Patents by Inventor Akihide Ninomiya

Akihide Ninomiya has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11712376
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a lateral direction, a vertical direction, and a front-rear direction that are orthogonal to each other is provided. The absorbent article includes: a first sheet-like member; a second sheet-like member; elastic members that are inserted along the lateral direction between a pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces of the first sheet-like member and that are spaced apart in the vertical direction; joining portions that join the pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces and that are spaced part in the lateral direction and in the vertical direction; and side-seal sections disposed at each lateral end portion of the absorbent article. The joining portions are formed on two sides of the elastic members in the vertical direction so that the elastic members are sandwiched and pressed between the joining portions on the two sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Masaharu Tomioka
  • Patent number: 11351067
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes: a first sheet-like member; a second sheet-like member; an elastic member that is inserted along a lateral direction between a pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces of the first sheet-like member; joining portions that join the pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces and that are spaced apart in the lateral direction; and side-seal sections that are disposed at each lateral end portion of the absorbent article. The joining portions are disposed on two sides of the elastic member in a vertical direction, which intersects the lateral direction and a front-rear direction, so that the elastic member is sandwiched and pressed between the joining portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Masaharu Tomioka
  • Patent number: 10729596
    Abstract: A pants-type absorbent article for which damage during wearing motions can be suppressed. The pants-type absorbent article includes: a front waist region; a rear waist region; a crotch region; a waist opening defined by the front waist region and the rear waist region and disposed to surround a waist of the wearer; an external topsheet provided on at least one of the front waist region and the rear waist region; and an external backsheet bonded to the external topsheet. The external backsheet has a folded-back portion folded back at the waist opening, the folded-back portion extending beyond the external topsheet toward to the waist opening. A reinforcing sheet extends in a transverse direction orthogonally crossing the front-back direction and to overlap at least part of the folded-back portion. The reinforcing sheet has a length in the front-back direction longer than a length of the folded-back portion in the front-back direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotomo Mukai, Akihide Ninomiya, Akihisa Shiomi
  • Publication number: 20190374404
    Abstract: An absorbent article having a lateral direction, a vertical direction, and a front-rear direction that are orthogonal to each other is provided. The absorbent article includes: a first sheet-like member; a second sheet-like member; elastic members that are inserted along the lateral direction between a pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces of the first sheet-like member and that are spaced apart in the vertical direction; joining portions that join the pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces and that are spaced part in the lateral direction and in the vertical direction; and side-seal sections disposed at each lateral end portion of the absorbent article. The joining portions are formed on two sides of the elastic members in the vertical direction so that the elastic members are sandwiched and pressed between the joining portions on the two sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: UNICHARM Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Masaharu Tomioka
  • Publication number: 20190374392
    Abstract: An absorbent article includes: a first sheet-like member; a second sheet-like member; an elastic member that is inserted along a lateral direction between a pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces of the first sheet-like member; joining portions that join the pair of mutually-opposing facing surfaces and that are spaced apart in the lateral direction; and side-seal sections that are disposed at each lateral end portion of the absorbent article. The joining portions are disposed on two sides of the elastic member in a vertical direction, which intersects the lateral direction and a front-rear direction, so that the elastic member is sandwiched and pressed between the joining portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: UNICHARM Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Masaharu Tomioka
  • Patent number: 10052238
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pants-type diaper comprises: a step (A) of conveying a first continuous sheet; a step (B) of laminating a plurality of continuous elastic bodies on an inner side of the first continuous sheet, laminating a second continuous sheet, and bonding at least a part of the continuous elastic bodies and the second continuous sheet; a step (C) of cutting a part of continuous elastic bodies from an outer side of the second continuous sheet or an outer side of the first continuous sheet; and a step (D) of disposing the absorbent body so as to arrange the absorber in a predetermined region. In the step (C), a part of the continuous elastic bodies that is not bonded to the first continuous sheet is cut in a region for forming the pants-type diaper, the region other than a predetermined region for arranging the absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotomo Mukai, Akihide Ninomiya, Akihisa Shiomi
  • Publication number: 20180185203
    Abstract: A pants-type absorbent article for which damage during wearing motions can be suppressed. The pants-type absorbent article includes: a front waist region; a rear waist region; a crotch region; a waist opening defined by the front waist region and the rear waist region and disposed to surround a waist of the wearer; an external topsheet provided on at least one of the front waist region and the rear waist region; and an external backsheet bonded to the external topsheet. The external backsheet has a folded-back portion folded back at the waist opening, the folded-back portion extending beyond the external topsheet toward to the waist opening. A reinforcing sheet extends in a transverse direction orthogonally crossing the front-back direction and to overlap at least part of the folded-back portion. The reinforcing sheet has a length in the front-back direction longer than a length of the folded-back portion in the front-back direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Hirotomo MUKAI, Akihide NINOMIYA, Akihisa SHIOMI
  • Publication number: 20170087028
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pants-type diaper comprises: a step (A) of conveying a first continuous sheet; a step (B) of laminating a plurality of continuous elastic bodies on an inner side of the first continuous sheet, laminating a second continuous sheet, and bonding at least a part of the continuous elastic bodies and the second continuous sheet; a step (C) of cutting a part of continuous elastic bodies from an outer side of the second continuous sheet or an outer side of the first continuous sheet; and a step (D) of disposing the absorbent body so as to arrange the absorber in a predetermined region. In the step (C), a part of the continuous elastic bodies that is not bonded to the first continuous sheet is cut in a region for forming the pants-type diaper, the region other than a predetermined region for arranging the absorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Hirotomo MUKAI, Akihide NINOMIYA, Akihisa SHIOMI
  • Patent number: 9101511
    Abstract: Disclosed is a disposable pants-type wearing article improved to prevent panels joined to one another from being peeled off from each other. A disposable pants-type wearing article includes a front panel 7, a rear panel 8 and a intermediate panel 6 joined to respective outer surfaces of these two panels 7, 8. Opposite lateral portions 34 of the intermediate panel 6 are formed by joining a pair of sheets together with a second hot melt adhesive 62. Zones coated with the second hot melt adhesive 62 include high density coated zones 72 formed by relatively large application quantity per 1 m2 and low density coated zones 71 formed by relatively small application quantity per 1 m2. Opposite end regions 36, 37 of the intermediate panel 6 joined to the front panel 7 and the rear panel 8 are at least partially formed with the high density coated zones 72.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Ichikawa, Kenichi Sasayama, Hiroki Yamamoto, Kazuo Ukegawa, Akihide Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 8955570
    Abstract: An absorbent structure manufacturing apparatus has a feeder that includes a measuring roller provided with a filling region to be filled with absorbent discrete material, a material feeding space to reserve and feed the absorbent material to the filling region, a scraper located downstream of the material feeding space to scrape surplus amount of the absorbent material fed to the filling region, a feed chute to receive and retain temporarily the absorbent material from the filling region, and an open-close movable shutter on a peripheral wall of the feed chute. The measuring roller is rotary driven by a rotary drive and the shutter is opened-closed by an actuator. The rotary drive is rotated at a velocity corresponding to a conveyance velocity of a continuous sheet and the actuator controls the shutter in timing corresponding to the conveyance velocity. The absorbent material is fed onto the continuous sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Kazuo Ukegawa
  • Patent number: 8678171
    Abstract: A passing apparatus for a workpiece associated with an absorbent article receives a first sheet-like workpiece at a receiving position, changes a longitudinal direction of the first sheet-like workpiece to a direction that intersects the longitudinal direction at the time the first sheet-like workpiece is received, and discharges the first sheet-like workpiece with the changed longitudinal direction at a discharge position. The passing apparatus includes: a plurality of holding pads each having a plane section to be in contact with and for holding the first sheet-like workpiece, a revolution mechanism for causing the holding pads to revolve about a revolution axis normal to the plane section, and a spin mechanism for causing the holding pad to spin about a spin axis normal to the plane section. On an orbit of the holding pad determined by the revolution mechanism, the receiving position and the discharge position are set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Kazuo Ukegawa, Hiroki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8668680
    Abstract: A disposable wearing article includes a liquid-absorbent structure that is adapted to be spaced from the wearer's skin to protect the wearer's skin from being soiled with body waste. A crotch member defining parts of front and rear waist regions and a crotch region has a front end lying in the front waist region and a rear end lying in the rear waist region wherein at least one of the front and rear ends defines non-bonded regions in an intermediate zone as viewed in the transverse direction X of the crotch member and is attached to the outer surface of an elastic waist panel by the intermediary of square U-shaped bonded regions opening toward the crotch region. In areas defining the non-bonded regions, body waste retaining space(s) are formed between the elastic waist panel and the crotch member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Ichikawa, Kenichi Sasayama, Hiroki Yamamoto, Kazuo Ukegawa, Akihide Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 8662133
    Abstract: In a ultrasonic processing apparatus, upstream conveyor and downstream conveyor allow a fibrous web to run in a machine direction continuously. Between the conveyors, a working surface of a first mechanical element serving as a stationary element of the ultrasonic processing apparatus extends diagonally with respect to the machine direction. The fibrous web runs in the machine direction above the working surface. The ultrasonic processing apparatus includes a second mechanical element adapted to move in a direction diagonally intersecting the machine direction. The working surface of the first mechanical element cooperates with the second mechanical element to subject the fibrous web to ultrasonic processing. One of an ultrasonic horn and an anvil is used as the first mechanical element and a remainder of the ultrasonic horn and the anvil is used as the second mechanical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Kazuo Ukegawa, Hiroki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8646506
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing bodily exudates absorbent structures has a rotating drum to convey a first continuous sheet, a feeding mechanism, a second conveying mechanism to convey a second continuous sheet and a sealing mechanism to join the first and second continuous sheets. The rotating drum is formed on its peripheral surface with depressions, leaving a non-depressed peripheral surface segment. Each of the depressions is formed in a central region with a central through-hole extending through each depression from an outer surface to an inner surface of the rotating drum. Within the rotating drum, a suction mechanism is installed to provide a suction effect directed from the outer surface toward the inner surface of the rotating drum so that the first continuous sheet is formed with a first concave region having been deformed along each depression and a second concave region having been deformed toward the central through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Ukegawa, Akihide Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 8580057
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for ultrasonic processing improved so as to prevent a fibrous web from being disfigured due to the ultrasonic processing. In an apparatus to ultrasonically process a fibrous web running in a machine direction MD, a first mechanical element defined by one of an ultrasonic horn and an anvil and a second mechanical element defined by the other of the ultrasonic horn and the anvil are moved forward or backward in a direction crossing the machine direction MD so as to pass transversely across the fibrous web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Akihide Ninomiya, Yoshihiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20130226124
    Abstract: A disposable pull-on wearing article includes a waist panel having a skin-facing side and non-skin-facing side and a crotch panel connected to the waist panel. The crotch panel includes a crotch inner sheet lying on the skin-facing side, a crotch outer sheet lying on the non-skin-facing side, a pair of side flaps and a pair of end flaps extending along opposite side edges and opposite end edges of the inner and outer sheets, respectively, and paired sets of leg elastics extending along the opposite side edges in a longitudinal direction. Crossover regions of longitudinally opposite end portions of the side flaps and transversely opposite lateral portions of the end flaps are folded onto the skin-facing side and the crossover regions define nonexistent regions in which none of the elastics exists and the nonexistent regions are attached to the front panel of the waist panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Ichikawa, Kenichi Sasayama, Kunihiko Katsuragawa, Kazuo Ukegawa, Akihide Ninomiya
  • Publication number: 20130174965
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for ultrasonic processing improved so as to prevent a fibrous web from being disfigured due to the ultrasonic processing. In an apparatus to ultrasonically process a fibrous web running in a machine direction MD, a first mechanical element defined by one of an ultrasonic horn and an anvil and a second mechanical element defined by the other of the ultrasonic horn and the anvil are moved forward or backward in a direction crossing the machine direction MD so as to pass transversely across the fibrous web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Akihide Ninomiya, Yoshihiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20130167629
    Abstract: In a ultrasonic processing apparatus, upstream conveyor and downstream conveyor allow a fibrous web to run in a machine direction continuously. Between the conveyors, a working surface of a first mechanical element serving as a stationary element of the ultrasonic processing apparatus extends diagonally with respect to the machine direction. The fibrous web runs in the machine direction above the working surface. The ultrasonic processing apparatus includes a second mechanical element adapted to move in a direction diagonally intersecting the machine direction. The working surface of the first mechanical element cooperates with the second mechanical element to subject the fibrous web to ultrasonic processing. One of an ultrasonic horn and an anvil is used as the first mechanical element and a remainder of the ultrasonic horn and the anvil is used as the second mechanical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Kazuo Ukegawa, Hiroki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20130172841
    Abstract: Disclosed is a disposable pants-type wearing article improved to prevent panels joined to one another from being peeled off from each other. A disposable pants-type wearing article includes a front panel 7, a rear panel 8 and a intermediate panel 6 joined to respective outer surfaces of these two panels 7, 8. Opposite lateral portions 34 of the intermediate panel 6 are formed by joining a pair of sheets together with a second hot melt adhesive 62. Zones coated with the second hot melt adhesive 62 include high density coated zones 72 formed by relatively large application quantity per 1 m2 and low density coated zones 71 formed by relatively small application quantity per 1 m2. Opposite end regions 36, 37 of the intermediate panel 6 joined to the front panel 7 and the rear panel 8 are at least partially formed with the high density coated zones 72.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Ichikawa, Kenichi Sasayama, Hiroki Yamamoto, Kazuo Ukegawa, Akihide Ninomiya
  • Publication number: 20130140755
    Abstract: A passing apparatus for a workpiece associated with an absorbent article receives a first sheet-like workpiece at a receiving position, changes a longitudinal direction of the first sheet-like workpiece to a direction that intersects the longitudinal direction at the time the first sheet-like workpiece is received, and discharges the first sheet-like workpiece with the changed longitudinal direction at a discharge position. The passing apparatus includes: a plurality of holding pads each having a plane section to be in contact with and for holding the first sheet-like workpiece, a revolution mechanism for causing the holding pads to revolve about a revolution axis normal to the plane section, and a spin mechanism for causing the holding pad to spin about a spin axis normal to the plane section. On an orbit of the holding pad determined by the revolution mechanism, the receiving position and the discharge position are set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: UNI-CHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihide Ninomiya, Kazuo Ukegawa, Hiroki Yamamoto