EP0111536B1 - Impregnating a porous substrate with foam - Google Patents

Impregnating a porous substrate with foam Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0111536B1
EP0111536B1 EP83902058A EP83902058A EP0111536B1 EP 0111536 B1 EP0111536 B1 EP 0111536B1 EP 83902058 A EP83902058 A EP 83902058A EP 83902058 A EP83902058 A EP 83902058A EP 0111536 B1 EP0111536 B1 EP 0111536B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
foam
porous substrate
discharge head
nip region
foraminous
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.)
Expired
Application number
EP83902058A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0111536A1 (en
Inventor
Shiv Kumar Bakhshi
Paul Aubrey Klett
Steven Bruce Stahl
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.)
Owens Corning
Original Assignee
Owens Corning Fiberglas Corp
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
Priority claimed from US06/388,283 external-priority patent/US5008131A/en
Priority claimed from US06/388,284 external-priority patent/US5009932A/en
Application filed by Owens Corning Fiberglas Corp filed Critical Owens Corning Fiberglas Corp
Priority to AT83902058T priority Critical patent/ATE20678T1/de
Publication of EP0111536A1 publication Critical patent/EP0111536A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0111536B1 publication Critical patent/EP0111536B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06B—TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS, GASES OR VAPOURS
    • D06B19/00—Treatment of textile materials by liquids, gases or vapours, not provided for in groups D06B1/00 - D06B17/00
    • D06B19/0088—Treatment of textile materials by liquids, gases or vapours, not provided for in groups D06B1/00 - D06B17/00 using a short bath ratio liquor
    • D06B19/0094—Treatment of textile materials by liquids, gases or vapours, not provided for in groups D06B1/00 - D06B17/00 using a short bath ratio liquor as a foam

Definitions

  • This invention pertains to treating a porous substrate by impregnating the substrate with a foam.
  • this invention relates to transporting a porous substrate past an applicator which injects foam into the porous substrate, thereby impregnating or coating the porous substrate.
  • a common practice in the manufacture of porous substrates is to apply a coating of various materials thereto.
  • carpet material for example, it is necessary to dye the carpet to the desired color during the manufacturing process.
  • fibrous and non-fibrous webs or blankets require a binder to bond the fibers or other particles together to form a cohesive product.
  • An example of this is an insulation pack produced by bonding together mineral fibers, such as glass fibers.
  • a typical binder for a glass fiber insulation pack is a phenol-formaldehyde-urea binder. The binder is applied to the fibers, and, when cured, the binder enables the insulation pack to be compressed with nearly full recovery upon release of the compression.
  • binder, dye or any other coating material to porous substrates has been by one of several methods.
  • the common method in the manufacture of mineral fiber packs is to spray a binder material or coating material onto the fibers prior to collecting the fibers in the form of an insulation pack.
  • This process has certain deficiencies in that the binder has to be applied in a hot fiber-forming zone, thereby creating air pollution problems.
  • binder application onto air-borne fibers is inherently non-uniform.
  • Another process for applying coatings to porous substrates is that of transporting the substrate through a liquid bath, such as is used to dye fabrics, including carpets. This process is deficient in that a large percentage of water or other carrier medium remains in the porous substrate after the coating process, and must be removed by costly methods, such as by drying ovens.
  • liquid bath applicators provide no control of penetration of the liquid into the substrate.
  • Another method for coating porous substrates is that of creating a foam containing the coating material, such as the binder or the dye, and impregnating the porous material with the foam.
  • the use of the foam material facilitates a uniform coating on all the material of the substrate, and applies the coating with a minimum amount of carrier medium, such as water.
  • the foams are applied as a layer to the substrate, and caused to impregnate the substrate by the use of a doctor blade.
  • a process for forcing a layer of foam into a porous substrate is already known in . the art. This process provides for a suction apparatus to force the binder foam into the insulation pack (see US-A-4288475).
  • suction device to force the foam into the pack is not entirely satisfactory, however, and is made more difficult by the inherent difficulty in transporting a fragile pack of fibers through a narrow opening and past a foam applicator. Also, suction devices are limited in not being able to produce any pressures higher than one atmosphere. There is a need for a method and apparatus for applying foam to a porous substrate in the absence of a vacuum apparatus, which is inherently pressure limited.
  • the foraminous nature of the surface enables air to escape from the pack during the compression process.
  • the pressurized foam is able to partially or fully impregnate the insulation pack, and the urging of the substrate into sealed relation with the surface plate at the nip region insures that the foam material will pass through the surface and into the interior of the insulation pack rather than travel along the interface between the insulation pack and the discharge head.
  • the method and apparatus of this invention can apply foams at very high pressures, and are not limited to sub-atmospheric pressures.
  • the invention can be used to apply foam to substrates having very low tensile strengths, since the substrate is driven by the foraminous surface. Further, a greater control of the penetration of the foam can be effected with the present invention.
  • apparatus for impregnating a porous substrate with a foam comprising a foam discharge head having a surface plate adapted with one or more discharge openings for the discharge of foam therefrom, a foraminous surface positioned opposite the discharge openings to define a nip region having a thickness less than the thickness of the porous substrate, with the foraminous conveyor being adapted to transport the porous substrate through the nip region and to urge, with the foam discharge head, the porous substrate into sealed relation with the surface plate at the nip region, and means for applying foam to the foam discharge head with pressure sufficient to impregnate the porous substrate.
  • the means for supplying foam supplies foam to the foam discharge head at a pressure within the range of from about 21 to about 126 kilopascals.
  • a radio-frequency dryer removes water from the porous substrate subsequent to its being impregnated with foam.
  • a second foraminous surface and a second foam discharge head are adapted to discharge foam through another side of the porous substrate.
  • the discharge openings comprise a plurality of holes positioned in the surface plate.
  • the holes can be arranged in rows, with the holes in one row being offset or staggered with respect to its adjacent row.
  • the nip region has a minimum thickness within the range of from about 5 to about 20 percent of the thickness of the fibrous web when uncompressed.
  • the foraminous surface is convex within the nip region in the direction of the foam discharge head.
  • means for urging the foam discharge head toward the foraminous surface to urge the porous substrate into sealed relation with the surface plate so that foam is prevented from accumulating at the interface of the foam discharge head and the porous substrate as the porous substrate is transported through the nip region.
  • the means for urging can also be adapted to urge the foraminous surface toward the foam discharge head.
  • the means for urging comprises a pneumatic means.
  • a method for impregnating a porous substrate with a foam comprising transporting the porous substrate through a nip region defined by a foraminous surface and a foam discharge head, the foam discharge head including a surface plate having one or more discharge openings, where the transport of the porous substrate through the nip region causes the porous substrate to be urged into sealed relation with the surface plate as the substrate passes the discharge openings, and supplying foam to the discharge head with pressure sufficient to impregnate the porous substrate.
  • water is removed from the porous substrate with a radio-frequency dryer subsequent to impregnating the substrate with foam.
  • one side of the porous substrate is impregnated with the first foraminous conveyor and first foam discharge head, and the other side of the porous substrate is impregnated with a second foraminous conveyor and a second foam discharge head.
  • the discharge openings comprise at least 2 rows of holes, with the holes in one row being offset with respect to its adjacent row.
  • two or more porous substrates are simultaneously impregnated with foam by being passed in laminated form through the nip region.
  • the porous substrates which could be of a textile fabric, could be laid one on top of another to form a bonded or unbonded laminate which then could be fed into the nip region for impregnation with foam.
  • Such a method would provide greater uniformity of foam application than previous foam application methods for textiles.
  • This invention will be described in terms of a method and apparatus for applying a binder foam to an insulation pack of glass fibers. It is to be understood that the invention can be practiced with other coating materials, such as dyes, sizes, lubricants, finishes, oils, waxes, asphalts, latex materials and paints, and with other porous substrates, such as insulation packs of other mineral fibers, paper products, polymer products, and textile material, such as carpeting.
  • coating materials such as dyes, sizes, lubricants, finishes, oils, waxes, asphalts, latex materials and paints
  • porous substrates such as insulation packs of other mineral fibers, paper products, polymer products, and textile material, such as carpeting.
  • the unimpregnated porous substrate such as glass fiber insulation pack 10 is driven past bottom foam discharge head 12 by a foraminous surface, such as first rotating foraminous drum 14.
  • the foraminous drum can be made of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, and is adapted with a plurality of perforations, such as perforations 15.
  • the perforations give the drum a porosity of about 0.5.
  • the positioning of the first foraminous drum opposite the foam discharge head defines nip region 17 through which the insulation material must pass.
  • the foraminous surface such as the foraminous drum, is convex within the nip region in the direction of the foam discharge head, i.e., in a downward direction for the apparatus shown in Fig. 2.
  • the insulation material can be considerably compressed, as shown.
  • the insulation material is compressed in the nip region to a thickness within the range of from about 5 to about 20 percent of the thickness of the uncompressed insulation material.
  • the foraminous drum is provided with friction means for establishing sufficient adherence between the drum and the substrate to carry the substrate into, through and from the nip region.
  • friction means for establishing sufficient adherence between the drum and the substrate to carry the substrate into, through and from the nip region.
  • Such means can comprise a multiplicity of outwardly projecting nodules 19 which can be a part of the drum, itself.
  • the nodules can be comprised of rubber and are generally in the shape of elongated rectangles with rounded ends. They can be positioned on a rubber base which, in turn, is adhered to a flexible fabric which can be adhered to the exterior surface of the drum.
  • the partially impregnated insulation pack 16 can then be drawn past another foam application station, which can be comprised of top foam discharge head 18 and second rotating foraminous drum 20 to produce fully impregnated insulation pack 22.
  • another foam application station which can be comprised of top foam discharge head 18 and second rotating foraminous drum 20 to produce fully impregnated insulation pack 22.
  • any number of foam application stations can be employed for either the top or bottom (or both) of the porous substrate.
  • the nip region 21 is defined by the positioning of the second foraminous drum adjacent the top foam discharge head.
  • the foraminous drums can be driven by any suitable means, such as motors 23.
  • the fully impregnated pack can then be passed through a dryer, such as radio-frequency dryer 24, which can remove water from the impregnated pack without curing the binder.
  • the impregnated, dried insulation pack can be passed through a curing station, such as curing oven 26, to produce cured insulation product 28.
  • a curing station such as curing oven 26
  • the dried, uncured insuIation rnateriaI can be molded using conventional wool molding techniques for such uses as automobile hoodliners and headliners.
  • the foam discharge head is adapted with surface plate 32 across which the insulation pack is transported.
  • the surface plate and other parts of the foam discharge heads are comprised of stainless steel, or some other wear- resistant, corrosion-resistant material.
  • the surface plate is adapted with a plurality of discharge openings 34 for dispensing foam from the foam discharge head into the insulation pack.
  • the discharge openings can comprise a single slot, not shown.
  • the discharge openings comprise a plurality of holes, and preferably they are arranged in two or more rows, with the holes in one row being offset or staggered from the holes in another row.
  • the foam discharge head can be spring-mounted with either hydraulic means, springs or pneumatic means 36 to accommodate solid or incompressible objects, such as glass slugs or density variations in the glass inulation pack, passing through the nip region between the foam discharge head and the foraminous drum.
  • the pneumatic means also accommodate eccentricities in the foraminous drum.
  • the foam discharge head can be mounted on hinged plate 42, the plate being pivotable about pivot pin 44.
  • the urging means can be spring 36a which pushes up from base plate 46 to urge the foam discharge head toward the foraminous drum to compress the insulation pack.
  • the insulation material is urged into sealed relation to the surface plate so that the foam is prevented from accumulating on the interface of the surface plate and the insulation material.
  • the foam is substantially prevented from leaking or travelling laterally along the surface plate, and is forced to impregnate or penetrate into the insulation material.
  • the foam discharge heads can be supplied with the binder foam from foamers 38a and 38b via any suitable means, such as hoses 40a and 40b.
  • a mechanical foamer that has been found suitable for use for the invention is a 35 cm foamer manufactured by Oakes Corporation, Islip, New York. Such a foamer can produce the binder foam at a pressure within the range from about 280 to about 700 kilopascals, or higher.
  • the foam pressure within the foam discharge head is limited only by the construction materials and the foam delivery capacity. Preferably the pressure is within the range of from about 21 to about 126 kilopascals, and most preferably within the range from about 35 to about 70 kilopascals.
  • the pressure reduction from the foamer to the foam discharge head is provided by the hoses, and different size and length hoses can be used to produce the desired pressure drop.
  • the pressure developed in the foam discharge head is dependent on the product produced and on the nature of the foam.
  • the foam within the foam discharge head can have a density within the range of 0.01 g/cm 3 to 0.05 g/cm 3 or higher, and preferably, 0.03 g/cm 3 (densities calculated at atmospheric pressure).
  • the foraminous surface 14a need not be a rotatable drum, but can follow a path which defines the nip region and seals the insulation pack against the foam discharge head.
  • Scrim 48 can be directed by scrim transport rolls 50 to lie between foraminous surface 14b and the insulation pack as the pack passes through the nip region, as shown in Figure 4.
  • the scrim would be advantageous to supplement the tensile strength of the insulation pack.
  • a dry, 5-cm thick, 16 kilograms/meter 3 glass fiber insulation pack having an initial binder content of 2 percent by weight was subjected to binder foam impregnation according to the principles of this invention.
  • a foam binder material was prepared using an aqueous phenol-formaldehyde-urea resin with 2 percent by weight of Union Carbide's Tergitol NP-10 as a foaming agent, and was applied to the insulation material with the apparatus of this invention using both a bottom and a top application.
  • the minimum thickness of the nip region was about one cm
  • the foam pressure in the discharge head was about 21 kilopascals
  • the foam density was about 0.03 g/cm 3 .
  • the pressure applied to the insulation pack was about 3.75 kilograms per lineal cm width of the pack.
  • the impregnated pack was placed in a radio-frequency dryer which removed substantially all of the water, resulting in an uncured product having about 20 percent binder by weight. Subsequently, the product was cured in a mold to make a final product having a thickness of about 2 cm.
  • This invention will be found to be useful in the manufacture of packs of mineral fibers for such uses as glass fiber thermal insulation products, and for the manufacture of textile material.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Orthopedics, Nursing, And Contraception (AREA)
  • Reinforced Plastic Materials (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Porous Articles, And Recovery And Treatment Of Waste Products (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Printed Wiring (AREA)
  • Chemically Coating (AREA)
  • Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)
EP83902058A 1982-06-14 1983-05-16 Impregnating a porous substrate with foam Expired EP0111536B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT83902058T ATE20678T1 (de) 1982-06-14 1983-05-16 Impraegnieren von poroesem substrat mit schaum.

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/388,283 US5008131A (en) 1982-06-14 1982-06-14 Method and apparatus for impregnating a porous substrate with foam
US06/388,284 US5009932A (en) 1982-06-14 1982-06-14 Method and apparatus for impregnating a porous substrate with foam
US388283 1982-06-14
US388284 1982-06-14
US47079583A 1983-02-28 1983-02-28
US470795 1983-02-28

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0111536A1 EP0111536A1 (en) 1984-06-27
EP0111536B1 true EP0111536B1 (en) 1986-07-09

Family

ID=27409843

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP83902058A Expired EP0111536B1 (en) 1982-06-14 1983-05-16 Impregnating a porous substrate with foam

Country Status (10)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0111536B1 (fi)
AU (1) AU560355B2 (fi)
CA (1) CA1205334A (fi)
DE (1) DE3364428D1 (fi)
DK (1) DK63184D0 (fi)
FI (1) FI840592A (fi)
IT (1) IT1163514B (fi)
NO (1) NO840512L (fi)
NZ (1) NZ204547A (fi)
WO (1) WO1984000041A1 (fi)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5195225A (en) * 1990-07-27 1993-03-23 Gaston County Dyeing Machine Co. Means and method for extracting moisture from a traveling web of textile material
ATE153645T1 (de) † 1993-11-11 1997-06-15 Gruenzweig & Hartmann Mineralwolleprodukt sowie verfahren zu seiner herstellung, beschichtungsmasse hierfür und deren verwendung
FR2994201B1 (fr) 2012-07-31 2014-08-08 Saint Gobain Isover Procede de cuisson d'un matelas continu de fibres minerales ou vegetales
US11576837B2 (en) 2019-10-03 2023-02-14 Jfxd Trx Acq Llc Multi-zonal roller and method of use thereof

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1752921A1 (de) * 1968-08-06 1971-04-08 Glanzstoff Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Beschichten von endlosen gewebten oder nichtgewebten Bahnen
DE2402342A1 (de) * 1974-01-18 1975-07-31 Hoechst Ag Verfahren und vorrichtung zum faerben und/oder ausruesten von textilen flaechengebilden
GB2052581B (en) * 1979-06-26 1983-02-09 Dawson Int Dye fixation
US4288475A (en) * 1979-10-22 1981-09-08 Meeker Brian L Method and apparatus for impregnating a fibrous web

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NZ204547A (en) 1986-04-11
DK63184A (da) 1984-02-13
CA1205334A (en) 1986-06-03
DE3364428D1 (en) 1986-08-14
FI840592A0 (fi) 1984-02-14
IT8321599A0 (it) 1983-06-13
NO840512L (no) 1984-02-13
AU560355B2 (en) 1987-04-02
WO1984000041A1 (en) 1984-01-05
IT8321599A1 (it) 1984-12-13
AU1703983A (en) 1984-01-16
IT1163514B (it) 1987-04-08
EP0111536A1 (en) 1984-06-27
DK63184D0 (da) 1984-02-13
FI840592A (fi) 1984-02-14

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