EP0734985A1 - Winding device for forming a compressed fibrous roll - Google Patents

Abstract

The winding system for forming a thermal insulating mattress (M) comprises a horizontal conveyor belt (12) and a back conveyor belt (30). The two conveyor belts form an acute angle. A movable compression roller (52) is located in the angle between the two conveyor belts. The roller delimits with the conveyor belts a confined space in which the fibrous mattress is rolled. A pressure belt (68) is located above the horizontal conveyor. The pressure belt converges with the conveyor to compress and progressively reduce the thickness of the mattress before rolling. The pressure belt comprises an endless belt (76) running over front (72) and rear (74) rollers. An actuator displaces the pressure belt from the back conveyor so that the diameter of the fibrous roll (R) increases during rolling.

Description

The invention relates to a winding device for forming a compressed fibrous roll from a flexible and compressible fibrous mat.

Such fibrous mattresses usually consist of inorganic fibers, in particular glass or rock fibers, associated with a binder, generally a resin, capable of ensuring the cohesion of the whole. These fibrous mattresses are intended for thermal and / or acoustic insulation of buildings or machines. They generally have a density between 5 and 35 kg / m3 and a thickness between 1.5 and 35 cm.

To reduce the size of these mattresses, during their storage and transport, it is known to roll them up on themselves, in the compressed state, to obtain rolls of reduced diameter.

However, this winding operation must be carried out under controlled conditions so as not to exceed the maximum allowable compression rate of the fibrous mat, so that the latter can regain, during its implementation, all of its recovery qualities. thick and, therefore, its insulating qualities. Ideally, the winding should make it possible to obtain coils of equal thickness with uniform compression over the entire length of the mattress.

Already known, in particular from the publications of French Patents No 2,553,744, No 2,595,673 and No 2,616,137, winding devices comprising a horizontal conveyor belt and a back conveyor belt forming an acute angle between them, thus a mobile compression member arranged in the angle between the two conveyor belts to delimit with them a confined and evolving space in which the fibrous mattress is rolled up.

In known devices of this type, the mobile compression member is a compression roller driven in rotation and preceded by a drive roller, also driven in rotation.

The drive roller contributes to the drive of the fibrous mattress during the formation of the first turn, the winding of the fibrous mattress on itself being carried out thanks to the combined movements of the two conveyor belts and the compression roller.

The latter moves according to the evolution of the diameter of the fibrous roller in order to increase, as the winding, the space in which the fibrous mat is confined and wound. The rotation of the mattress on itself is ensured by the respective speeds of the horizontal mat, the back mat and the compression roller and by the adhesion of the latter on the fibrous mattress or on a facing optionally glued to one face of said mattress.

In the aforementioned known winding devices, the horizontal conveyor belt and the back conveyor belt form an acute angle, generally close to 60 °, and the compression roller moves substantially along the bisector of the angle thus formed.

When the winding of the fibrous mat on itself is finished, a dispenser releases a determined length of a packaging film, for example of paper or polyethylene, which comes to surround the fibrous mat and is then glued or sealed on it. even to maintain the fiber roll at the diameter determined by the winding. Then, the fibrous roll thus wrapped is evacuated by lifting and retracting the back conveyor belt.

The main drawback of known reel devices of the aforementioned type has the effect of exerting pressure on three zones of the fibrous mat which are in contact respectively with the horizontal conveyor belt, the back conveyor belt and the compression roller. As a result, the fibrous mat is compressed in these three compression zones, which are substantially at 120 ° with respect to each other, and is moreover relaxed in three relaxation zones which are interposed between the three compression zones mentioned above.

Consequently, the fibrous mat undergoes an alternation of pressures and detents capable of causing the rupture of the fibers and the fatigue of the binder, so that during the unwinding of the fibrous roll with a view to its use, it will not be able to resume so satisfactory its initial thickness and have the expected insulating characteristics.

To avoid this drawback, the only possible solution, with devices of the aforementioned type, is to reduce the compression ratio, to the detriment of the diameter and therefore the size of the compressed roller. In any case, whatever the adjustment made, these prior devices do not make it possible to obtain uniform compression over the entire length of the mattress.

In these known devices, the compression roller has a preponderant role during winding because it is responsible for compressing the mattress and therefore for determining the thickness of the turn. In addition, it must ensure the tension of the mattress during winding and its adhesion to the mattress or to a facing possibly glued on this mattress.

Other winding devices are also known, as taught by US Patent No. 4,164,177 or by the publication of French Patent No. 2,685,904. These, however, are devices of particularly complex structure.

The object of the invention is in particular to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

To this end, it proposes a rewinding device of the type defined in the introduction, which comprises a presser belt disposed at least partially above the horizontal conveyor belt and converging with it to compress and gradually reduce the thickness of the fibrous mat in controlled conditions before winding, as well as displacement means to move the pressure belt away from the back conveyor belt as the diameter of the fiber roll increases due to its winding.

The pressure mat thus makes it possible to compress the fibrous mat and to control the thickness of the turn at the start of the winding, then during and at the end of the winding.

Because the thickness of the coil is controlled before the winding is formed, the deformations of the fibrous mat due to its contact with the mobile compression member are reduced, the pressure differences between the compressed zones and the relaxed zones being significantly less important. The mobile compression member thus makes it possible to maintain the whorl formed in its compressed state and to tension the fibrous mattress. As a result, this mobile compression member no longer fulfills exactly the same functions as the compression roller of known devices. Therefore, the movable compression member is not necessarily made in the form of a roller.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pressure mat comprises a frame supporting a front roller and a rear roller around which an endless belt is wound, the front roller being located on the upstream side and the rear roller being located on the downstream side near the movable compression member, the front roller being further from the horizontal conveyor belt than the rear cylinder is, to ensure convergence. In addition, the means of moving the presser belt act to move the chassis in a direction parallel to the horizontal conveyor belt.

As a result, the pressure mat makes it possible to gradually compress the fibrous mat, without causing the fibers to break and the binder to tire.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the pressure belt has a linear speed adapted to the linear speed of the horizontal conveyor belt. The invention also provides that the linear speed of the pressure belt increases as a function of the speed of recoil of the belt under the action of these displacement means, which avoids shearing of the fibers.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the presser belt comprises means for adjusting the height with respect to the horizontal conveyor belt to adjust the thickness of the compressed fibrous mat before it is rolled up.

Advantageously, the presser belt has an openwork endless band, which allows better passage of air during compression. A source of vacuum can, if necessary, be associated with the perforated endless band to facilitate the extraction of the air contained in the fibrous mattress and improve the compression of said fibrous mattress.

The invention further provides that the pressing belt is extended by a sliding or rolling element capable of maintaining the fibrous mat at its compressed thickness before winding. This element can be produced in the form of a plate or, more advantageously, in the form of rolls of small diameters, arranged adjacent.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the mobile compression member is a roller arranged in the angle formed between the horizontal conveyor belt and the back conveyor belt. The function of this roller is to keep the spiral formed in its compressed state and to stretch the mattress fibrous. It is then no longer necessary to provide a drive roller preceding the compression roller.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the movable compression member is a belt of variable outline comprising an endless band passing around two main rollers, one of which is movable longitudinally and parallel to the horizontal conveyor belt and the the other is movable longitudinally and parallel to the back conveyor belt, the endless belt comprising a segment of variable length extending between the two main rollers and conforming to the shape of the mattress being rolled up.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the movable member further comprises two deflection rollers around which the endless belt is wound as well as an adjustment roller, around which the endless belt is wound between the two rollers of reference.

Advantageously, the mobile compression member is carried by a chassis adjustable in position relative to the horizontal conveyor belt and to the back conveyor belt.

• la figure 1 est une vue de côté d'un dispositif enrouleur selon une première forme de réalisation de l'invention au début de l'enroulement d'un matelas fibreux;
• la figure 2 est une vue de côté du tapis presseur du dispositif de la figure 1;
• la figure 3 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 au cours d'une phase ultérieure de fonctionnement proche de la fin de l'enroulement;
• la figure 4 est une vue partielle de côté d'un dispositif selon une seconde forme de réalisation de l'invention, le matelas fibreux étant au début de l'enroulement;
• la figure 5 est une vue de côté de l'organe mobile de compression du dispositif de la figure 4;
• la figure 6 est une vue analogue à la figure 4 dans laquelle le matelas fibreux est dans une phase ultérieure d'enroulement;
• la figure 7 est une vue analogue aux figures 4 et 6, le matelas fibreux étant en fin d'enroulement; et
• la figure 8 est une vue analogue aux figures 4, 6 et 7, le matelas fibreux étant enroulé et emballé et en cours d'évacuation.

In the description which follows, given by way of example, reference is made to the appended drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a side view of a winding device according to a first embodiment of the invention at the start of the winding of a fibrous mattress;
• Figure 2 is a side view of the pressure mat of the device of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 during a subsequent phase of operation near the end of the winding;
• Figure 4 is a partial side view of a device according to a second embodiment of the invention, the fibrous mat being at the start of the winding;
• Figure 5 is a side view of the movable compression member of the device of Figure 4;
• Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 in which the fibrous mat is in a subsequent winding phase;
• Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 4 and 6, the fibrous mat being at the end of winding; and
• Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 4, 6 and 7, the fibrous mat being rolled up and packaged and being evacuated.

The winding device shown in FIG. 1 comprises a frame 10 supporting a horizontal conveyor belt 12 consisting of an endless belt 14 movable in the direction of the arrow F1 and winding around two rollers 16 and 18 with parallel axes and horizontal. On the axis of the roller 18 is wedged a pulley 20 around which is wound a belt 22 passing around a pulley 24 wedged on the shaft of a gear motor 26, which is coupled to a motor 28.

The device further comprises a back conveyor belt 30 formed of an endless belt 32 driven in the direction of arrow F2 and winding around two rollers 34 and 36 with parallel and horizontal axes. The mat 30 is carried by one end 38 of a bent arm 40 mounted to pivot about an axis 42 fixed relative to the frame. The other end 44 of the arm 40 is articulated to a rod 46 of a jack 48 whose body is articulated at 50 on the frame 10. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the rod 46 is retracted and the backing mat 30 is brought closer to the horizontal belt 12, so as to form between them an angle close to 60 °.

The device of FIG. 1 further comprises a compression roller 52 driven in rotation about a horizontal axis in the direction of arrow F3 and carried at one end of an arm 54 whose other end carries a counterweight 56. The arm 54 is articulated around a horizontal axis 58 whose position is adjustable vertically under the action of a jack 60 to allow the winding of different thicknesses of mattress.

In addition, the device comprises a pneumatic cylinder 62 or any other type of actuator whose body is articulated at 64 on the frame 10 and whose rod is articulated at 66 on the arm 54, to allow the compression roller 52 to s oppose the displacement imposed by the change in diameter of the mattress being rolled up.

The general structure of the device, as just described so far, is known per se.

According to the invention, the device further comprises a pressure belt 68 disposed at least partly above the horizontal conveyor belt 12 and convergently with it to compress and gradually reduce the thickness of a fibrous mat M before winding .

As best seen in Figure 2, the presser belt 68 comprises a frame 70 supporting an anterior roller 72, also called "upstream roller", and a rear roller 74, also called "downstream roller", and around which is wound an endless band 76, preferably perforated, moving in the direction of arrow F4. The front roller 72 is farther from the horizontal conveyor belt 12 than the rear roller 74, which makes it possible to gradually compress the mattress M and to control its thickness at the outlet of the presser belt 68. The presser belt 68 further comprises two members 78 and 80 to adjust the height of the rollers 72 and 74 relative to the endless belt 14 of the horizontal belt 12. The frame 70 can be moved horizontally under the action of an actuator 82 which, in the example, is a hydraulic cylinder double-acting. As a result, the pressure belt 68 can be moved in a direction parallel to the horizontal conveyor belt. The presser belt 68 is moved in the direction of arrow F5 to give it a backward movement, as the diameter of the fiber roll increases.

A vacuum source (not shown), such as a vacuum box, can be placed near the section of the perforated endless band which is in contact with the fibrous mat. This contributes to increasing the extraction of the air contained in the fibrous mat and, consequently, to reducing the thickness of the latter before winding.

In the position of Figure 1, the fibrous mat is at the start of winding and the pressure belt 68 is practically on the right side of the figure. As the fibrous carpet is rolled up, the pressure carpet 68 is moved to the left (arrow F5) to reach an extreme position as shown in FIG. 3.

As best seen in Figure 2, the pressure belt 68 extends downstream, that is to say on the side of the roller 74, by a sliding plate 84 suitable for maintaining the fibrous mat at its compressed thickness before winding. This sliding plate extends in a substantially horizontal plane.

Alternatively, it is possible to use, in place of the sliding plate 84, a sliding or rolling element of different structure, for example a set of rollers of small diameter, for example of 20 to 25 mm in diameter , whose axes are parallel and in the same plane.

Furthermore, a position sensor 86 is placed near the endless strip 14 of the horizontal belt 12, near the roller 18. This sensor makes it possible to detect the start and the end of the fibrous mat.

The device of FIG. 1 further comprises a dispenser 88 suitable for introducing a packaging film, for example of paper or polyethylene, around the fibrous mattress wound up or being wound up.

The device of Figure 1 operates as follows. A fibrous mat M is brought onto the horizontal mat 12 and is entrained jointly by the horizontal mat 12 and by the presser mat 68 whose linear speed is close to the speed of the fibrous mat and the horizontal mat 12, during the formation of the first turn of a fibrous roller R. The formation of this roller R is carried out jointly by the horizontal mat 12, the back mat 30 and the compression roller 52.

As the winding continues and the diameter of the mattress increases, the pressure belt 68 is moved in the direction of arrow F5, by the actuator 82, the linear speed of the belt 68 increasing as a function of the speed of recoil to avoid shearing the fibers. As soon as the end 87 of the fibrous mat is detected by the sensor 86 (FIG. 3), the presser belt 68 undergoes a rapid backward movement to disengage the dispenser 88 and allow the latter to release an appropriate length of packaging film for pack roll R.

When the latter is packaged, the jack 48 is deployed, which causes the arm 40 to pivot and the backing pad 30 to be lifted, allowing the wrapped roll to be removed on the inclined plane 89, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 3.

This evacuation being completed, the backing mat 30, the compression roller 52 and the pressing mat 68 return to their starting position to allow the arrival of a new fibrous mat on the horizontal mat 12.

The different movements and speeds are managed and calculated advantageously by computer means. Sensors used to detect the beginning and the end of the mattress, the computer means being responsible for calculating the length of the rolled-up mattress and the diameter progression of the fibrous mattress.

In a variant, it is possible to introduce the packaging film directly after the presser belt 68, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1 and in solid lines in FIG. 3.

The device of FIGS. 4 to 8 comprises elements common to that of FIGS. 1 to 3, in particular a horizontal mat 12, a back mat 30, a presser mat 68 and a distributor 88.

The main difference lies in the fact that the compression roller 52 is eliminated and replaced by a mobile member designated as a whole by the reference 90. The mobile compression member 90 comprises a frame 92 arranged in the angle formed by the carpet horizontal 12 and the back carpet 30, the frame 92 being adjustable in height relative to the horizontal carpet 12 to allow the winding of mattresses of different thicknesses.

The member 90 (FIGS. 4 to 8) essentially comprises a variable contour carpet comprising an endless belt 94 passing around two main rollers 96 and 98, the roller 96 being movable longitudinally and parallel to the horizontal carpet 12 and the roller 98 being movable longitudinally and parallel to the backing pad 30. Thus, the axis of the roller 96 moves parallel to itself and orthogonally to the direction of travel of the endless belt 94. It is the same for the roller 98.

The endless belt 94 also passes around two deflection rollers 100 and 102 of preferably fixed axes and around a tension roller 104 disposed between the rollers 100 and 102. The position of the axis of the roller 104 is adjustable by displacement parallel to the back roller 30 to allow compensate for variations in the size of the loop when the rollers 96 and 98 are moving. The rollers 96 and 98 are mounted respectively at the ends of two arms 106 and 108 which can be moved by suitable actuators, for example motors and screws, hydraulic cylinders, etc. The axes of the rollers 96, 98, 100, 102 and 104 are mutually parallel.

The arm 106 is moved horizontally and parallel to the horizontal mat 12 and the arm 108 is moved obliquely and parallel to the back mat 30 as shown by being guided by respective slides 110 and 112 (Figure 5).

The rollers 100 and 102 have a fixed position relative to the frame 92, the roller 100 being driven in rotation by suitable means to allow the movement of the endless strip in the direction of arrow F6. The axis of the roller 104 is guided in translation and its position is adjusted by an appropriate actuator (not shown). The speed of the belt is variable and adapted to the desired winding conditions.

The endless belt 94 thus adopts an evolving contour and has a segment in an arc of a circle which extends between the main rollers 96 and 98 and follows the shape of the roller R which is formed from the fibrous mat M.

At the start of the winding (Figure 4), the rollers 96 and 98 are close to each other and close to the junction zone of the belts 12 and 30. After formation of the first turn, the roll 96 moves rectilinearly parallel to the horizontal mat 12 and the roller 98 moves rectilinearly parallel to the backing mat 30. The tension of the endless belt 94 is ensured continuously during the displacement of the rollers 96 and 98 by the roller 104.

The displacements of the rollers 96, 98 and 104 are managed according to mathematical laws governing the displacement of each roll using computer means equipped with an advanced calculator. The displacements and speeds are calculated according to the length of the mattress, the nominal thickness of the product and the diameter of the roll to be obtained, the programming being previously established by the operator.

As the winding of the fibrous mat continues (Figure 6), the pressure belt 68 moves back as in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3. Again, the linear speed of the pressure belt must increase in proportion to the speed of recoil , these speed and displacement being also taken into account by the computer means.

FIG. 7 represents the mattress at the end of winding as well as the position of the distributor 88 which delivers a packaging sheet 114.

After packaging the roll, it is evacuated, as shown in FIG. 8, after retraction of the backing pad 30, by the inclined plane 89.

During the evacuation of the roller, the rollers 96, 98 and 104 of the member 90 return to their initial position, as does the pressure belt 68.

The invention thus makes it possible to roll up flexible fibrous mattresses, in particular glass fiber mattresses, in order to obtain compact compressed rolls which, after unwinding, will regain their initial thickness, as well as all their thermal and acoustic characteristics.

Claims (11)

Winding device for forming a compressed fibrous roll from a flexible fibrous mat, of the type comprising a horizontal conveyor belt (12) and a dorsal conveyor belt (30) forming an acute angle between them, as well as a member compression mobile (52; 90) arranged in the angle between the two conveyor belts (12, 30) to delimit with them a confined and evolving space in which the fibrous mattress (M) is wound,
characterized in that it comprises a pressure mat (68) disposed at least in part above the horizontal conveyor belt (12) and convergently therewith to compress and progressively reduce the thickness of the fibrous mat (M) in controlled conditions before winding, as well as displacement means (82) for moving the pressure belt (68) away from the back conveyor belt (30) as the diameter of the fibrous roller (R) increases due to its winding. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure belt (68) comprises a frame (70) supporting a front roller (72) and a rear roller (74) around which an endless belt (76) is wound, the front roller (72) being located upstream side and rear roller (74) being located downstream side near the movable compression member (52; 90), the front roller (72) being further from the horizontal conveyor belt (12 ) than is the rear roller (74), and in that the displacement means (82) of the presser belt (68) act to move the frame (70) in a direction parallel to the horizontal conveyor belt (12). Device according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the pressure belt (68) has a linear speed adapted to the linear speed of the horizontal conveyor belt (12). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the linear speed of the presser belt (68) increases as a function of the speed of recoil of the presser belt under the action of its displacement means (82). Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pressure mat comprises means (78, 80) for adjusting the height with respect to the horizontal conveyor belt (12) for adjusting the thickness of the compressed fibrous mat before its winding. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the presser belt (68) has an openwork endless band (76) and, if necessary, a source of vacuum associated with the openwork endless band (76) to facilitate the extraction of the air contained in the fibrous mattress (M) and to improve the compression of said fibrous mattress. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pressure belt (68) is extended by a sliding or rolling element (84) capable of maintaining the fibrous mat at its compressed thickness before winding. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the movable compression member is a roller (52) arranged in the angle formed between the horizontal conveyor belt (12) and the back conveyor belt (30). Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the movable compression member is a belt (90) of variable contour comprising an endless band (94) passing around two main rollers (96, 98) of which one (96) can be moved longitudinally and parallel to the horizontal conveyor belt (12) and the other (98) can be moved longitudinally and parallel to the back belt (30), the endless belt (94) comprising a segment of variable length extending between the two main rollers (96, 98) and conforming to the shape of the fibrous mattress being rolled up. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the movable member (90) further comprises two deflection rollers (100, 102) around which the endless belt (94) is wound and a tension roller (104) around from which the strip (94) is wound between the two deflection rollers (100, 102). Device according to one of claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the mobile compression member (90) is carried by a chassis (92) adjustable in position relative to the horizontal conveyor belt (12) and the back conveyor belt ( 30).

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