CA1073233A - 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 is a divisional of Canadian application ~16,458 filed December 19th, 1974.
This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the supply of fluid ~d a plurality of conduits by means of electro-magnetic, or 50 called solenoid, valves, in situations where a relatively close spacing 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 faDrics having relatively porous surfaces, such as pile carpets.
Te~tile fibers and fabric rnaterials ha~e long been colored with natural and synthetic dyes, and, in particular, printed by color decoration of the surface or surlaces of the A~ateri~ls in definite repeated forms and colors to form a pattern. Such color printing of te.Ytile fabrics has be"ll -accomplished in various ways. ~arlier forms of printing : ` -~ ~r~ .

' Z3.~, used carved blocks ch~rged with colored paste pressed against the fabric. Subsequently, speed of pr;nting was increased by development of roller printing wherein moving fabrics are sequentially contacted by engraved metal rollers each containing a different color dye to form the desired pattern thereon. Textile fabrics ar~
also printed by sequential 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 ~praying or jetting of plural colored dyes onto the surface of the moving fabric. Typical of such processes and apparatus are described in U. S. Patent 3,443,878 issued May 13, 1969, and U. S. Patent 3,570,275 issued March 16, 1971, both to - Weber, and in British Patent 978,452 issued December 23,1964 to V.E.B. Thuringer. Generally such apparatus consists 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 extending 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 seguence may be accomplished by various conventional programming devices, such as mechanical cams '~
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3%33 and drums, coded punch tapes, magtletic tapes, computers, and the l;ke.
U. S. Patents 3, ~43J 878 and 3, 5~0, 275 disclose specific means for applying jets of dyes to print a fabric by use of continuously flowing dye streams which are deflected by a stream of air or a mechanical deflector to permit impingement of the dye stream upon the fabric or recirculation to a dye supply reservoir. Control of such systems to form printed patterns may be accomplished by various of the aforementioned programming and control mean 1.

~ioré specifically, the prPsent 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 endless conveyor. The gun bars are spaced alon~ the conveyor, and textile materials are carried by the conveyor past the gunbars 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 mear~s of the type heretofore me ntione d .
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 o~ an air conduit, The flow of ,~ .

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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 and air jets must be spaced close together and there is accordingly a need for c].ose spacing o~ a large number 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 a compact arrangement for valves for controlling ., _ _ . . . .
fluid flow comprising a plurality of electxically operated sole-noid valves, each of said valves having a magnetic coil and a magnetizable valve element mounted on the magnstic axis of the coil for movement therealong to activate the valve, and mounting :~ .
means positioning said valves in a closely spaced relationship in a three dimensional lattice with the magnetic axes of the valves of said three dimensional lattice being substantially parallel to one another, said valves of said three dimensional lattice being further characterized in that the valves in one plane of said lattice are positioned intermediate the valves in the adjacent parallel plane of said lattice such that a straight line connecting like points on any of said valves to its nearest neighbor valves, either in a common plane or an adjacent plane, forms an angle with the magnetic axis of such nearest neighbor valve of between about 35 and 55 so that sufficient of the magnetic lines of force emitted by any said valve cross the - 3a -~ .

~ 3~33 magnetic axes of its nearest neighbor valves at about a right angle as to reduce electromagnetic interference and prevent unscheduled interaction between the valves of the three dimensional lattice 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 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 inciude angles between 35 and 55 degrees.
The reference to "nearest neighbour valves" or "nearest adjacent valves" of course includes any such valves even if these lie in a plane different from that of a given group o 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 i~erference 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 U.S. Patent 1j983,180, 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. ~owever, 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 Figure ~, so that the nearest neighbour valves do not fulfill the conditions pre-scribed above.

- 3b -~ 33 The pre~ent invention will be better undexstood by reference to the accompanying drawings which disclose a specific embodiment of the invention, and wherein:
Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of apparatus for the jet dyeing and printing of textile materials;
Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic plan view of the jet dye applicator section or the apparatus of Figure 1, showing in more detail the cooperative relation and operation of the conveyor with the jet gun ba:rs;
Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation view of the jet dye applicator section seen in Figure 2 and showing :
only a single jet gun bar of the applicator section and its operative connection to the dye supply system for the gun :
bar;
Figure 4 is a more detailed perspective view of the jet gun bar seen in Figure 3, and shows its operative connection to its dye supply system and the pattern control components of the apparatus;
Figure 5 is an enlarged schematic sectional view of the gun bar of Figure 4, taken generally along line 5-5 :
thereof;

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Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation view of the valve-supporting section o~ one of the jet gun bars of the apparatus, with certain housing portions of the section removed to better show the arrangement and mounting of the valves therein;
Figure 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 Figure 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 lO is a vertical section view of one of the electromagnetic air valves employed in the present invention. -Ref~rring more specifically to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a jet printing apparatus for printing textile materials, such as pile carpets, tiles, and the like. As seen, the apparatus consists of a supply table lO rom which a plurality of carpet ti,les ll 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, 1~3r7~

where the tiles axe ~uitably printed by the programmed operation of a plurality of jet gun ba.rs, generally indicated at 16, which dispense streams of dye or other liquid onto the tiles durin~ their passaye. The printed tiles leaving the applicator section are moved by conveyors 18, 20, driven by motors 22, 24 to a steam chamber 26 where the tiles are sub~ected 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 excess unfixed dye from the tiles, and then pass through a hot air dryer 30 to a collection table 32 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 view of the jet applicator section 14 of Figure 1 and shows the endless conveyor 12, the supporting chains and sproc~ets of which (not shown) are suitably supported for movement on rotatable shafts 42, 44, one of which, 44, is driven by motor means 46.
For printing carpet tiles of rectangular or square shape, 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, .. ~ :

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the tiles pass sequerltially adjacent and beneath s~lbstantially identical gun bars 16, five of which, 50-54, are shown schematically, spaced along the path of travel of the conveyor and extending across its full width, As best seen in Figures 3 and 4 which show only the single gun ba r 5 0, fo r sake of cla rity, ea ch gun ba r 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 tl1ereby.
Each gun bar includes a dye supply manifold 56 communicating with 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 lo ~:
manifold 56 and the jet orifices 55. During 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 5), each of which communicates w;th a separate solenoid valve 92 (Figure 4). The solenoid valves, which .~ . .
are of the electrical to fluidic interface type, such as LIF
180D3A12 nnade by the Lee Co. of VVestbrook, Conn., are supported as hereinafter described in the jet dye applicator section 14 and are supplied with air from an air compressor 93, Although the valves for each ~,un bar are shown in :
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J3~3 Figures 2 and 3 as a single valve syrnbol 92, ~or clarity, it is to be understood that a solenoid valve and individual air supply tube are provided for each jet orifice of each gun bar such that individual streams 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 lQ 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 magnetic tape may be provided with a repeating sequence of informatiorl which is transmitted to the ~olenoid valves until a desired number of tiles have been printed, In the present case, a series of 10 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. Informatior. 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 ?attern as they pass beneath the sets of the gun bars.
In operation of the presently disclosed apparatus, with the pattern control device supplying no information, dye under pressure is continuously supplied in a stream from each jet orifice 55 toward the textile material to be printed, Every solenoid valve is normally open to supply streams of S air to impinge against the continuously flowing dye streams and deflect them all into the troughs of the gun bars for re-circulation. ~s 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 90 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.
lS 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, ,,un bars having very closely Qpaced dye orifices to provide broad patterning capability and to permit intricate patterning of the materials to be printed. Also it is important to maintain closely spaced relation between the gun bars in order to minimize inaccu-racies in the patterns as various colors are applied sequentially to th~ materials. In such systems wherein air~
streams are ernployed to deflect the continuously flowing dye streams to obtain the printed pattern, it becomes : , ' ' - . ~ . ' '. ' :

necessary and highly desirable to keep the air c~ntrol valve~
in a.compact, close ~elationship to each other and to the jet dye stream deflection points, not only in order to maintain short air lines and achieve faster control action, but also tG
permit the close spacing of consecutive gun bar assemblies.
It has been found that when electromagnetic air valves of the type hereinbefore described are employed in closely packed relationship to control the patterning air for the dye streams, the magnetic force fields created irl adjacent electromagnetic valves tend to interfere with each other during ope.ration and cause unscheduled interaction between the valves with resultant faults and flaws i~ the printed pattern on the mater~al, By means of the highly compact and unique arrangement of the electromagnetic air control valve~ of the present invention, interference between valves is reduced to a minimum. It has been found that this objective 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, and with corresponding parts of adjacent valves - 1 0- ~ .

~3~33 located at angle~ r~ a~pxoxi~ately 35 - 55 ~rom the magnetic axis of its nearest neighhor valves. Preferably, the valves are positioned at angles of 45 Q from the magnetic axis of their adjacent valves to form a generally cubic lattice.
The invention is best shown in and described by reference 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. These electrical connections permit 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 (Figures 2-4).

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; -~L~73~33 As best seen in Figure 10, each of the electromagnetic air valves 102 of the present invention is c~mposed of a main body or casing 120 ~thich encloses a movable, two position valve element 122 having a valve stem 124 which functions as the movable armature or plunger within the coil windings 126 ~f the solenoid portion 128 of the valve. The valve ca3ing has an air supply inlet line 130 and two outlet lines 132, 134, and valve element 122 i8 moveable along the magnetic and central a~is of the valve by activation of electromagnetic coil wir~dings 126 and an opposing spring 136. As can be seen, valve element 122 is mo~reable to al-~ernately 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 air lines 134, 140, 137 and air jet orifice3 138), or (2) to bypass the air to the atmosphere (by way of outlet lir~e 132) when the dye streams a~e not deflected but are applied to ;~::
print the material. ~ .
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As best seen in Figure 6 th~ valves of each row have :-~
parallel magnetic axes which are disposed at 45 to the row itself, i Oe. 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 rela~ionship for the nearest - -.

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~ 3 neighbour valves. Instead the valves in the two rows are positioned so that parts of each valve ln the first row are equidistantly situated relative to corresponding parts of the two nearest valves in the second row. ~lso, 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.

- 12a -~. . :: . ,- . -:at~3:z3~3 Thus, i t can be se~n that the valves are positioned in a three dimensional, generally cubic lattice whereby lines of electromagnetic force emitted by each valve during its operation intersects the magnetic axi~ of each of its adjacent or nearest neighbor valves at a generally right angle, thereby minimizing mag-netic interference and false triggering of the valves during their operation, To facilitate maintenance and operation of the valves, qtatic 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, 1~ 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 operated, 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 116 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 device.

:
~ ' ~ Z~3 Similarly, air line~ fxom 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 is connected to a socket 150 (Figures 6 and 8) from which the air lines 137 extend to the individual air jet orifices 138 adjacent the dye orifices of the gun bar. Thus replacement of the valves and valve cards is facilitated 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 adjacent cards could be offset in their spacial relationship rather than the cards being offset in the valve box, 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 description, it can be appreciated that the present invention provides a novel arrangement of electromagnetically operated solenoid valves which facilitates ready replacement thereof while providing a compact valve arrangement in ~,vhich magnetic interference is reduced to a minimum.

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Claims (6)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A compact arrangement for valves for controlling fluid flow comprising a plurality of electrically operated sole-noid valves, each of said valves having a magnetic coil and a magnetizable valve element mounted on the magnetic axis of the coil for movement therealong to activate the valve, and mounting means positioning said valves in a closely spaced relationship in a three dimensional lattice with the magnetic axes of the valves of said three dimensional lattice being substantially parallel to one another, said valves of said three dimensional lattice being further characterized in that the valves in one plane of said lattice are positioned intermediate the valves in the adjacent parallel plane of said lattice such that a straight line connecting like points on any of said valves to its nearest neighbor valves, either in a common plane or an adjacent plane, forms an angle with the magnetic axis of such nearest neighbor valve of between about 35° and 55° so that sufficient of the magnetic lines of force emitted by any said valve cross the magnetic axes of its nearest neighbor valves at about a right angle as to reduce electromagnetic interference and prevent unscheduled interaction between the valves of the three dimensional lattice when they are operated.

2. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 wherein said mounting means supporting said valves comprises at least two rigid cards, said valves being attached to each of said cards in plural rows with the magnetic axes of all valves generally parallel.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the valves in adjacent rows are positioned in an offset relation such that a straight line connecting like points between nearest neighbor valves in adjacent rows forms an angle of about 35° to 55° with the magnetic axes of said nearest neighbor valves.

4. Apparatus as defined in claims 2 or 3 wherein each card is provided with a printed electrical circuit thereon for supplying electrical energy to each of said valves.

5. Apparatus according to claims 2 or 3 wherein said means for mounting said valves further includes means for mounting said cards in generally parallel, spaced relation with adjacent cards offset in staggered relation to position valves on each card intermediate valves on each adjacent card such that a straight line drawn between a common foint on a valve or one card with its nearest neibhbor valve on the adjacent card forms an angle of about 35° to 55° with the magnetic axis of said nearest neighbor valve.

6. Apparatus according to claims 2 or 3 wherein said valves are positioned on each of said cards so that the angle formed by drawing a straight line between common points on nearest neighbor valves is about 45°.