EP1022371B1

EP1022371B1 - The dyeing machine for applying treatment agent to fabric

Info

Publication number: EP1022371B1
Application number: EP97917988A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Zhaocheng Jiang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-04-29
Filing date: 1997-04-29
Publication date: 2003-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-29
Also published as: CA2288214C; ES2210515T3; DE69726198D1; ATE254199T1; PT1022371E; AU2631197A; EP1022371A1; EP1022371A4; CA2288214A1; DE69726198T2; JP2000511246A; AU726841B2; DK1022371T3; WO1998049383A1; JP3216648B2

Abstract

A spray dyeing apparatus includes a fabric storage tank and a fabric guide tube disposed above and connected to the fabric storage tank to define a continuous loop for fabric. A pump and a blower are provided to pressurize and convey dye and air into the fabric guide tube via spray nozzles disposed on upper side of the fabric guide tube and directing nozzles arranged on a bottom support plate of the fabric guide tube. The bottom support plate has a support surface having a sufficient width to allow the breadth of the fabric to be substantially fully expanded in moving through the fabric guide tube. The directing nozzles are provided on the support plate in a spaced manner to generate high speed air streams in the downstream direction which are confined above the support plate to have the fabric floating above the support plate and moving in the downstream direction. The high speed air streams also create a low pressure zone under the fabric so as to induce a violent vibration on the fabric by means of the air streams and the pressure difference between the upper and lower sides of the fabric. The spray nozzles are provided on the upper side of the fabric guide tube to spray atomized dye onto the expanded fabric. <IMAGE>

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a spray dyeing apparatus and in particular to a spray dyeing apparatus having a construction to allow the fabric breadth to be substantially fully expanded during dyeing process with a pressure difference created between the upper side and the lower side of the expanded fabric, together with vibration of the fabric caused by high speed air streams under the fabric, to enhance the dyeing effectiveness and efficiency.

SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The term spray dyeing apparatus used herein is intended to indicate a dyeing apparatus in which the liquid dye and other fabric treating agent are brought into contact with the fabric in an atomized form by means of spray nozzles arranged above the fabric. The dyeing apparatus in accordance with the present invention provides a flat fabric support surface of a sufficient width which allows the fabric to be substantially fully expanded in the breadthwise direction when the fabric is moved through the dyeing apparatus so as to receive the atomized dye thereon across the breath thereof to carry out dyeing operation. The present invention also discloses a construction of the dyeing apparatus which comprises a plurality of directing nozzles located under the expanded fabric to generate high speed air streams to move and support the fabric on the support surface. The high speed air streams also create a low pressure zone under the expanded fabric which causes a pressure difference between the upper and lower sides of the expanded fabric. The pressure difference causes the fabric to violently vibrate so as to enhance the penetration and diffusion of the dye into the fabric. Thus a dyeing operation of high efficiency, low energy consumption, low bath ratio and low pollution may be achieved.

The present invention is particularly related to a dyeing apparatus in which an effect that is caused by the high speed air streams under the expanded fabric creating a low pressure under the fabric and the massive transfer of energy between the high speed air streams and the fabric causing the fabric to continuously move downstream leads in a high efficient penetration and diffusion of the dye within the fabric and also a very effective way to remove un-wanted particles or impurities from the fabric and to clean, rinse and bleach the dyed fabric in a very efficient way so as to complete the overall dyeing operation in a very short time as compared with the convertional dyeing apparatus.

In the conventional air flow type or liquid flow type dyeing apparatus, the fabric is moved by means of a fabric driving wheel and a driving nozzle set. The fabric is constrained to be in the form of a tight bundle, similar to a rope, to pass through the throat of the driving nozzle. The fabric is also constrained in a circular fabric guide tube having a limited, small diameter in order to prevent the kinematic energy of the moving fabric from losing due to expansion of the fabric and thus maintain the speed of the fabric in a desired level. Thus, the fabric is constrained to the form of rope in moving through the fabric guide tube inside which the dyeing operation is actually carried out. The conventional air flow type or liquid flow type dyeing apparatus is generally designed to make use of the driving force generated by air stream nozzles or liquid stream nozzles (the driving nozzle) or the combination thereof to force the fabric to move into and through the fabric guide tube. The technique of the liquid flow type dyeing apparatus has been disclosed in certain prior art patents so that no further discussion is given here. As to the air flow type dyeing apparatus, it is defined as comprising an air driving nozzle mounted on the liquid driving nozzle or mounted at the upstream and downstream side to provide auxiliary driving force and to soften the hard driving action generated by the liquid driving nozzle and also to provide a dyeing operation of low bath ratio. In general, the air flow type dyeing apparatus is classified as high temperature, high pressure type and regular temperature, regular pressure type, which comprises, in the construction, a fabric storage tank, a fabric guide tube, a fabric driving wheel, a dye driving nozzle set, an air driving nozzle set, a fabric folding device, a dye pump, a blower, a heat exchanger/filter device for temperature control and a control unit. In construction, the fabric guide tube is arranged above the fabric storage tank and extending in the same axial direction. The upstream end and the downstream end of the fabric guide tube are respectively connected to and in communication with a lateral side end of the fabric storage tank to allow the fabric to be driven and guided by the driving wheel from the fabric storage tank to a driving nozzle set. By means of the dye and air streams generated by the driving nozzle set, the fabric is driven into and through the fabric guide tube and eventually moving from the downstream side back into the fabric storage tank. The dye and air exiting the fabric guide tube are re-circulated through respective return tubes to the dye pump and the air blower. The fabric that moves into the fabric storage tank through a laterally rear side of the tank is then moved toward the laterally front side and driven out of the fabric storage tank by the fabric driving wheel to continuously circulate through the fabric storage tank and the fabric guide tube.

FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively show the conventional air flow type and liquid flow type dyeing apparatus, both comprising a fabric storage tank A and a fabric guide tube A1. The fabric guide tube A1 has a dye driving nozzle A11(for liquid flow type) or an air driving nozzle A12(for air flow type) at an upstream inlet. For simplicity, the dye driving nozzle A11 and the air driving nozzle A12 are generically referred to as driving nozzle and designated with reference A2 in the following description. The fabric guide tube A1 has a downstream outlet connected to and in fluid communication with the fabric storage tank A to define a continuous fabric circulation loop through which a fabric to be dyed, designated with reference B, is moved. During the dyeing operation, the fabric B inside the fabric storage tank-A-is driven therefrom to the driving nozzle A2 by means of a fabric driving wheel A3 and is dyed by means of the dye and/or air stream generated by the driving nozzle A2. The dye/air stream also forces the fabric B to move through the fabric guide tube A1 and back into the fabric storage tank A. The dye C inside the fabric storage tank A is conducted by means of a return tube A4 located under the fabric storage tank A to the dye pump A5. The air that flows into the fabric storage tank A with the fabric B is conducted by an air return tube A6 disposed above the fabric storage tank A to the air blower D. The fabric B that moves out of the fabric guide tube A1 and enters the laterally rear side of the fabric storage tank A is driven frontward by means of for example inclination of the fabric storage tank A or gravity or potential difference thereof to repeat the dyeing cycle.

Thus, in the conventional air flow type dyeing apparatus, the movement of the fabric is achieved by the fabric driving wheel A3 and the dye/air stream generated by the driving nozzle A2 that is located at the laterally front end upstream inlet so as to allow the fabric B to move into and through the fabric guide tube A1 and thus providing a dyeing operation of low bath ratio. In the conventional apparatus, the driving nozzle A2 is constructed to have a nozzle opening or mouth of circular cross section, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In order to control the flow rate of the stream from the driving nozzle A2, a variety of adjustable construction of the driving nozzle have been developed which gradually takes place of the driving nozzles of fixed nozzle opening size or exchangeable nozzles. In fact, the operation of the adjustable driving nozzle A2 in the dyeing process is substantially identical to the fixed type nozzle, for the fabric B is still constrained to be in the form of a rope in passing through the nozzle A2. Since the adjustable driving nozzle constitute no improvement to be discussed in the present invention, no further detail will be given. In the air flow type and liquid flow type dyeing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, identical members or parts are designated with the same references, yet description that is given as follows is based on the air flow type dyeing apparatus. The fabric B passes through the central throat A22 of the rising opening A21 of the driving nozzle A2 with the dye/air stream from the nozzle A2 surrounds the fabric at the downstream side and forms a constraint force on the fabric B. The dye/air stream leaving the nozzle A2 spreads and transfers the kinematic energy thereof to the fabric to generate a driving force in the downstream direction. To prevent the energy from being over-spread and thus causing significant reduction of the fabric speed and to achieve the desired dyeing effect, in the conventional air flow type or liquid flow type dyeing apparatus, both the driving nozzle A2 and the fabric guide tube A1 through which the fabric B is to move have a circular cross section to provide transfer and saving of energy. However, using such a constraint configuration of driving nozzle A2 for driving the fabric B downstream frequently causes damages on the fabric B due to the fact that when the fabric B moves through the throat of the driving nozzle A2 and the fabric guide tube A1, the fabric is subject to the constraint of the throat of the driving nozzle A2 and the fabric guide tube A1 to force the fabric B to form a rope like configuration which requires the fabric to have a large speed in passing through the nozzle, thus causing violent impact of the fabric B onto the side walls of the throat of the driving nozzle A2. Also, when the jet force from the driving nozzle A2 is excessive, the fabric B is also subject to great impact from the dye/air stream, which may cause damage on the fibrous structure of the fabric B so as to lead in separation and detachment of fibers. On the other hand, lowering down the jet force of the driving nozzle A2 may not provide a sufficient-penetration force of the dye into the rope-like configuration of the fabric B. The moving speed of the fabric B is also reduced and thus lengthens the circulation period of the fabric B.

Further, when the fabric B passes through the driving nozzle A2, the fabric B is usually folded breadthwise and tightly squeezed together. Folding traces are thus formed on the fabric B. Although compacting the fabric B to form a rope-like configuration is helpful in transferring energy from the dye/air stream to the fabric B and moving the fabric B downstream, yet with such a compact configuration of fabric, it is difficult to have the dye uniformly and sufficiently penetrate into the fabric B. In other words, it requires great energy to drive the dye deep into the fabric B and also to expel the dye that has already penetrated into the fabric B to get out of the fabric B so as to allow new dye to move in. Thus to overcome such a problem, conventionally, the dyeing cycle is lengthened and dye streams are continuously provided by the driving nozzle A2 to impact onto the fabric B. This makes the dyeing operation time- and labor-consuming.

The momentum that the driving nozzle A2 applies to the fabric B may be calculated on the basis of the speed when the fabric B is passing through the throat A22 of the driving nozzle B. When the fabric B leaves the throat A22, the velocity reduces for the cross-sectional area of the ring-like mouth A21 of the driving nozzle. A2 is smaller than that of the fabric guide tube A1 which causes the dye flow or air flow to spread out and the spread of the air flow or dye flow makes the fabric B slow down. Since the fabric B itself is not a fluid, it has to fold or overlap to accommodate the reduction of speed. This is particularly significant for all cotton fabric or fabric having a great unit weight. Thus the fabric B may get over-crowded and squeezed inside the fabric guide tube A1, causing an action like a piston inside a cylinder bore. Serious folding line problem may thus arise. Also, the friction between the fabric guide tube A1 and the fabric B is increased. As a matter of fact, in the conventional air flow type and liquid flow type dyeing apparatus, once the fabric B leaves the driving nozzle A2, due to the increase of space, most of the mementum is lost with the spread of the air flow or dye flow so that the penetration of the dye into the fabric B is reduced. Although theoretically, the expansion of the air stream or air flow may open the fabric B when the fabric B is leaving the fabric guide tube A1, yet since the fabric B is constrained to the form of a rope for quite a long time during the dyeing operation, it is sometimes not possible to have the fabric B opened properly. Thus, conventionally, the air flow type dyeing apparatus is not suitable for all cotton fabric or fabric having great unit weight. Further, in the conventional air flow type dyeing apparatus, the fabric is only subject to the action of the driving nozzle A2, un-dyed spots may be found in the fabric B and thus the effectiveness of dyeing is poor.

Conventionally, the air flow type dyeing apparatus handles fabric in a batch manner and the quantity of fabric that a batch may take is dependent upon the size of the fabric storage tank. The most common capacity of the fabric storage tank is between 100-200 Kg. If a batch is greater than the capacity, then the dyeing operation must be carried out with more than one dyeing device. Alternately, the dyeing apparatus may be designed with a very large fabric storage tank which is divide into several channels each serving as an independent fabric storage tank. Besides the capacity of the fabric storage tank, the productivity capacity of a dyeing apparatus is also determined by the period of the dyeing cycle. Generally, a dyeing cycle takes approximately 2 minutes which should not be shortened significantly in order to obtain an effective dyeing.

The movement of the fabric B inside the fabric storage tank A is usually driven by the inclination provided inside the tank A and the potential caused by the stack of fabric B inside the tank. This is particularly true for air flow type dyeing apparatus. Thus, the air flow type dyeing apparatus usually adapts a configuration of for example "J","O" or "U" shape to provide such an altitude difference for causing movement of the fabric B inside the fabric storage tank A. Further, to protect the fabric B from over-friction with the fabric storage tank A, usually a layer of low friction coefficient material (not shown) is provided inside the fabric storage tank A. Thus, besides the difference in the factors discussed above, such as gravity and potential energy, bath ratio, momentum of dyeing fluid and the acceptable folding line for a given fabric, most of the dyeing apparatus, although having different configuration, are operated in accordance with the same principle to achieve dyeing effect.

FIG. 5 shows a prior art liquid flow type dyeing apparatus created by the present inventor, which is disclosed in Taiwan utility model No. 89941, Chinese utility model No. ZL 93209236.5, Chinese patent No. 93105099.5 and U.S. Pat No. 5,381,678. The present invention is an improvement over the liquid flow type dyeing apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 5, the previous liquid flow type dyeing apparatus of the present inventor has a configuration similar to the conventional liquid flow type dyeing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 which comprises a fabric storage tank A and a fabric guide tube A1 disposed above the fabric storage tank A with laterally front and rear ends of the fabric guide tube A1 connected to the fabric storage tank A to define a continuous path for fabric B. The front inlet of the fabric guide tube A1 has a driving nozzle A2 and the laterally front end of the fabric storage tank A has fabric driving wheel A3 to convey the fabric B from the fabric storage tank A to the driving nozzle A2 and then into the fabric guide tube A1 and finally back to the fabric storage tank A. The driving nozzle A2 generates dye stream to carry out dyeing operation on the fabric B and drives the dye C and the fabric B to pass through the fabric guide tube A1 and into the fabric storage tank A. The dye C collected inside the fabric storage tank A is then guided via a return tube A4 to a dye pump A5 which pressurizes and conveys the dye, via a dye circulation tube A8, to the driving nozzle A2 to be injected thereby onto the fabric B to drive the fabric B through the fabric guide tube A1. The fabric guide tube A1 comprises a plurality of directing nozzles A61 arranged on the bottom of the fabric guide tube A1 so as to allow the dye C which is pressurized by the pump A5 and conveyed through a tube A7 to be injected in a downstream direction by the directing nozzles A61 for enhancing the movement and dyeing effectiveness of the fabric B.

EP 0,334,749 A1 discloses an apparatus for carrying and treating textile materials comprising one blowing orifice for blowing a stream of driving fluid on a textile material to transport the latter and comprising an opening for providing dye to a textile material.

EP 0,723,045 A1 discloses a machine for treatment of fabric comprising a treatment tank within which a lower side of the fabric to be treated is conveyed by a belt conveyor. A compressed air stream and a stream of treatment liquid are applied to the upper side of the fabric.

US 5,014,525 discloses a machine having a tunnel traversed axially by fabric rope, itself disposed inside a chamber supplied with pressurized air from an enclosure which is disposed inside the machine and contains a centrifugal fan.

In view of the drawbacks of the above described prior art dyeing apparatus, the present invention provides an improved air flow type spray dyeing apparatus.

Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide an air flow type spray dyeing apparatus wherein no driving nozzle is provided at the front upstream inlet of the fabric guide tube and a substantially flat support having a sufficient width is provided on the bottom of the fabric guide tube to allow the breadth of the fabric to be substantially fully expanded in moving through the fabric guide tube so that the fabric is no longer constrained by a small cross section of the driving nozzle and the small diameter of the prior art fabric guide tube and thus the abrasion of the fabric and the folding line problem of the fabric may be effectively eliminated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spray dyeing apparatus wherein the fabric guide tube comprises a plurality of spaced direction nozzles disposed on the bottom of the fabric guide tube to generate high speed air streams under the fabric to float, support and move the fabric and a plurality of spray nozzles on the upper side of the fabric guide tube to apply atomized dye liquid onto the fabric so as to effect a dyeing operation with a small quantity of dye. Thus a dyeing apparatus of low bath ratio, low energy consumption and low pollution is provided.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spray dyeing apparatus which generates a plurality of high speed air streams to act upon the underside of the substantially fully expanded fabric so as to induce a violent vibration on the fabric which is partially caused by the impact of the air streams onto the fabric and partially by the pressure difference between the upper side and lower side of the fabric induced by the high speed of the air stream, which vibration enhances the penetration and diffusion of dye into the fabric and thus significantly' increases the degree of exhaustion of dye.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spray dyeing apparatus wherein high speed air streams are generated under the substantially fully expanded fabric and a low pressure zone is created under the fabric which allows the fabric to be driven toward the high speed air streams to force the air to flow out of the fabric from two breadthwise sides thereof for maintaining the full expansion of the fabric.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spray dyeing apparatus wherein high speed air streams are generated under the fabric to cause violent vibration of the fabric which not only achieves a dyeing operation with small quantity dye of high concentration, but also effects the removal of impurity or contaminant from the fabric.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a spray dyeing apparatus which allows liquid, such as dye or fresh water, to be injected to both the upper and lower sides of the fabric so as to effect a rinsing operation or to effect a dyeing operation for heavy fabric.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a fabric treating apparatus according to claim 1. A spray dyeing apparatus comprises a fabric storage tank, a fabric guide passage, a distribution tube, a plurality of air directing nozzles, a reflex operation base plate, dye spray nozles, a dye pump, a blower, a fabric folding plate, a fabric driving wheel, a multi-apertured net board, heat exchangers, a filter and other piping and control elements, wherein the fabric storage tank and the fabric guide passage are connected to each other to define a continuous loop for fabric. The dye and air are pressurized by means of the pump and the blower and conveyed into the fabric guide passage by means of the dye spray nozzles and the air directing nozzles to have the fabric dyed. The fabric is driven by the air streams generated by the air directing nozzles to move through the fabric guide passage. The improvement comprises a substantially flat reflex operation base plate is provided on the bottom of the fabric guide passage having a sufficient width to allow the breadth of the fabric to be substantially fully expanded in moving through the fabric guide passage. The air directing nozzles are provided on the reflex operation base plate in a spaced manner to generate high speed air streams in the downstream direction, the air streams being confined above reflex operation base plate to have the fabric floating above the reflex operation base plate and moving in the downstream direction. The dye spray nozzles are provided on the upper side of the fabric guide passage to spray atomized dye onto the expanded fabric. The high speed air streams generated by the air directing nozzles also cause a low pressure zone under the fabric so as to induce a violent vibration on the fabric by the air streams and the pressure difference between the upper and lower sides of the fabric. Thus a dyeing apparatus of high efficiency, lower power, consumption, low bath ratio and low pollution is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational, cross-sectional view showing a conventional air flow type dyeing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevational, cross-sectional view showing a conventional liquid flow type dyeing apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a driving nozzle adapted in the conventional air flow type dyeing apparatus;

FIG. 3A is an end view of the driving nozzle;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a driving nozzle adapted in the conventional liquid flow type dyeing apparatus;

FIG. 4A is an end view of the driving nozzle;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevational, cross-sectional view showing another conventional liquid flow type dyeing apparatus which is disclosed in Chinese utility mode No. ZL 93209236.5, Chinese patent No.93105099.5 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,678;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an adjustable directing nozzle adapted in the dyeing apparatus shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of the directing nozzle shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is schematic side elevation, cross-sectional view showing a spray dyeing apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG.9 is also a cross-sectional view of the spray dyeing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the spray dyeing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a side view of adjustable directing air nozzle adapted in the spray dyeing apparatus shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a top view of the adjuslable air directing nozzle; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic side elevational, cross-sectional view showing a spray dyeing apparatus constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings and in particular to figures 8 and 9 which show a cross-sectional view of a spray dyeing apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the spray dyeing apparatus of the present invention comprises a fabric storage tank 1, a fabric guide passage 11, a distribution tube 12, air directing nozzles 121, a reflex operation base plate 13, dye spray nozzles 14, a dye pump 15, a blower 16, a fabric folding plate 17, a fabric driving wheel 18, a multi-apertured net board 19, a dye heat exchanger 154, a filter 153 and a dye feeding inlet 1511, a dye return tube 151, a dye conveyor tube 152, an air return tube 161, an air conveyor tube 162, a secondary dye conveyor or by-pass tube 165 and a dye flow control valve 166.

With reference to FIGS. 8-10, the fabric storage tank 1 has a configuration of circular tube for high pressure and high temperature dyeing operation, while for regular pressure and regular temperature, the configuration is generally a square tube which is to enhance the movement of the fabric inside a low bath ratio dyeing apparatus, preferably O-, U- or inverted L-shaped construction so as to minimize the space occupied thereby. As shown in FIG. 8, the dyeing apparatus illustrated takes the configuration of an O-shaped cross section with the fabric storage tank 1 defined in the lower portion of the O-shaped configuration. The fabric guide passage 11 is mounted above the fabric storage tank 1, co-extending therewith in the same axial direction which is normal to the drawing plan of FIG. 8. The fabric guide passage 11 has an upstream inlet connected to and communicating with a laterally front end of the fabric storage tank 1 and a downstream outlet 112 connected to and communicating with a laterally rear end of the fabric storage tank 1 so as to define a circular closed loop for the circulation of fabric to be dyed which is designated with reference numeral 2 in the drawing. The lowermost portion of the fabric storage tank 1 is provided with a dye return tube 151. An air return tube 161 is provided above the dye return tube 151. An access hole 3 and a fabric driving wheel 18 are provided at the laterally front end of the fabric storage tank 1, substantially at the interface between the fabric storage tank 1 and the fabric guide passage 11. The fabric 2, which has a given breadth, is driven partly by means of the fabric driving wheel 18 to move from the fabric- storage tank 1 into the fabric guide passage 11 to be dyed therein.

In the dyeing machine for applying treatment agent to fabric, while dying working, the fabric could enter fabric guide passage 11 by the power from fabric driving wheel 18 or directly pull up by the power from air direction nozzles 121.

The fabric guide passage 11 comprises a reflex operation base plate 13 having a substantially width (dimension in the axial direction), as shown in FIG. 10, to allow the fabric 2 to be fully expanded breadthwise when the fabric 2 is driven to move through the fabric guide passage 11. The fabric guide passage 11 comprises a plurality of dye spray nozzles 14 located on an upper side-thereof and facing the fabric 2 so as to spray dye onto the fabric 2. A distribution tube 12 is provided under the reflex operation base plate 13 of the fabric guide passage 12, having a width substantially corresponding to length of the fabric guide passage 11 which is defined as the dimension from the laterally front end of the fabric storage tank 1 to the laterally rear end of the fabric storage tank 1 to allow air to be substantially distributed along the length of the fabric guide passage 11 and a length extending in the axial direction of the dyeing apparatus. Preferably, the reflex operation base plate 13 constitutes a partition wall between the fabric guide passage 11 and the distribution tube 12. A plurality of air directing nozzles 121 are formed on the reflex operation base plate 13 to substantially extend in the length of the distribution tube 12 and spaced at a predetermined distance in the width direction of the distribution tube 12. The air directing nozzles 121 are configured to face downstream so as to provide air streams under the fabric 2 in the downstream direction, the air being supplied through the distribution tube 12. At a connection section 113 between the downstream outlet 112 of the fabric guide passage 11 and the laterally rear end of the fabric storage tank 1, a fabric folding plate 17 is provided on wall 114 of the connection section 113 by means of pivot. The fabric folding plate 17 is controlled by any known means to wingingly reciprocate about the pivot so as to repeatedly and cyclically get into contact with the fabric 2 during the movement of the fabric 2 and thus force the fabric 2 to be folded in a neat and snug manner in moving from the fabric guide passage 11 back into the fabric storage tank 1. The fabric storage tank 1 is provided with a multi-apertured net board 19 which is provided on the bottom of the fabric storage tank 1 with a space defined therebetween so that when the fabric 2 which has dye carried thereon falls back into the fabric storage tank 1,the fabric 2 is supported on the multi-apertured net board 19 to allow the dye to drop through the multi-apertured net board 19 by means of gravity and collected in the space between the multi-apertured net board 19 and the bottom of the fabric storage tank 1. The dye so collected is then drawn away, via the dye return tube 151,by a dye pump 15. The dye is then pumped through a filter 153 and a heat exchanger 154 to remove un-wanted particles or impurity from the dye and to maintain the dye at a given temperature for dyeing operation. The dye so treated is then conveyed to the dye spray nozzles 14 through a dye conveyor tube 152.

Although in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 the reflex operation base plate 13 defines a support surface of substantially flat structure with a width sufficient to allow the fabric to expand so as to enhance the dyeing effectiveness yet, as a matter of fact, the reflex operation base plate 13 may not need to be a flat configuration and it only needs the reflex operation base plate 13 to be of a sufficient width to allow the fabric to fully expand in order to achieve the dyeing operation provided by the present invention. For example and another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 13 wherein the reflex operation base plate 13 takes the form of an arc substantially concentric with respect to the circular configuration of the dyeing apparatus or the fabric storage tank 1, the width of the reflex operation base plate 13 in this embodiment being also sufficient for the breadth of the fabric to be substantially fully expanded Similarly, other configuration of the reflex operation base plate with a smooth and gradual change in the overall contour also provides the same effectiveness as that shown in both embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 13.

As described above, in the dyeing cycle of the spray dyeing apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the fabric 2 is pulled upward from the fabric storage tank 1 by the fabric driving wheel 18 and then conveyed into the fabric guide passage 11. The dye is conducted to the pump 15 via the dye return tube 151 and then pressurized and conveyed by the pump 15 to the dye conveyor tube 152 via the filter 153 and the heat exchanger 154 and finally reaches the dye spray nozzles 14 located on the upper side of the fabric guide passage 1 to be sprayed onto the fabric 2 that is moving through the fabric guide passage 11. The dye is absorbed and carried by the fabric 2 toward the outlet 112 of the fabric guide passage 1 and then returns to the fabric storage tank 1. The dye that returns to the fabric storage tank 1 passes through the multi-apertured net board 19 and is then collected at the lowermost portion of the fabric storage tank 1 from which the dye is again conducted to the pump 15 via the dye return tube 151 so as to constitute a continuous dye circulation loop. The dye return tube 151 is provided with a dye feeding inlet 1511 through which dye may be supplemented or other fabric treating agent or chemicals may be added into the dye circulation loop.

The fabric storage tank 1 also has a holed top wall which is spaced from the multi-apertured net board 19 to define an interior space of the fabric storage tank 1 for receiving the fabric 2 therein. The holed top wall also defines an interior spaced with the underside of the distribution tube 12 to allow air that is separated from the dye or that flows from the air directing nozzles 121 as downstream air stream toward the downstream outlet 112 of the fabric guide passage 11 and into the fabric storage tank 1 to be collected therein and conducted by an air return tube 161 to a blower 16. The air is then pressurized by the blower 16 and transported through a heat exchanger 154 to be conveyed into the distribution tube 12 via an air conveyor tube 162. As described above, the pressurized air that is conveyed into the distribution tube 12 via the air conveyor tube 162 is distributed over the plurality of air directing nozzles 121 to generate downstream air streams under the fabric 2. The reflex operation base plate 13 of the fabric guide passage 11 also serves to constrain the direction of the air streams and to "rebound" a portion of the air streams that collides the fabric 2 and is reflected toward the reflex operation base plate 13 by the fabric 2 so as to more effectively support the fabric 2 above the flat reflex operation base plate 13.

The disposition of the by-pass tube 165 to partially direct the fluid circulating inside the dye conveyor tube 152 to the air directing nozzles 121 of the distribution tube 12 via the air conveyor tube 162 is also to perform an effective rinsing operation in which fresh water or other suitable rinsing agent takes place of the dye in the circulation loop defined by the dye return tube 151, the pump 15, the filter 153, the heat exchanger 154, the dye conveyor tube 152, the dye spray nozzles 14, the fabric guide passage 11 and the fabric storage tank 1 and is pumped to spray onto the fabric 2 from the upper side of the fabric 2 to carry out the rinsing operation.

The fluid circulation of the dyeing apparatus of the present invention described above is substrantially the same as the conventional dyeing apparatus.

It should be particularly noted that the air directing nozzles 121 that are disposed on the reflex operation base plate 13 of the fabric guide passage 11 may also be replaced with nozzles of other designs. In accordance with the present invention, a preferred structure for the air directing nozzles is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, which comprises a movable blade 12101, a link bar 122, a driving rod 123. The movable blade 12101 has two opposite pivot pins 12102 pivotally received in bushings 1101 fixed within an opening formed on the reflex operation base plate 13 of the fabric guide passage 1 to have the blade 12101 to define a spacing with an edge of the opening, which spacing is adjustable by rotating the blade 12101 relative to the reflex operation base plate 13. The adjustable spacing serves as the air directing nozzle 121. One of the pivot pins 12102 of the movable blade 12101 is extended outward and coupled to one end of the link bar 122. The, other end of the link bar 122 is pivoted to the driving rod 123 which extends in the direction of the fabric guide passage 11. By connecting the link bar 122 of each of the air directing nozzles 121 to the driving rod 123, the air directing nozzles 121 may be adjusted simultaneously by moving the driving rod 123 to rotate the blades 12101. The driving rod 123 may be coupled to any suitable power device, such as hydraulic actuation system, electric motor actuation system or other power actuation system to be driven thereby for rotating the blades 12101 in controlling the size of the air direction nozzles 121 and adjusting the jet from the nozzles 121, FIGS. 6 and 7 show more detailed drawings of the nozzle. Further description of the nozzle may be obtained from Taiwan patent No. 89941. Chinese utility mode No. ZL 93209236.5, Chinese paten application No. 93105099.5 and U.S. Pat.-No. 5,381,678.

The feature of the present invention resides in the structure of the fabric guide passage 11 which does not have a narrow nozzle at the upstream inlet that is adapted in the prior art design as indicated at A11 and A12 of FIGS. 1-3, and the throat of the prior art design through which the fabric passes indicating at A22 of FIGS. 3 and 4. The fabric guide passage 11 of the present invention comprises a flat and wide bottom(support plate)extending from the upstream inlet 111 to the downstream outlet 112 and having a width sufficient to allow the fabric to fully expand breadthwise so that the fabric is in a fully expanded condition in moving through the fabric guide passage 11 and thus allows a more efficient dyeing operation to be performed thereon wherein the dye sprays from the dye spray nozzles 14 located above the fabric may uniformly fall onto the whole breadth of the fabric 2 from the upper side of the fabric 2. During the movement of the fabric 2 through the fabric guide passage 11, the dye that is sprayed onto the upper side of the fabric 2 penetrates through the thickness of the fabric 2 due to gravity and capillarity of the fiber composed of the fabric 2. The penetration of the dye through the fabric 2 effects dyeing of the fabric 2.

The lower side of the fabric 2 is subject to the air streams from the air directing nozzles 121 so as to be floated over the reflex operation base plate 13 of the fabric guide passage 11 and be driven downstream by being impacted by the air streams. The high speed of the air streams under the fabric 2 also creates a lower pressure condition in which the pressure is lower than that above the fabric 2 in which the speed of air flow is much smaller. The difference in pressure between the lower side and the upper side of the fabric 2 is in an un-stable condition due to the air streams from the air directing nozzles 121 which, in general, are not precisely uniformly distributed along the length of the fabric guide passage 11 so that the fabric 2 which is fully expanded in moving through the fabric guide passage 11 is subject to a cyclical and violent up-and-down vibration. The higher pressure above the fabric 2 also forms a constraint to the air streams under the fabric 2 to force the air streams to flow partially breadthwise of the fabric 2(namely in the axial direction of the dyeing apparatus.). Such a breadthwise flow of air enhances and maintains the breadthwise expansion of the fabric 2 in moving through the fabric guide passage 11.

When the fabric 2 exits the fabric guide passage 11 at the downstream outlet 112, it is subject to the reciprocal movement of the fabric folding plate 17 which is pivoted to the fabric guide passage 11 at the outlet 112 and controlled to swingingly reciprocate and oscillate about the pivot and is sized to exercise a large area contact with the fabric 2 when the fabric 2 is moved into the fabric storage tank 1. Due to the oscillation of the plate 17 about the pivot thereof, the plate 17 gets into contaot with fabric 2 in a periodical manner and the contact engagement between the plate 17 and the fabric 2 folds the fabric 2 in a direction opposite to the moving direction thereof so that a snugly folded configuration of the fabric 2 may be obtained when the fabric 2 moves into the fabric storage tank 1.

The dye that is carried by the fabric 2 into the fabric storage tank 1 is separated herefrom by being driven by gravity to pass through the multi-apertured net board 19 and collected at the lowermost portion of the fabric storage tank 1. The air that is moved with the fabric 2 from the fabric guide passage 11 into the fabric storage tank 1 flows through the upper side holed plate of the fabric storage tank 1 to be collected and conveyed to the blower 16. Except a minor portion of the air which is allowed to flow to the laterally front side of the dyeing apparatus for pressure balance purpose, the air is collected and re-circulated by being drawn away by the blower 16 via the air conveyor tube 161. The air is compressed and sent to the distribution tube 12 to be jetted through the air directing nozzles 121 for driving the fabric 2 downstream.

In accordance with Bernoulli's law which states that the higher the speed of a fluid is, the smaller the static pressure it has, the high speed air streams under the fabric 2 creates a high speed and low pressure zone under the fabric 2 which has a pressure lower than that above the fabric 2. The pressure difference between the upper and lower sides of the fabric 2, together with gravity of the fabric 2 and the dye carried thereon, tends to force the fabric 2 toward the high speed air stream zone. This causes a tight contact between the fabric 2 and the high speed air streams and thus increases the momentum transferred from the air streams to the fabric 2 to increase the kinetic energy of the fabric 2. However, the stream lines of the air streams under the fabric 2 limit further movement of the fabric toward the reflex operation base plate 13 of the fabric guide passage 11 so as to floatingly support the fabric 2 on the air streams and prevent the fabric 2 from getting into directly contact with the reflex operating base plate 13 of the fabric guide passage 11. Once the fabric 2 is forced to get closer to the reflex operation base plate 13 by means of the pressure difference across the fabric 2, the air streams are temporarily stopped or "dragged" by the increased shear force between the fabric 2 and the air streams. The energy of the air streams is then converted to a resistance force against the movement of the fabric 2 toward the reflex aperation base plate 13 and rebound the fabric 2 away from the bottom 13. This causes a cyclic vibration(up and down movement) of the fabric 2 inside the fabric guide passage 11. The frequency of the vibration of the fabric 2 is, of course, dependent upon the unit length weight of the fabric and the momentum transferred by the air streams, as well as other factors that are'known to those skilled in the field of fluid dynamics. Thus, such a vibration may be, at least partially, controlled by adjusting the opening size of the air directing nozzles 121 or by changing the power input to the blower 16.

The cyclic vibration of the fabric involves a massive transfer or conversion of energy which causes the fibers of the fabric 2 to become loosened, thus enhancing the penetration of the dye into the fabric 2 and increasing the absorbability and diffusion of the dye within the fabric 2 so that besides increasing the moving speed of the fabric 2 and providing a dyeing operation with a small quantity of dye, high concentration, high efficiency, low energy consumption, low bath ratio and low pollution, the present invention helps to loosen the fibers within the fabric so as to enhance the removal of un-wanted matters or impurities from the fabric, increasing the operation efficiency of for example rinsing, cleaning, bleaching and thus increase the overall efficiency of the dyeing operation.

Although preferred embodiments have been described to illustrate the present invention, it is apparent that changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

A fabric treating apparatus comprising a fabric storage tank (1) for receiving a fabric (2) and a fabric guide passage (11) disposed on a top of the fabric storage tank (1), the fabric storage tank (1) and the fabric guide passage (11) being connected to and in fluid communication with each other at a front side and an opposite rear side to define a continuous path for the fabric (2) to continuously circulate therein from the fabric storage tank (1) into the front side of the fabric guide passage (11) to move through the fabric guide passage (11) to the rear side of the fabric guide passage (11) and then back into the fabric storage tank (1), the fabric guide passage (11) comprising a fabric guide passage (11) having a flat width formed between a front end inlet of the fabric guide passage (11) and a wall, sufficiently to allow the fabric (2) to fully expand breadth-wise in moving through the fabric guide passage (11), a cross section of a bottom wall of the fabric guide passage (11) comprising a plurality of air direction nozzles (121) disposed at intervals in a moving direction of the fabric (2) so that the air direction nozzles (121) upstream are spaced from the air direction nozzles (121) downstream, at a given distance, each one of the air direction nozzles (121) having a reflex operation base plate (13) disposed downstream, the reflex operation base plates (13) of the air direction nozzles (121) being interconnected via the fabric guide passage (11) and a blower (16), for guiding a pressurized air flow into the air direction nozzles (121) for jetting, the pressurized air flow being able to move downstream along surfaces of the reflex operation base plates (13) and under the fabric (2) based on a interaction with the reflex operation base plates (13), a pressure difference between an upper side air flow and a lower side air flow of the fabric (2) in the fabric guide passage (11) creating a low pressure zone under the fabric (2), the lower side of the fabric (2) having a faster air flow than that of the opposite upper side of the fabric (2), causing a violent vibration on the fabric (2) moving along the fabric guide passage (11), an effect of the pressure difference between the upper side air flow and the lower side air flow of the fabric (2) in the fabric guide passage (11), along with the gravity, moving the fabric (2) toward and away from the bottom wall of the fabric guide passage (11) in a repeated manner, the fabric (2) being exposed to the pressurized air flow continuously to result in an efficient energy transfer there between to increase a moving speed of the fabric (2); dye spray nozzles (14) disposed on an upper side of the fabric guide passage (11) spraying a dye or a fluid onto the fabric (2) substantially across the breadth of the fabric (2) in an atomized form so as to enhance diffusion and penetration of the dye or the fluid into the fabric (2) to allow the fabric (2) to be treated by the dye or fluid in an efficient manner, a multi-apertured net board (19) being disposed on a wall of the fabric storage tank (1) to conduct the pressurized air flow through a outlet thereof to a dye return tube (151) so as to prevent the pressurized air flow being blocked or guided in a opposite direction when the pressurized air flow moving backwards, the dye or the fluid being separated from the pressurized air flow and guided through an outside of the multi-apertured net board (19) onto a lowermost part of the multi-apertured net board (19) and into the dye return tube (151).
The fabric treating apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising an adjustable air direction nozzle (121), including a movable blade (12101), a link bar (122), a driving rod (123) and a control unit, the movable blade (12101) having pivot pins (12102) fixed within the adjustable direction nozzle (121), a first end of the pivot pins (12102) of the movable blade (12101) extending and being fixed to a first end of the link bar (122), a second end of the link bar (122) being pivoted to the driving rod (123) which extends in a axial direction of the fabric guide passage (11), the movable blade (12101) being driven simultaneously by linking the movable blade (12101) to the link bar (122), the driving rod (123) having a first end coupled to the control unit, which drives the drive rod (123) to move axially to drive the movable blade (12101) to control a opening of the adjustable air direction nozzle (121) and to adjust a jet from the adjustable air direction nozzle (121).
The fabric treating apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a fabric disposal device (17) disposed in the fabric guide passage (11) towards a back end outlet (112) downstream of the fabric guide passage (11), the fabric disposal device (17) comprising a fabric disposal board, driving pivot pins disposed to an end of the fabric disposal board, a driving rod and a driving unit; the fabric disposal board being fixed to both sides of the fabric guide passage (11) by the driving pivot pins having an end extending outside of the fabric guide passage (11) and coupling to the driving unit for driving the fabric disposal board, the fabric guide board being able to move back and forth to allow the fabric (2) to first land on the fabric guide board and then drop, therefore the fabric (2) being able to move back and forth before dropping to the fabric storage tank (1).
The fabric treating apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a heat exchanger (154) connected to a dye return tube (151) disposed between a dye pump (15) and said dye spray nozzles (14) to form a first passage, and a filter connected to an air return tube (161) disposed between said blower (16) and said air direction nozzles (121) to form a second passage.