ITFI20130143A1 - "DRYING OVEN FOR THE TREATMENT OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND THE OPERATING METHOD OF SUCH OVEN" - Google Patents

Description

â € œDYING OVEN FOR THE TREATMENT OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND METHOD OF OPERATION OF SAID OVENâ €

DESCRIPTION

Technical field

The present invention relates to the field of fabric production and treatment machinery, and more particularly it relates to a drying oven equipped with a hot air ejection structure to eliminate or reduce the humidity of textile products, such as fabrics, non-woven fabrics, fibers and "staple" products. The present invention also relates to an operating method of said oven.

State of the art

As is known, during the production or treatment of textile products, there is often the need to eliminate or reduce the residual humidity on the product due to previous operating phases.

To do this, drying ovens are used which mostly include a drying tunnel inside which a fabric support and handling system is passed, such as a conveyor belt or a conveyor equipped with lateral gripping devices for the flaps of fabric, for example a chain conveyor equipped with needles, for example of the â € œramosaâ € type. The distance of these devices is adjustable in order to adapt the oven to fabrics of different heights (by height we mean the dimension of the fabric in the tunnel in the transverse direction).

A hot air supply system is associated with the tunnel which includes a pair of air supply ducts which from a heating area (in which there are one or more burners) convey, with the aid of respective fans, the Heated air towards two ejection zones placed respectively on the upper and lower part of the tunnel, in which there are respective plurality of delivery outlets directed downwards and upwards respectively, or towards the fabric. The two air ejection zones have a plurality of â € œsleevesâ € (ie tubular ejection chambers) on a horizontal wall of which the hot air delivery outlets are present. These sleeves or chambers are arranged with their own development transversely to the direction of advancement of the conveyor with the fabric and are spaced apart. In practice there are a battery of sleeves or chambers parallel and spaced apart on the upper part of the oven and a similar battery on the lower part of the oven.

The ends of the chambers of each ejection zone are, at a corresponding end, all connected to a common manifold which in turn is directly connected to the delivery duct for the air coming from the heating zone.

At the opposite ends, these sleeves can be closed by respective end walls, or connected to a common blind manifold that homogenizes the air flow in the sleeves themselves, or connected to another manifold from which hot air arrives.

This configuration of the air distribution area, however, has some drawbacks, linked to problems of energy waste. In fact, the transverse length of these ejection chambers is fixed and the hot air always strikes the same cross section of the tunnel, regardless of the height of the fabric. There are therefore possible cases in which the fabric is as high as possible, i.e. a height substantially equal to the maximum distance of the lateral devices for gripping the edges of the fabric in the tunnel (or the width of the conveyor belt), and cases in which the fabric has a lower height and in which the gripping devices are closer to each other (or the fabric occupies the central part of the conveyor belt).

In the first cases, the transverse front of air ejected by the ejection chambers has a transversal width substantially similar to the height of the fabric and therefore all the air strikes the fabric.

In the second cases, on the other hand, the fabric is less high and therefore limited in a narrower central portion than the transverse length of the chambers, and therefore the extreme portions of the latter eject air that does not reach the fabric, and there is therefore a substantial waste of hot air, and therefore of energy, which can reach very high percentages if the fabric is treated mainly for fabrics of limited height.

Purpose and summary of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the problems highlighted in known type kilns, realizing a drying kiln for the treatment of textile products which allows to save energy with respect to traditional drying kilns.

Another important object of the present invention is that of realizing a drying oven for the treatment of textile products which is flexible in operation and easy to be used.

These and other purposes, which will become clearer hereinafter, are achieved with a drying oven for the treatment of textile products according to the provisions of claim 1 presented hereinafter.

The invention therefore relates to a drying oven for the treatment of textile products, which includes

- a drying tunnel in which the textile product is inserted, - means for supporting the fabric in the tunnel,

- means for blowing air from above and / or from below the area occupied by the textile product, comprising a plurality of air ejection openings distributed at least transversely the direction of development of the tunnel.

The peculiarity of the invention lies in the fact that the oven comprises means for selective closing / opening of the plurality of outlets to adjust the width of the air ejection zone in the tunnel.

By selective closing / opening we mean the closing and respective opening of a predetermined number of well-determined outlets of the plurality.

Preferably, the means for selective closing / opening of the plurality of outlets comprise at least one shutter body able to simultaneously close / open the outlets provided on a given area inside the tunnel; preferably there is a single shutter body for all the outlets provided on said given area.

According to preferred embodiments, the aforesaid shutter body is a flat-shaped body provided with a plurality of holes corresponding in number and distribution to the plurality of outlets present in said given area; movement means are associated with the flat body from a position in which the holes correspond to the vents to allow the air to escape, to a position in which the spaces between the holes overlap the vents to close them and prevent Air outlet.

Preferably, the ejection openings are provided on at least one band transversal to the direction of development of the tunnel.

Preferably, there are at least two shutter bodies provided on the end areas of an aforesaid transversal band.

Preferably, the at least one shutter body is provided in association with openings defined on at least one area of the tunnel provided in a lateral position with respect to the center line of the tunnel.

According to preferred embodiments, the air blowing means comprise a plurality of ejection chambers which extend transversely to the direction of development of said tunnel and which are arranged above and / or below the area occupied by the textile product; each chamber provides a said transversal band provided with said plurality of outlets.

Preferably, considering both a plurality of said ejection chambers arranged above the zone occupied by said textile product, and a plurality of said ejection chambers arranged under the zone occupied by the textile product, for each ejection chamber there are at least two flat bodies provided in the two opposite extremity areas of a transversal strip on which the outlets of the respective chamber are defined.

Preferably, the ejection chambers provide a flat ejection surface, preferably made of sheet metal, on which the flat body, preferably made of sheet metal, is slidably arranged. Preferably, the flat body has a thin thickness and has a C-shaped conformation, with the central part overlapping the external face of the ejection surface of the ejection chamber and with the two opposing fins on which guide elements coupled with complementary guide bodies provided on the longitudinal sides of the chamber.

According to preferred embodiments, the means for supporting the fabric in the tunnel comprise a conveyor which comprises on the two sides of the tunnel gripping devices for the flaps of the textile product, sliding in the direction of advancement of the fabric in the tunnel; preferably this conveyor is of the chain type with needle gripping devices; preferably this conveyor is of the â € œramosaâ € type.

Preferably, there are means for adjusting the transversal distance of the textile product gripping devices, which are located on opposite sides of the tunnel, to allow the fixing of textile products of different heights.

According to other preferred embodiments, the means for supporting the fabric in the tunnel comprise a conveyor belt.

According to other preferred embodiments, the oven comprises electronic means for managing and controlling the operation of the oven in which an electronic program is loaded which is suitable for receiving in input the setting of a desired distance between said gripping devices, or of a given width. of textile product; these electronic means provide for the control of the means for selective closing / opening of the said plurality of outlets of one or more given areas of the furnace to adjust the width of the air ejection zone in the tunnel according to the distance of the intake devices or the width of the textile product. Preferably, the electronic means control said means for moving said flat bodies to open or close the openings provided on at least one end area of a said transverse band on the respective said ejection chamber to reduce or increase the transverse length of said band, in a function of the distance of said support devices.

According to other preferred embodiments, the means for moving the at least one shutter body provides at least one actuator kinematically connected to said at least one shutter body to allow its translation. Preferably, the at least one actuator is of the pneumatic type and able to move in an eccentric way a transmission shaft which is keyed at least one crank connected to a connecting rod connected to said at least one shutter body.

Preferably, there is a single actuator to simultaneously move all the flat bodies provided on the ejection chambers arranged under the area occupied by said textile product and a single actuator to simultaneously move all the flat bodies provided on said ejection chambers arranged above the area. occupied by said textile product.

The subject of the present invention also relates to a method of operation of a drying oven as per one or more of the claims of the embodiments presented above, which provides for closing or opening ejection openings provided at least in the end areas of bands of outlets which are they develop transversely to the development of the kiln, according to the height of the textile product lying in the tunnel, in order to reduce or increase the air ejection front in said bands.

Preferably, the method foresees to evaluate the height of the textile product being treated through the tunnel and to close the openings in said extremity areas if the height of this textile product is lower than a given threshold value corresponding to the length transversal part of said band in which the closing / opening means of the outlets do not act, or to open said outlets in said end regions if the height of said textile product is greater than said threshold value.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawings, in which

Figure 1 represents a simplified axonometric view of an oven according to the invention;

figure 2 is a front view of an oven as in figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view, partially in section, of a part of the internal oven tulle of Figure 1;

figure 4 is an axonometric view of the ejection structure inside the furnace (the rest of the furnace structure is not visible);

Figures 5A and 5B are enlargements of a portion of the oven as in Figure 4, in which two different positions of a flat body for closing the end outlets of an ejection chamber are highlighted;

figure 6 is an enlargement of figure 4, showing part of the means for moving the flat bodies of figure 5;

figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of part of the furnace of the previous figures, relating to an ejection chamber and showing the means for moving the flat bodies of figure 5.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

With reference to the aforementioned figures, a drying oven for the treatment of textile products, according to the invention, is indicated as a whole with the number 10.

The oven 10 comprises a frame 11 formed by a base and by uprights and crosspieces which support the components and the side and upper panels which form the external casing.

The oven 10 internally defines a drying tunnel 12, ie a space provided with an inlet and an outlet defined on the front and rear paneling through which the textile product to be dried is made to pass.

Inside the tunnel 12 there are support means 13 (visible in Figures 1 and 2) for the textile product T, which take the form, for example, of a conveyor, per se of a known type, which comprises devices for gripping the fabric 13A which take the form, for example, of two chain systems arranged in correspondence with the sides of the tunnel 13, equipped with needles on which to fix the edges of the textile product T, such as a â € œramosaâ € system. It goes without saying that in other embodiments, in place of the chain conveyor, other support means may be present, such as for example a perforated conveyor belt to allow the vertical passage of air through it and the textile product supported on it. .

The two gripping devices 13A are mounted on respective trolleys 13B which can be moved transversely to the feed movement of the product T in the tunnel, or orthogonally to the movement of the chains. These carriages 13B are associated with actuators (not visible) which allow their movement. The electronic management and control means of the oven (not indicated) control these actuators in order to be able to act on the position of the trolleys in order to adjust the transversal distance â € œdâ € of the gripping devices and therefore allow the support of textile products of different heights.

Inside the oven there is a hot air distribution system with a structure of a known type per se, which comprises heating means 14, consisting for example of a burner 15 arranged with the heating part inside a first environment 16 located in the initial part, or air supply, and two sections of a duct 17A, 17B (schematized by dashed lines), the final parts of which correspond to the air ejection zones 18 on the conveyor belt 13, as better described below.

Burner 15 is placed against a first side of the oven. From the first room 16 where the burner 15 is located, the two sections of conduit 17A and 17B continue inside the furnace, in its lower part, towards the opposite side of the furnace, where they meet the housings for respective handling means of the furnace. Air 18A and 18B, preferably fans (that is rotating members able to generate a flow of air with the desired pressure, speed and flow rate).

From the fans 18A and 18B, the duct sections 17A and 17B extend upwards until they meet respective air ejection structures 19A and 19B arranged respectively above and below the area occupied by the textile product T or above and below the chain conveyor 13, to define the area of ejection of the air towards the product T.

Each ejection structure is essentially composed of the same components; for the sake of brevity, only the lower 19B will be described below.

The ejection structure 19AB consists of a first manifold 20 practically constituted by a compartment on which a first connection opening is defined to the respective section of duct 17B (i.e. the duct that feeds the hot air to the ejection structure) and a plurality of second connection openings to respective ejection chambers 21, which can also be defined as ejection sleeves (the term manifold can be understood for example as a connecting element of a duct with a plurality of other ducts which preferably comprises a compartment equipped with connection openings to the various ducts).

In particular, these chambers 21 each consist of a tubular chamber, in this example of rectangular section, preferably in sheet metal, connected at a first end with the aforementioned first manifold 20 and at the opposite second end with a second manifold 22 , described later. The cross section (ie orthogonal to the axis of its development) of the ejection chambers 21 are of substantially constant area.

The bottom wall 21A of the chambers (in the case of chambers of the ejection structure 19B, or the lower one, the wall is the one that constitutes the top of the chamber), that is the horizontal one facing the conveyor 13, substantially along its development, a series of ejection openings (or holes) 23 facing the conveyor, ie downwards. It should be noted how each bottom wall 21A defines a band transversal to the development of the tunnel on which the openings 23 are defined.

Each ejection structure 19A, 19B provides in practice a â € œbatteryâ € of chambers 21 parallel to each other and spaced apart. The chambers of each battery are at the same height, ie coplanar.

These ejection structures 19A, 19B are in practice means for blowing hot air from above and below the area occupied by the textile product and comprise the plurality of air ejection openings 23 which, as we have seen, the direction of development of the tunnel 12 is at least transversely distributed.

According to the invention, the furnace comprises means 24 for selective closing / opening of the plurality of outlets 23 for adjusting the width of the air ejection zone in the tunnel.

By selective closing / opening we mean the closing and respective opening of a predetermined number of well-determined outlets.

In particular, the selective closing / opening means 24 of the plurality of openings 23 comprise, in this example, shutters 25 suitable for simultaneously closing / opening the openings 23 provided on respective given areas inside the tunnel. Conveniently, each shutter body 25 allows to close / open all the outlets provided on the respective given areas.

Conveniently, the areas on which the shutter bodies 25 are provided are those provided in a lateral position with respect to the longitudinal center line of the tunnel, and more particularly the extremity areas of the transverse bands of the outlets defined on the external surfaces 21A of the chambers 21. In practice they are there are two shutter bodies 25 for each band of outlets, or two shutter bodies for each ejection chamber 21.

Preferably, each shutter body 25 (see Figure 5 in particular) takes the form of a flat body (which is indicated by the same number 25 as the shutter body), preferably made of sheet metal, provided with a plurality of holes 25A corresponding in number and distribution to the plurality of outlets 23 present in the corresponding end area of the strip of outlets.

Each flat body 25 is associated with movement means 26 from a position (shown in figure 5A) in which the holes 25A correspond with the openings 23 of the relative area, to allow the air to escape, to a position (shown in figure 5B) in which the spaces between the holes 25A overlap the vents 23 to close them and prevent the air from escaping.

Preferably, the flat body 25 is thin in thickness and has a C-shaped conformation, with the central part 25B of the C overlapping the external face of the ejection surface 21A of the ejection chamber 21 and with the two opposite fins 25C on which guide elements 25D are obtained (such as for example slots), coupled with complementary guide bodies 21B (for example guide pins) provided on the longitudinal sides of said chamber.

The movement means 26 (see Figures 4, 6 and 7) of the flat bodies 25 comprise, in this example, in practice two similar movement systems substantially identical to each other, a first system 26A relating to the simultaneous movement of all the flat-shaped bodies relating to the chambers 21 placed above the fabric arrangement area T, and a second system 26B relating to the simultaneous movement of all the flat-shaped bodies relating to the chambers 21 located under the fabric arrangement area T.

In the following, only the system 26B is described, since the 26A is similar (see Figures 6 and 7).

This system 26B comprises a translation actuator 27, preferably of the pneumatic type and suitable for working at high temperatures, which is kinematically connected to the shutter bodies 25 of the lower ejection chambers 21.

Preferably, the actuator 27 is able to move in an eccentric way a transmission shaft 28 on which a plurality of cranks 29 are keyed (one for each shutter body 25 to be moved) connected to respective connecting rods 30 in turn connected to the respective shutter body 25, for example by means of a ball joint. The translation of the actuator causes the shaft to oscillate in one direction or the other, causing the connecting rods to push or pull the shutter body, which is constrained to slide on the ejection surface 21A and therefore can be translated by a closing position of the outlets 23 to an open position of the outlets coinciding with the position of the holes 25A with the outlets 23.

As said, the oven comprises electronic means for managing and controlling the oven. Preferably, in these means, an electronic program is loaded which is suitable for receiving in input the setting of a desired distance between the gripping devices 13, or of a given width of the textile product T. With such data, the electronic means provide the control of the means for moving the flat bodies 25 to open or close the outlets 23 provided on the end areas of the ejection chambers 21. Then, by closing or opening these end outlets, the transverse length of the strip of outlets is varied, depending on the distance of the support devices, ie the height of the fabric.

In practice, the operator enters the height of the textile product as an input in the kiln management system. The oven moves the support devices 13A to make them approach or move away to such an extent as to allow the correct gripping of the textile product T. At the same time, if the textile product is of reduced height, the program commands the means for moving the shutter bodies to close the vents in the end areas of the nozzle bands defined on the ejection chambers. In this way the drying air comes out only from the most central vents, saving hot air.

As mentioned, the present invention also relates to a method of operation of a drying oven as described, which provides for closing or opening the ejection openings 23 provided in the end areas of bands of outlets made on the chambers 21, depending on the € ™ height of the textile product stretched in the tunnel, in order to reduce or increase the air ejection front in said bands.

Conveniently, the method foresees to evaluate the height of the textile product being treated through the tunnel 12 and to close the openings 23 in the extremity areas of the bands if the height of this textile product T is lower than a given value of threshold corresponding to the transversal length of the part of said bands in which the shutter bodies 25 of the outlets do not act, or to open the outlets 23 in said end regions if the height of said textile product is greater than the threshold value.

It is understood that what has been illustrated represents only possible non-limiting embodiments of the invention, which may vary in forms and arrangements without departing from the scope of the concept underlying the invention. The possible presence of reference numbers in the attached claims has the sole purpose of facilitating the reading in the light of the above description and the attached drawings and does not in any way limit the scope of protection.

Claims (20)

â € œDYING OVEN FOR THE TREATMENT OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND METHOD OF OPERATION OF SAID OVENâ € CLAIMS 1) Drying oven for the treatment of textile products, which includes - a drying tunnel (12) in which the textile product (T) is inserted, - means (13) for supporting the textile product (T) in the tunnel, - means (19) for blowing hot air from above and / or from below the area occupied by the textile product, comprising a plurality of hot air ejection openings (23) distributed at least transversely the direction of development of the tunnel , characterized in that it comprises means (24) for selective closing / opening of at least part of said plurality of openings (23) to adjust the width of the air ejection zone in the tunnel. 2) Drying oven according to claim 1, wherein said means (24) for selective closing / opening of said at least part of the plurality of outlets (23) comprise at least one shutter body (25) able to simultaneously close / open the outlets ( 23) planned on a given area inside the tunnel (12); preferably there being a single shutter body (25) for all the outlets (23) provided on said given area. 3) Drying oven according to claim 2, wherein said shutter body (25) is a flat body provided with a plurality of holes (25A) corresponding in number and distribution to the plurality of outlets (23) present in said given area; movement means (26) being associated with said flat body (25) from a position in which said holes (25A) correspond with said openings (23) to allow air to escape, to a position in which the spaces between said holes (25A) overlap said vents (23) to close them and prevent air from escaping. 4) Drying oven according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which said ejection openings (23) are provided on at least one band transversal to the development direction of the tunnel (12). 5) Drying oven according to claim 2, 3 or 4, in which said at least one shutter body (25) is provided in association with outlets (23) defined on at least one area of said tunnel 812) provided in a lateral position with respect to the center line of the tunnel. 6) Drying oven according to claims 4 and 5, in which there are at least two shutter bodies (25) provided on the end areas of a said transversal band. 7) Drying oven according to one or more of claims 4 to 6, wherein said air blowing means (19) comprise a plurality of ejection chambers (21) which extend transversely to the direction of development of said tunnel (12) and arranged above and / or below the area that can be used by the textile product (T), each chamber (21) has a said transverse band provided with said plurality of openings (23). 8) Drying oven according to claims 3 and 7, comprising a said plurality of said ejection chambers (21) arranged above the area occupied by said textile product (T), and a said plurality of said ejection chambers (21) arranged under the area occupied by said textile product (T); for each ejection chamber (21) at least two said flat bodies (25) being provided in the two opposite end areas of a said transversal band on which said outlets on the respective said chamber are defined. 9) Drying oven according to claim 7 or 8, in which said ejection chambers (21) have a flat ejection surface (21A), preferably made of sheet metal, on which said flat body (25) is slidably arranged, preferably in sheet metal. 10) Drying oven according to claim 9, in which said flat body (25) is thin in thickness and has a C-shaped conformation, with the central part (25B) overlapping the external face of the ejection surface (21A) of the ejection chamber (21) and with the two opposing fins (25C) on which guiding elements (25D) are formed coupled with complementary guiding bodies (21B) provided on the longitudinal sides of said chamber (21). 11) Drying oven, according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which said means (13) for supporting the textile product (T) in the tunnel (12) comprise a conveyor which comprises gripping devices (13A) on the two sides of the tunnel for the flaps of the textile product, sliding in the direction of advancement of the textile product (T) in the tunnel (12), preferably said conveyor being of the chain type with needle gripping devices; preferably said conveyor being of the â € œramosaâ € type. 12) Drying oven, according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, wherein said means (13) for supporting the textile product (T) in the tunnel comprise a conveyor belt. 13) Drying oven according to claim 11, comprising means (13B) for adjusting the transversal distance of the gripping devices (13A) which are located on opposite sides of the tunnel (12), to allow the fixing of textile products of different heights. 14) Drying oven, according to claim 12 or 13, comprising electronic means for managing and controlling the oven, an electronic program being loaded in said electronic means able to receive in input the setting of a desired distance between said gripping devices (13A), or of a given width of textile product (T), said electronic means providing for the control of said selective closing / opening means (24) of said plurality of outlets (23) to adjust the width of the ejection zone of the Air in the tunnel (12) as a function of the distance of said gripping devices (13A) or of the width of said textile product. 15) Drying oven, according to claim 14, in which said electronic means control said moving means (26) of said flat bodies (25) to open or close the outlets (23) provided on at least one end area of one said transverse band on the respective said ejection chamber (21) to reduce or increase the transverse length of said band, as a function of the distance of said gripping devices (13A). 16) Drying oven, according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said moving means (26) of said at least one shutter body (25) provides at least one actuator kinematically connected to said at least one shutter body to allow its translation. 17) Drying oven, according to claim 16, in which said at least one actuator (27) is of the pneumatic type and able to move in an eccentric way a shaft (28) on which at least one crank (29) connected to a connecting rod 830) connected thereto to said at least one shutter body (25). 18) Drying oven, according to claims 8 and 16 or 8 and 17, in which there is a single actuator (26A, 27) to simultaneously move all the flat bodies (25) provided on said ejection chambers (21) arranged under the area occupied by said textile product (T) and a single actuator (26B, 27) to simultaneously move all the flat bodies (25) provided on said ejection chambers (21) arranged above the area occupied by said textile product. 19) Method of operation of a drying oven as per one or more of the preceding claims, from 7 to 18, which provides for the closing or opening of ejection openings (23) provided at least in the extremity areas of bands of openings which extend transversely to the development of the kiln, according to the height of the textile product lying in the tunnel (12), in order to reduce or increase the air ejection front in said bands. 20) Method according to claim 19, which provides to evaluate the height of the textile product (T) being treated through the tunnel (12) and to close the openings (23) in said extremity zones in case the height of said textile product is lower than a given threshold value corresponding to the transversal length of the part of said bands in which the closing / opening means of the outlets do not act, or to open said outlets in said end areas in case the height of this textile product is greater than said threshold value.