EP0059613A1 - Verfahren zum Verpacken von kompressiblen Textilprodukten - Google Patents

Verfahren zum Verpacken von kompressiblen Textilprodukten Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0059613A1
EP0059613A1 EP82300978A EP82300978A EP0059613A1 EP 0059613 A1 EP0059613 A1 EP 0059613A1 EP 82300978 A EP82300978 A EP 82300978A EP 82300978 A EP82300978 A EP 82300978A EP 0059613 A1 EP0059613 A1 EP 0059613A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
product
moisture
products
textile
packaging
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.)
Ceased
Application number
EP82300978A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Alan H. Miller
Jens Moe (Nmi)
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.)
Cellu Products Co Inc
Original Assignee
Cellu Products Co Inc
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cellu Products Co Inc filed Critical Cellu Products Co Inc
Publication of EP0059613A1 publication Critical patent/EP0059613A1/de
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B63/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged
    • B65B63/02—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged for compressing or compacting articles or materials prior to wrapping or insertion in containers or receptacles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
    • D06C7/00—Heating or cooling textile fabrics
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
    • D06C2700/00—Finishing or decoration of textile materials, except for bleaching, dyeing, printing, mercerising, washing or fulling
    • D06C2700/09—Various apparatus for drying textiles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for compacting and packaging bulky textile products to substantially reduce their bulk and thereby facilitate shipment and storage, and to the resulting package.
  • the moisture content be reduced by exposing the textile material to a conditioning environment having a low relative humidity for an extended period of time, and thereafter vacuum packaging the material.
  • the conditioning may be conducted by passing the textile material through an elongate tunnel, which includes an initial treatment zone wherein the conditioning air is maintained at 20-30 1 ⁇ 4 C and 15-30% relative humidity, and a subsequent stabilization zone wherein the conditioning air is maintained at 15-201/4 C and 5-12% relative humidity.
  • the treatment time in the tunnel is necessarily long in order to permit the moisture level in the textile fabric to reach an equilibrium with the relative humidity of the conditioning air, and it is indicated in the patent that up to 240 minutes may be required.
  • a method and apparatus which includes the steps of drying the textile product by applying microwave energy thereto at an energy level and for a time sufficient to vaporize at least a substantial portion, and preferably substantially all, of the ambient moisture therein, and then promptly compressing the textile product and packaging the compressed product in an essentially vapor impermeable enclosure which maintains the compressed condition thereof.
  • heated ambient air is passed across the surface of the textile product during the drying step, to facilitate the removal of the vaporized moisture from the textile product and thereby speed the drying process.
  • microwave energy to vaporize the moisture in the textile material in accordance with the present invention has been found to result in several surprising and significant advantages. Specifically, the microwave energy has been found to rapidly heat and vaporize the moisture in the textile material, and results in a significant shortening of the treatment time to usually between about 2 to 3 minutes. In addition, the microwave energy effectively drives the vaporized moisture out of the interior of the textile material and so that the moisture may be readily removed from the exterior surface of the material by an airstream of heated ambient air passing thereacross. Thus there is no need for ventilating air to penetrate to the interior of the product to carry off the moisture. This is a significant advantage, since it minimizes the volume of the ventilating air and it permits many textile products to be treated in folded condition.
  • the products may be initially folded into consumer sized packages prior to their treatment, and the treated packages are in a form which may be immediately packaged without further manipulation, which could result in an undesirable moisture regain.
  • the use of microwave energy is also believed to result in a reduction in energy consumption as compared to conventional heating methods, and it is able to rapidly and uniformly remove substantially all of the moisture throughout the interior of the textile material, without risk of overheating and damage to the textile material.
  • the equipment associated with the use of microwave energy requires a minimum of space and is relatively inexpensive.
  • Figure 1 schematically illustrates the basic components and steps of one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the present invention is illustrated as packaging pillows, but it will be understood that the present invention is equally applicable for packaging any of a variety of other compressible textile products.
  • the term "compressible textile product” includes consumer products such as bedspreads, quilts, towels, or garments, as well as bulk fiber packages and non-woven fiber webs or materials, and which may be composed of either natural or synthetic fibers. In the case of relatively large textile products, it is preferred that they be folded into a consumer sized configuration prior to treating and packaging as hereinafter further described.
  • the textile products or pillows 12 to be packaged are serially advanced through an elongated housing or tunnel 14 wherein they are dried by applying microwave energy thereto.
  • the tunnel 14 is typically about 45 feet in length, and it includes an endless perforated conveyor 16 having an upper run 17 extending horizontally through the tunnel for supporting the products 12 thereon.
  • the tunnel 14 includes an entering end portion 20 and an exiting end portion 21, each of which have a relatively short height, on the order of about 4 inches, which are designed to prevent leakage of microwave power from the tunnel.
  • the tunnel further includes a warm air duct system 22, wherein ambient outside air, which is preferably initially heated by electric heaters or the like to about 43 - 60°C., is passed laterally through the tunnel and across the surface of the products.
  • the air duct system typically has a capacity of about 10,000 cfm, and the air enters the side of the tunnel so as to pass upwardly through the upper run 17 of the belt and then exhaust laterally from the tunnel, note Figure 3.
  • the moving heated airstream acts to carry away the vaporized moisture from the products, and thus serves to speed the drying time, while also helping to maintain a relatively low temperature in the interior of the products.
  • the vapor content of the air is preferably not reduced prior to being circulated through the tunnel, and thus the air will contain substantially all of its ambient moisture vapor. If desired, all of the air may be recirculated so as to minimize heat loss, although it may be necessary to introduce a sufficient amount of outside ambient air to limit the build up of moisture vapor in the circulating air.
  • a second endless perforated conveyor 24 is positioned with its lower run 25 extending through the tunnel and disposed in spaced relation above the upper run 17 of the lower conveyor, so as to supportingly contact the textile products 12 during passage through each of the entering end portion 20 and the exiting end portion 21.
  • the upper conveyor 24 serves to compress any bulky products to permit them to pass through the narrow entering and exiting end portions.
  • the power unit for generating the microwave energy in the tunnel 14 is generally conventional, and may for example comprise the system manufactured by Microdry Corporation of San Ramon, California, as Model IV-30-S.
  • the power unit is typically designed to generate up to 30 KW of microwave power at 915 MHz, a frequency allotted by the FCC to commercial heating equipment.
  • the design of the entering end portion.20 and exiting end portion 21 for preventing leakage of microwave power is conventional, note for example the U. S. Patent to Smith, No. 3,858,022.
  • the speed of the conveyors 16 and 24, and the level of microwave energy are each determined so that the moisture content of the textile products is preferably reduced to less than about 10% of its normal content, and most preferably is reduced almost to zero so that the product is essentially "bone" dry.
  • the products 12 remain in the tunnel 14 for a period of about 2 to 3 minutes in order to accomplish this reduction in moisture content.
  • the microwave energy acts to raise the temperature of the textile material itself only a limited amount, and which is insufficient to cause damage to the product.
  • the temperature of the material will be raised to between about 60 - 66°C , it being understood that the amount of the temperature increase will also depend upon the initial moisture content of the material.
  • the unit includes a feed device having upper and lower cooperating conveyors 32, 33 and an automatic bagging device which includes a stack 36 of suitable plastic bags 37, an air jet 38 for sequentially opening the top bag as a product is delivered, and a cyclically operated lever arm 40 for advancing the product and enclosing bag to a discharge conveyor 42.
  • the conveyors 32, 33 may be positioned so as to compress each product as it enters the associated bag, so that smaller and thus less costly bags may be employed.
  • the products 12 and enclosing bags 37 are advanced to a compressing and sealing unit 44, wherein a flat plate 46 is lowered onto each product by a suitable pneumatic piston ram 47 or the like.
  • the force of the ram acts to substantially compress the product, preferably to at least 50% of its original volume, and up to about 20-30% of its original volume in the case of more compressible products such as the illustrated pillows.
  • a partial vacuum may also be drawn in the bag to facilitate the compressing of the product, and to remove the remaining air.
  • a heat sealing bar 48 is mounted on the front edge of the plate 46, and is automatically lowered by the piston 49 while the product is under compression to heat seal the open end of the plastic bag, note Figure 7.
  • the resulting compressed product 50 is maintained in its compressed condition by the bag 37.
  • the material of the bag is selected so as to have a very low moisture vapor permeability, which effectively prevents the return of moisture into the interior of the product for a substantial period of time.
  • polyethylene sheeting is commercially available in a number of grades having differing moisture vapor transmission rates. Since those materials having the lowest transmission rate are the more expensive, it is contemplated that the textile products may be initially individually packaged in a less expensive material of relatively high permeability, and then a number of such packages would be repackaged in a material of very low vapor permeability.
  • the resulting bulk packages could be prepared for shipment by placing one or a plurality of the bulk packages between top and bottom sheets of corrugated paper, and then interconnecting the sheets with suitable strapping, to thereby minimize the amount of outer corrugated paper employed.
  • the product 12 When the packages 50 are opened at the retail outlet or by the consumer, the product 12 should be exposed to ambient air for a period of time to permit it to expand and recover its normal moisture content and original shape and bulk. While some wrinkles will normally be present immediately upon opening of the package, these wrinkles are not permanent and they will usually disappear upon full moisture regain without the need for pressing or other treatment. In this regard, such recovery ambient air should have a relative humidity of at least about 50 to 60%, and preferably higher, since the higher the relative humidity, the more rapid the full moisture regain and recovery of the original shape and bulk.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
  • Vacuum Packaging (AREA)
EP82300978A 1981-02-26 1982-02-25 Verfahren zum Verpacken von kompressiblen Textilprodukten Ceased EP0059613A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US23845581A 1981-02-26 1981-02-26
US238455 1999-01-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0059613A1 true EP0059613A1 (de) 1982-09-08

Family

ID=22897965

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP82300978A Ceased EP0059613A1 (de) 1981-02-26 1982-02-25 Verfahren zum Verpacken von kompressiblen Textilprodukten

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0059613A1 (de)
KR (1) KR830009984A (de)
CA (1) CA1199569A (de)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0100686A2 (de) * 1982-08-04 1984-02-15 Reginald David Wilson Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Konditionieren von Materialien zur Verpackung
GB2124581A (en) * 1982-08-04 1984-02-22 Reginald David Wilson Packaging textile articles
WO1991008955A1 (en) * 1989-12-15 1991-06-27 Wayne Mark Merry Method and apparatus for compression packaging
WO2012005966A1 (en) * 2010-06-28 2012-01-12 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Form fill seal packaging method and apparatus for compressible goods
WO2012078286A1 (en) * 2010-11-19 2012-06-14 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Automated vertical form, fill, compression, seal and cut-off packaging system for compressible goods
WO2013043670A1 (en) * 2011-09-19 2013-03-28 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Form fill compression seal and cut-off packaging system for compressible goods

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3458966A (en) * 1966-03-24 1969-08-05 Owens Corning Fiberglass Corp Method of packaging compressible material
US3745915A (en) * 1971-09-30 1973-07-17 Du Pont Process for hot baling acrylic staple
GB1398845A (en) * 1971-08-14 1975-06-25 Wira & Mather Removal of moisture from loose material
FR2332180A1 (fr) * 1975-11-18 1977-06-17 Tex Innovation Ab Procede pour pre-traiter, emballer et post-traiter les produits d'isolation phonique ou thermique a base de fibres inorganiques
US4045639A (en) * 1973-01-16 1977-08-30 Food Processing Systems Corporation Continuous microwave and vacuum dryer

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3458966A (en) * 1966-03-24 1969-08-05 Owens Corning Fiberglass Corp Method of packaging compressible material
GB1398845A (en) * 1971-08-14 1975-06-25 Wira & Mather Removal of moisture from loose material
US3745915A (en) * 1971-09-30 1973-07-17 Du Pont Process for hot baling acrylic staple
US4045639A (en) * 1973-01-16 1977-08-30 Food Processing Systems Corporation Continuous microwave and vacuum dryer
FR2332180A1 (fr) * 1975-11-18 1977-06-17 Tex Innovation Ab Procede pour pre-traiter, emballer et post-traiter les produits d'isolation phonique ou thermique a base de fibres inorganiques

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0100686A2 (de) * 1982-08-04 1984-02-15 Reginald David Wilson Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Konditionieren von Materialien zur Verpackung
GB2124581A (en) * 1982-08-04 1984-02-22 Reginald David Wilson Packaging textile articles
EP0100686A3 (de) * 1982-08-04 1985-11-27 Reginald David Wilson Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Konditionieren von Materialien zur Verpackung
WO1991008955A1 (en) * 1989-12-15 1991-06-27 Wayne Mark Merry Method and apparatus for compression packaging
WO2012005966A1 (en) * 2010-06-28 2012-01-12 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Form fill seal packaging method and apparatus for compressible goods
WO2012078286A1 (en) * 2010-11-19 2012-06-14 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Automated vertical form, fill, compression, seal and cut-off packaging system for compressible goods
WO2013043670A1 (en) * 2011-09-19 2013-03-28 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Form fill compression seal and cut-off packaging system for compressible goods

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA1199569A (en) 1986-01-21
KR830009984A (ko) 1983-12-24

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
DE3876197T2 (de) Verpackungsverfahren und -apparat.
US3939287A (en) Sterilizing apparatus and process
CA1167753A (en) Packing process and apparatus
DE3123768C2 (de)
US4631899A (en) Method of dispensing a metered quantity of snuff and of packaging the individual, metered quantities of snuff
US3579948A (en) Bag handling apparatus and method
US2783599A (en) Method of packaging
US5417912A (en) Method of compacting a plurality of flat, stacked, non-woven articles
US5331789A (en) Vacuum processing machine and method
EP0059613A1 (de) Verfahren zum Verpacken von kompressiblen Textilprodukten
KR930005022B1 (ko) 단열 섬유 솜 패키징 방법 및 장치
JPS58203827A (ja) 圧縮可能な織物製品の包装方法と装置、およびでき上つた包装品
US4757669A (en) Vacuum packaging machinery and process
GB2141319A (en) Leaf separation in tobacco bales
EP1446286B1 (de) Verfahren zur herstellung eines oder mehrerer produkte
IE46073B1 (en) Method of treating fibrous materials
GB2124580A (en) Press for compressing textile and other articles for packaging
KR102376186B1 (ko) 팽이버섯 양념이 첨가된 편육 및 이의 제조장치, 제조방법
US3057361A (en) Cigar shaping method and apparatus
US4922933A (en) Tobacco separation or delamination method
US3589099A (en) Apparatus for packaging articles
US3371670A (en) Apparatus for curing tobacco
US5347793A (en) Vacuum filling machine and method
US4790967A (en) Method and apparatus for expanding loose fill material, such as expandable polystrene pellets
EP0100686A2 (de) Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Konditionieren von Materialien zur Verpackung

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LU NL SE

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19830303

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN REFUSED

18R Application refused

Effective date: 19860117

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: MILLER, ALAN H.

Inventor name: MOE, JENS (NMI)