The liquid permeability and liquid diffusion of absorbent body is enhanced. (i) A belt-like main sheet formed of a non-woven fabric sheet constituting at least part of a first main surface is conveyed in a longitudinal direction of the main sheet; (ii) a slit is formed in the non-woven fabric sheet at a first position on a conveying path; (iii) at a second position, particulate matter absorbing and retaining liquid is dispersed into the first main surface, in such a way that the particulate matter is held in the non-woven fabric sheet; and (iv) at a third position, a covering sheet which prevents passage of the particulate matter is overlaid on the first main surface. At the second position, the non-woven fabric sheet includes a bulky structure which constitutes at least part of the first main surface and which has voids allowing the particulate matter to enter.

A process for manufacturing a disposable absorbent article is disclosed. The method includes providing a first layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface; color printing the first layer on at least one of the first or second surface; providing a second layer having a first and an opposing second surface; providing a topsheet, an absorbent core, and a backsheet; and placing the first layer and second layer between a topsheet and an absorbent core such that the color printing is visible through a wearer-facing surface of the disposable absorbent article.

The present disclosure relates to folding methods and apparatuses that operate to fold an advancing substrate in the cross direction along a central region to bring a second end region into a facing relationship with a first end region. In some embodiments, the second end region of the advancing substrate is folded around a folding axis 180 to bring the second end region into a facing relationship with the first end region. The folding axis may also be defined by an arc extending in the machine direction MD, wherein the second end region of the advancing substrate is helically folded toward the inside of the arc. A folding apparatus including a curved or arc-shaped folding axis may also be configured such the first and second web paths have substantially equal lengths.

An apparatus for manufacturing an absorbent body according to the present invention includes a conveying unit (2) that conveys an aggregate (101) of absorbent fibers and a water-absorbent resin (102), a mixing unit (3) that accepts the aggregate of the absorbent fibers and the water-absorbent resin that were conveyed by the conveying unit and mixes the absorbent fibers and the water-absorbent resin, a chamber portion (4) that has an internal space (40) through which the absorbent fibers and the water-absorbent resin that were mixed in the mixing unit fall, a stacking portion (5) that is disposed below the chamber portion and has a recessed portion (531) in which the absorbent fibers and the water-absorbent resin that fall through the chamber portion are stacked, and a suction unit (6) that causes a negative pressure in the chamber portion.

A method for in-line analysis of a composite product, wherein a hyperspectral sensor is used to acquire images of samples of target materials that are part of the composite product, in order to perform an in-line optical inspection at process speed.

An absorbent article comprising an absorbent core sandwiched between a liquid permeable topsheet and a liquid impermeable backsheet, and an acquisition distribution system positioned between said topsheet and said absorbent core, wherein the absorbent core comprises absorbent material selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, superabsorbent polymers and combinations thereof, wherein said absorbent material is contained within at least one core wrap substrate enclosing said absorbent material, and wherein a top layer of said core wrap is adhered to a bottom layer of said core wrap to form one or more channels substantially free of said absorbent material, wherein said channels have a length extending along a longitudinal axis and the absorbent core has a length extending along said longitudinal axis and wherein the length of said channels is from 10% to 95% of the length of said absorbent core and wherein said channels each follow a substantially continuous path such as from a first end of a channel to a second end of the same channel wherein the acquisition distribution system is multi-layered and comprises at least one spunbond layer and at least one meltblown layer, and wherein said acquisition distribution system is positioned between said absorbent core and said topsheet such that said spunbond and/or meltblown layers are in direct contact with said absorbent core and said topsheet.

A feeding unit for feeding a component of a hygiene absorbent article; the feeding unit has: at least one sucking-holding head, which is designed to receive and hold the component; a conveyor to cyclically move the holding head along an annular application path; an input station in which the holding head receives a corresponding component which is connectedwithout gapsto a continuous web; a cutting station provided with a cutting device, which cuts the continuous web crosswise; and an output station in which the holding head releases the component; the conveyor has: an annular guide; a slide which supports the holding head and is coupled to the guide so as to freely slide along the guide itself; and a linear electric motor, which has a stator, which is arranged in a fixed position along the guide and a mobile slider which is electro-magnetically coupled to the stator so as to receive, from the stator, a driving force and is rigidly connected to the slide.

A process for forming an absorbent sanitary article includes feeding a first web including first and second stretches each having front and rear end portions; feeding a second web for forming a first side panel of the article; feeding a third web for forming a second side panel of the article; cutting the second web into a succession of first and second pieces defining the first side panel of the article; cutting the third web in a succession of third and fourth pieces, defining the second side panel of the article; applying the first through fourth pieces to the first web; the first and second stretches being provided in the first web so each first stretch has the rear end portion upstream of the front end portion in a feed direction and each second stretch has the front end portion upstream of the rear end portion.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatuses printing and curing energy curable inks printed on substrates. The printing systems may include a printing station, a light source, and a reflective device. During operation, the printing station deposits energy curable ink onto a first surface of the substrate to define a printed region, wherein an amount of the curable ink may penetrate into the substrate from the first surface toward a second surface. The light source directs ultraviolet light onto the first surface of the substrate to define a first illumination zone. The reflective device reflects ultraviolet light traveling from the second surface of the substrate back toward the second surface to define a second illumination zone. The substrate is advanced in a machine direction to advance the energy curable ink through the first illumination zone and the second illumination zone to cure the energy curable ink.

An absorbent article manufacturing apparatus includes: 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; and 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. In a case where a direction that intersects the first direction in plan view is set as a second direction, the heating unit is arranged in one of a position that is directly above the first conveying route and a position that is displaced from the first conveying route to the second direction.