EP0026036A1 - Procédé et appareil pour déposer une nappe fibreuse de manière ordonnée - Google Patents

Procédé et appareil pour déposer une nappe fibreuse de manière ordonnée Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0026036A1
EP0026036A1 EP80302673A EP80302673A EP0026036A1 EP 0026036 A1 EP0026036 A1 EP 0026036A1 EP 80302673 A EP80302673 A EP 80302673A EP 80302673 A EP80302673 A EP 80302673A EP 0026036 A1 EP0026036 A1 EP 0026036A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
strand
plates
collecting surface
oscillating
forwarding
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP80302673A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Marcus Riley Sanderson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
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Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd filed Critical Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
Publication of EP0026036A1 publication Critical patent/EP0026036A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H3/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length
    • D04H3/02—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of yarns or filaments
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H3/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length
    • D04H3/02—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of yarns or filaments
    • D04H3/04—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of yarns or filaments in rectilinear paths, e.g. crossing at right angles

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the production of fibrous webs having a high degree of orientation of the fibrous strands comprising the web, comprising forwarding a strand towards a collecting surface and imparting an oscillatory motion to the strand at a point above the collecting surface.
  • Fibrous webs have been made from staple fibres by carding or by random air laying processes, the former process imparting some degree of isotropic arrangement of the fibres. Fibrous webs have also been made by collecting a mat of synthetic continuous filaments in which the filaments are more or less randomly intermingled in the mat. However in order that a fabric made from one or more webs should have properties which resemble more closely the properties of conventional woven or knitted fabrics it is considered desirable to introduce a high degree of orientation of the fibrous material comprising the web, as for example, a high degree of parallelism in staple fibre yarns or filamentary strands oriented in, for example, the machine or cross directions or in both these directions.
  • Patent Application 40027/78 we have described a process for the production of an ordered web from at least one fibrous strand, comprising forwarding a strand towards a collecting surface, imparting an oscillatory motion to the strand at a point above the collecting surface, the strand being passed between two closely spaced planar plates which are substantially parallel to each other and to the plane of strand oscillation, the plates extending from the place of oscillation down to the collecting surface.
  • the strand is laid in substantially straight lines on the collecting surf ace, successive lengths of strand being laid substantially parallel to previous lengths of strand.
  • Patent Application 7928435 (filed 15.8.79) we have described a modification of the process described in Patent Application 40027/78, in which shaped rather than planar plates are used so allowing the strand to be laid in non-straight lines on the collecting surface.
  • the present invention we provide a process for the production of an ordered web from at least one fibrous strand comprising forwarding a strand towards a moving collecting surface and imparting an oscillatory motion to the strand at a position above the collecting surface, the oscillating strand being passed between two closely spaced plates which extend substantially from the position of oscillation down to the collecting surface whereon the strand is laid on the collecting surface in lines which are substantially equally spaced along their length from preceding lengths of strand characterised in that after the oscillatory motion has been imparted to the strand and before the strand is laid on the collecting surface, jets of gas are applied to the strand in order to increase the amplitude of the oscillating strand.
  • an apparatus for laying down a fibrous strand in an ordered manner comprises means for supplying a fibrous strand, means for forwarding the strand, means for imparting an oscillatory motion to the forwarding strand, two closely spaced plates providing a path for the oscillating strand extending between the oscillatory means and a moveable collecting surface whereon the strand is laid characterised in that the apparatus is provided with gas jet means located between the oscillatory means and the collecting surface for deflecting the oscillating strand in such a manner that the amplitude of the oscillating strand is increased.
  • closely spaced is used herein to mean less than 75 mm.
  • the plates used may be spaced apart by a distance of between 0.5 mm and 75 mm. Preferably, however, the plates are spaced apart by a distance of between 1 mm and 10 mm and more preferably are spaced apart by a distance of between 2 mm and 5 mm.
  • the plates may be planar or may have any other suitable shape including a curvilinear, for example sinusoidal corrugation, shape, a zig-zag shape, a castellated shape or some other shape which serves to lay the strand in a patterned arrangement on the collecting surface.
  • the plates may have the same shape throughout their height.
  • the plates may have two or more different shapes at different heights, the different shapes merging into one another.
  • an upper portion of each plate is planar and the remaining portion has a corrugated for example zig-zag or sinusoidal, shape, the two portions merging into one another.
  • the plates used may be uniformly spaced apart throughput their height but preferably they are arranged so that the space between them converges in a downward direction.
  • the spacing at the upper end of the plates is selected in the range 2 mm to 75 mm and at the lower end of the plates in the range 0.5 mm to 10 mm as for example from a spacing at the upper end of 4 mm to a spacing of 2 mm at the lower end. This convergence of the space assists the sideways exhaust of air and reduces the possible disturbance of strands on the collector.
  • a continuous filamentary strand ' in the present invention since these may be produced directly from a synthetic polymeric substance as for example by melt spinning.
  • Staple fibre strands preferably having only a low degree of twist, may also be used and the term "fibrous strand" as used herein includes both these and similar materials.
  • a multifilamentary strand by melt extrusion of a synthetic polymer it is desirable to draw or orient the filaments to improve their strength and other physical properties. This may be done by forwarding the freshly extruded filaments at a high speed such that when they have cooled sufficiently any further drawing down of the still plastic filaments will cause orientation and alignment of the polymer chains which is set in on further cooling of the filaments to a temperature below the glass transition point.
  • a gas forwarding jet is a convenient means to forward the strand and to produce this orientation.
  • Means to impart an oscillatory motion to the strand may also utilise a compressed gas. Thus jets may be located on opposite sides of the forwarding jet outlet and operated alternately so as to direct the issuing strand first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Alternatively a single intermittently operated jet may be used to impart the oscillatory motion.
  • a single or two part rotary valve may be conveniently used to provide the alternate or intermittent operation of the two jets or the single jet and the speed of rotation of this valve provides a simple control over the amplitude of oscillation described by the strand; the rotation speed bearing an inverse relationship to the strand amplitude when other conditions are constant.
  • the length of the courses of the strand laid on the collecting surface may be set within at least the range 0.5-4m by adjustment of rotary valve speed particularly because the use of closely spaced plates between the oscillating jets and the collecting surface allows changes to have their full effect on strand movement.
  • Oscillating jets may have a single orifice or number of orifices in line or preferably a narrow slot for exit of the compressed gas. It is preferred to mount the deflecting jets so that both the angle between the jets, if two are used, and the angle of the or each jet in relation to the issuing strand may be adjusted as a further means of controlling strand oscillation.
  • deflecting gas jets are preferred, other devices may be used to impart oscillation to a strand provided they can induce a sufficiently large amplitude of oscillation at the collecting surface.
  • Such alternative devices may be rotating or oscillating opposed pairs of coanda surfaces which are alternatively brought into contact with the issuing strand.
  • Forwarding jets are well known in the art consisting of entry and exit passages for the strand and means to introduce the forwarding gas.
  • the exit passage may be convergent or divergent but it is preferred to use a parallel passage to maintain the integrity of the issuing strand passing to the place of oscillation.
  • the strand will assume a wave form oscillation the amplitude of which will be dependent upon the forces involved and will maintain this wave form until it reaches the collecting surface whereon it is laid in substantially parallel courses the contour of which is dependent on the shape of the plates used.
  • gas jets located between the oscillatory means and the collecting surface are provided. These serve to deflect the strand at a time when it is losing mementum so increasing the amplitude of the strand. This is particularly desirable with strands having a high total decitex, for example in excess of 500, which, because of their high weight, lose momentum sooner.
  • deflection jets are supplied with compressed gas and may be provided with a single orifice or a number of orifices in line or preferably a narrow slot for exit of the compressed gas.
  • planar or non-planar shaped plates When planar or non-planar shaped plates are used we conveniently arrange that one of the plates is shorter than the other, by, for example, from 2 to 100 mm and more preferably 5 to 30 mins, the gas jets being positioned immediately below the shorter of the two plates.
  • appropriately positioned windows having, for example, a rectangular shape may be provided towards the lower end of one of the plates so that the gas jets may be applied to the oscillating strand through these windows.
  • the plates have an upper portion which is planar and a lower portion which is corrugated, the two portions merging into one another, then it is preferably to provide one of the plates with windows, for example having a rectangular shape, approximately positioned at the lower end of the upper portion, through which the gas jets may be applied to the oscillating strand before it enters the space between the lower portions of the plates.
  • E (%) may be expressed as:- where E is the percentage laying efficiency W is the actual web width in metres R is the oscillation rate, cycles/min and S is the strand speed at oscillation (or issue from the forwarding means) in m/min.
  • Strand laying efficiency defined in this way is an overall measure of effectiveness and for example in laying webs of continuous synthetic filamentary yarns values of 95% and better are attained and in these webs for all but a few percent of web width at the edges the efficiency is substantially 100%.
  • the laying of strands on the collecting means may be conducted with a very high precision to produce a web of substantially uniform thickness particularly when several strand laying devices are to be used together to produce a single or multi-layer web. Furthermore a variety of webs can be produced by using in sequence a number of pairs of differently shaped plates.
  • Webs made according to this invention require to be bonded in some manner to convert them into useful fabrics and for this purpose it is preferred to use some form of segmental or spot bonding method so as to preserve the directional properties introduced in making the web. It is further preferred to include in the web at least a proportion of thermoplastic filaments or fibres and to employ a thermal segmental bonding method for making the final fabric. Such segmental bonding methods are described in for example United Kingdom patent specifications 1 245 088, 1 474 101 and 1 474 102. Thermoplastic synthetic filaments or fibres of many kinds are suitable for use in this invention either alone or in a mixture with natural or other non-thermoplastic fibres.
  • the webs include or are composed of bicomponent synthetic fibres in which one of the components present at least in part at the surface of the fibre or filament is of lower softening or melting point, than the other and forms a strong bond under suitable conditions of heat and pressure.
  • segmental or spot bonding methods other processes may be used as for example, stitch bonding in which the web is held together by chains of stitching using a separate thread or part of the web itself and machinery which is capable of operating at fast production rates.
  • Synthetic polymeric filamentary strands being non- conductors and hydrophobic tend to accumulate static charges when in frictional contact with processing surfaces and as such charges may disturb the even oscillation or laying of a falling strand care is necessary to eliminate or reduce the accumulation of such charges and it may be necessary to provide discharging means at or near the point of oscillation or to treat the surface of the filaments with an appropriate chemical agent.
  • the collecting surface is a pervious brattice to allow escape of gas and if necessary the application of suction to the underside at the place of contact with a newly laid strand and thus to ensure its complete contact with the brattice.
  • a strand 1 is led by way of a small tension roll 2 into the entry 3 of a forwarding jet 4 which is supplied with compressed gas from a supply port 5 above the strand entry 3.
  • the gas tensions the yarn and forwards it to the outlet 6 close to which on either side are positioned deflection jets 7 which are alternately supplied with pulses of gas from a motorised rotary valve 8.
  • the strand 1 falls from the jet outlet 6 into the convergent entry 9 of two planar plates 10 and 10A which are narrowly spaced apart and which are arranged transversely of and close to an endless foraminous conveyor 11. It will be noted that plate 10A is slightly shorter than plate 10.
  • Gas jets 7 alternately are directed against the emerging strand 1 moving it to the left and then to the right and causing it to oscillate and to assume a sineous path as it falls between plates 10 and 10A. As the strand 1 passes between the plates 10 and 10A the momentum imparted to the strand by the deflection jets 7 is increased by deflection jets 16 supplied with compressed gas.
  • an exhaust duct 13 is positioned beneath the conveyor 11 and is provided with a narrow slot inlet 14 arranged close to the underside of the conveyor and immediately below the lower edges of plates 10.
  • a fan 15 provides at the inlet 14 suction to draw the strands against the conveyor surface.
  • strand 1 left and right moving lengths of strand 1 are shown moving in somewhat idealised fashion between plates 10 and 10A as solid and broken lines respectively.
  • the plates serve to control and stabilise the movement of the oscillating strand.
  • the width of the plates in the direction of oscillation should be at least equal to and is preferably just a little wider than the maximum width of web to be laid.
  • the height of the plates depends upon the laying conditions used and the form of the strand path established.
  • Fig 3 illustrates the application of the invention to another pair of plates 10 and 10A having an upper portion which is planar and a lower portion which is sinusoidally corrugated as depicted by troughs 18 and crests 19.
  • Plate 10A differs from plate 10 in that it is provided with two rectangular windows 17 through which gas jets 16, positioned in. a generally horizontal direction, can inject compressed gas in between the plates so as to deflect the strand, thereby increasing its amplitude before it enters between the corrugated lower portions of the plates.
  • a strand composed of 192 synthetic filaments and a total decitex of 1100 was led by way of rolls from a package at a speed of 1075 m/min to the entry of a forwarding jet supplied with compressed gas at a pressure of 7 psig.
  • a motorised rotary valve supplied with compressed gas at a pressure of 25 psig gave impulses of compressed gas in turn to each of two deflector jets, fitted immediately below the forwarding jet and symmetrically in relation thereto at an included angle of 165° between the jets.
  • Each deflector jet received compressed gas from the rotary valve for 42% of the valve revolution. The valve rotated at a speed of 388 rpm.
  • the strand emerging from the forwarding/deflecting device was passed between a pair of plates 1.6 m wide and 40.5 cm high.
  • the tops of the plates were 1 cm below the exit from the spray device and the platos were spaced 6 mm apart at the top and 3 mm apart at the cottom.
  • the bottoms of the plates were 3 cm above a horizontally disposed foraminous conveyor.
  • the plates and spray device were placed at an angle of 10 0 to the vertical plane. An area of suction under the conveyor was in use.
  • the total strand width laid down was 89-92% of the theoretical, calculated from the yarn and rotary valve speeds. This 8-11% loss in laid width is made up to 3-4% at reversals due to the strand stiffness and the remainder being due to waviness and occasional loops in the laid strand.
  • the Comparative Example was followed in its entirety except that one of the plates was 6 cm shorter than the other plate and that deflection gas jets, positioned as shown in Figs 1 and 2, were provided.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Preliminary Treatment Of Fibers (AREA)
EP80302673A 1979-09-21 1980-08-05 Procédé et appareil pour déposer une nappe fibreuse de manière ordonnée Withdrawn EP0026036A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB7932822 1979-09-21
GB7932822 1979-09-21

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0026036A1 true EP0026036A1 (fr) 1981-04-01

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP80302673A Withdrawn EP0026036A1 (fr) 1979-09-21 1980-08-05 Procédé et appareil pour déposer une nappe fibreuse de manière ordonnée

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0026036A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPS5668153A (fr)
AU (1) AU6160280A (fr)
DE (1) DE3032130A1 (fr)
DK (1) DK396780A (fr)
ES (1) ES495199A0 (fr)
FR (1) FR2465816A2 (fr)
ZA (1) ZA805180B (fr)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3039169A (en) * 1955-10-12 1962-06-19 Owens Corning Fiberglass Corp Method and apparatus for forming cloth-like mats of oriented continuous strands
US3039170A (en) * 1958-11-05 1962-06-19 Kendall & Co Apparatus for making reinforced fabrics and the like
AT292178B (de) * 1967-07-28 1971-08-10 Bunzl & Biach Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Faserflächengebilden
FR2083599A1 (fr) * 1970-03-26 1971-12-17 Stamicarbon
AU495506B2 (en) * 1974-06-06 1975-12-11 Celanese Corporation Production of batting
FR2407288A1 (fr) * 1977-10-26 1979-05-25 Ici Ltd Procede et appareil de fabrication de nappes de fibres

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3030659A (en) * 1958-12-29 1962-04-24 Owens Corning Fiberglass Corp Apparatus for producing fibers
AT259151B (de) * 1963-07-11 1968-01-10 Schuller Gmbh Glaswerk Vorrichtung zur Erzeugung einer Matte aus Glasseideschnitzeln
NL6710236A (fr) * 1966-07-29 1968-01-30
DE1902151C3 (de) * 1966-07-29 1978-07-13 Celanese Corp., New York, N.Y. (V.St.A.) Verfahren zum Herstellen eines Füllmaterials für Kissen oder einer mehrlagigen Watte
US3485428A (en) * 1967-01-27 1969-12-23 Monsanto Co Method and apparatus for pneumatically depositing a web
DE1710631A1 (de) * 1968-01-17 1971-01-28 Metallgesellschaft Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Endlosfaeden und/oder von Stapelfasern aus thermoplastischem Material

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3039169A (en) * 1955-10-12 1962-06-19 Owens Corning Fiberglass Corp Method and apparatus for forming cloth-like mats of oriented continuous strands
US3039170A (en) * 1958-11-05 1962-06-19 Kendall & Co Apparatus for making reinforced fabrics and the like
AT292178B (de) * 1967-07-28 1971-08-10 Bunzl & Biach Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Faserflächengebilden
FR2083599A1 (fr) * 1970-03-26 1971-12-17 Stamicarbon
AU495506B2 (en) * 1974-06-06 1975-12-11 Celanese Corporation Production of batting
FR2407288A1 (fr) * 1977-10-26 1979-05-25 Ici Ltd Procede et appareil de fabrication de nappes de fibres

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3032130A1 (de) 1981-04-23
JPS5668153A (en) 1981-06-08
ZA805180B (en) 1981-09-30
DK396780A (da) 1981-03-22
ES8203111A2 (es) 1982-03-01
ES495199A0 (es) 1982-03-01
FR2465816A2 (fr) 1981-03-27
AU6160280A (en) 1981-03-26

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Inventor name: SANDERSON, MARCUS RILEY