EP1340845B1 - Method of producing stufferbox crimped fine tow from synthetic filaments as well as its further processing into textile hygiene articles - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a process for the production of thin compression crimped cables made of LOY, POY or FOY filaments and their further processing into hygiene articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins, insoles, also panty liners, incontinence pads u. like.

The Stauchkräuselverfahren is mainly used in the production of staple fibers. To do this, first make as thick as possible cable by, for example, deducting several bundles of fibers from cans, combined to form a cable and together supplies a stuffer box, as for example in the EP 0 139 832 B1 is disclosed. The total thickness of the cables is up to 4,000,000 dtex.

In melt spinning processes which predominantly provide fibers for such stuffer box crimping processes and operate at spinning speeds of 500 m / min and higher, at a draw ratio of 1: 4, the drawn tow, at direct draw, will be at a speed of at least 2,000 m / min. Therefore, these cables can not usually be fed directly to the further processing stages, which often operate at a significantly slower speed; They are therefore stored temporarily in cans, for example. In addition, the strength of such cables is too high for some further processing purposes, in particular for the production of textile hygiene products.

For the above-mentioned processes stuffer box crimping devices are required, such as. B. in the EP 0 139 832 B1 and DE 34 40 975 A1 described.

Absorbent hygiene articles usually contain so-called "acquisition layer", which consists of fibrous nonwoven material, such as. As a carded nonwoven fabric. In the EP 0 937 791 A1 For example, a method is described where this absorbent fiber layer is formed from a thin continuous filament tow.

References to a Stauchkräuseln, on the total titers of the cables used there or on a method, such as the filament cable mentioned there is to be produced at all, can not be found in this European patent application.

Although a whole range of methods are known for curling fiber cables by means of a stuffer box crimping process, there is still a need for improved, more flexible methods with which it is possible in a simple manner to adapt to the requirements of downstream processes.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a method that works economically and simply, with which it is possible to selectively adjust the total titer of the crimped cable to the respective needs during further processing, which can be adjusted to the cable thicknesses, the immediate be required in a directly downstream processing process to which a further processing process can be connected on-line and leads to cables that are particularly suitable for the production of textile hygiene articles.

1. a) Aufspulen der einzelnen LOY-, POY- oder FOY-Filamentgarne jeweils für sich auf Spulen,
2. b) Abziehen der einzelnen Garne von auf einem Spulengatter aufgebrachten Spulen, wobei die Anzahl der Spulen und der Titer der einzelnen Filamente bzw. Garne auf den Gesamttiter des dünnen, gekräuselten Kabels abgestimmt sind,
3. c) Fachen der Filamentgarne,
4. d) Versehen der gefachten Filamentgarne mit einer Präparation,
5. e) Abziehen der gefachten, mit einer Präparation versehenen Filamentgarne mittels einer aus zwei Streckwerken (3, 4) bestehenden Streckvorrichtung, wobei in der Streckvorrichtung eine Verstreckung, Nachverstreckung und/oder Spannungsvergleichmäßigung durch geringen Anspannverzug und Vorwärmung vorgenommen wird,
6. f) anschließendes Erwärmen der Filamentgarne mittels einer Heizvorrichtung,
7. g) Stauchkräuseln des fixierten Filamentgarnkabels,

wobei die Stauchkräuselung mit einer Geschwindigkeit von 200 bis 1000 m/min, vorzugsweise 300 bis 800 m/min, durchgeführt wird.This object is achieved by a method for producing crimped cables from LOY, POY or FOY filaments, with a total titer of 2 to 9 ktex, comprising

1. a) Winding the individual LOY, POY or FOY filament yarns individually on spools,
2. b) stripping the individual yarns of spools applied to a creel, wherein the number of spools and the titer of the individual filaments or yarns are matched to the total denier of the thin, crimped cable,
3. c) sections of the filament yarns,
4. d) providing the folded filament yarns with a preparation,
5. e) stripping the plied filament yarns provided with a preparation by means of a stretching device consisting of two drafting units (3, 4), wherein in the stretching apparatus a stretching, re-stretching and / or voltage equalization is carried out by slight tensioning distortion and preheating,
6. f) subsequent heating of the filament yarns by means of a heating device,
7. g) Crimping the fixed filament yarn cable,

wherein the Stauchkräuselung at a rate of 200 to 1000 m / min, preferably 300 to 800 m / min, is performed.

Preferably, the upsetting crimping is performed at a speed of 300 to 500 m / min.

Particularly advantageous in the context of the invention are melt-spun polyester filaments.

Also very advantageous according to the invention are multi-component filaments, in particular bicomponent filaments.

In a particular embodiment of the method according to the invention, two or more types of filaments are used which have different properties.

Another object is the use of the above-described cable for the production of textile hygiene articles, in particular in an on-line method. The implementation of the method according to the invention can be carried out, for example, in the following manner.

The LOY, POY or FOY filament yarns used as starting material can be prepared by methods known per se. References to such processes can be found, for example, in the article by H. Treptow in Man-made Fibers / Textile Industry, June 1985, pages 411 and 412.

LOY yarns are low oriented yarns, POY yarns are partially oriented yarns, FOY is fully oriented yarn.

Incidentally, manufacturing methods for these filament yarns are known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the yarns are also commercially available.

After their production, these filament yarns are wound up individually on spools. The titer of these filament yarns is suitably within a range of 30 to 300 dtex. The titer of the individual filaments is preferably 1 to 16 dtex, in particular 3 to 10 dtex.

The number of coils used depends on the titer the compression crimped cable to be produced is to have. By simple calculation, it is possible to determine the required number of coils depending on the denier of the filament yarn. When calculating, take into account that the yarns may still be stretched.

The filament yarns are then stapled and then provided with a preparation. This preparation supports the cable termination (cohesion of the filaments inside the cable) and must be selected according to the intended use of the cable. For example, use in the hygienic field requires special preparations approved for it. The protective twist or the swirling of the filament yarns, which serve the cohesion of the yarns, should be as low as possible. It is only a flawless process to ensure the coils presented in the gate. After the fold, a homogeneous cable is to be created from the individual filament yarns. Too high a rotation or turbulence of the individual filament yarns would be a hindrance.

The plied and provided with a preparation filament yarns are then fed to a two drafting stretching device, wherein the first drafting system with temperatures between 30 ° C and 70 ° C and the second drafting system with godet temperatures between 100 ° C and 190 ° C is driven , In the case of LOY and POY yarns, drawing takes place here adapted to the desired yarn properties, the draw ratio decreasing with increasing preorientation of the yarns. In the case of FOY yarns, it is not absolutely necessary to stretch, so that only a comparison of the stress state is carried out within the stretching device by means of a slight tensioning delay (preferably between 1% and 2%).

The heating in the stretching device serves at the same time as a precursor to the main heating taking place subsequently in the heating device. Due to this main heating with approx. 100 ° C low pressure steam, the filaments are soft and flexible for the subsequent crimping process.

After leaving the heater, the cable is fed to a Stauchkräuselmaschine and there compressive crimping. It is expedient to perform the upsetting crimping at a speed of 300 to 800 m / min. It is advantageous to perform the upsetting crimping in such a way that about 3 to 5 sheets per cm filament arise. Especially suitable as filament yarns are polyester filament yarns, in particular yarns based on polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polytetramethylene terephthalate and the like. ä.

Also very suitable are multicomponent, in particular bicomponent filaments. The multicomponent yarns, especially the bicomponent yarns, may be core-sheath type or side-by-side bicomponent fibers.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the filament yarns used consist of filaments of different properties. Preferably, so-called hybrid filament yarns, i. Yarns, for example polyester yarns, in which filaments of polyesters with different melting points are present. However, for example, hybrid yarns made of filaments of different polymers, e.g. B. of polyethylene and polyester filaments used.

After leaving the crimping machine, the crimped cable can be placed on a conveyor belt and stored in boxes or bales and stored and then shipped.

Preferably, however, the crimped cables are directly forwarded, in particular on-line, to a further processing process. The cables are advantageously processed into sanitary articles with a textile structure, such as diapers, sanitary napkins, insoles, incontinence pads, etc.

The production of such hygiene articles is known per se. In this context, be on the EP 0 937 792 A1 referred, the disclosure of which should be included here.

The FIG. 1 serves to illustrate the invention.

In FIG. 1 the process of the invention is shown schematically. On a creel 1, a series of coils are mounted on which filament yarns are wound. The filament yarns are withdrawn from the bobbins on the creel, gefacht and provided in the device 2 with a preparation. The device 2 may be a bath through which the plied yarns are drawn, but it is also possible to use a spray box or corresponding rolls or preparation godets.

The filament yarn cable provided with a preparation is then fed to a stretching apparatus which consists of two drafting units 3 and 4. In the drafting device, the yarns are drawn, the drawing, which is carried out in particular for LOY and POY yarns, being adjusted to the desired properties, such as strength and elongation. In the drawing device can also take place a homogenization of the tension by a small tensioning distortion. After stretching or equalizing the cable, the cable is passed through a heater in which the filaments are heated to the temperature necessary for crimping. This heating can be done for example by steam but also by dry heat.

Subsequently, the cable is fed to a Stauchkräuselmaschine in which the cable is compressed, it is expedient to apply 3 to 5 sheets per cm.

The invention is explained in more detail by the following examples.

Example 1 and 2

• POY: 282f48
• FOY: 167f32

POY and FOY polyester filaments were used to make a fiber cable. The following filaments were used:

• POY: 282f48
• FOY: 167f32

Try POY

304 coils were attached to the number of corresponding bobbin wagons. The total number of filaments was collapsed via an inlet comb and pulled through a spin finish bath (typical fiber preparation components, 50 ° C) using rotating rollers. Between these rolls, whose temperature was 45 ° C and other rotating rolls whose temperature was 210 ° C, there was a draw with a draw ratio of 2.0. Subsequently, the entire drawn filament cable was fed and crimped through a steam box heated with low pressure steam (3 bar) to the stuffer box crimper having a roll width of 15 mm. The fiber cable thus produced was placed in a plastic container. The process speed was 120 m / min. Due to the set draft ratio of 2.0, this resulted in a discharge speed of 240 m / min. The total cable thickness of the manufactured cable was 4.3 ktex.

The following textile technological values were determined on the manufactured cable: Fineness / dtex: 3.1 Tear strength / cN / tex: 50 Elongation at break /%: 42 Thermal shrinkage (200 ° C) /%: 12 Ripple: Bg / cm: 4

Try FOY

The experiment with FOY was performed in comparison to POY with adjusted settings. The fundamental difference lies in a lower number of spools of 210, a non-performed drawing and a lower temperature of 112 ° C in the second rolls. The process speed was 170 m / min. set. The total cable thickness was 3.5 ktex.

The following textile technological values were determined on the manufactured cable: Fineness / dtex: 5.2 Tear strength / cN / tex: 44 Elongation at break /%: 42 Thermal shrinkage (200 ° C) /%: 9 Ripple: Bg / cm: 5

It was particularly surprising that it is possible by means of the invention to produce thin cables which can be fed directly to further processing after compression crimping. It is thus possible to connect the production of textile hygiene articles, such as diapers, sanitary napkins, inserts, incontinence pads, on-line directly to the compression crimping process.

The titers required for the further processing can be obtained in a simple manner by means of the method according to the invention.

The process is very flexible and is particularly suitable for companies that want to perform upsetting crimping and further processing in one operation. The method makes it possible to easily produce cables with different titers and to supply the total titers required for the respective further processing process.

Claims (8)

1. A method for the manufacture of crimped tows of LOY, POY or FOY filaments with a total titer of 2 to 9 ktex, comprising:

   a) individual winding of the individual LOY, POY or FOY filament yarns onto bobbins,

   b) withdrawal of the individual yarns from creeled bobbins, wherein the number of bobbins and the titer of the individual filaments and yarns correspond to the total titer of the crimped tow,

   c) folding of the filament yarns,

   d) provision of the folded filament yarns with a preparation,

   e) withdrawal of the folded filament yarns provided with a preparation by means of a drawing device comprising two pairs of draw rolls (3, 4), wherein in the drawing device drawing, after-drawing and/or tension normalisation are undertaken by means of low tension draft and preheating,

   f) subsequent heating of the filament yarns by means of a heating device,

   g) stuffer box crimping of the set filament yarn tow, wherein the stuffer box crimping is executed at a speed of 200 to 1000 m/min.
2. The method in accordance with Claim 1, characterised in that, the stuffer box crimping is executed at a speed of 300 to 800 m/min, preferably 300 to 500 m/min.
3. The method in accordance with Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, melt-spun polyester filaments are used.
4. The method in accordance with at least one of the Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that, multicomponent filaments, in particular bicomponent filaments, are used.
5. The method in accordance with at least one of the Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that, two or a plurality of types of filament, having different properties, are used.
6. The method in accordance with Claim 1, characterised in that, the total titer is 3 to 8 ktex.
7. Use of the crimped tows obtained by a method in accordance with at least one of the Claims 1 to 6, for the manufacture of textile hygiene articles.
8. Use in accordance with Claim 7 for the on-line manufacture of textile hygiene articles.

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