EP1818450B1 - Curtain-coater - Google Patents

Abstract

The curtain coater comprises several structural groups (I, II, III, IV)such as applicator head (1), start chute (9), collecting trough (6) of which at least one forms a displacement unit mounted on a linear guide (10, 12) so that it can move horizontally along the machine from an operating position into a service position and back again so that access is provided for service personnel (P) between the individual structural groups. The linear guides can each consist of two parallel guide rails and four guide carriages with rolling bodies. The linear guide could be a pneumatic bearing.

Description

The invention relates to a curtain application device for applying a liquid to pasty application medium, such as coating color, on a running paper, cardboard or other fibrous web in machines for producing or finishing the fibrous web, the curtain applicator of several assemblies, such as curtain Application nozzle, start gutter, drip pan, air boundary layer control device, wherein at least one of the modules (I, II, III, IV) forms a displacement unit.

To coat a running paper, board or other fibrous web curtain curtain applicator, so-called curtain coaters are to be increasingly used. With these modern devices, it is namely possible to apply contour lines on the surface of the fibrous web such that only the amount that should remain on the fibrous web is also applied. When applied, no components of the applicator touch the sensitive web, which is also an advantage of the device. With the curtain applicator, which in particular the o.g. Having components, the medium to be applied in the form of a free-falling curtain, which falls from the assembly application nozzle, delivered to the fibrous web. This assembly and the assembly air boundary layer control device, starting chute and possibly a suction roller leading the web (in case of coming from above web guide) are arranged above the fibrous web, while assemblies such as gutter and Bahnleitelemente are arranged below. All modules or parts of the modules are, so to speak, machine-width (ie at least as wide as a sheet) and can therefore reach widths of 10 m and more, which in turn is associated with correspondingly high weights.

A need for service purposes (e.g., for repairs and cleaning) accessibility between the individual components is currently not satisfactory.

In this context, on the DE 203 20514 U1 In this publication, an adjustment of the applicator or its dispensing part between a collection position and an order position during the coating operation is disclosed.

The pivotal movements of the individual assemblies, such as blade bars or free-jet nozzles, known from the conventional coating apparatuses, such as blade coater, free-jet applicators, etc., for providing free access points for service personnel is impractical with curtain coaters. This results from the fact that the assemblies present here would influence each other in known pivoting movements, because here also above the fibrous web assemblies of the same device are available.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a curtain application device in which the individual components of the device are easily and quickly accessible.

According to the invention the object is achieved in that at least one of the modules is arranged on a linear guide and in the machine longitudinal direction from an operating position to a service position and back is displaced so that arises between individual desired assemblies walk-in space for service personnel.

This creates a good accessibility to the respective components of the modules.
The service or operating personnel can therefore perform maintenance work, removal of, for example, scraps of paper after a demolition, replacement of components, positioning of the assemblies relative to one another, and other cleaning operations simply, quickly and safely.

An advantage is to be considered that the order medium cycle - if the curtain application nozzle is not itself the subject of cleaning or other maintenance - does not have to be interrupted.

In order to maintain the "color cycle" to prevent drying and clogging of the application nozzle, it is only necessary to move the curtain application nozzle and start gutter simultaneously and in the same direction.

An advantageous embodiment of the device may consist in that each module or each displacement unit has its own linear guide.
Under displacement unit so every component of the relevant assembly to understand, which is moved in the translational movement with.

In certain cases, it may be useful if multiple modules or displacement units are arranged on a common linear guide. The manufacturing and assembly costs of the device is thereby relatively low. In addition, so that a desired space requirements can be created very easily and quickly. As an example of this, the support body for the web guiding element, the gutter and the starting gutter called.

Alternately, it is possible that individual assemblies are arranged in the pivoting or fixed manner instead of the arrangement on the linear guide. Thus, it is particularly useful in this context to arrange the above the fibrous web air boundary layer control device pivotally, but the support body for the web guiding element, for example, a blowing or suction roll (referred to by the applicant as the so-called TopTurn and sold) is fixed to arrange on the machine floor.

In this context, it should be mentioned that the curtain nozzle should always be displaceable. As a result, it can always remain in the same vertical active position, so that better casting effects, ie effects for the stable formation of the curtain during dispensing of the application medium, result than would be the case with the nozzle swiveled. It has been found that not every angle between the delivered curtain and the outlet nozzle is optimal. With a vertically directed vertical curtain can be generated without any backflow effects.

In addition, it may be very useful if at least one of the displacement units has at least one displaceable subassembly, which in turn is arranged on a linear guide and this linear guide is connected to the displacement unit. The purpose of this embodiment is to make the subassembly movable separately from the parent assembly. An example of this is the curtain application nozzle. The entire nozzle can be hung on a linear guide and can thus be brought or pushed into the desired position. The nozzle is usually made of two half-shells for various reasons (easier production, better cleaning ability). The half shells or nozzle halves are suspended on separate linear guides on the application head and can also be moved in addition to the possible displacement of the application head or the overall nozzle. By pushing together the application nozzle is formed and by pushing apart can be achieved again single halves, which can be cleaned better. These subassemblies i. the here mentioned, for example, by shifting separable half-shells are therefore particularly well accessible. This is the case with every adjustable overall displacement position.

In the context of the invention, it is proposed to manufacture the linear guide from two mutually parallel guide rails and four guide carriage with rolling elements. Such a linear guide is maintenance-free. In addition, the linear guide according to the invention allows a manual displacement, despite the high weight of often over 10m wide components or assemblies.

In addition, the linear guide can be designed both as a hydrostatic bearing and as an air bearing.

The modules or the displacement units can be fixed in their operating positions and their shifted end ie service positions for functional and safety reasons.

In addition, the assemblies or displacement units can be moved manually as described above, but also by motor.

Incidentally, it should be noted that a shift of the modules or displacement units takes place when no order takes place on the fibrous web.

The device according to the invention has the advantage that between the individual assemblies or displacement units a sufficiently good accessibility is ensured with the smallest space for the applicator. The fact that all movements, in particular shifts are performed in the same plane, only the space of a single passage is necessary to ensure accessibility to each individual displacement unit. The sliding units only have to be pushed apart so far that the desired access becomes free.
If more space is required, all gaps can be made accessible. In any case, one achieves only a small risk potential.
Due to the selected linear guides a slight actuation is possible. End positions of the modules or individual components are arbitrary and then fixed. When intentional falling web guide fine adjustments of the web inclination are also possible for the first time due to the good accessibility of components.

Reference to an embodiment, the invention will be explained in more detail.

The FIGS. 1 to 5 show a schematic representation of one and the same invention curtain coating device with different set positions of the individual modules to each other

In the FIG. 1 is a curtain-applicator in the operating position of the modules and shown retracted to be coated fibrous web, by means of which the structure of the device is to be explained.

In the other figures, in principle the same components or assemblies are present, but should only be described insofar as changes compared to the other figures are available.

The curtain applicator, which may also be referred to as a curtain applicator or curtain coater, is shown in side view, i. from the driver or the drive side, with a view to the transverse position of a manufacturing or refining or coating machine shown.

The curtain applicator consists of several modules. In essence, these are assemblies I to IV, assembly I representing a curtain application head 1 with an application nozzle 2 and a curtain 3 dispensed from this application nozzle on application medium M.
The assembly II is a Luftgrenzschicht- fighting device 4, which sucks, for example, the entrained with the high-speed fibrous web B air boundary layer and thereby keeps them away from the job site O represent.
The assembly III consists of a support body 5 for an existing drip tray 6 for collecting the application medium M and the curtain 3, if no fibrous web is retracted, the application nozzle 2 but still dispenses application medium. The support body 5 also serves as a support for a Bahnleitelement 7, for example, a so-called TopTurn, which feeds the fibrous web B to the job site O.
The assembly IV also consists of a supporting body 8 for a so-called starting gutter 9. This starting gutter 9 is at the same time a gutter for catching the already or still ongoing curtain at the beginning and the completion of the order process.

The application nozzle 2 is made of two half-shells 2.1 and 2.2 and thus represents, so to speak, a subassembly V.

The individual assemblies I, II, III, IV, V form displacement units, i. the components belonging to an assembly are moved together. This is done by the respective modules or displacement units are arranged on commercially available either equipped with rolling or working on hydrostatic or air bearing linear guides. The arrangement is such that linear guides 10, on which the respective assemblies III and IV rest and slide, are mounted below the fibrous web B on the machine base 11. In addition, linear guides 12 are present, where the assemblies I and II are suspended and slide. These linear guides 12 are therefore located above the fibrous web B and are attached to longitudinal beams 13 of the machine.

The said assemblies or displacement units I to V can be characterized in a simple manner in the machine longitudinal direction MD horizontally from the in FIG. 1 shown operating position in various service positions, such as in FIGS. 2 to 5 is shown, and back to in FIG. 1 move shown operating position.
This is done in such a way that between the said individual assemblies I to IV, a space or passageway accessible to service personnel P or, in the case of assembly V for cleaning or maintenance or the like of the half-shells 2.1 and 2.2, the necessary free space is available. For the displacement of these components 2.1 and 2.2 further linear guides 14 are mounted on the assembly I and the curtain application head 1.

In the examples of FIGS. 1 to 5 moreover, it can be seen that a plurality of assemblies, ie assemblies III and IV are arranged on a common linear guide, namely linear guide 10, whereas the assemblies I and II are arranged on the common linear guide 12.

The linear guides 10, 12 and 14 each consist of two parallel to each other and in the machine direction MD extending guide rails 15, on which or to the movability of the modules I to V four guide carriage 16 slide or roll over rolling elements, not shown.

By the way, one recognizes from the representation in FIG. 1 in that, in the operating state of the device, all assemblies I to V are pushed close to one another and are formed, set and fixed without passages.

In FIG. 2 On the other hand, it is shown how an access or passage for the service personnel P is created for remaining in place air boundary layer control device 4 of the assembly II. One recognizes here still an existing, arranged in a stationary position web guide roll 17, which feeds the fibrous web B from the top of the job site O in the operating position. However, the assembly I were moved to the right, as well as the assemblies II and IV also to the right and in such a way that all the application nozzle 2 is exactly above the drip pan 6 and optionally trailing application medium M can catch without polluting the machine.

FIG. 3 shows a created for the service personnel P access to the gun 1. Here are compared to the in FIG. 1 shown position, the modules II, III and IV remained unchanged. Only the assembly I was moved including its application head 1 to the right and also pushed the subassembly V with their half shells 2.1 and 2.2 of the application nozzle 2 apart. In this case, the displacement was carried out so that the opened application nozzle is located exactly above the starting channel 9, whereby cleaning medium can be collected.

In FIG. 4 a created access to Bahnleitelement 7 is shown. For this purpose, the assembly III is moved below the assembly II to the left. In addition, the assembly IV is shifted to the right so that the passage becomes sufficiently large for the service personnel P. The assembly I, so the application head 1 is located still in its operating position, but could also be moved to the desired extent.

Finally, the shows FIG. 5 the creation of more than a gap. Here, as an example, all modules are pushed apart, so that the staff P well-negotiable open spaces are available for service purposes, which also occupational safety is increased. Several people can work here at the same time, which means that the shutdown of the machine, or better the order process, takes a much shorter time than before.
Additionally and representative of the possibility in the other figures is shown that the air boundary layer control device 4, ie assembly II instead of sliding on a linear guide 11, may also be pivotally supported about a pivot point 16. Also clearly here are the opened application nozzle 2 or the half shells 2.1 and 2.2 pushed apart on the linear guide 12, which again is located above the starting channel for collecting cleaning medium or paint residues.

The displacement of the individual modules on or on the linear guides 10, 12, 14 can preferably be done electrically saving energy even with large machine widths of about 10 m and more manually, but of course also possible by motor means. The linear guides allow this because they overcome friction, but not the entire weight of the assemblies, as in pivoting movements.

It should be added that a shift of the modules or displacement units takes place outside of the coating operation, that is, if no order takes place on the fibrous web.

The arrangements also allow a circulation of application medium to be maintained in the service position of the individual assemblies I to V, ie during a maintenance or cleaning operation. This prevents drying and deposits on all medium-carrying components.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

I

module

1

Curtain applicator head

2

applicator

3

curtain

II

module

4

Air boundary layer-fighting equipment

III

module

5

supporting body

6

drip tray

7

web guide element

IV

module

8th

supporting body

9

start channel

V

subassembly

2.1, 2.2

half shell

10

linear guide

11

machine base

12

linear guide

13

longitudinal beams

14

linear guide

15

guide rail

16

carriages

17

web guide

18

pivot point

B

Fibrous web

M

application medium

O

job location

MD

Machine direction

P

service personnel

Claims (10)

1. Curtain coater for applying a liquid to pasty application medium (M), for example coating colour, to a moving paper, board or other fibrous web (B) in machines for producing or finishing the fibrous web (B), the curtain coater comprising a plurality of structural groups (I, II, III, IV), such as a curtain applicator head (1), starting chute (9), collecting trough (6), air boundary layer countering device (4), at least one of the structural groups (I, II, III, IV) forming a displacement unit,
   characterized in that
   at least one of the structural groups (I, II, III, IV) is arranged on a linear guide (10, 12) and can be displaced horizontally in the machine longitudinal direction (MD) from an operating position into a service position and back again in such a way that an interspace that can be entered by service personnel (P) is produced between individual selectable structural groups (I, II, III, IV).
2. Coater according to Claim 1, characterized in that each structural group (I, II, III, IV) or displacement unit has an individual linear guide (10, 12).
3. Coater according to Claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of structural groups (I, II, III, IV) or displacement units are arranged on a common linear guide (10, 12).
4. Coater according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, instead of the arrangement on the linear guide (10, 12), at least one structural group (I, II, III, IV) is arranged such that it can be pivoted or else is stationary.
5. Coater according to Claim 1, characterized in that one structural group (I) or displacement unit has at least one displaceable subassembly (V, 2.1, 2.2) which is in turn arranged on a linear guide (14), and this linear guide (14) is connected to the relevant structural group (I).
6. Coater according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the linear guide (10, 12, 14) in each case comprises two guide rails (15) arranged parallel to each other and four guide carriages (16) having rolling elements.
7. Coater according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the linear guide (10, 12, 14) is implemented as a hydrostatic bearing.
8. Coater according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the linear guide (10, 12, 14) is implemented as an air bearing.
9. Coater according to one of Claims 5 to 8, characterized in that at least one structural group (I, II, III, IV, V) or the displacement unit and the subassembly can be fixed in their operating position and their displaced end or service position.
10. Coater according to one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized in that at least one structural group (I, II, III, IV, V) or subassembly can be displaced manually or by a motor.

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