JP2022053948A - Manufacturing apparatus for glass fiber and manufacturing method for glass fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing apparatus for glass fiber and a manufacturing method for glass fiber that can manufacture a glass fiber of high quality having flat-sectioned glass filaments suppressed from twisting.SOLUTION: A manufacturing apparatus 11 for glass fiber comprises a bushing 12 and a coating roller 13. The bushing 12 has a base plate 12b and a nozzle group provided on a bottom face of the base plate 12b. The coating roller 13 coats glass filaments, led out from respective nozzles N of a nozzle group of the bushing 12, with a sizing agent. Each nozzle N of the nozzle group of the manufacturing apparatus 11 for glass fiber has a nozzle hole NH in a flat shape having a long diameter and a short diameter. As viewed from below in the vertical direction, nozzle holes NH are arranged with long-diameter directions of the nozzle holes NH parallel with or inclined to an axial direction of the coating roller 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a glass fiber manufacturing apparatus and a glass fiber manufacturing method.

Conventionally, among glass filaments, a glass filament having a non-circular cross section, that is, a deformed cross section is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a glass filament having a flat cross section and a glass strand obtained from a plurality of glass filaments. The glass strand is obtained by applying a sizing agent to a plurality of glass filaments using a coating roller and then sizing the plurality of glass filaments.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2019-108262

Among the glass filaments having a deformed cross section as described above, when the glass strand is formed from a plurality of glass filaments having a flat cross section, the degree of twisting of the glass filament may be large. If the degree of twisting of the glass filament is increased, the quality of the glass filament may be deteriorated, for example, it becomes difficult to exhibit the performance based on the flat cross section.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to manufacture a high-quality glass fiber capable of producing a high-quality glass fiber in which twisting of a glass filament having a flat cross section is suppressed. The present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for producing glass fiber.

The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus for solving the above problems includes a bushing having a base plate and a nozzle group provided on the bottom surface of the base plate, and a coating roller for applying a sizing agent to the glass filament drawn from each nozzle of the nozzle group. Each nozzle of the nozzle group has a flat nozzle hole having a major axis and a minor axis, and the nozzle hole is viewed from below in the vertical direction. The nozzle hole is arranged so that the major axis direction is parallel to or inclined with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller.

The glass filament drawn from the nozzle hole of the bushing has a flat cross section and has both main surfaces extending in the length direction. Here, as described above, the nozzle holes are arranged so that the major axis direction of the nozzle holes is parallel to or inclined with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller when viewed from below in the vertical direction. Thereby, when viewed from below in the vertical direction, the glass filament in a state where the main surface of the glass filament is parallel to or inclined with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller can be pulled out from the nozzle hole. Therefore, it is possible to apply the sizing agent by contacting the main surface of the glass filament along the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller while suppressing the twisting of the glass filament between the nozzle hole and the coating roller. Become.

In the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus, when viewed from below in the vertical direction, the angle formed by the nozzle hole in the major axis direction with respect to the axis of the coating roller is preferably in the range of 0 ° or more and 45 ° or less.

According to this configuration, it is possible to bring the main surface of the glass filament into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller while further suppressing the twisting of the glass filament between the nozzle hole and the coating roller.

In the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus, the number of the nozzles is preferably in the range of 500 or more and 10,000 or less. According to this configuration, the productivity of the glass strand can be increased while maintaining the quality of the glass filament.

In the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus, the ratio R1 (R1 = D2 / D1) of the major axis dimension D2 to the minor axis dimension D1 of the nozzle hole is preferably in the range of 2 or more and 10 or less. According to this configuration, for example, a glass filament having a flat cross section can be stably pulled out from the nozzle hole.

In the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus, the coating roller has a roller body having an outer peripheral surface that can come into contact with the glass filament, and a flow path provided inside the roller body and flowing the sizing agent. However, it is preferable that the roller body has a discharge hole for discharging the focusing agent in the flow path to the outer periphery of the roller body.

According to this configuration, for example, by adjusting the pressure of the sizing agent supplied to the coating roller, the discharge amount of the sizing agent discharged to the outer periphery of the coating roller can be easily adjusted. Thereby, the amount of the sizing agent applied to the glass filament can be easily adjusted.

The method for producing glass fiber is a method for producing glass fiber, which comprises a coating step of applying a sizing agent to a glass filament drawn from each nozzle of a group of nozzles provided on the bottom surface of a base plate in bushing using a coating roller. Each nozzle of the nozzle group has a flat nozzle hole having a major axis and a minor axis, and the nozzle hole has a major axis direction of the nozzle hole when viewed from below in the vertical direction of the coating roller. It is arranged so as to be parallel to or inclined with respect to the axial direction.

According to the present invention, it is possible to produce high-quality glass fiber in which twisting of a glass filament having a flat cross section is suppressed.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the manufacturing apparatus of the glass fiber in embodiment. It is a bottom view which shows the main part of the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus. (A) is a bottom view showing an enlarged bushing, and (b) is a bottom view showing a modified example of a nozzle. It is a schematic diagram explaining the manufacturing method of the glass fiber. It is a micrograph which shows the glass filament of Production Example 1. FIG. It is a bottom view which shows the main part of the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus of manufacturing example 2. It is a schematic diagram explaining the manufacturing method of the glass fiber of the manufacturing example 2. FIG. It is a micrograph which shows the glass filament of Production Example 2. (A) is a bottom view showing a modified example of a nozzle, and (b) is a schematic view showing a usage state of the nozzle.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a glass fiber manufacturing apparatus and a glass fiber manufacturing method will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, for convenience of explanation, a part of the configuration may be exaggerated or simplified. In addition, the dimensional ratio of each part may differ from the actual one.

As shown in FIG. 1, the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11 includes a bushing 12 and a coating roller 13 for applying a sizing agent SA to a plurality of glass filaments F1 drawn from the bushing 12.

The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11 includes a gathering shoe 14 that forms a glass strand GS by bundling a plurality of glass filaments F1 coated with a sizing agent SA, and a collet 15 that winds up the glass strand GS. .. Further, although not shown, the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11 includes a traverse that reciprocates the glass strand GS, and the glass strand GS that has passed through the traverse is wound around the collet 15.

<Bushing 12>
The bushing 12 includes a bushing main body 12a to which the molten glass MG is supplied, and a base plate 12b provided at the bottom of the bushing main body 12a. Although not shown, the bushing main body 12a has a supply port to which the molten glass MG is supplied, a screen for suppressing the accumulation of foreign matter on the base plate 12b, a terminal for resistance heating, and the like.

The bushing 12 has a group of nozzles provided on the bottom surface of the base plate 12b. The molten glass MG is supplied to each nozzle N of the nozzle group, and the glass filament F1 is drawn out from each nozzle N. In the drawing, the nozzle group of the bushing 12 is shown in a simplified manner, but the number of nozzles is preferably in the range of 500 or more and 10,000 or less.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, each nozzle N of the nozzle group of the bushing 12 has a flat nozzle hole NH having a major axis and a minor axis. When viewed from below in the vertical direction, the major axis direction of the nozzle hole NH is the horizontal direction along the Y-axis direction in FIGS. 2 and 3 (a), and the minor axis direction of the nozzle hole NH is FIGS. 2 and 3. In (a), it is a horizontal direction along the X-axis direction orthogonal to the Y-axis direction.

Each nozzle N forms a glass filament F1 having a flat cross section. The ratio R1 (R1 = D2 / D1) of the major axis dimension D2 to the minor axis dimension D1 of the nozzle hole NH is preferably in the range of 2 or more and 10 or less.

Examples of the material of the bushing body 12a, the base plate 12b, and the nozzle N include a noble metal or a noble metal alloy. Precious metals are gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, or osmium. The material of the bushing body 12a, the base plate 12b, and the nozzle N is preferably platinum or a platinum alloy from the viewpoint of increasing durability. Examples of the platinum alloy include a platinum rhodium alloy.

<Applying roller 13>
As shown in FIG. 2, the coating roller 13 has a roller main body 16 having an outer peripheral surface that can come into contact with the glass filament F1 and a flow path 17 provided inside the roller main body 16 through which the sizing agent SA flows. are doing. The roller main body 16 has a discharge hole 16a for discharging the sizing agent SA in the flow path 17 to the outer periphery of the roller main body 16. The roller body 16 is composed of, for example, a tubular member made of a metal material. When viewed from below in the vertical direction, the axial direction of the coating roller 13 is the direction along the Y-axis direction shown in FIG.

In the roller main body 16, the cross section of the portion where the sizing agent SA is applied to the glass filament F1 preferably has a circular shape having the same diameter in the axial direction. In the roller main body 16, the outer peripheral surface of the portion where the sizing agent SA is applied to the glass filament F1 is preferably a smooth surface.

The roller body 16 is rotatably supported by a support base (not shown). The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11 of the present embodiment includes a driving unit 18 that rotationally drives the roller main body 16. The drive unit 18 rotationally drives the roller body 16 so as to send the glass filament F1 downward.

<Positional relationship between nozzle hole NH and coating roller 13>
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, the nozzle hole NH of each nozzle N in the bushing 12 has the major axis direction of the nozzle hole NH with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller 13 when viewed from below in the vertical direction. They are arranged so that they are in a parallel state. As shown in FIG. 3B, the nozzle hole NH of each nozzle N in the bushing 12 is inclined in the major axis direction of the nozzle hole NH with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller 13 when viewed from below in the vertical direction. It may be arranged so as to be in such a state. When viewed from below in the vertical direction, the angle θ formed by the nozzle hole NH in the major axis direction with respect to the axis L1 of the coating roller 13 is preferably in the range of 0 ° or more and 45 ° or less, more preferably 30 °. It is less than or equal to, and more preferably 10 ° or less.

<Focusing agent SA>
The sizing agent SA contains, for example, a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin. The sizing agent SA may also contain a coupling agent such as a silane coupling agent in order to modify the surface of the glass filament F1. Further, the sizing agent SA may contain, for example, a wax component, a surfactant component, an antistatic agent, an antiseptic agent, an antifoaming agent and the like, if necessary.

<Manufacturing method of glass fiber>
Next, the method for producing the glass fiber will be described together with the main operation of the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the method for producing glass fiber includes a coating step of applying a sizing agent SA to a glass filament F1 drawn from each nozzle N using a coating roller 13.

As shown in FIG. 4, the glass filament F1 drawn out from the nozzle hole NH of the bushing 12 has a flat cross section and both main surfaces Fa extending in the length direction.

Examples of the glass of the glass filament F1 include E glass (glass having an alkali content of 2% or less), D glass (low dielectric constant glass), AR glass (alkali resistant glass), C glass (acid resistant glass), and M. Glass (glass with high elasticity), S glass (glass with high strength and high elasticity), T glass (glass with high strength and high elasticity), H glass (glass with high dielectric constant), NE glass (low dielectric) (Percentage glass) can be mentioned. The density of the glass filament F1 is, for example, 2.0 to 3.0 g / cm ³ .

The coating roller 13 of the present embodiment discharges the focusing agent SA supplied into the flow path 17 to the outer periphery of the roller body 16 through the discharge hole 16a of the roller body 16. In the coating step, by sending the glass filament F1 so as to come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the roller main body 16, the sizing agent SA discharged to the outer peripheral surface of the roller main body 16 can be continuously applied to the glass filament F1.

In the coating step of the method for producing glass fiber of the present embodiment, the nozzle hole NH of the bushing 12 is in a state where the major axis direction of the nozzle hole NH is parallel to the axial direction of the coating roller 13 when viewed from below in the vertical direction. It is arranged so as to be. Thereby, when viewed from below in the vertical direction, the glass filament F1 in a state where the main surface Fa of the glass filament F1 is parallel to the axial direction of the coating roller 13 can be pulled out from the nozzle hole NH.

As shown in FIG. 3B, in the coating step of the glass fiber manufacturing method, the nozzle hole NH of the bushing 12 is the coating roller 13 in the major axis direction of the nozzle hole NH when viewed from below in the vertical direction. It may be arranged so as to be inclined with respect to the axial direction. As a result, when viewed from below in the vertical direction, the glass filament F1 in a state where the main surface Fa of the glass filament F1 is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller 13 can be pulled out from the nozzle hole NH.

As described above, when viewed from below in the vertical direction, the glass filament F1 in a state where the main surface Fa of the glass filament F1 is parallel to or inclined with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller 13 can be pulled out from the nozzle hole NH. can. Therefore, while suppressing the twisting of the glass filament F1 between the nozzle hole NH and the coating roller 13, the main surface Fa of the glass filament F1 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 13 so as to be in contact with the sizing agent SA. Can be applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, a glass strand GS is obtained by concentrating a plurality of glass filaments F1 coated with the sizing agent SA by the gathering shoe 14 in the coating step. Examples of the form of the glass fiber obtained by the method for producing the glass fiber include cake CA obtained by winding the glass strand GS around the collet 15.

The glass strand GS has a coating formed from the resin in the sizing agent SA. Examples of the coating material include polypropylene resin, modified polypropylene resin, nylon resin, polyphenylene sulfide resin, polyurethane resin, polyvinyl acetate, polyester, epoxy resin and the like.

The glass strand GS can be used, for example, as a chopped strand, a milled fiber, a roving, a yarn, a mat, a cloth, a tape, a braid or the like. Examples of the use of glass fiber include vehicle use, electronic material use, building material use, civil engineering use, aircraft-related use, shipbuilding use, logistics use, industrial machine use, and daily necessities use.

Next, a manufacturing example will be described.
In Production Example 1, cake CA was produced using the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11 shown in FIGS. 2, 3 (a), and 4 (a).

FIG. 5 shows a micrograph of the glass filament F1 obtained by defibrating the glass strand GS constituting the cake CA obtained in Production Example 1 into a monofilament. As shown in this micrograph, it can be seen that in Production Example 1, a high-quality glass filament F1 with suppressed twisting can be obtained.

In Production Example 2, cake CA was produced using the glass fiber production apparatus 111 shown in FIG. The nozzle hole NH of the bushing 12 in the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 111 is arranged so that the major axis direction of the nozzle hole NH is orthogonal to the axial direction of the coating roller 13 when viewed from below in the vertical direction. ing. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, when viewed from below in the vertical direction, the main surface Fa of the glass filament F2 drawn out from the nozzle hole NH is in a state orthogonal to the axial direction of the coating roller 13. When the glass filament F2 is pulled out from the nozzle hole NH in such an arrangement relationship, twisting occurs in the glass filament F2 when the roller main body 16 and the glass filament F2 come into contact with each other. This is because the contact between the roller main body 16 and the main surface Fa of the glass filament F2 is more stable.

FIG. 8 shows a micrograph of the glass filament F2 obtained by defibrating the glass strand GS constituting the cake CA obtained in Production Example 2 into a monofilament. As shown in this micrograph, it can be seen that in Production Example 2, a glass filament F2 having a large degree of twist can be obtained.

Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.
(1) The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11 includes a bushing 12 and a coating roller 13. The bushing 12 has a base plate 12b and a nozzle group provided on the bottom surface of the base plate 12b. The coating roller 13 applies the sizing agent SA to the glass filament F1 drawn from each nozzle N of the nozzle group. Each nozzle N of the nozzle group has a flat nozzle hole NH having a major axis and a minor axis. The nozzle hole NH of the nozzle N is arranged so that the major axis direction of the nozzle hole NH is parallel to or inclined with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller 13 when viewed from below in the vertical direction.

According to this configuration, as described above, the main surface Fa of the glass filament F1 is along the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 13 while suppressing the twist of the glass filament F1 between the nozzle hole NH and the coating roller 13. It becomes possible to apply the sizing agent SA by contacting them in such a manner. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture high-quality glass fiber in which the twist of the glass filament F1 having a flat cross section is suppressed.

(2) In the glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11, when viewed from below in the vertical direction, the angle θ formed in the major axis direction of the nozzle hole NH with respect to the axis L1 of the coating roller 13 is within the range of 0 ° or more and 45 ° or less. It is preferable to have. In this case, it is possible to bring the main surface Fa of the glass filament F1 into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 13 while further suppressing the twist of the glass filament F1 between the nozzle hole NH and the coating roller 13. Will be. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a high-quality glass fiber in which the twist of the glass filament F1 having a flat cross section is further suppressed.

(3) The number of nozzles N of the bushing 12 is preferably in the range of 500 or more and 10,000 or less. In this case, the productivity of the glass strand GS can be increased while maintaining the quality of the glass filament F1.

(4) The ratio of the major axis dimension D2 to the minor axis dimension D1 of the nozzle hole NH of the bushing 12 is preferably in the range of 2 or more and 10 or less. In this case, for example, the glass filament F1 having a flat cross section can be stably pulled out from the nozzle hole NH.

(5) The coating roller 13 has a roller main body 16 having an outer peripheral surface that can come into contact with the glass filament F1, and a flow path 17 that is provided inside the roller main body 16 and through which the sizing agent SA flows. The roller body 16 of the coating roller 13 has a discharge hole 16a for discharging the focusing agent SA in the flow path 17 of the coating roller 13 to the outer periphery of the roller body 16. In this case, for example, by adjusting the pressure of the sizing agent SA supplied to the coating roller 13, the discharge amount of the sizing agent SA to be discharged to the outer periphery of the coating roller 13 can be easily adjusted. Thereby, the amount of the sizing agent SA applied to the glass filament F1 can be easily adjusted.

(Change example)
The above embodiment can be modified and implemented as follows. The above embodiment and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.

The flow path 17 and the discharge hole 16a of the coating roller 13 of the above embodiment can be omitted. For example, by contacting the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller with the sizing agent stored in the storage tank, the sizing agent may be applied to the glass filament F1 by using the coating roller in which the sizing agent is adhered to the outer peripheral surface. can.

The bushing 12 of the above embodiment is configured to spin one glass filament F1 from one nozzle hole NH, but as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a plurality of glass filaments F1 are spun. It can also be configured to spin one glass filament F1 from the nozzle hole NH. In this case, the sum of the major axis dimension D2a of each nozzle hole NH and the interval D2b of each nozzle hole NH corresponds to the major axis dimension D2 of the nozzle hole NH of the above embodiment.

-The shape of the nozzle hole NH is a rectangle with rounded corners, but it can be changed to, for example, an ellipse, a rectangle, a rhombus, or the like.
-The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus 11 can be changed to manufacture direct roving by aligning and winding a plurality of glass strands GS.

11 ... Glass fiber manufacturing equipment 12 ... Bushing 12b ... Base plate 13 ... Coating roller 16 ... Roller body 16a ... Discharge hole 17 ... Flow path CA ... Cake D1 ... Short diameter dimension D2 ... Long diameter dimension F1 ... Glass filament L1 ... Axis line N … Nozzle NH… Nozzle hole SA… Bushing agent GS… Glass strand θ… Angle

Claims (6)

A bushing having a base plate and a group of nozzles provided on the bottom surface of the base plate,
A glass fiber manufacturing apparatus comprising a coating roller for applying a sizing agent to glass filaments drawn from each nozzle of the nozzle group.
Each nozzle of the nozzle group has a flat nozzle hole having a major axis and a minor axis.
The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus in which the nozzle hole is arranged so that the major axis direction of the nozzle hole is parallel to or inclined with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller when viewed from below in the vertical direction. .. The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when viewed from below in the vertical direction, the angle formed by the nozzle hole in the major axis direction with respect to the axis of the coating roller is within the range of 0 ° or more and 45 ° or less. .. The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the number of the nozzles is in the range of 500 or more and 10,000 or less. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ratio R1 (R1 = D2 / D1) of the major axis dimension D2 to the minor axis dimension D1 of the nozzle hole is in the range of 2 or more and 10 or less. Glass fiber manufacturing equipment. The coating roller includes a roller body having an outer peripheral surface that can come into contact with the glass filament.
It has a flow path provided inside the roller body and through which the sizing agent flows.
The glass fiber manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the roller main body has a discharge hole for discharging the sizing agent in the flow path to the outer periphery of the roller main body. A method for producing glass fiber, which comprises a coating step of applying a sizing agent to a glass filament drawn from each nozzle of a group of nozzles provided on the bottom surface of a base plate in a bushing using a coating roller.
Each nozzle of the nozzle group has a flat nozzle hole having a major axis and a minor axis.
A method for producing glass fiber, wherein the nozzle holes are arranged so that the major axis direction of the nozzle holes is parallel to or inclined with respect to the axial direction of the coating roller when viewed from below in the vertical direction. ..

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