PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inhibit a nonwoven fabric as a component heated by a hot air of a heating unit from exerting a thermal influence on an intermediate product related to an absorbent article and processing units.SOLUTION: An apparatus includes: a first conveyance passage disposed in a straight line along a first direction in planar view a plurality of processing units that perform processing for an intermediate product related to an absorbent article to be conveyed along the first conveyance passage a heating unit that, while conveying a belt-like nonwoven fabric, as a component of the absorbent article, in a direction where the nonwoven fabric continues, sprays a hot air to the nonwoven fabric to heat the nonwoven fabric and recover the bulk of the nonwoven fabric and a second conveyance passage that conveys the nonwoven fabric that is heated by the heating unit and recovers the bulk, in a second direction crossing with the first direction in planar view. The nonwoven fabric is fed to the first conveyance passage via the second conveyance passage.COPYRIGHT: (C)2016,JPO&INPIT【課題】加熱ユニットの熱風で加熱された部品としての不織布が、吸収性物品に係る中間製品及び処理装置に熱的影響を及ぼすことを抑制する。【解決手段】平面視で第1方向に沿って一直線に配された第1搬送経路と、前記第1搬送経路に沿って搬送される吸収性物品に係る中間製品に対して処理を行う複数の処理装置と、前記吸収性物品の部品となる帯状の不織布を当該不織布が連続する方向に搬送しながら、前記不織布に熱風を吹き付けることによって前記不織布を加熱して前記不織布の嵩を回復する加熱ユニットと、前記加熱ユニットで加熱されて前記嵩が回復された前記不織布を、平面視で前記第1方向と交差する第2方向へ搬送する第2搬送経路と、を有する。前記第2搬送経路を介して、前記不織布は前記第1搬送経路に投入される。【選択図】図4
