WO2006043789A1

WO2006043789A1 - Method and apparatus for manufacturing noise-absorbent fabric, and the fabric

Info

Publication number: WO2006043789A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/003503
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jae-Won Lee; Jeong-Sam Kim
Original assignee: Hankook Pelzer Ltd.; Hado Fnc Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2004-10-20
Filing date: 2005-10-20
Publication date: 2006-04-27
Also published as: KR100636837B1; KR20060034909A

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric, which includes a hard layer making unit for laminating a fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a hard layer and then punching the fiber material sheet by needles to make a hard layer; a soft layer making unit for laminating a fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a soft layer on the hard layer and then punching the fiber material sheet by needles to make a soft layer; and a heating unit for heating the laminated hard and soft layers to be united with each other. Also, a method for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric using the above apparatus is also disclosed.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING NOISE- ABSORBENT FABRIC, AND THE FABRIC

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to method and apparatus for manufacturing a noise- absorbent fabric, and more particularly to method and apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric, which forms a hard layer and a soft layer separately by needle punching and then uniting them with each other by heating. The present invention also relates to the fabric produced by the above apparatus and method. Background Art

[2] A noise-absorbent fabric is used for absorbing or isolating noise, and it is par¬ ticularly installed to a vehicle to prevent noise generated in an engine or power transmission system from being penetrated to an indoor of the vehicle.

[3] Such a noise-absorbent fabric is generally composed of a soft layer for mainly absorbing noise and a hard layer for reflecting and isolating noise. These soft and hard layers are made of fibers such as polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene, and they are configured by mixing high fusion point fibers having a fusion point of 200⁰C or above and low fusion point fibers having a fusion point of about 100 to 15O⁰C.

[4] A conventional noise-absorbent fabric was manufactured using a method of separately preparing a soft layer and a hard layer by thermal compression and then uniting them with each other. That is to say, if fiber materials for a noise-absorbent fabric composed of high fusion point fibers and low fusion point fibers are laminated one on another and then thermally compressed, the low fusion point fibers are melted to bind the fiber materials with each other. In this procedure, as an amount of low fusion point fibers is greater, a harder layer is formed, and in a reverse case, a soft layer is formed.

[5] The soft layer and the hard layer prepared as above are closely adhered and compressed to each other with an adhesive or a separate binder fiber interposed between them to obtain a noise-absorbent fabric composed of a mixture of soft and hard layers.

[6] However, the conventional noise-absorbent fabric manufactured by compression does not have firm coupling among layers, thereby causing the peeling phenomenon to make each layer be separated.

[7] In addition, while the soft layer and the hard layer are united with each other, the soft and hard layers have their fiber textures as they were, and these fiber textures are formed in parallel to a direction that raw fibers are opened or piled. The noise- absorbent fabric experiences a secondary thermoforming process so as to be mounted to a vehicle or used for other usages. In this process, since the fiber texture has its orientation, stress is not uniformly dispersed when the fabric is pressed for shaping, thereby causing distortion along the orientation of the fiber texture. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[8] The present invention is designed in consideration of the above problems, and therefore it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus and method for manu¬ facturing a noise-absorbent fabric capable of preventing separation between layers by conducting needle punching when making a soft layer and a hard layer.

[9] Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus and method for manu¬ facturing a noise-absorbent fabric that enables mass production of noise-absorbent fabrics by making a soft layer and/or a hard layer at the same time and also uniting the made soft and hard layers by heating in a single process. Technical Solution

[10] In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric, which includes a hard layer making unit for laminating a fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a hard layer and then punching the fiber material sheet by needles to make a hard layer; a soft layer making unit for laminating a fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a soft layer on the hard layer and then punching the fiber material sheet by needles to make a soft layer; and a heating unit for heating the laminated hard and soft layers to be united with each other.

[11] Preferably, the hard layer making unit includes at least one supply hopper for supplying the raw fibers of the hard layer; at least one opening roller for opening the raw fibers; at least one carding roller for carding the opened fiber materials into a sheet; at least one cross lapper for laminating the fiber material sheets one upon another; and at least one needle puncher for punching the laminated fiber material sheets.

[12] More preferably, the soft layer making unit includes at least one supply hopper for supplying the raw fibers of the soft layer; at least one opening roller for opening the raw fibers; at least one carding roller for carding the opened fiber materials into a sheet; at least one cross lapper for laminating the fiber material sheets one upon another; and at least one needle puncher for punching the laminated fiber material sheets.

[13] Here, the heating unit may include a housing having an inlet and an outlet through which the laminated hard/soft composite layers are introduced or discharged; support rollers rotatably installed in the housing to support in contact with both sides of the hard/soft composite layers; and a heating means installed in the housing to heat the hard/soft composite layer.

[14] In another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a method for manu¬ facturing a noise-absorbent fabric, which includes laminating a hard layer fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a harder layer; punching the laminated hard layer fiber materials by needles; laminating a soft layer fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a soft layer on the needle-punched hard layer; punching the laminated soft layer fiber materials by needles; and heating the laminated hard/soft composite layers to be united with each other.

[15] Preferably, the soft layer sheet primarily laminated on the hard layer contains a relatively greater amount of low fusion point fibers than the other soft layer sheet. Brief Description of the Drawings

[16] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be more fully described in the following detailed description, taken accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[17] FIG. 1 is a plane view schematically showing an apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[18] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing a supply hopper and opening and carding rollers of the apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[19] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a cross lapper of the apparatus for manu¬ facturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[20] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a needle puncher adopted in the apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[21] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a heating unit adopted in the apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[22] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[23] FIG. 1 is a plane view schematically showing an apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[24] Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to the present invention includes a hard layer making unit 100 for making a hard layer of the noise-absorbent fabric, a soft layer making unit 200 for making a soft layer, and a heating unit 300 for uniting the hard layer and the soft layer with each other.

[25] The hard layer making unit 100 is provided with a first supply hopper 101 for supplying raw fibers loaded thereon, a first opening roller 102 for opening the raw fiber supplied from the supply hopper 101, a first carding roller 103 for arranging the opened fiber into a sheet shape.

[26] Raw fibers for manufacture of a noise-absorbent fabric are loaded in the first supply hopper 101, and then supplied.

[27] As shown in FIG. 2, the first opening roller 102 is installed to an outlet of the first supply hopper 101 and rotates by means of a driving means, not shown. Spikes 102a are formed on the outer circumference of the first opening roller 102 to play a role of opening so that the raw fibers are extracted from the supply hopper 101 and placed on a carrying belt 104. In this procedure, fibers are elongated and separated from each other and also occasionally blended with other fibers.

[28] The first carding roller 103 rotates in friction with the opened fiber materials to unwind and arrange the fiber into a thin sheet state. The carding roller 103 may give a carding function with rotating at a speed different from a rate of the carrying belt 104.

[29] The carrying belt 104 is connected to a first cross lapper 110 and it forms a successive lamination structure by piling up the fiber materials 20 in a sheet state one upon another, as schematically shown in FIG. 3.

[30] The first cross lapper 110 includes a plurality of carrying rollers 111 rotating to carry a fiber material sheet 20 supplied by the carrying belt 104, and a laminating means 112 installed to be capable of reciprocating for successively laminating the fiber material sheet 20. Preferably, an assembly of the carrying rollers 111 may laminate the fiber material sheet 20 with reciprocating together with the laminating means 112.

[31] The cross lapper is well known in the art, and not described in detail here. It should be understood that various kinds of cross lappers in addition to the depicted one may be selectively used.

[32] A first needle puncher 120 is provided to an outlet of the first cross lapper 110. The first needle lapper 120 punches the laminated fiber material sheet 20, and it includes an upper press 121 moving vertically by a driving means, not shown, and a base 122 supporting the supplied fiber material sheet 20, as shown in FIG. 4.

[33] A plurality of punching needles 123 are mounted to an inner surface of the upper press 121, and a plurality of insert holes 124 are correspondingly formed in the base 122 so that the needles 123 may be inserted therein when the upper press 121 descends. Preferably, a stripper 125 having guide holes 125a for guiding vertical movement of the needles 123 may be interposed between the upper press 121 and the base 122.

[34] The punching needle 123 has a needle groove 123a in its side surface as shown in an enlarged portion of FIG. 4, and the needle groove 123a plays a role of biting a fiber texture when the needle 123 punches the fiber material sheet 20 so that fiber textures are weaved with each other. Preferably, the needle groove 123a has a hook surface 123b perpendicular to an insert direction of the needle and an inclined surface 123c gently inclined. The hook surface 123b bites the fibers when the needle 123 is inserted, so that fibers are weaved with each other. On the while, the inclined surface 123c allows the needle 123 to softly get out of the fiber texture without any resistance.

[35] The number and arrangement intervals of the punching needles 123 may be varied depending on the material to be made. For example, as the punching needles are more densely arranged, the degree of texture weaving of the fiber material sheet (namely, the degree of tangling of the fibers) is increased to form a firm fiber layer as much, while, as intervals of the punching needles are greater, the weaving of the fibers is limited to local portions to form a relatively soft fiber layer. Of course, it is also possible that the texture weaving degree of the fiber layer may be related to the number of punching per a unit area as well as the number and arrangement of the needles.

[36] Though it is shown in this embodiment that one needle puncher 120 is provided, the present invention is not limited thereto but may be provided with a plurality of needle punchers 120 so that a fiber material sheet is subsequently punched to form a hard layer.

[37] The soft layer making unit 200 includes second and third supply hoppers 201, 221 for supplying raw fibers loaded thereon, second and third opening rollers 202, 222 for opening the raw fibers supplied from the second and third supply hoppers 201, 221, and second and third carding rollers 203, 223 for arranging the opened fiber into a sheet state.

[38] In addition, the soft layer making unit 200 includes second and third cross lappers

210, 220 for successively laminating fiber material sheets 30, 40 opened and carded.

[39] A second needle puncher 230 is provided to an outlet of the cross lapper 220 to blank the fiber material sheets 30, 40.

[40] Configuration and operation of the supply hoppers 201, 221, the opening rollers

202, 222, the carding rollers 203, 223, the cross lappers 210, 220 and the needle puncher 230 are substantially identical to them of the former embodiment, and not described in detail again.

[41] A heating unit 300 positioned at the outlet of the soft layer making unit 200 is used for uniting the soft layer and the hard layer with each other by heating, as shown in FIG. 5.

[42] Referring to FIG. 5, the heating unit 300 includes a housing 310 having an inlet 311 for inputting the laminated hard/soft composite layers and an outlet 312 for discharging the composite layers, a plurality of support rollers 320 for supporting in contact with the hard/soft composite layers carried in the housing 310, and a heating means 330 for heating the carried hard/soft composite layers to be adhered.

[43] The heating means 330 may use an existing one equipped with a common heating structure, and a UV heating rod capable of penetrating heat deep in the fiber texture is preferably used. Temperature or heating level of the heating means 330 may be controlled using a separate controller.

[44] The support rollers 320 supports the hard/soft composite layers at their both sides and also presses the composite layers in a compression direction to unite the hard layer and the soft layer. Though not shown in the drawings, a heating means such as a heating coil may also be provided to the support rollers 320.

[45] Now, a method for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric using the above noise- absorbent fabric manufacturing apparatus is described. FIG. 6 schematically shows a flowchart of the noise-absorbent fabric manufacturing method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[46] Referring to FIG. 6, raw fibers for a hard layer are supplied and loaded onto the first supply hopper 101 for the purpose of manufacture of a noise-absorbent fabric (SlOO).

[47] The raw fibers may be composed of miscellaneous fibers, recycled fibers, felt and so on, which are composed of polyester, polypropylene or polyethylene and also contain high fusion point fibers having a fusion point of about 200⁰C or above and low fusion point fibers having a fusion point of about 100 to 15O⁰C. Preferably, a component ratio of the high fusion point fibers and the low fusion point fibers may be differently set depending on the hard layer and the soft layer. For example, the hard layer may contain a relatively greater amount of low fusion point fibers than the soft layer.

[48] The raw fibers used in the present invention are not limited to the above embodiment, and it should be understood that various fibers may be adopted for giving noise-absorbent effects.

[49] Subsequently, the raw fibers for a hard layer in a lump state are opened from the outlet of the first supply hopper 101 by the first opening roller 102 and then moved onto the carrying belt 104 (Sl 10). That is to say, if the first opening roller 102 rotates by a driving means, not shown, the spikes 102a formed on its outer circumference pulls fibers of the raw fiber dump and arranges them on the carrying belt 103.

[50] Preferably, during the above opening process, impurities and alien substances contained in the raw fibers are separated, and also the fibers are blended.

[51] The fiber materials arranged and carried on the carrying belt 104 are aligned by the first carding roller 103 into a sheet (Sl 10). For example, if the carding roller 103 rotates faster than a moving speed of the carrying belt 104, the fiber material contacted with the carding roller 103 is further elongated and aligned in one direction into a sheet 20.

[52] Though one carding roller is shown in this embodiment, a carding roller assembly having several rollers may also be used for giving desired carding effects.

[53] After the above opening and carding processes, the hard layer fiber material sheet

20 advances into the first cross lapper 110 by means of the carrying belt 104.

[54] Then, the first cross lapper 110 successively laminates the fiber material sheet 20, supplied through the carrying rollers 111, onto a conveyor belt 105 with reciprocating in a horizontal direction (S 120). The number and rate of laminations may be suitably controlled depending on a thickness of a desired material.

[55] After that, the first needle puncher 120 punches the laminated hard layer fiber material sheet (S 130). At this time, the needles 123 (see FIG. 4) of the first needle puncher 120 may be relatively densely arranged to have small intervals, suitably for manufacture of a hard layer. In addition, the number of punching per a unit time of the needle puncher 120 for manufacture of a hard layer is preferably set relatively high.

[56] As mentioned above, when the needles of the puncher punch the fiber material, a fiber is hooked and bitted to the hook surface 123b of the needle groove 123 a. To the contrary, when the needles are taken out, the needles may get out without any hindrance by means of the inclined surface 123c. As such action is repeated, thickness of the laminated fiber materials is decreased and also fibers in each layer are weaved with fibers in an adjacent layer to make their texture denser.

[57] In this embodiment, only one needle puncher 120 is equipped, but it is also possible that a plurality of needle punchers are provided for manufacturing a hard layer by subsequent blanking, when required.

[58] The hard layer produced in the hard layer making unit 100 as mentioned above is advanced to the soft layer making unit 200.

[59] Meanwhile, as mentioned above, raw fibers for manufacture of a soft layer are loaded and supplied on the second and third supply hoppers 201, 221 (S200), and then are opened on the second and third opening rollers 202, 222, carded on the second and third carding rollers 203, 223, and then transferred to the second and third cross lappers 210, 220 along the carrying belts 204, 224 in a shape of fiber material sheet 30, 40, re¬ spectively (S210).

[60] The raw fibers for manufacture of a soft layer may also be composed of mis¬ cellaneous fibers, recycled fibers and felt composed of polyester, polypropylene or polyethylene, and contain high fusion point fibers having a fusion point of about 200⁰C or above and low fusion point fibers having a fusion point of about 100 to 15O⁰C. Preferably, the raw fibers of a soft layer have a lower component ratio of the low fusion point fibers than the raw fibers of a hard layer.

[61] The fiber material sheet 30 supplied to the second cross lapper 210 is successively laminated on the hard layer that is already made in the former process and supplied (S220).

[62] In addition, in order to make the soft layer relatively thicker, the third cross lapper

220 performs a process of additionally laminating the soft layer further. That is to say, the third cross lapper 220 piles up the fiber material sheet 40 on the soft layer primarily laminated with the fiber material sheet 30.

[63] According to the present invention, the soft layer sheet 30 primarily laminated on the hard layer may contain a relatively greater amount of low fusion point fibers. It makes a boundary layer be fused when the hard layer and the soft layer are heated in the heating unit 300, thereby enhancing an adhesive force between them, as described later.

[64] The hard/soft composite layers laminated as mentioned above are advanced to the second needle puncher 230, and at this place the soft layer is blanked to decrease its thickness and also weave fiber texture, like the above description (S230).

[65] Here, the needles are regulated to move up and down within a stroke range so as to blank only the soft layer positioned in an upper portion and not to blank the hard layer below it.

[66] The soft layer is completely made through the above procedure, and then the soft layer is carried to the heating unit 300 with being placed on the upper surface of the hard layer.

[67] As shown in FIG. 5, the soft/hard composite layers advance into the heating unit

300 through its inlet 311, and a plurality of support rollers 320 guide both sides of the composite layers.

[68] At this time, the soft/hard composite layers are heated and thermally bonded with each other by means of the heating means 330 mounted in the heating unit 300. That is to say, as the low fusion point fibers in the fiber texture are fused to bind the fiber texture with each other, the soft layer and the hard layer are united. In particular, they may be more effectively united when a boundary layer between the soft layer and the hard layer contains a relatively greater amount of low fusion point fibers.

[69] Heating temperature and capacity applied for mutual uniting of the soft layer and the hard layer may be suitably set in consideration of a size of the heating unit 300, a heating capacity of the heating means 330, a time for the fiber layer to stay in the housing 310 and so on.

[70] The noise-absorbent fabric made as mentioned above is wound by means of a winding roller 330. Since the winding roller 330 winds the noise-absorbent fabric, the fiber material sheet may be continuously carried from the hard layer making unit 100 and the soft layer making unit 200 without using any separate conveyor belt.

[71] According to this embodiment, it has been explained that the hard layer is laminated using one cross lapper 110 and the soft layer is laminated using two cross lappers 210, 220, but the present invention is not limited to the above but the number of cross lappers may be suitably changed as required. It is the same as the needle puncher and the heating unit. Industrial Applicability

[72] According to the apparatus and method for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric of the present invention, it is possible to subsequently make a hard layer and a soft layer in a single processing line and then heat and unite them at the same time, thereby enabling to mass-produce final products from raw fibers.

[73] In addition, the hard layer and the soft layer are made by means of needle punching, not using compressing, so texture of a finished noise-absorbent fabric has an increased weaving rate, thereby not causing separation between layers, differently from the prior art.

[74] Furthermore, according to the apparatus and method for manufacturing a noise- absorbent fabric of the present invention, fiber texture is not arranged in one direction but weaved with each other by the needle punchers, so stress may be relatively uniformly dispersed when the fabric is thermally shaped.

[75] The present invention has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Claims

[1] An apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric, comprising: a hard layer making unit for laminating a fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a hard layer and then punching the fiber material sheet by needles to make a hard layer; a soft layer making unit for laminating a fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a soft layer on the hard layer and then punching the fiber material sheet by needles to make a soft layer; and a heating unit for heating the laminated hard and soft layers to be united with each other. [2] The apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to claim 1, wherein the hard layer making unit includes: at least one supply hopper for supplying the raw fibers of the hard layer; at least one opening roller for opening the raw fibers; at least one carding roller for carding the opened fiber materials into a sheet; at least one cross lapper for laminating the fiber material sheets one upon another; and at least one needle puncher for punching the laminated fiber material sheets. [3] The apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to claim 2, wherein the soft layer making unit includes: at least one supply hopper for supplying the raw fibers of the soft layer; at least one opening roller for opening the raw fibers; at least one carding roller for carding the opened fiber materials into a sheet; at least one cross lapper for laminating the fiber material sheets one upon another; and at least one needle puncher for punching the laminated fiber material sheets. [4] The apparatus for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to claim 3, wherein the heating unit includes: a housing having an inlet and an outlet through which the laminated hard/soft composite layers are introduced or discharged; support rollers rotatably installed in the housing to support in contact with both sides of the hard/soft composite layers; and a heating means installed in the housing to heat the hard/soft composite layer. [5] A method for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric, comprising: laminating a hard layer fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a harder layer; punching the laminated hard layer fiber materials by needles; laminating a soft layer fiber material sheet formed from raw fibers of a soft layer on the needle-punched hard layer; punching the laminated soft layer fiber materials by needles; and heating the laminated hard/soft composite layers to be united with each other. [6] The method for manufacturing a noise-absorbent fabric according to claim 5, wherein the soft layer sheet primarily laminated on the hard layer contains a relatively greater amount of low fusion point fibers than the other soft layer sheet.