unit  61  is configured in a system different from existing air-through systems as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation whatsoever to this. Specifically, the heating unit may be configured in an existing air-through system. Note that a heating unit configured in an existing air-through system is as follows, for example. The heating unit has a hot air blast opening provided so as to oppose one of both surfaces of the non-woven fabric  3   a  conveyed along the conveying direction, and a hot air suction opening provided so as to oppose the other one of both surfaces. The blast opening and the suction opening forma streamline in which hot air blasted from the blast opening is sucked with the suction opening, and thus the hot air heats the non-woven fabric  3   a  as it passes through the non-woven fabric  3   a  in the thickness direction. 
     Note that a suction belt conveyor device, a suction drum device, and the like can be given as examples of the conveying mechanism that conveys the non-woven fabric  3   a  in the conveying direction. Specifically, the suction belt conveyor device conveys the non-woven fabric  3   a  in the state of being placed on the outer circumferential surface of an endless belt that is driven to revolve, and due to multiple suction holes being provided in the outer circumferential surface, the suction holes function as the above-described suction openings that suction the hot air. Also, the suction drum device conveys the non-woven fabric  3   a  in the state of being wound around the outer circumferential surface of a rotating drum that is driven to rotate, and due to multiple suction holes being provided in the outer circumferential surface, the suction holes function as the above-described suction openings that suction the hot air. 
     Although the non-woven fabric  3   a  that has passed through the heating unit  61  of the bulk restoring device  60  undergoes so-called natural cooling in the above embodiment, depending on the case, a cooling device  70  that forcibly cools the non-woven fabric  3   a  in a position on the immediately downstream side of the heating unit  61  may be added as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     Specifically, the cooling device  70  is arranged in a position on the immediately downstream side of the heating unit  61 , and has a cooling unit  71  that blows cooling wind on the non-woven fabric  3   a  in order to cool it, and a wind supplying device (not shown) that supplies cooling wind to the cooling unit  71 . 
     In the case where the non-woven fabric  3   a  is cooled with the cooling wind blasted from the cooling unit  71 , it is possible to further reliably prevent the non-woven fabric  3   a  from having a thermal influence on the intermediate products  1   m  and the devices  14 ,  15 , and so on in the main conveying route R 11  of the main line  11 . 
     It should be noted that a configuration similar to that of the previously-described heating unit  61  can be given as an example of the cooling unit  71 . Specifically, the cooling unit  71  has a case member  62 , a partition member  63 , and guide rollers  64 ,  64 ,  64 , similar to the heating unit  61 . However, wind with a temperature capable of cooling the non-woven fabric  3   a  is blasted from slit-shaped blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb provided in both wall surfaces  63   wa  and  63   wb  of the partition member  63 . In other words, for example, room-temperature wind or cool wind with a temperature lower than room temperature is supplied from the wind supplying device to the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb via an appropriate pipe member  67   pc . For this reason, the wind supplying device has at least a blower, and desirably has a cooler that cools the wind generated with the blower. Note that the above-described wind can cool the non-woven fabric  3   a  in the case where its temperature is lower than the temperature of the non-woven fabric  3   a  immediately after exiting the case member  62  of the heating unit  61 , and thus may be higher than room temperature (20° C.±15° C.), such as being any value in the range of 5° C. to 50° C., for example, or may be set higher than this range depending on the situation. It should be noted that according to the cooling unit  71  having this configuration, the cooling wind blasted from the blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb flows over the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a , thus effectively preventing the non-woven fabric  3   a  from becoming compressed in the thickness direction. Accordingly, the loss of the restored bulk due to the wind is effectively avoided. 
     Although the hot air that has flowed through the outgoing route and return route spaces SP 62   a  and SP 62   b  is discharged as-is through the exits  62   a out and  62   b out for the non-woven fabric  3   a  in the case member  62  in the above embodiment ( FIG. 6A ), from the viewpoint of energy reuse and from the viewpoint of mitigating adverse effects from the hot air on other devices and other members in the vicinity, the hot air that has flowed through the spaces SP 62   a  and SP 62   b  may be recovered and returned to the intake-side portion  67   bs  of the blower  67   b . For example, as shown in the schematic cross-sectional view in  FIG. 8 , a configuration is possible in which openings  63   ha  and  63   hb  are provided in portions of the partition member  63  on the downstream side in the conveying direction, and pipe end opening portions on one side of recovery pipe members  69  are connected to the openings  63   ha  and  63   hb , thus putting the spaces inside the pipe members  69  into communication with at least one out of a downstream end portion SP 62   ae  of the outgoing route space SP 62   a  and a downstream end portion SP 62   be  of the return route space SP 62   b , and putting the pipe end opening portions on the other side of the pipe members  69  into communication with the intake-side portion  67   bs  of the blower  67   b.    
     It should be noted that in the case of the example in  FIG. 8 , there is a risk of foreign objects such as fiber scraps from the non-woven fabric  3   a  being sent through the recovery pipe members  69  to the heater  67   h  in the blower  67   b  and becoming fused thereto. For this reason, it is preferable that a mesh-like foreign object suction prevention filter member having a predetermined mesh, for example, is inserted between the recovery pipe members  69  and the intake-side portion  67   bs  of the blower  67   b . Note that in the case of the example in  FIG. 6A  as well, there is a risk of foreign objects such as paper dust in the manufacturing line  10  becoming mixed with the ambient air and sucked through the intake-side portion  67   bs , and thus it is preferable that the same type of filter member is provided in the intake-side portion  67   bs.    
     In the above embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6A , the outgoing route blast opening  63 Na is provided in the portion of the outgoing route wall surface  63   wa  on the upstream side in the outgoing route, and the return route blast opening  63 Nb is provided in the portion of the outgoing route wall surface  63   wb  on the upstream side in the return route, but there is no limitation whatsoever to this. 
     For example, a configuration is possible in which the outgoing route blast opening  63 Na is provided in a portion of the outgoing route wall surface  63   wa  on the downstream side in the outgoing route (this corresponds to the “exit-side portion of the case member”), and the return route blast opening  63 Nb is provided in a portion of the return route wall surface  63   wb  on the downstream side in the return route (this corresponds to the “exit-side portion of the case member”). Note that in this case, both of the outgoing route and return route blast openings  63 Na and  63 Nb are formed so as to blast hot air toward the upstream side in the conveying direction with an acute angle of inclination relative to one of the two surfaces of the non-woven fabric  3   a . Accordingly, the hot air blasted from the outgoing route blast opening  63 Na comes into contact with the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  with a velocity component in a direction toward the upstream side in the conveying direction, continues to flow over the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  toward the upstream side, and is ultimately discharged to the outside through the outgoing route entrance  62   a in located the most upstream in the outgoing route space SP 62   a . Also, the hot air blasted from the return route blast opening  63 Nb comes into contact with the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  with a velocity component in a direction toward the upstream side in the conveying direction, continues to flow over the surface of the non-woven fabric  3   a  toward the upstream side, and is discharged to the outside from the return route entrance  62   b in located the most upstream in the conveying direction in the return route space SP 62   b . It should be noted that the same applies to the above-described cooling unit  71  as well. 
     Although a solid member basically not having a space therein other than the pressure chambers R 63   a  and R 63   b  is used as the material for the partition member  63  in the above embodiment, there is no limitation whatsoever to this. For example, for the purpose of weight reduction or the like, a hollow member having a space therein may be used. One example that can be given for this hollow member is a combined member having, for example, a stainless steel flat plate member (not shown) that forms the outgoing route wall surface  63   wa  in  FIG. 6A , a stainless steel flat plate member (not shown) that forms the return route wall surface  63   wb , and a rectangular column member (not shown) that is inserted between these flat plate members and connects these two flat plate members. 
     Although the X direction is given as an example of the first direction and the Y direction is given as an example of the Y direction, and the X direction and the Y direction are orthogonal to each other in the above embodiment, there is no limitation whatsoever to this. Specifically, they only need to intersect each other within the horizontal plane. 
     Although the main line  11  in  FIG. 2  does not have an absorbent body manufacturing apparatus  111  for manufacturing an absorbent body  4  in the above embodiment, the main line  11  may have the absorbent body manufacturing apparatus  111 .  FIG. 9  is a schematic side view of the absorbent body manufacturing apparatus  111 . A conveying route R 111  of the absorbent body manufacturing apparatus  111  also has a straight line shape along the X direction in plan view, and the conveying route R 111  is connected straight to the upstream side of the main conveying route R 11  of the above-described main line  11 . In the conveying route R 111  as well, appropriate conveying devices such as a conveyor  112 CV and a conveying roller  112 R are provided to convey the intermediate products  1   m  related to the pet sheet  1  such as a continuous sheet  4   t   2   a  of non-skin-side covering sheets  4   t   2  and a continuous body  4   a  of absorbent bodies  4 . 
     Furthermore, the conveying route R 111  is provided with a non-skin-side covering sheet supplying device  114  that supplies a strip-shaped continuous sheet  4   t   2   a  (simply referred to hereinafter as the non-skin-side covering sheet  4   t   2   a ) of non-skin-side covering sheets  4   t   2  to the route R 111 ; a fiber stacking drum device  115  that stacks a continuous body  4   ca  of the absorbent cores  4   c  on the upper surface of the non-skin-side covering sheet  4   t   2   a ; a skin-side covering sheet supplying device  116  that supplies a strip-shaped continuous sheet  4   t   1   a  (simply referred to hereinafter as the skin-side covering sheet  4   t   1   a ) of skin-side covering sheets  4   t   1  from above the continuous body  4   ca  of absorbent cores  4   c ; a fold-back guide device  117  that folds back each end portion of the non-skin-side covering sheet  4   t   2   a  in the Y direction so as to cover the skin-side covering sheet  4   t   1   a ; and a rotary cutter device  118  that generates absorbent bodies  4  by cutting the continuous body  4   a  of absorbent bodies  4  formed by folding back each end portion of the non-skin-side covering sheet  4   t   2   a , lined up in the stated order from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction. 
     The conveying velocity value of absorbent bodies  4  in the conveyor  112 CV at a position immediately downstream of the rotary cutter device  118  is set higher than the conveying velocity value of the absorbent bodies  4  in the rotary cutter device  118 , and accordingly a gap is formed between absorbent bodies  4 ,  4 , that are adjacent in the conveying direction, and the absorbent bodies  4 ,  4  . . . are sent to the main conveying route R 11  of the main line  11  with gaps therebetween. 
     Note that the devices  114 ,  115 ,  116 ,  117 , and  118  are also supported by the aforementioned panel board of the main conveying route R 11 , for example. 
     Here, the non-skin-side covering sheet supplying device  114  and the skin-side covering sheet supplying device  116  can each obviously be realized using the same types of devices as the devices  95 ,  95 ,  96 , and so on provided in the sub line  90  for back sheets  5   a  in  FIG. 2 , and thus the description thereof is omitted. 
     The fiber stacking drum device  115  can also obviously be realized using a rotation drum  115 D that rotates and has liquid-absorbent fibers and a SAP sucking function on the outer circumferential surface, and thus the description thereof is omitted as well. 
     Furthermore, the fold-back guide device  117  can also obviously be realized by arranging an appropriate plate member on both sides in the Y direction, and thus the description thereof is omitted. 
     The rotary cutter device  118  can also obviously be realized using a device of the same type as the rotary cutter device  18  ( FIG. 2 ) provided in the main conveying route R 11  of the existing main line  11 , and thus the description thereof is omitted as well. 
     Although the fiber stacking drum device  115  in the above absorbent body manufacturing apparatus  111  manufactures the continuous body  4   ca  of absorbent cores  4   c , there is no limitation whatsoever to this. Specifically, the fiber stacking drum device  115  may manufacture multiple absorbent cores  4   c ,  4   c  . . . in the state of being lined up with gaps therebetween in the conveying direction. 
     Also, in some case, one or multiple press devices (not shown) may be provided in a position between the fold-back guide device  117  and the rotary cutter device  118  in the conveying route R 111 , and the continuous body  4   a  of absorbent bodies  4  may be pressed by using the press device in the vertical direction, which is the thickness direction. Note that a configuration having a pair of upper and lower rolls that rotate can be given as an example of the press device.