CA1055718A - Electromagnetic valve array in jet dyeing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

JET DYEING APPARATUS
Abstract of the Disclosure A compact arrangement of electromagnetically operated valves utilized for controlling the flow of deflecting air in a dye jet printing apparatus, and wherein the valves are mounted on a plurality of supporting cards and are positioned in a geometric lattice thereon so that the magnetic field created in each valve during its operation intersects the magnetic axis of its adjacent valves at a generally right angle thereby minimizing interference between valves during their operation.

Description

This invention ~elates to apparatus for controlling the supply of f luid to a plurality of conduits by means of electro-magnetic, or so called solenoid, valves, in situations where a 15 relatively close spacïn~ of the valves is required. A particular application of this invention lies in apparatus for controlling flow of dyestuffs and other liquids to textile materials, and more particularly, to the printing of textile fabrics having relatively porous surfaces, such as pile carpets.
Textile fibers and fabric materials have lon~ becn colored with natural and synthetic dye~, and, in particular, ` -p.inied by colclr decoration oI the surface or surfaces of ihe materials in deiinite repeated forrns and colors to iorm a pattern. Such color printing of tcxtil~ Iabric~ has bcen ~o accompli~hed in various ~vays. Earlier forms of printing .~k;h" ' ~ ~ , --`~ f lC~SS~l~

used carved blocks charged with colored paste pressed against the fabric. Subsequentl~r, speed oI printing was incrcased by development of roll,er printing whcrein moving iabrics are sequentially contacted by cngraved n~etal rollers each cont~ining a different color dye to form the desired pattern thereon. Textile fabrics are - also printed by sequ~ntial contact with screens each having a porous portion of a pattern and carrying a particular color dyestuff.
More recently, it has been proposed to print textile fabrics, including pile carpets, by the programmed spraying or jetting of plural colored dyes onto the surface of the moving fabric. Typicallof sych pro,çesse,s~ ~nd~
15apparatus are described in U. S. Paten~3,4A3,878~ issued May 13, 1969, and U. S. Patent 3,570,275 issued Marjch 1~l1971, both ~o Weber, and in British Patent 978,452 issued~Decem~ber 23,1964 ~tQ,!
V.E.B. Thuringer. Generally such apparatusjconsists of a plur-ality of dye applicator bars or manifolds spaced along the `-direction of movement of the textile material and each containing multiple dye nozzles or jets extend-ing transversely across the moving material. Each jet may be activated by suitable electric, pneumatic, or mechanical means to dispense dyes onto the moving material, and pattern control to apply the dyes in a desired ~-25 sequence may be accomplished by various conventional -programming devices, such as mechanical cams ' ' -

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~055718 and drums, coded punch tape~, magnetic tape~i, computcrs, and the like.
U. S. Patents 3, ~43, 878 and 3, 570, 275~disclose specific means for applying jets of dyes to print a abric by use of continuously flowing dye streams which are deflected by a stream of air or a mechanical deflector to permit impingen~ent of the dye stream upon the fabric or recirculation to a dye supply reservoir. Gontrol of such - systems to form printed patterns may be accomplished by various of the aforementioned programming and control means.

iiore specifically, the present invention may be used in a jet printing machine having a series of gun bars each containing plural dye jets extending across the width of an .
lS endless conveyor. The gun bars are spaced along the conveyor, and textile materials are carried by the conveyor past the gun bars where dyes are applied to form a pattern ~ -thereon. The application of dye from the individual dye jets in the gun bars may be controlled by suitable conventional pattern control mean~ of the type heretofore `, .. ,: .- : ~ ' mentioned.
: In this jet printing machine, the dye jets of each gun bar are each individually controlled by an air jet, each - air jet issuing from the end of an air conduit. The flow of .
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1C~557~15 air through the conduits, and hence the direction of the dye jet, is controlled by a solenoid valve situated in each conduit~
In order for the machine to be able to print intricate patterns, the dye jets an~ air jets must be spaced close together and there is accordingly a need for close spacing o a large num~er of the solenoid valves. As will be explained more fully below, interference between the magnetic fields of adjacent solenoid valves precludes a simple side by side arrangement of these, at close spacing. The present invention provides a suitable arrangement of solenoid valves for use~in this situation, and for other situations in which it may be required to mount a large number of solenoid valves in a small space.
In accordance with the present invention, there is `
provided an apparatus for printing a moving material including means for directing a plurality of continuously flowing dye streams towards the material to be printed, means for supplying air under pressure to deflect the dye streams away from the material to be printed, and means for controlling the flow of said pressurized air to said dye streams; the improvement there-with wherein said flow controlling means includes a pl~rality of electromagentic valves, and support structure positioning the valves in closely spaced relation with their electromagnetic axes in generally parallel relationship and in a three dimen~
sional geometric lattice such that sufficient of the magnetic lines of force of each valve intersect the magnetic axis of ;
each of its nearest adjacent valves at generally a right angle as to reduce electromagnetic interference and to prevent un-scheduled interaction between the nearest adjacent valves when they are operated. ;
One way of achieving the required relationship between lines of magnetic force and magnetic axes of adjacent valves is by having the valves with their magnetic axes ~ - 3a -~Z ;~ ~ :
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~S7~L8 generally parallel and such that straight lines connecting like points on nearest adjacent valves each form an angle of about 45 to their respective magnetic axes. The term "about 45~" is intended to include angles between 35 and 55 degrees. , The reference to "nearest neighbour valves" or "nearest adjacent valvesr' of course includes any suc~l valves even if these lie in a plane different from that of a given group of valves which is being considered, the criterion for nearest neighbour valves being the proximity between corresponding parts of said valves.
Putting this another way, any array of valves in accordance with the invention must be situated with respect to any source of electromagnetic interference at the required angular relation or at such a distance that the electromagnetic emissions do `
not adversely affect the valves. The significance of this may be seen by referring to V.S. Patent 1,983,180, which issued December 4, 1934, to McCarthy, in which Figure 4 shows an array of solenoid valves which, at first sight, would appear to ful- ~ ~ `
fill the definition of the invention given above. However, it will be apparent from Figure 3 of this prior patent that the valves of each transverse row are nearer to each~ other than the valves of adjacent rows as shown in Figùre 4, so that the nearest neighbour valves do not fulfill the conditions pre-scribed above.

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' ' The prescnt invention will be better un~lerstoo~l by re~erence to the accompanying clrawirgs which disclose a specific embodiment of the invention, and whcrein:
Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of apparatus ,.. . .
for the jet dyeing and printing of te:~tile materials;
Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic plan view of the 1 - -jet dye applicator section of the apparatus of Figure 1, showing in n~ore detail the cooperative relation and operation of the conveyor with the jet gun bars;
Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation view of the jet dye applicator section seen in Figure 2 and showing only a single jet gunbar of the applicator section and its ~ :
operative connection to the dye~ supply system for the ~
gun ba r; . . .
, Figure 4 is a more detailed perspective view of the ~
' ' jct-gun bar seen in :E;`igure 3, and show6 its operative .: .
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~ connection to its dye supply syste~n an~l the pattcrn control;
: ~ ., components of the apparatus, F~gure S is an enlarged schematic sectional view of 2() the gun bar of Figure 4, taken generally along line 5-5 .:
the reof;

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1~557~3 Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation view of the valve-supporting section of one of the jet gun bars of the apparatus, with certain housing portions of the sect;on removed to better show the arrangement and mounting of the valve s the rein;
Figurè 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6, showing the staggered offset arrangement of the valve support cards in the valve section, the valves not being shown, for convenience;
Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a plug-and-socket portion of the valve card seen in F:igure 6;
Figure 9 is a sectional view of a portion of the valve section of Figure 6, and taken generally along line 9-9 of the Figure; and ~ :
Figure 10 is a vertical section view of one of the ::
electromagnetic air valves employed in the present ::
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invention.
, Referring more specifically to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a jet prmting apparatus for printing textile ~ ~ -ZO materials, such as pile carpets, tiles, and the like~ As seen, the apparatus consists of ~a:supply table 10 from which a plurallty of carpet tiles 11 are laid manually, or by suitable mechanical means, not shown, onto the lower ~
end of an inclined conveyor 12 of a jet applicator section 14, ~ ~ `

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where the tiles are suitably printed by the programmed operation of a plurality of jet gun bars, generally indicated at 16, which dispense strea~ns of dye or other liquid onto the tiles during their passage. The printed tiles leaving the applicator section are moved by conveyors 18, 20 driven by motors 22, Z4 to a steam chan~ber 26 where the tiles are subjected to a steam atmosphere to fix the dyes on the textile material. The printed tiles leaving steam chamber 26 are conveyed through a water washer 28 to remove e~cess unfixed dye from the tiles, and then pass through a hot air dryer 30 to a collection table ~2 where the dried tiles are accumulated manually, or by suitable means, not shown, for subsequent use.
Details of the apparatus of the present invention are further shown by reference to Figures 2-5. Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic plan v;ew of the jet applicator section 14 of Figure 1 and shows the endless conveyor 12, the supporting chains and sprockets oi which (not shown) are suitably supported for movement on rotatable shafts , 42, 44, one of which, 44, is driven by motor means 46.
For printlng carpet tiles of rectangular or square shape, l the surface of conveyor 12 is provided with a series of .
separator bars or spacers 48 which accurately position the tiles in spaced relation to each other on the supporting slats of the conveyor. During movement of the conveyor, ~-' , , , ~ . i . :

the tiles pass sequentially adjacent and beneath substantially identical gun bars 16, five of which, 50-54, are shown schematically, spaced along the path of travel of the conveyo r and extending ac ro s s its full width.
As best seen in Figures 3 and 4 which show only the single gun bar 50, for sake of clarity, each gun bar contains a plurality of individual jet orifices 55 disposed along the bar and positioned to direct dyes in narrow streams toward the surface of the pile carpet tiles as they pass thereby.
Each gun bar includes a dye supply -rnanifold 56 ~ -communicating wii;h the jet orifices 55 which are supplied with liquid dye from reservoir tank 57. Pump means 58 supplies liquid dye from reservoir tank 57 under pressure ID
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manifold 56 and the jet orifices 55. ~uring operation, liquid dye is expelled continuously in small streams or jets from the orifices 55 toward the material to be printed.
Positioned adjacent and at a right angle to the outlet of each jet orifice is an outlet 90 of an air supply tube 91 (Figure ~), each of which communicates with a separate !-~
solenoid valve 92 (Figure 4). The solenoid valves, which are of the electrical to fluidic interface type~ such as LIF
I80r)3AlZ made by the Lee Co. of Westbrook, Conn., are supported as hereinafter described in the jet dye applicator : : :
- ~ section 14 and are supplied with air from an a;r compressor 93. Although the valves ~or each gun bar are shown in ::: :
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~0557~8 Figures 2 and 3 as a single valve syrnbol ~2, for clarity, it is to be understood that a solenoid valve an~ individual air supply tube are provided for eac:h jet orifice of each gun bar sus::h that individual st~eams of dye can be individually con-trolled. The valves are controlled by a pattern control device or mechanism 94 to normally provide streams of air to impinge against the continuously flowing dye streams and deflect the same into a catch basin or trough 95 from which the dye is recirculated by conduit 95a to the dye reservoir :
tank 57 The pattern control device 94 for operating the ~ :
solenoid valves comprises, in the present embodiment, a - .
conventional computer device with magnetic tape transport for pattern information storage, Generally, for printing repeating patterns, the rnagnetic tape may be provided with a repeating sequence of information which is transmitted to the solenoid valves until a desired number of tiles have been .;
printed. In the present case, a series of lO tiles may be ~ ;
placed in spaced relation to each other on the conveyor belt :
and the pattern control device is initially activated as the leading edge of the first tile presents itself beneath the - first gun bar 50. Information ~from the magnetic tape and:
- computer is then fed to cut the solenoid valves off and on~
and sequentially print the tiles with the desired patterD as : they pass beneath the æets of the gun bars.
In operation of the presently disclosed apparatus, : . -8-~ :

~0557~

with the pattern control device supplying no information, dye under pressure is continuously supplied in a stream from each jet orifice 55 to~vard the textile material to be printed, Every solenoid valve is normally open to supply streams of air to impinge against the continuously flowing dye streams and deflect them all into the troughs of the gun bars for re-circulation. As the first of the series of tiles to be printed passes beneath the first gun bar and the pattern control device is actuated, certain of the normally open solenoid air valves are closed so that the corresponding dye streams are not deflected but impinge directly upon the textile material.
Thus, by cutting on and off the solenoid air valves in a desired sequence, a printed pattern of dye is placed on the textile material during its passage.
It can be appreciated that in jet dyeing apparatus of the type described, it is desirable to utilize gun bars of relatively fine gauge, that is, gun bars having very closely spaced dye orlfices to provide broad patterning capability and to permit intricate patterning of the materials to be printed. Also it is irnportant to maintain closely spaced j~ relation bet~lJeen the gun bars in order to minimize inaccu-racies in the patterns as various colors are applied sequentially to the materials. In such systems wherein air~ ~ -3treams are employed to deflect the continuously flowLng dye streams to obtain the printed pattern, it becomes ~' ','':, :' ~ 9~

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571~ -ncc~ss;Lry and highly dcsir~ble to kc~p the air c~)ntrt~l val~e~
in ~ comp~ct, clo~c rcl~tionsl1ip to each other anc1 to the jet d)~c str~n~ dc~lcction points, not only in order to maintain short air lines and achieve faster control acti~n, but also to permit the close spacing of consecutivc gun bar assemblies.
It has been found that wh~n electromagnetic air valv~s of the typ~ hereinbeIore described are employed in closely packed relationship to contr~l the patterning air for the dye streams, the magnetic force field~ created in adjacent electromagnetic valves tend to interfere with each other during opcration and cause unscheduled interaction between the valv~s ~vith resultant faults and flaws in the printed pattern on the material, By means of the highly compact and unique arrangement of the electromaglletic air control valves of the present invention, interference between valves is reduced to a minlmum. It has been found that this objectlve ~ -may be achieved by locating and positioning the valves in closely packed arrangement so that the lines of electromagnetic force emitted by each valve during its operation intersects-the magnetic axis of each of its adjacent, or nearest neighbour valves at a generally right.angle. More specifically,~the valves ~ .
. are arranged in the valve section in a closely spaced, three dimensional lattice or geometric configuration with the magnetic ..
~ axis of each of the valves generally parallel to each other, 25 and with corresponding parts of adjacent valves :

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located at angles of appro}~imate]y 35 - S5 from the magnetic axis of its nearest neighbor valves. Preferably, the valves are positioned at angles of 45 from the mag-netic axis of their adjacent valves to form a generally cubic lattice.
The invention is best shown in and described by re'erence to Figures 6-10. Each of the dye jet gun bars is provided with a valve box 100 which may be composed of plural compartments 101 and which extends across the width of the gun bar to house a plurality of electromagnetic air valves 102, one valve for control of each dye stream of the bar, as previously described. As shown, the valves are mounted by brackets 104 on a plurality of rigid cards 106, which cards are positioned in closely spaced, side-by-side relation and are removably secured in the valve box 100 in opposed grooves 108 or guideway elements 110 located on the inside wall of the box. The cards form a base for the valves which are mounted in parallel rows 112, 114 on one side of each card. The other side of the card is provided with printed electrical circuitry 116 connecting each valve to a central electrical plug 118 on the upper end of the card. The~e electrical connections permie control of the valves during operation of the printing apparatus, with the plug 118 being attached by suitable electrical means to the pattern control device 94 OEigures 2-4).

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As best seen in Figure 10, each of tlle ~lcctrornagnetic air val~,e~ 102 of the present invention is comp~sed of a main body or casing 120 which encloses a movable, ~wo position valve elem~nt 122 having a valve stern 124 which functions as the movable armature or plunger withln the coil windings 126 of the solenoid portion 128 of the valve. The valve casing has an air supply inlet line 130 and two outlet lines 132, 134, and valve element 122 is moveable along the magnetic and central axis of the valve by activation of electromagnetic coil winding~ 126 and an opposing spring 136. As can be seen, valve element 122 is rnoveable to al-ternately open and close the inlet ports of the two outlet lines 132, 134, thus communicating the inlet line 130 to supply air (1) to deflect the dye streams (by way of outlet lS air lines 134, 140, 137 and air jet orificeY 138), or (2) to bypass the air to the atmosphere (by way of outlet line 132) when the dye streams are not deflected but are applied to print the material.
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As best seen in Figure 6 the valves of each row have parallel magnetic axes which are disposed at 45 to the row itself, i.e. at 45 to lines joining corresponding parts of -nearest neighbour valves. The available width of the valve card .~
however allows the adjacent valves in opposite rows to be more ~ ~-distant than adjacent valves of the same row and so these do not ~ -need to accord strictly with the 45 relationship~for the nearest ,':

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neighbour valves. Instead the valves in the two rows arepositioned so that parts of each valve in the first row are equidistantly situated relative to corresponding parts of the two nearest valves in the second row. Also, and as best seen in Figures 7 and 9, each valve card 106 is supportably positioned by the valve box.guide way elements 110 in a staggered, off-set relation to its adjacent cards so that straight lines connecting nearest valves on adjacent cards each form an angle of 45 to the magnetic axis of these valves.

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Thus, i t ~an be seen that the valves are ~ositioned in a thrae dimensional, generally cubic lattice whereby lines of electrornagnetic ~ -force emitted by each valve during its operation intersects the magnetic a~;is of each of its adjacent or nearest neighbor valves at a generally right angle, thereby minimizing mag-netic illterference and false triggering of the valves during their operation.
To facilitate maintenance and operation of the valves, static friction may be minimized in the movable valve element by positioning the axis of the movable plunger 124 of each valve coincident with the direction of the force of gravity.
Thus, as seen in Figure 6 in which the vertical and the direction of the force of gravity is indicated by the arrow G, even though the valve box 100 is positioned at an angle, the -individual valves 102 are mounted on the valve cards in vertical position so that their movable plungers are coin-cident with the direction of the force of gravity. Thus when - the valves are opera~ed, their movable plungers have minimum frictional drag caused by the force of gravity.
As previously mentioned, the solenoid valves 102 ~ -. . .
are electrically actuated through printed circuitry I16 on the opposite sides of the cards. The leads for the electrical circuitry are suitably connected in plug 118 on the card and ~-the plug in turn connected to the pattern control devLce.

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Similarly, a;r lines from each valve, only two of which 140 have been shown, are connected to air distributor head 142 and plug 144 disposed at the end of the cards. Head 142 is attached to an air manifold 146 at the end of a removable air supply line 148 while plug 144 i9 connected to a socket 150 (Figures 6 and 8) from which the air lines 137 eYtend to the individual air jet orifices 138 adjacent the dye orifices of t the gun bar. Thus replacement of the valves and valve cards `! is facilltated by the plug-and-socket arrangements described.
In this way a defective valve or valve card with defective circuitry may be easily replaced by unplugging the connections, removing air line 148, and sliding the card from its position in the guideways or grooves of the box.
Although the valve cards have been shown and de-scribed in the preferred embodiment of the present invention to be of a single identical type to simplify manufacture and replacement of the cards, it is to be understood that the !
!: valve cards could be of different dimensional configuration -or the valves on djacent cards could be offset in their spacial relationship rather than the cards being offset in the valve bo.x, so long as the three dimensional geometric .. .
-. lattice arrangement of the valves is maintained to provide the desired right angle intersection of magnetic force lines . with adjacent magnetic axes.
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From the foregoing~ desc:ription, it can be appreciated that the present invention provides a novel arrangement of electromagnetically operated so:Lenoid valves which facilitates ready replacement thereof while providing a compact valve arrangement in which magnetic interference is reduced to a minimum.

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Claims (7)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An apparatus for printing a moving material including means for directing a plurality of continuously flowing dye streams towards the material to be printed, means for supplying air under pressure to deflect the dye streams away from the material to be printed, and means for control-ling the flow of said pressurized air to said dye streams;
the improvement therewith wherein said flow controlling means includes a plurality of electromagnetic valves, and support structure positioning the valves in closely spaced relation with their electromagnetic axes in generally parallel relation-ship and in a three dimensional geometric lattice such that sufficient of the magnetic lines of force of each valve inter-sect the magnetic axis of each of its nearest adjacent valves at generally a right angle as to reduce electromagnetic inter-ference and to prevent unscheduled interaction between the nearest adjacent valves when they are operated.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said support structure includes a base on which said valves are positioned, said base having a printed electrical circuit thereon for supplying electrical energy to each of said valves.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said valves has a movable plunger for actuation of the valves, and wherein the axis of movement of the plunger is coincident with the line of force of gravity.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said support structure includes a base and wherein said valves are disposed in parallel rows on said base, and wherein the magnetic axes of the valves in said rows are parallel and disposed at an angle of between about 35° - 55° to said rows, with valves in adjacent rows being disposed in staggered relationship.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said base comprises at least one rigid card to which said valves are attached, and the support structure further comprises means mounting said valves on said cards in plural rows with the magnetic axes of all valves generally parallel, said valves in adjacent rows being positioned in offset relation such that a line drawn between nearest neighbor valves describes an angle of approximately 45° to the magnetic axes of the valves.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said base includes a plurality of said cards with said valves mounted thereon, and said support structure further includes means mounting said cards in generally parallel, spaced relation with adjacent cards offset in staggered relation to position adjacent valves on adjacent cards such that a line drawn between said adjacent valves describes an angle of approximately 45° to the magnetic axes of the valves.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electromagnetic valves are electrically operated solenoid valves having a magnetic coil and a magnetizable valve element mounted on the magnetic axis of the coil for movement there-along to activate the valve and wherein said valves are positioned by said support structure with nearest adjacent valves in the three-dimensional lattice positioned such that a straight line connecting like points on any two of said nearest adjacent valves forms an angle of approximately 45° with their magnetic axes whereby line of magnetic force emitted by either of said any two valves cross the magnetic axis and the magnetizable element of the other of said two valves at about a right angle.