Abstract: A diaper includes front and rear waist members and a crotch member. The front and rear waist members are respectively formed with first narrowly-spaced elastic zones, widely-spaced elastic zones and second narrowly-spaced elastic zones adjacent one to another. Front and rear ends of the crotch member are bonded to respective sides of the front and rear waist members so that the crotch member's front and rear ends may positionally correspond to the second narrowly-spaced elastic zones. Cover sheets are attached to the side of the crotch member to cover the crotch member's front and rear ends respectively. A length dimension of the cover sheet in the longitudinal direction is set to be smaller than those of the front and rear waist members and a length dimension of the cover sheet in the transverse direction is substantially equal to those of the front and rear waist members.

Abstract: A suction control apparatus is adapted to be used in a packaging machine for conveying and packaging a belt-shaped film while the film is being suctioned by a suction-type film conveyor. The suction control apparatus includes a proper vacuum-degree determination section and a vacuum-degree control unit. The proper vacuum-degree determination section is configured and arranged to determine a proper degree of vacuum of the suction-type film conveyor, which is less than a reference value set in advance. The vacuum-degree control unit is configured to set the degree of vacuum to a first value corresponding to the proper degree of vacuum determined by the proper vacuum-degree determination section.

Abstract: A disposable wearing article improved so that the crotch panel may be stably fastened to the outer surface of the waist panel and a relatively large amount of body waste may be absorbed and retained without deteriorating the absorption performance of the liquid-absorbent structure in the crotch panel. One of front and rear end portions of a crotch panel is attached to respective non-skin-facing sides of elasticized waist panels by the intermediary of bond-regions respectively including non-bond regions in midsections thereof. The waist region to which the one end portion is attached is formed at the midsection thereof with a separable portion extending in a longitudinal direction when a wearing article is put on the wearer's body.

Abstract: A disposable pants-type wearing article adapted to prevent body waste from leaking out beyond the peripheries of the leg-openings when disposing of the used article. A disposable pants-type wearing article includes a front panel, a rear panel and a central panel. When the front panel and the rear panel are respectively folded with respective inner surfaces lying inside, opposite side edges of the central panel get close to each other in a midsection of a crotch region to a distance in a range of 0 to 50 mm.

Abstract: A pant-type wearing article comprises a front panel, a rear panel and a central panel. The front panel cooperates with the rear panel to form a waist region. The central panel includes a front end portion separably joined to the outer side of the waist region and a rear end portion separably joined to the outer side of the waist region. Side edges of the front end portion opposed to each other in the transverse direction are formed with front side corner regions and side edges of the rear end portion opposed to each other in the transverse direction are formed with rear side corner regions. At least one of the paired front side corner regions and the paired rear side corner regions is not joined to the outer surface of the waist region to form a gripper region.

Abstract: Provided is a disposable wearing article improved so that the tensile stress in the middle of the crotch region as well as in the vicinity thereof can be set to be higher than in the other regions without adjusting the number and thickness of the leg elastic elements and a relatively large body waist retaining space can be formed to protect the wearer's skin from being soiled with body waste. A crotch region is provided in both lateral portions thereof with a plurality of leg elastic elements extending in a longitudinal direction Y wherein the respective outermost elastic elements are laid so as to define concave curves in a middle zone of the crotch region and in the vicinity thereof.

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.

Abstract: A method of measuring the bending performance of an optical fiber in a simple manner is provided. Power P1 of light emitted from one end of the optical fiber when light is incident onto the other end of the optical fiber is measured under conditions where the optical fiber 1 is wound at a constant pitch by one layer on the circumferential side of a mandrel 2 and the overall circumference of the optical fiber 1 thus wound is covered with an index matching sheet 5. The refractive index of the index matching sheet 5 substantially matches with the refractive index of resin of the outermost layer of the optical fiber 1.

Abstract: A bag-making packaging machine has a cylindrical part and a forming collar. The forming collar guides a sheet-shaped packaging material so that the packaging material wraps around the cylindrical part. The forming collar has a folded-back portion for changing a direction in which the packaging material advances to an approximately perpendicular direction. A cutout through which the thick-layered portion of the packaging material passes is formed in the folded-back portion. This reduces the amount of friction applied to the thick-layered portion when the packaging material passes by the folded-back portion of the forming collar.

Abstract: A packaging machine includes a pair of brushes that hold a tubular film (Fm) therebetween while rotating and impeding the advancement of packaged articles. Consequently, an elongated stream of packaged articles aggregate at the leading end of the pair of brushes. When the pair of brushes release the tubular film, the packaged articles are again conveyed in a more closely aggregated state than the aggregated state thereof when the advancement of the packaged articles was temporarily impeded. The rotational axis of each brush is also biased a predetermined distance from the central axis of a core thereof. Since the brushes swing in conjunction with the rotation thereof, small vibrations and large swings cause the gaps between packaged articles to be readily filled and reduce the space occupied by the packaged articles. As a result, the bag size can be reduced.

Abstract: In a packaging machine, a pair of shutter members holds a tubular film therebetween and shake the tubular film. Articles on an upstream side of the shutter members within the tubular film therefore aggregate toward the side of the shutter members while the vibration of the shutter members causes the gaps between the packaged articles to be filled. Since the packaged articles aggregate by inertia due to the vibration, fragmentation thereof is less likely than in a case in which the packaged articles are compressed by direct contact. Merely by the movement of rollers on a waved surface of a shutter cam, the shutter members are shaken in accordance with the waved surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides an absorbent article improved so that bodily fluids can be absorbed by an absorbent structure from a skin-facing side of the absorbent structure and a non-skin-facing side thereof and thereby a liquid-absorbent core can be efficiently utilized. In a diaper 10, a crotch member 40 includes a pair of skin-contactable sheets 50 spaced from each other in a transverse direction X and an outer sheet 60. Inner side edges 53, 53 of the respective skin-contactable sheets cooperate with respective second ends 25, 35 of front and rear waist members to define an opening 41. A plurality of crotch elastic members 55 are attached to the inner side edges 53, 53 of the respective skin-contactable sheets and, under the effect of these crotch elastic members 55, a length dimension of the skin-contactable sheets is substantially reduced.

Abstract: A wearing article has crotch-elastic elements extending in a longitudinal direction. Front and rear waist members and the crotch member are bonded one another by front and rear bonded regions. The front bonded region is contoured by first and second ends and both side edges obliquely extending in the longitudinal direction so as to intersect with the first and second ends and, outboard of the both side edges in a transverse direction, non-bonded regions in which the crotch member and the front waist member are not bonded to each other are defined. Front waist-elastic elements extend between both side edges of the front waist member. The crotch-elastic elements extend from a front end to a rear end of the crotch member in the longitudinal direction. In the front bonded region, the front waist-elastic elements and the crotch-elastic elements substantially intersect one another and interlock with one another.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine for manufacturing pouches of a plurality of types having different shapes includes a tubular part, a conveying part and a sealing part. The tubular part is replaceable according to a shape of the pouch to be manufactured. The conveying part is configured and arranged to convey tubular packaging material along the tubular part with an internal surface of the packaging material facing an external surface of the tubular part. A position of the conveying part with respect to the tubular part is selectively movable according to the shape of the pouch to be manufactured. The sealing part is configured and arranged to seal a prescribed position on the packaging material conveyed by the conveying part.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine is adapted to manufacture a bag having a gusset section, and includes a conveying part, a plurality of splitters and an inward-folding member. The conveying part is configured and arranged to convey a tubular packaging material. The splitters extend along a conveyance direction of the tubular packaging material to contact with the tubular packaging material from an interior side. The inward-folding member has a pressing part including a plurality of contacting portions that are three-dimensionally arranged to generally correspond to a shape of the gusset section. The inward-folding member is configured and arranged to press the contacting portions of the pressing part from an external side of the tubular packaging material against an outer surface of a gusset formation area of the tubular packaging material located between the splitters to form the gusset section.

Abstract: A bag making and packaging machine includes a conveying unit, a transverse sealing mechanism, and a gusset forming mechanism. The conveying unit is configured and arranged to continuously convey a tubular packaging material. The transverse sealing mechanism has a pair of sealing jaws configured and arranged to revolvingly move while following annular loci to seal the tubular packaging material in a transverse direction with respect to a conveyance direction of the tubular packaging material. The gusset forming mechanism has a pair of folding members configured and arranged to be pressed against side portions of the tubular packaging material to form gussets in the side portions of the tubular packaging material while the folding members move along the conveyance direction of the tubular packaging material before the transverse sealing mechanism seals the tubular packaging material.

Abstract: A suction control apparatus is adapted to be used in a packaging machine for conveying and packaging a belt-shaped film while the film is being suctioned by a suction-type film conveyor. The suction control apparatus includes a proper vacuum-degree determination section and a vacuum-degree control unit. The proper vacuum-degree determination section is configured and arranged to determine a proper degree of vacuum of the suction-type film conveyor, which is less than a reference value set in advance. The vacuum-degree control unit is configured to set the degree of vacuum to a first value corresponding to the proper degree of vacuum determined by the proper vacuum-degree determination section.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a wearing article improved so that front and rear waist regions can be easily and normally engaged with each other. A front waist region 8 is provided along a pair of opposite side edges 11 with first fastening members 13, and a rear waist region 9 is provided along a pair of opposite side edges 12 with second fastening members 14 adapted to be engaged with the associated first fastening members 13. Each of the second fastening members 14 is formed with an uneven structure having a plurality of crests 17 extending in a transverse direction X and spaced one from another in a longitudinal direction Y. Even when the uneven structure formed by the uneven region 16 as the latter 16 contracts comes in contact and engagement with the first fastening member 13, a degree of engaging force between the uneven structure and the first fastening member 13 is extremely weak and the uneven structure can be easily disengaged from the first fastening member 13.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a wearing article improved so that front and rear waist regions can be easily and normally engaged with each other. A front waist region 8 is provided along a pair of opposite side edges 11 with first fastening members 13, and a rear waist region 9 is provided along a pair of opposite side edges 12 with second fastening members 14 adapted to be engaged with the associated first fastening members 13. Each of the second fastening members 14 is formed with an uneven structure having a plurality of crests 17 extending in a transverse direction X and spaced one from another in a longitudinal direction Y. Even when the uneven structure formed by the uneven region 16 as the latter 16 contracts comes in contact and engagement with the first fastening member 13, a degree of engaging force between the uneven structure and the first fastening member 13 is extremely weak and the uneven structure can be easily disengaged from the first fastening member 13.

Abstract: A disposable pull-on wearing article has its waist region divided into a front section and a rear section and connector sheets 21 adapted to connect these two sections together. Each of the connector sheets has joint zones to be joined to the front section and the rear section, respectively, and a non-joint zone interposed between the joint zones so as to define a tear-apart line extending in vertical direction along which the article is torn apart. The non-joint zone has a tensile strength of at least 8N in the waist-surrounding direction and a tear strength in a range of 0.1 to 12N also in the waist-surrounding direction.