HUE026186T2 - Needling device - Google Patents

Description

The .in-vent.ion relates to a. needle device as described in the pee arable of indepe event claim 1, Tie invention further relates to a use of such a needle device and a method for sanxuf aotur -inn such a needle device.

In the processing of a planar structure that is referred to as "fibrilist tordh a stretched band of synthetic file, made from polypropylene for example, is split by aligning· the molecule chains or polymer threads in parallel longitudinal strips. Previously, fibrillation has been performed using a needle red. 1er equipped with radially protruding: needles that have a substantially round cross section. The synthetic band is stretched and passed over the rotating needle roller,, so that the needles gently prick the band and cause the splitting. However, such needle rollers with round needles do not work weil,· or fail entirely, with more elastic synthetic materials that contain more polyethylene and fewer parallel chains, for example, as the needles tend to tear the synthetic band because the elastic material does not have splitting properties. In this context, it is intended to improve a needle device of such kind having round needles in such a manner that it may also be used to fibrillate more elastic synthetic materials, Ά needle device of the generic type, comprising a rotatable roller she circumference of which is fitted with triangular blades, each having one cutting edge and the tips of which protrude from the roller, is Known from CM 2 889 653 1, The blades axe mounted in dovetail grooves in the roller by means of connecting elements. One disadvantage of this needle device is that mounting and replacing the individual blades In the grooves in the roller is very labonr-intensive.

The object underlying the present invention is therefore to provide a needle device of the type described in the introduction, the needle elements of which may be mounted simply and worn needle elements can be replaced simply and quickly.

This object of the present invent loo is soived noth the needle device according to the in vent r on defined in independent claim

The essence of the invention consists in the following: h needle device comprises a needle bed, on which a plurality of needle elements provided with t ips are arranged in each a can -net that the needle elements protrude from the needle bed and the tips thereof point away from the needle bed. The needle elements are designed as flat blades each of which, having at least one: cutting edge so:sending from the tip of the needle element toward the needle bed, .according to the invention, the needle elements are inserted in bar-like needle carriers, which are in turn fastened en or in the needle bed.

Mounting the needle elements in the needle bed is simplified by fastening the needle elements to dedicated needle carriers. Worn needle elements can also be replaced easily. The configuration of the needle elements as fiat, planar blades with one cutting edge is particularly advantageous for fibrillating applications of the needle device. With such needle: elements it is also possible to fibrillate films made from plastics that are less parallelised end thus more elastic. according to a preferred embodiment, the portions of the needle elements protruding from the needle bed each have a substantially triangular shape with a base edge located opposite the tip and two side edges extending from the base edge to the tip, wherein at least one of the side edges, and preferably both, is/are designed as a cutting· edge, The substantially triangular shape of the needle elements has proven to be particularly advantageous and usable in a wide range of different apc1io a 11οns of the need1* device.

Advantageously, each of the two side edges is designed as a cutting edge. This makes it possible to use both sides of the need!e elements.

The needle elements ate advantageously equipped with two leg-shaped mounting menders extending away from the base edge for fastening to the needle bed or the needle carrier» These mounting nembe re represent a simple design whereby the needle elements can fee fastened effectively and the alignment thereof assured» sctoreing to a further advantageous enbobinent » the needle carriers cooptise mounting openings, in which the leg-shaped nount ing members of the needle elements engage» This engagement of the 1.eg-shaped mounting members in the mounting openings ensures that the neeole elements are fastened in the needle carrier easily and securely»

In this context, the needle elements are advantageously supper red with their base edges on the needle carriers» This provides good support and stability for the needle elements»

The needle elements ere advantageously glued into the bar"lise needle carriers by their leg-shaped mounting members» This is a pariién 1eriy expedient and relatively uncomplicated fastening method»

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the cross-sections of the bar-life needle carriers have a substantially dovetail shape, and each comprises tue side parts that are preferably inclined toward one another and a bridge part connecting said aide parts » The dovetail configurât ion enables the needle carriers to be mounted on the needle roller in a particularly simple manner» For this purpose, the needle carriers' are preferably .inserted detachably in grooves in the needle bed»

The mounting openings are advantageously each arranged in the bridge portion of the needle carrier®, wherein the leg-shaped moanling members of the needle elements pass through the mourn, ing openings and extend into a hollow space formed in the needle carriers by the side parts and the bridge part of the needle carriers, and wherein the hollow space is filled with an adhesive at least, in the area of the arrant Ing members, This method of fastening the needie elements is particularly simple ana efficient and may be carried out together for ail needle elements to be fastened to each needle carrier for example by filling the toil go space along the entire length of the needle carrier with adhesave, Finally, the mounting openings may be produced relatively simply since they may be normal drill holes .. according: to a preferred embodiment, the nceole el erase ts are orientated on the ,:00010 carriers in such a manner that the fiat sides or central planes thereof are at an angle from 0:: -:)0% particularly to a normal plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the needle carriers, lee orientation at an angle of Ob or close to 0“ is particularly suitable for fibriHating· applications of the needle device. For simple perforation applications, on the ether hand, the needle ele-" ments are orientated at an angle of 00or almost 90“, According to a particularly practical embodiment, the needle bed of the needle device according to the invention is designed as a needle roller. ä preferred use of the needle device according to the invention is fibrillation-, particular iy of band-like planar structures, more particularly plastic strips of polyethylene or polypropylene for example .

In a particularly advantageous method for manufacturing the needle device according to the invention, the needle elements are fabricated out of a fiat blade having at least one cutting edge, for example by punching ox cutting, particularly sith the aid of a laser, in such a manner that the cutting edges of the needle elements are each formed by a portion of the catting edge of the blaue..

In the ίο I low inn, the invention nil! be described in greater detail with reference to the aocompany!no draw.Lego and based os various, eoood ; cents: thereof.. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 "Isa side view of a needle device according to the invention with a needle bed configured as a needle roller ,,

Fig, 2 -- Is an enlarged view of detail 11 in Fig, 1,

Fig, 3 -'- is a frontal view of the needle rosier along line HI·" 111 in Fig, 1,

Fig. 4 - is a frontal view sired a r to fig. 3.. bet without the needle oartier, fig. 5 -" is a; side view of a first variant of a needle ele- iront;

Fig, 6 "is a detail cross-section along line v!-VI in Fig, 5,

Fig. Ί "-is a. cross-section through a needle carrier with needle elements along line VTl-VIl in fig, 8,.

Fig, 8 "- .is a side view of a section of a needle carrier with needle elements,·

Fig, 9 - is a top view (plan, viewj of the section of the needle carrier with needle elements of Fig. 8,

Fig, Id - is a plan view of a section of the needle carrier with the needle elements in an alternative orientation.

Fig, 11 -is a hide view of a second variant of a needle olemon t.

Fig, 12 - is a detail section along line XXί-XI1 in Fig, i1, and

Fig. 13 - :: s a: sketch espial nine how needle elements are pro duced.

The following applies with regard to the roll seing description: If reference sisee are used in a figure in order to clarify the .illustration, Put not cited in the descriptive section associated directly therewith, reference is cade to the explanation therefore in the previous or the following descriptive sections. Conversely, and in order to avoid rocking the drawings too complicated and hinder inrneoiate under a ·: a coing, reference signs that are of less direct significance do not appear in all figures. Tor this purpose,, reference is made to the respective other figures.

In the endedinont described below, the needle device according to the invention is equipped with a needle bed configured as a needle roller. However* the needle device according to the invention night also he equipped with a needle bed designed as a flat or curved plate end not as a needle roller, .111 of the variations described in the following relating to a needle roller can be applied similarly to a needle bed in the form of a plate.

The needle device shown in the drawing essentially consists of a needle bed in the form of a needle roi1er, designated as a whole by if ( the. 1) . à plurality of needle elements 10 trigs, 2 and 3).., each provided with a tip 11, is arranged on circumference 1 of needle rotier b in such a manner that the needle elements 10 protrude from the needle roller w and the tips 11 thereof point radially sway from the roller circumference 1 and ideally have the same (radial.) distance (height) from the circumference. (Fig. 3) . The needle elements Xu ate fastened on or in bar-like needle carriers 20 which are In turn mounted on or in the circumference 1 of the needle roller M, as may be seen most clearly in Fig, 3,

The needle roller W is provided at its c i roomrerance 1 with a plurality of longitudinal grooves 3 that are parallel to roller axis 2 and to surface lines of the needle roller and entend over practically the entire length of the toller, and which essentially heve an approximately trapezoidal cross section that flares .inwardly (Fig. 4), The needle carriers 20 are designed as profiled barn that extend substantially over the entire length of the roller with an app: ox irrste! y dovetail™ shaped cross·"section., the outer contour of which is substantially complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the longitudinal grooves 3,. The needle carriers 20 are inserted lengthwise {longitudinal direction S, Fig. 2) in the longitu™ dînai grooves 3 and secured against axial displacement by fastening means which are not shown. If rue: es ear y, the needle carriers 20 cay easily be recover from needle roller W and replaced or exchanged, he Sidle rollers with needle elements arranged on needle carriers are known per se, so to this extent the needle device according to the invention requires no further explanation for a person skilled in the art. The present invention is primarily concerned with the design of the needle elements 10 and the fastening or mounting thereof on the needle carriers 20. The following description will deal with these aspects of the invent ion in detail.

According to a first essentiel aspect of the invention, the needle elements 10 are designed as flat, planar blades having a cutting edge that extends fron. the tip 11. In this content, the tore flat is understood, to mean that the cross sections of the needle elements have a clearly elongated shape, that is to say the cross section thereof is. substantiell y greater in one dimension than in a dimension perpendi.cular thereto. The needle elements 10 are preferably formed by a flat plate made of steel fox example, and therefore have a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape {apart from the butt ing edge; , It has been found that needle elements equipped with cutting edges are considerably more suitable than conventional round needles for fibril lacing: softer plastic films with a higher content of polyethylene, particularly due to the greater précision that is achievable thereto th.

Figures 5 and 6 shoo & typical, preferred form of a needle element i0. It stay he seen that the upper part, of needle element 10 is ist the shape of an equilateral triangle. The length of the sides or edges is typically about 3, S mm, The needle element 10 comprises a base edge 12 opposite tip 11 thereof and too side edges 13 and 14 which converge frort base edge 12 to tip 11. doer; the needle el erects are scented, base edge 12 is aligned perpendicularly to the radial direction and tangentially to the circumference of the needle roller. The needle element 10 is in the form of a thin steel plate of substantially constant thi.chn.ess (for example about 0.3 mm.}. Only a narrow border portion lie is chamfered (for example by appropriate grinding} toward side edge 14 (Fig. 6), so that the side edge 14 forms a (relatively sharp) cutting edge. The cutting angle Is denoted with a in Fig. 6. The cutting edge extends from tip 1.1 of needle element 10 as far as base edge 12, which is substantially flush with needle carrier 20 when the needle element 10 is installed (Fig, Ί),

Optionally, a second edge region 13a may also be provided with a cross section that tapers toward the side edge 13, so that the other s4.de edge 13 also forms a cutting edge. The two cutting edges may have the same ox: different cutting, angles. The advantages of needle elements with two cutting· edges extending away from tip 11 will be discussed below.

The steel, needle elements 10 may also he provided with coat -legs that reduce wear and thus prolong service life. It Is also possible to manufaetare the needle elements 10 or at least the cutting edges thereof from sintered or ceramic material.

Another essential aspect of the invention relates to the fastening of the needle elements 10 to the needle carriers 20,

For this purpose, the needle elements 10 are provided with mounting membero in the farm of two bar-like legs 15, white5 entend in the plane of the triangular portion of the needle el omenta substantially perpendicularly away from the: hase edge 12 of needle elements 1(5. Pith these mounting· members or legs 15, the needle elements 10 are attached to the needle carriers 20:, fig, 7 shone this in detail.

The needle carriers 20 are constructed as elongated, profiled bars and each comprises toe side parts 21 and 22 connected by a bridge part 23, The two side parts 21 and 22 extend diagonally outward from the bridge part 23, thus creating the preciously mentioned dovetail profile of the needle carriers 20, Between them, the two side parts 21 and 22 and the bridge part 23 form a hollow space 25,. The bridge part 23 is fully perforated by two mounting holes 24, The needle elements 10 are seated with the base edge 12 thereof oh the bridge part 23 and the mounting members or legs IS of the needle elements TO extend through the mounting holes 24 into the holloa space 25, The hollow space 25 is almost completely (but at least in the area of legs 157 filled with an adhesive 26 that surrounds the legs 15 of the needle elements 10 and thus fixes the needle elements 10 permanently and securely on the needle carrier 26, The adhesive 26 may be for example a thermosetting epoxy ream based adhesive. As the needle elements 10 are positioned with the base edge 12 thereof in the needle carrier :20, a particularly stable fastening and support of the needle elements 10 is achieved. Since the leg-shaped mounting members 15 pass through the bridge part 23 of the needle carrier 26 and into the hollow space 25 thereof, bonding is particularly easily effected and: may be carried: out on each needle carrier for example for all of the needle elements 10 to be fastened thereto by f illing the hoi low space 25 with adhesive 26 along the entire length of the needle carrier. Finally, the mounting openings 24 may be produced relatively easily, since that can be created as normal drill holes, wherein the inside diameter thereof corresponds su bet ant 1 ally to the width of the ieg-shaped counting members .15»

Figures 2, 7, B and a illustrate the arrangement of the needle elements 1.0 on the needle carriers 20. In the embodiment, of needle roller W and needle carriers 20 illustrated in these figures, the needle elements. 10 are orientated with respect to the needle roller W such that the centre planes 16 thereof (relative to the thickness of the needle elements) , that is to say the t r.d angular surfaces, are aligned parallel to a normal plane 1 on axis: 2 of the needle roller d, Relative to the needle carriers 20, the needle elements 10 are orientated such that that the centre planen 16 thereof are aligned perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction: 5 of the needle carriers 20. This orientation is particularly suitable for fieri 1 fating applications of the needle device according to the invention. Fig, TO shows another embodiment of a needle carrier 20, in which the needle elements 10 are orientated such that the centre planes 16 thereof are at an angle e > Cf relative to said normal plane 4 to the needle roller axis and at a complementary angle 90* - o to the longitudinal direction 5 of the needle carriers 20. In extreme cases, it is possible for angle o - 90* so that the flat sides of the needle elements 10 are aligned with the longitudinal direction of the needle roller. This orientation of the needle elements 10 is particularly suitable for perforation applications of the needle device according to the invention. The device can be optimised for the respective purpose by appropriate choice of angle a,

Then the device is in practical use, the needle elements 10 and particularly the tips 11 and the edges 14 thereof are subject to wear. When the needle element s 10 are mounted in the needle carriers 20, worn needle elements 10 (even individual components $ can be replaced red. at ivei y easily by replacing all or even single needle carriers 20 specifically. If the needle elements 10 mounted in the needle carriers 20 axe each equipped with two cutting edges, it is also possible to recess the needle carriers 20 from the needle roller and rotate them through 3,30° tor reinserting them, so that the needle elements 10 are shifted through laid from their original -orientâtion, and unused cutting edges are thus rotated into position for use. The service life of the needle elements lu is doubled in this manner, If the too edge areas 13a and 14a are ground dif-feront!y (ditferont cutting angles o) , the cutting edges 13 and 14 will hate different snore or less aggressive) cutting behaviours. The cutting performance may fhue be adapted to the material quality of the article to foe processed by inserting the support needles 20 in the needle roller d in one or the other direct.ton*

In principle, the needle elements 10 can be produced by stamping or cutting out of a thin metal sheet, therein the cutting edges 14 or 13 and 1i are formed by appropriate grinding. According to a further assent1ai aspect of the invent icon grinding may foe omitted if a thin metal sheet that already has a cutting edge is used as the starting material. This is sheen clearly in Fig. 13, here, the starting material is an industrial blade 30, tor example similar to a commercially available: rarer blade, of suitable dimensions, which is provided with two cutting edges 31, A plurality of needle elements 10 are then fabricated from this industrial blade 30 by punching or laser cutting, wherein the needle elements 10 to be fabricated are oriented on the Industrial blade in such a way that the cutting edges 31 of the industrial blade 30 or respective parts thereof form one of the cutting edges of the needle elements 1 0 ,

Figures 11 aha 12 show a modification of a needle element. Unitbe the needle element 10 of figures 0 and 6, the top of the needle: element designated here as needle element 3.10 is in the form of a scalene triangle. Again, tip ill Is opposite a base edge 112 and two side edges 113 and 114 converge from: the base edge to the tip ill, The side edge 114 is again formed as a cutting edge by a constantly tapered edge area 114a, wherein the cutting angle d is represented purely for exemplary purposes as slightly more obtuse than in the needle element 10 of Figs, 5 and 6» In this variant too, two substantially harsh aped menders or legs 115 extend away from the base edge ill. Different cutting characteristics may be achieved by varying the triangular shape or the angle geometry thereof. This embodiment of the needle element may also be provided with two cutting edges, and similar advantages to those offered by the embodiment of Figs 0 and 6 may be obtained. The needle elements lie may also be orientated at any angle between 0” and $u;' relative to the: long it mi inai direction of the needle carrier,

Claims (7)

Free-spirits. 1., a needle-mounted appliance is a firewall (d? Nranor, with a tip. Or; ill; equipped with a needle (10; · 110} so that the stone elements (10; Ilo from the plant (night away) with an acute tip (Ialai Ili) protruding from the needle hole · b ?, and as the blade of the stone elements (10; 110} at least one of the tip element 111; 111} on the blade (W? 11 "? Are designed and slat-like, in the case of a needle case (20? Mounted in the needle bed (W), and each of the needle elements (10; 110), from the bin (b?)). is substantially triangular in shape, characterized by & ZZ & 1, the stone elements (10; 110? from the needle (W? 112? And its two edges from the base to the mountain (12; 14; 113; 114) vary where at least one of the lateral edges (la; 114? do they (shoot; see two small foot-like mechanics (IS; US? are the needle cones (20?)? for recording, The pump-mounted device of claim 1, wherein said female is formed as a cutter on its sides (13 · ;; 14; 113; 114). there are mounting openings (24?) in the staples (20, in which small foot-like assembly elements (15; 115? 4, the aral characteristics of a needle-mounted device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the base edges (12; 112) of the needle elements (10; 11) lie on the base of the stem (20?, 5, A3, or 4). The device according to claim 1, wherein the needle (10; 11Ö) is a small puppet-like assembly eee (15; 115) adhered to the lumen-like overload (20). The device sterilized with needles according to any one of claims 3:, - 5, wherein the bar sticks (20; two, preferably one-sided, side portions (21; 22) and the etiquette (h) and (23)) , where the stets 1.6 (23) are always located in the nozzle portion (23) of the retractors (20) such that the tneet (10; 110; small foot-like assembly elements (15? 115) extend through the mounting arrows (ti)) and extending into the old part (25) of the hydraulics (23) of the joint members (21; 22) and the thrusters (20), and the cavity (25) is at least the assembly elements. (15; 115) filled with adhesive mass (26), A device with needles according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that (the slats-like needle holders. (20) are grooves in the grooves (3) of the mandrel (W), 8, 1.-7. A device with needles according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the needles (10; 110) are guided on the needles (20), the sides of the tip of the needle, or the hinges (16) are 0: 'to 90 °, particularly 00v stégber ·; ed is one of the main beams; 2) of the direction of a brosst (5) rmsages of ne. 9, with the aforesaid items., With any needles, with a needle, this means that the tongue is formed as a joint (¥), lo. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims is an alraimazasa for the fibrillation of a particularly ribbon-shaped surface, in particular polyethylene or polypropylene plastic tape. 11, Process Claims ·. to produce a mirror-mounted device - a a a a 1 j and 11 aras a vae of juice. (103 so that one or at least one cutting blade (31) of the cutting thread is ordered from the flat blade (30)) - the thimbles (10; each cut target year. (Li; the blade (30) can be cut (31? .: ..