EP0737426B1

EP0737426B1 - Cloth joining mechanical press

Info

Publication number: EP0737426B1
Application number: EP19950105440
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hirosci c/o Naomoto Industry Co. Ltd. Arita; Toshihiro c/o Naomoto Industry Co. Ltd. Oyama
Original assignee: Naomoto Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: Naomoto Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 1995-04-11
Filing date: 1995-04-11
Publication date: 2000-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2015-04-11
Also published as: EP0737426A1; DE69515636D1

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in a cloth joining mechanical press and a humidifying device operated in combination therewith.
In general, jackets and the like have some pieces of adhesive reinforcing cloth attached to their portions which tend to lose shape, so that such portions keep shape. In this case, the pieces of adhesive reinforcing cloth are attached to inside portions of jacket making textile fabric by using a cloth joining mechanical press.
A conventional cloth joining mechanical press of this kind according to the preamble of claim 1 or claim 2 is provided with a conveying belt which carries work formed by overlaying reinforcing cloth upon textile fabric, and a heater having an electrically heated wire heating the work under movement, see FR-A-2 131 603. In operation, the work comprising in a layered configuration of a piece of textile fabric and a piece of reinforcing cloth is heated by using the heater while being conveyed by the conveyor in order to melt adhesive agents applied to the reinforcing cloth, to thereby causing the reinforcing cloth adhere to the textile fabric.
In order to heat the work, the foregoing conventional cloth joining mechanical press uses a heater having an electrically heated wire. However, the heating plate heated by the heater is low in the responsiveness thereof to the heating operation of the heater, and the work is not sufficiently heated while being moved along the conveyor, while at the same time, the work is unevenly heated. As a result, the reinforcing cloth is insufficiently joined to the textile fabric or have some places which are not joined to the textile fabric.
Moreover, in the conventional cloth joining mechanical press, the component textile fabric is dehydrated and contracts because the work is heated. This causes the textile fabric to differ in size from other textile fabric which does not have reinforcing cloth attached thereto. For this reason, in the application of the conventional cloth joining mechanical press, the work which has contracted is put into a humidifying chamber of a humidifying apparatus to humidify it. However, the conventional humidifying apparatus does not allow the work to be fed with a sufficient amount of moisture, and needs considerable time for humidification thereof.
Also, the conventional cloth joining mechanical press does not achieve adhesion of a plurality of pieces of work simultaneously if they differ from one another in their kinds or materials. This results in a deterioration in the workability of the conventional cloth joining mechanical press. Moreover, if the conventional cloth joining mechanical press is operated in two joining places thereof which are horizontally spaced apart in the direction of the width thereof, two pieces of work which are fed to the two joining places of the mechanical press are not both heated to an optimum temperature, because the two pieces of work differ in their feeding amounts and their sizes, thereby causing the adhesion insufficient or a part of the work not being adhered.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide for an improved type cloth joining mechanical press which ensures satisfactory adhesion of adhesive reinforcing cloth to textile fabric.
Also, it is a second object of the present invention to provide for an improved type cloth joining mechanical press which is capable of joining adhesive reinforcing cloth and textile fabric of the respective pieces of work which are simultaneously fed thereto even if they differ in their materials or size, or even if the two pieces of work fed thereto differ from each other in their feeding amounts or their sizes.
Moreover, it is a third object of the present invention to provide for an improved type cloth joining mechanical press which can infallibly humidify the work in a short period of time after the component reinforcing cloth thereof is joined to the component textile fabric.
These objects are solved according to the present invention by a cloth joining mechanical press as defined in the attached claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of the overall arrangement of a cloth joining mechanical press showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of work which is fed to the cloth joining mechanical press shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an electromagnetic induction heater and a heating plate which are included in the cloth joining mechanical press of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a principal port ion of the electromagnetic induction heater of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the heating plate shown in Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of the heating plate of Figure 3, which shows that the heating plate is formed with grooves on a heating surface thereof such that the grooves are brought into correspondence to electromagnetic induction coils included in the electromagnetic induction heater of Figure 1;
Figure 7A is a schematic plan view of the heating surface of the heating plate which is divided into two heating zones;
Figure 7B is a schematic plan view of the heating surface of the heating plate which is divided into three heating zones; and
Figure 8 is a block diagram showing connections from the electric power source to the electromagnetic induction coils and other components of the cloth joining mechanical press shown in Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A single preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in Figure 1, the cloth joining mechanical press is provided with a conveyor means 3 which feeds work W, a heating zone 4 in which the work W is heated in transit, and a humidifying zone 5 in which the work W heated in the heating zone 4 is humidified. As shown in Figure 2, the work W has textile fabric 1 overlaid with adhesive reinforcing cloth 2.
That is to say, the conveyor means 3 is equipped with a first member 11 which comprises rollers 6, 7, 8 and 9, and a traveling belt 10 extended among these rollers 6, 7, 8 and 9. Moreover, this conveyor means 3 is provided with a second member 17 which comprises rollers 12, 13, 14 and 15, and a traveling belt 10 stretched among these rollers 12, 13, 14 and 15. The rollers 8 and 14 function to exert tension upon each traveling belt 10.
A reciprocator means 18 is provided with a pneumatic or oil-hydraulic cylinder 19 to allow the roller 14 to reciprocate in the horizontal direction.
The traveling belts 10 are made of, for example, nonwoven fabric.
The heating zone 4 and the conveyor means 3 are provided inside a joining chamber 51. The first member 11 of the conveyor means 3 is located in a first chamber 20 on the lower side of the joining chamber 51, and the second member 17 of the conveyor means 3 is situated in a second chamber 21 on the upper side of the joining chamber 51.
Also, the first chamber 20 and the second chamber 21 are respectively provided with a roller 22 and a roller 23 which cooperate with each other for mechanical pressing operation. In operation, the roller 22 is vertically moved by using a lifting means 24 to hold the work W in process of movement between the rollers 22 and 23. The lifting means 24 is provided with a cylinder 25 and an arm 26 attached to a rod 25a of this cylinder 25, thereby allowing this arm 26 to retain the roller 22. As a result, the vertical movement of the rod 25a of the cylinder 25 causes the arm means 26 to swing, whereby the roller 22 is vertically moved.
As shown in Figure 3, the heating zone 4 is provided with an electromagnetic induction heater 28 and a heating plate 29 to be heated by the electromagnetic induction heater 28. The electromagnetic induction heater 28 is equipped with electromagnetic induction coils 27 as shown in Figure 4, and if the coils 27 are electrified, the heating plate 29 is heated.
Also, as shown in Figure 5, the heating plates 29 respectively comprise a base plate 55 made of an aluminum plate, and an iron layer 56 which covers one side of the base plate 55. In this case, the base plate 55 is brought into contact with the belt 10 in the other side thereof. This other side of the base plate 55, namely, a contact surface 53 thereof with the belt 10 is a heating surface 32. That is to say, the heating plates 29 are arranged such that the upper and lower belts 10 are interposed therebetween, thereby allowing the work W to be heated through the upper and lower belts 10.
Since the work W is conveyed while being interposed between the upper and lower belts 10, it is possible to arrange only one heating plate 29 on the side of the upper belt 10 or the lower belt 10, to thereby heat the work W through the belt 10.
It is also, possible to arrange one heating plate 29 to be heated by using the electromagnetic induction heater 28 on the side of the upper belt 10 or the lower belt 10, and arrange a heating metal plate which is to be heated by using steam or other suitable heating means on the side of the other belt 10 in the place of a heating plate 29.
The heating surface 32 of the heating plate 32 is horizontally separated in the direction of the width of the work W into at least two sections. Each separated section of the heating surface 32 is individually controlled in the temperature thereof by using a temperature control means 46 shown in Figure 4.
As shown in Figures 4 and 8, the temperature control means 46 are respectively provided with an electric power source 47 and regulator means 48 which adjust the amperage of an electric current supplied from the electric power source 47 and feed it to the electromagnetic induction coils 27.
More specifically, in Figure 4, the regulator means 48 are respectively arranged to feed an electric current of the same amperage to each of the 1 ○ and 2 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27 in a pair, each of the 3 ○ and 4 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27 in a pair, each of the 5 ○ and 6 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27 in a pair, and each of the 7 ○ and 8 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27 in a pair. Moreover, the electric currents passed through the 1 ○ and 2 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27 are brought in amperage into coincidence with those through the 3 ○ and 4 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27, while at the same time, the electric currents fed through the 5 ○ and 6 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27 are brought in amperage into correspondence with those through the 7 ○ and 8 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27.
Therefore, a first heating zone 29a and a second heating zone 29b into which the heating surface 32 of the heating plate 29 is divided are respectively heated by a group of 1 ○ 2 ○ 3 ○ and 4 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27 and by a group of 5 ○ 6 ○ 7 ○ and 8 ○ electromagnetic induction coils 27, and these heating zones 29a and 29b can be separately controlled in their temperatuires.
The heating surface 32 of the heating plate 29 are divided into two sections as illustrated in Figures 4 and 7A, however, as shown in Figure 7B, the heating surface 32 may be divided into three sections of the first heating zone 29a, the second heating zone 29b and the third heating zone 29c, and moreover, the number of the sections can be four or more. That is to say, if the electromagnetic induction coils 27 and the temperature control means 46 having the regulator means 48 are correspondingly increased in number, the heating surface 32 can be freely divided into a greater number of sections as desired. Also, the electromagnetic induction coils 27 of each heating zone is not limited in their number to four, and can be freely increased or decreased in their number.
The regulator means 48 suffice for the object of the present invention if they are capable of regulating or changing the amperages of electric currents fed to the respective electromagnetic induction coils 27, and from this point of view, the regulator means 48 can be respectively an electric circuit of simple construction. Specifically, the regulator means 48 are only required to stop the supply of electric currents to the electromagnetic induction coils 27 by using timer means, and to decrease exciting voltage for the electromagnetic induction coils 27 if necessary, thereby allowing the heating temperatures of the coils to be kept to predetermined values.
As illustrated in Figure 4, each heating plate 29 is provided with temperature sensors 49 to detect temperatures thereof. That is to say, at least two temperature sensors 49 are mounted in each of the heating zones 29a and 29b, temperatures respectively detected by temperature sensors 49 are passed to the regulator means 48 in the forms of electric signals, and the regulator means 48 accordingly adjusts the amperage of an electric current fed to the electromagnetic induction coil 27. The temperature sensors 49 are desired to be located on the side of the heating surfaces 32 of the heating plates 29.
The operation of the regulator means 48 allows the heating zones 29a and 29b to be respectively held at a constant temperature. In this case, each base plate 55 made of an aluminum plate is not heated by using the electromagnetic induction operation, while on the other hand, the iron layer 56 which acts as the other element forming the heating plate 29 is heated by the electromagnetic operation of the electromagnetic induction coils 27, and as a result, the base plate 55 is heated with the aid of heat conduction from the iron layer 56 thus heated.
A heating surface 32 of a heating plate 29 which is not provided with any division suffices for the achievement of the objects of the present invention.
In Figure 5, the heating surfaces 32 of the heating plates 29 are formed with grooves 52. The grooves 52 are located such as to correspond to the electromagnetic induction coils 27 as shown in Figure 6, and serve to decrease the contact surfaces 53 of the heating plates 29 with the traveling belts 10, namely, the contact areas of the heating surfaces 32 with the traveling belts 10. See Figure 5. The corresponding portions of each heating surface 32 to the electromagnetic induction coils 27 are higher in their temperatures than other portions thereof, and therefore, a reduction in the contact areas of the heating surfaces 32 with the traveling belts 10 act to give uniformity to the temperature of the whole of work heating surfaces 54 of the traveling belts 10. The work heating surfaces 54 of the traveling belts 10 are equalized in their temperatures as a whole in each heating zone 29a, 29b, and accordingly, the work W is uniformly heated through the traveling belts 10.
As shown in Figure 1, the humidifying zone 5 is located inside a humidifying chamber 31 which is provided with a humidifier 30 in the bottom portion thereof. The humidifying chamber 31 is mounted with a plurality of vertical layers (four layers in Figure 1) of conveyor means 33, 34, 35 and 36 in the inside portion thereof. The work W is introduced into the humidifying chamber 31, and then, is successively fed from the upper side to the lower side in the humidifying chamber 31 by using these conveyor means 33, 34, 35 and 36.
The conveyor means 33, 34, 35 and 36 are respectively provided with rollers 37 and 38 and humidifying feed belts 39 which are extended between the rollers 37 and 38. The belts 39 of the conveyor means 33 and 35 are moved in the direction of the arrowhead 101, and the belts 39 of the conveyors 34 and 36 are transferred in the direction of the arrowhead 102. Therefore, within the humidifying chamber 31, the humidifying feed belts 39 are arranged in a multi-layered configuration above the humidifier 30, whereby the work W is successively fed downwardly from the upper side through the humidifier 30.
The belts 39 are made of meshwork or other similar product.
The humidifier 30 emits warm steam upwardly inside the humidifying chamber 31, and is arranged to allow the emitted warm steam to decrease in the temperature thereof according to a rise in the level thereof. For example, it is arranged that the steam becomes approximately 70°C around the conveyor 36 of the lowermost layer, and approximately 50°C around the conveyor 33 of the uppermost layer.
Also, as shown in Figure 1, a connecting conveyor means 40 is located between the joining chamber 51 and the humidifying chamber 31 in their upper portions, and feeds the work W from the conveyor means 3 to the humidifying chamber 31. Moreover, there is provided a second connecting conveyor means 41 between the joining chamber 51 and the humidifying chamber 31 in their lower portions to discharge the work W, which is fed by means of the humidifying feed belt 39, from a lower portion of the humidifying chamber 31.
A work discharging conveyor means 42 is disposed next to the second connecting conveyor 41, thereby discharging the work W from a joining installation 60. In Figure 1, an exhaust fan means 43 serves to discharge steam and the like from the inside of the humidifying chamber 31 through an exhaust duct means 44.
In the present invention, a combination of a joining installation 60 which is provided with a heating chamber 21 and a conveyor chamber 20, and a humidifying installation 50 which includes a humidifier 30 and conveyor means 33, 34, 35 and 36 can be a cloth joining mechanical press, or a joining installation 60 alone can be a cloth joining mechanical press.
A method for joining adhesive reinforcing cloth 2 to textile fabric 1 by using the cloth joining mechanical press arranged as described in the foregoing will next be described.
Firstly, as shown in Figure 2, work W is formed by attaching adhesive reinforcing cloth 2 onto textile fabric 1. In this case, two pieces of work W are made.
Each two pieces of work W is loaded on a carrying board 45 which is protruded from the joining chamber 51, and is fed to the conveyor means 3 in the direction of the arrowhead A. In this case, since the traveling belts 10 are moved in the direction of the arrowhead B, each piece of work W travels in the direction of the arrowhead A. The traveling belts 10 can be respectively separated according to the number of the pieces of work W, or can be integrated into a single unit.
If the two pieces of work W are fed to the heating zone 4, one piece of work W passes above the first heating zone 29a of the heating plate 29, while the other piece of work W the second heating zone 29b. In this case, the first heating zone 29a and the second heating zone 29b of the heating plate 29 in the first heating zone 4 are respectively heated to a predetermined temperature by using the electromagnetic induction heaters 28, whereby each piece of work W is heated.
If the work W is heated, the adhesives of the reinforcing cloth 2 of the work W are melted, and the work W is pressed by using the rollers 22 and 23 to ensure that the reinforcing cloth 2 is joined to the textile fabric 1.
Even if the pieces of work W differ from one another in their materials or kinds, and therefore differ in appropriate temperatures at which they are heated, the heating temperatures of the first and second heating zones 29a and 29b can be separately arranged to appropriate temperatures for the materials of the pieces of work W which pass the first and second heating zones 29a and 29b, in order to achieve adhesion of the reinforcing cloth 2 to the textile fabric 1 for each piece of work W.
Each piece of work W in which the reinforcing cloth 2 and the textile fabric 2 are united is fed to the humidifying zone 5, namely, the humidifying chamber 31 through the connecting conveyor means 40. In the humidifying chamber 31, each piece of work W is successively fed from the upper side to the lower side thereof by using the humidifying feed belts 39 arranged in a multi-layered configuration. The time in which the feed of each piece of work from the upper side to the lower side in the humidifying chamber is finished is, for example, 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
In the humidifying chamber 31, steam is emitted from the humidifier 30 while the work W is fed therethrough, and this allows the work W to come into contact with the steam which is gradually changed in the temperature thereof from a low temperature to a high temperature.
In the humidifying chamber 31, the work W is fed from the upper side thereof to the lower side thereof by using the humidifying feed belts 39 disposed in a multi-layered configuration, the work W is slowly humidified, while at the same time, the contact thereof with the steam which is gradually changed in the temperature thereof from a low temperature to a high temperature allows the moisture of the steam to be easily absorbed in the textile fabric 1 and the adhesive reinforcing cloth 2 thereof, and also, the textile fabric 1 and the adhesive reinforcing cloth 2 are infallibly restored in their moisture content to their original moisture content which exists before they are heated and deprived of their moisture.
That is to say, the textile fabric 1 which has the reinforcing cloth 2 joined thereto regains the original size thereof after being subjected to the cloth joining operation of the mechanical press according to the present invention. Therefore, even if this textile fabric 1 is sewn together with a different textile fabric which is free from a reinforcing cloth, no flagging trouble takes place in them.
The work W which has been replenished with moisture and consequently restored in the size thereof to the original size thereof in the humidifying zone 5, this work W is discharged from the work discharging conveyor means 42 through the second connecting conveyor means 41.
In the cloth joining mechanical press according to the present invention, the heating plates 29 are heated by using the electromagnetic induction heaters 28, and therefore, the heating plates 29 are efficiently heated in good response to the heating operation of the electromagnetic induction heaters 28. This ensures that the work W under movement is infallibly and evenly heated, to thereby achieve infallible adhesion of the adhesive reinforcing cloth 2 to the textile fabric 1.
If the traveling belts 10 for feeding the work W to the heating zone 4 are made of nonwoven fabric, the textile fabric 1 of the work W is improved in the touch or feel thereof after being subjected to the cloth joining operation through the belts 10, while at the same time, the textile fabric 1 can be prevented from bowing.
The work W is immediately fed to the humidifying zone 5 after the adhesive reinforcing cloth 2 thereof is joined to the textile fabric 1 thereof, to thereby allow the work to regain the original moisture content thereof which exists before it is heated and deprived of moisture. That is to say, the work W is restored in the dimension thereof to the original dimension thereof. This prevents an occurrence of flagging trouble when the textile fabric 1 of this work W is sewn with a different textile fabric which has no reinforcing cloth attached thereto.
As described in the foregoing, in the humidifying zone 5, the work W is slowly humidified, and is brought into contact with the steam which is gradually changed in the temperature thereof from a low temperature to a high temperature. As a result, the moisture of the steam is much more easily absorbed in the textile fabric 1 and the adhesive reinforcing cloth 2, whereby the textile fabric 1 regains the original moisture content which exists before it is heated and deprived of moisture.
If the heating surfaces 32 of the heating plates 29 are divided into sections, a plurality of pieces of work W which differ in their kinds or materials are allowed to be simultaneously subjected to the cloth joining operation, whereby each piece of work W achieves adhesion of the reinforcing cloth 2 thereof to the textile fabric 1 thereof. This improves the efficiency of the cloth joining operation of the pieces of work W.
The contact surface 53 of each heating plate 29 with the belt 10 constructed such as to be formed with grooves 52, allows the work heating surface 54 of the belt 10 to be substantially evenly heated as a whole. As a result, the work W heated by using the heating surface 54 of the belt 10 has the reinforcing cloth 2 thereof infallibly joined to the textile fabric 1 thereof without any cause of trouble such as any insufficient attachment or partial non-attachment of the reinforcing cloth 2 to the textile fabric 1.
The heating plates 29 provided with the temperature sensors 49 for detecting their temperatures can always hold their heating surfaces 32 at constant temperatures on the basis of temperatures detected by using the temperature sensors 49, whereby adhesion of the reinforcing cloth 2 to the textile fabric 1 is much more ensured.
While a preferred embodiments of the present invention has been described in this specification, it is to be understood that the invention is illustrative and not restrictive, because various changes are possible within the spirit and indispensable features.
For example, the humidifying feed belts 39 located in a multi-layered configuration within the humidifying chamber 31 can be freely changed in their number. The temperature of the steam emitted from the humidifier in the humidifying chamber 31 can be varied according to the kind or material of the textile fabric 1 as far as the temperature is successively decreased as the steam rises.

Claims

A cloth joining mechanical press comprising a passage along which work (w) having adhesive reinforcing cloth (2) overlaid upon textile cloth (1) is to be fed, characterized in that an electromagnetic induction heater (28) and an electrically conductive heating plate (29) heatable by said heater (28) are provided along the passage.
A cloth joining mechanical press comprising a traveling belt (3) upon which work (w) having adhesive reinforcing cloth (2) overlaid upon textile cloth (1) is to be fed, and a heating zone with a heating plate (29) by means of which said work (w) is heatable through the traveling belt (3), characterized in that the heating plate (29) is provided with an iron layer (56), a heater (28) equipped with electromagnetic induction coils (27) for heating the heating plate (29) is arranged adjacent to the heating plate (29), and a heating surface (32) of the heating plate (29) is horizontally divided into at least two sections in the direction of the width of the work (w) to be fed, while at the same time, temperature control means (46) are provided by means of which the temperatures of the respective divided sections of the heating surface (32) are separately controllable.
The cloth joining mechanical press as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein grooves (52) are formed on a contact surface of the heating plate (29) with the belt (3) in order to reduce the contact area of the heating plate (29) with the belt (3) and equalize the temperature of work heating surface of the belt (3) as a whole.
The cloth joining mechanical press as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the belt (3) consists of non-woven fabric.
The cloth joining mechanical press as set forth in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the divided sections of the heating surface (32) are respectively provided with a sensor (49) for detecting temperature of the heating plate (32).
A cloth joining mechanical press according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a humadifying zone (5) is located on the downstream side of the heating zone and the work (w) to be fed through the humidifying zone immediately after the heating zone, in which the reinforcing cloth is to be joined to the textile fabric, is humidifiable in this humidifying zone (5).
The cloth joining mechanical press as set forth in claim 6, wherein the humidifying zone (5) is provided with a humidifier (30) located at a lower portion thereof and with humidifying feed belts (39) in a multi-layered configuration located above said humidifier (30), and the humidifying feed belts (39) are arranged to feed the work (w) successively from the upper side to the lower side of the humidifying zone (5).