Patent Application
20240229306
The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a crimped composite thread and to a method for producing a crimped composite thread as disclosed herein.
An apparatus of this type for producing the crimped composite thread has a spinning device, a cooling device and a drawing device for producing multiple multifilament individual threads. The apparatus of this type for producing the crimped composite thread further has a crimping device for bringing the individual threads together to form the composite thread, and an entangling device, arranged upstream of the crimping device, for entangling the individual threads separately in each case by means of an entangling unit. During the method for producing the crimped composite thread, multiple individual threads are extruded, in each case in the form of a plurality of strand-like filaments, cooled, drawn by means of the drawing device and together crimped by means of the crimping device to form the composite thread. Prior to crimping, the multifilament individual threads are entangled separately in each case by means of one of the entangling units of the entangling device.
Such an apparatus and such a method are known from EP 3 358 052 B1. The crimped composite thread is preferably processed further to form a carpet. Composite threads produced from three individual threads of different colours are frequently used. In order to produce different colourations of the composite thread and thus of the carpet produced therefrom, the individual threads are here selectively guided through the entangling units arranged upstream of the crimping device or past the entangling units arranged upstream of the crimping device. However, the different colourations of the composite thread which can be produced in this way are still not sufficient to satisfy the customers' high demands in terms of the flexibility of these colourations.
A further apparatus for producing a crimped composite thread from three individual threads of different colours is known from EP 1 844 186 B1, wherein multiple entangling units are here arranged in the thread run of at least one individual thread in order to produce different colourations of the composite thread. The adjustability and range of variability of the colouration of the composite thread can here be improved by entangling each of the different individual threads with different compressed air set-point values of a compressed air supply.
However, the different colourations of the composite thread which can be produced in this way are also not sufficient to satisfy the customers' high demands in terms of the flexibility of the colourations.
The present invention is based on the object of providing an apparatus and a method for producing a crimped composite thread which reduce or eliminate the problems of the prior art. In particular, the composite thread is to be able to be produced with an even greater colour spectrum.
This object is achieved by an apparatus for producing a crimped composite thread as disclosed herein.
Further advantageous embodiments are subject matter as disclosed herein.
More specifically, the object is achieved in that a position and/or orientation of at least one of the entangling units relative to the drawing device, the crimping device and/or a further one of the entangling units can be changed by means of at least one actuator.
In tests, it has been possible to show that specifically the position of the entangling units relative to the drawing device, the crimping device and/or a further one of the entangling units also has a certain influence on the colouration of the composite thread, which differs significantly, for example, from the influence of different compressed air set-point values of the respective compressed air supplies. With the position of the entangling units, in particular the feed and discharge angles of the individual threads into the entangling units and out of the entangling units and the feed angles into the crimping device, which likewise have a corresponding influence on the colouration of the composite thread, are also adjustable. By means of the actuator, a new position and thus also the corresponding feed and discharge angles, which are known beforehand, can quickly be set and thus a corresponding desired colouration of the composite thread can be produced. By using an actuator to adjust at least one of the entangling units, automatic adjustment, even during operation of the apparatus, is possible. Overall, the flexibility in the colouration of the composite thread can be increased further, so that a particularly broad colour spectrum in the composite thread can be achieved. In particular, a colour dominance of one of the colours of the individual threads in a carpet produced by means of the composite thread can be set precisely. The different colours of the individual threads are, for example, blue, yellow and red.
Advantageously, each entangling unit has an entangling nozzle, which entangling nozzles are arranged on a common carrier of the entangling device. The position and/or orientation of the carrier can be changed by means of the at least one actuator.
The adjustment of all the entangling units with the common carrier can easily be implemented mechanically. In some circumstances, a single actuator is sufficient to achieve the desired flexibility in the colouration. Furthermore, non-adjustable carriers which are already known can be used with only slight adaptations, namely with the coupling with the actuator. The actuator is preferably arranged between the carrier and a machine frame of the apparatus for producing a crimped composite thread.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each entangling unit has an individual carrier for holding the associated entangling nozzle. The position and/or orientation of each individual carrier can be changed in each case by means of at least one actuator.
By arranging the entangling units on individual carriers, the position of the entangling units relative to one another can in particular be adjusted. On account of the associated actuators, this can be carried out particularly quickly, preferably in an automated manner and in particular during operation of the apparatus. The flexibility in the colouration of the composite thread is thus increased further.
Further preferably, an adjustment range of at least one of the actuators is from 5 mm to 60 mm, preferably from 5 mm to 25 mm.
In this range, a large number of desired colourations/colour patterns can be achieved in the composite thread. Furthermore, it is thus ensured that, in the case of conventional distances between the drawing device arranged upstream of the entangling units and the crimping device arranged downstream of the entangling units, the individual threads are not deflected too greatly as they enter and/or leave the entangling units. Too great a deflection would lead to excessive friction between the entangling unit and the individual thread.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the at least one actuator is configured to permit a movement of the carrier and/or individual carrier coupled with the actuator in at least one of six degrees of freedom, in particular a displacement in an X, Y and/or Z direction and/or a rotation about an X, Y and/or Z axis.
In order to make these movements possible, a large number of variants of actuators and combinations of actuators are conceivable. The actuators or combinations of actuators are adapted to the carrier and/or the individual carriers and also, in some circumstances, to intermediate transmission elements and the bearing of the carrier and/or individual carriers on the machine frame, for example. It is conceivable that the individual carriers are used without a common carrier, wherein the actuators are then arranged in each case between one of the individual carriers and the machine frame. It is further conceivable both that the common carrier is present and movable by means of an actuator coupled with the machine frame and further that the individual carriers are mounted on the common carrier and movable by means of in each case an actuator arranged between the carrier and each of the individual carriers.
It can be advantageous if the at least one actuator is connected to a control device for the activation, preferably the automatic activation, of the actuator.
In addition to automatic activation, the control device also makes it possible to store specific, preferred positions of the entangling units, which if required can then be retrieved and set, in particular in an automated manner.
A separately controllable compressed air supply is preferably associated with each of the entangling units.
The entanglement of each individual thread can thus be controlled separately, so that the flexibility of the colouration of the composite thread is further increased.
The object on which the invention is based is also achieved by a method for producing a crimped composite thread as disclosed herein.
More specifically, the object is then achieved in that a position and/or orientation of at least one of the entangling units relative to the drawing device, the crimping device and/or a further one of the entangling units is changed during the production of the crimped composite thread.
By changing the position and/or orientation of at least one of the entangling units during the production of the crimped composite thread, the colouration is also changed during operation. A colour pattern of a carpet produced by means of the composite thread can thus also be adjusted in a particularly versatile manner.
The position and/or orientation of the entangling device, namely of all the entangling units together, relative to the drawing device and/or relative to the crimping device is advantageously changed during the production of the crimped composite thread.
This variant can be implemented with a particularly low outlay in terms of apparatus but also in terms of open-loop and/or closed-loop control.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the position and/or orientation of at least one of the entangling units is changed automatically by means of a control device on the basis of measured properties of the composite thread, in particular the colour thereof, in order to achieve desired properties of the composite thread, in particular the colour thereof.
In this way, a desired colouration of the composite thread can be achieved particularly reliably. To that end, corresponding algorithms for evaluating the properties of the composite thread measured by means of a sensor, preferably an optical sensor, and for subsequently generating control signals for the at least one actuator are carried out in the control device.
It can be advantageous if the position and/or orientation of at least one of the entangling units is changed by means of the control device on the basis of a predefined movement pattern present in the control device.
The movement pattern is preferably implemented such that the at least one entangling unit that is moved performs periodic movements. Such a movement pattern then results in a changing colouration of the composite thread. In a particularly simple form, a distance of this entangling unit from the crimping device could be changed between two end positions, that is to say the entangling unit could be moved to and from between these two end positions. Such a periodic movement has a period which can last several minutes or which in some cases is also below one second. The period means the time required to move the entangling unit from one of the two end positions to the other end position and back again.
Further preferably, the individual threads are entangled with in each case different compressed air set-point values of a compressed air supply.
In this way, colour dominance of one of the colours of the individual threads in a carpet produced from the composite thread can be achieved in a dotted manner. That is to say, regions of the colours of the individual threads that are clearly distinguishable from one another are visible in the carpet.
As already described, the crimped composite threads are further processed in particular to form carpets.
In the following text, preferred embodiments will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying figures.
The apparatus for producing a crimped composite thread 1 according to
According to
A position and/or orientation of at least one of the entangling units 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 relative to the drawing device 4, the crimping device 6 and/or a further one of the entangling units 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 can be changed by means of at least one actuator.
The double arrows shown adjacent to the entangling device 7 in
Each entangling unit 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 has an entangling nozzle 7.1.d, 7.2.d, 7.3.d, which entangling nozzles are arranged according to
The first and second embodiments of the apparatus for producing a crimped composite thread 1 according to
According to
The first embodiment of the apparatus for producing a crimped composite thread 1 from
An adjustment range of at least one of the actuators is from 5 mm to 60 mm, preferably from 5 mm to 25 mm.
In particular, the actuator has a central rest position, from which the actuator is movable in two opposite directions in each case by from 10 mm to 30 mm, preferably from 17.5 mm to 22.5 mm.
The at least one actuator is configured to permit a movement of the carrier 8 and/or individual carrier 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 coupled with the actuator in at least one of six degrees of freedom, in particular a displacement in an X, Y and/or Z direction and/or a rotation about an X, Y and/or Z axis.
The displacements in the X, Y and/or Z direction are symbolized in
The at least one actuator is connected to a control device for the activation, preferably the automatic activation, of the actuator.
Each of the entangling units 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 has an associated separately controllable compressed air supply 7.1.z, 7.2.z, 7.3.z.
To that end, the compressed air supplies 7.1.z, 7.2.z, 7.3.z are each connected according to
In the following text, the components arranged according to
These visual appearances of the composite thread are achieved substantially by the entanglement of the individual threads 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 immediately prior to crimping. The different colours of the individual threads 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 can be produced, for example, by supplying granules of different colours to the extruders. It is further conceivable to introduce different liquid dyes into the polymer melts between the melt generators, for example the extruders, and the spinning nozzles 11.1, 11.2 and 11.3.
The method described hereinbelow for producing the crimped composite thread 1 can be carried out in particular by means of the apparatus described hereinbefore for producing the crimped composite thread 1.
In the method for producing the crimped composite thread 1, multiple individual threads 5.1, 5.2, 5.2 are each extruded as a plurality of strand-shaped filaments, cooled, drawn by means of the drawing device 4 and together crimped by means of the crimping device 6 to form the composite thread 1. Before the multifilament individual threads 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 are crimpled, they are each entangled separately by means of in each case an entangling unit 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 of an entangling device 7.
A position and/or orientation of at least one of the entangling units 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 relative to the drawing device 4, the crimping device 6 and/or a further one of the entangling units 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 is changed during the production of the crimped composite thread 1.
The colouring of the composite thread 1 is thus also changed continuously. Desired colour patterns are produced in the composite thread 1, which results in corresponding colour patterns in carpets produced from such composite threads 1.
The position and/or orientation of the entangling device 7, namely of all the entangling units 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 together, relative to the drawing device 4 and/or relative to the crimping device 6 is changed during the production of the crimped composite thread 1.
For example, the common carrier 8 is continuously moved to and from in the Z direction between two end positions, so that the distance from the crimping device 6 and the associated feed and discharge angles change continuously. A continuous circular or elliptical movement in a plane would also be conceivable. In the case of such a movement, the common carrier 8 could be moved at a constant speed. In principle, however, all movement sequences which result in a desired colouration of the composite thread 1 and not in undesirable damage to the composite thread are conceivable.
The position and/or orientation of at least one of the entangling units 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 is, for example, changed automatically by means of a control device on the basis of measured properties of the composite thread 1, in particular the colour thereof, in order to achieve desired properties of the composite thread 1, in particular the colour thereof.
The aim in the case of such closed-loop control of the colour of the composite thread 1 can be a particular unvarying colour or a particular change in the colour of the composite thread 1.
The position and/or orientation of at least one of the entangling units 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 is changed by means of the control device, for example, on the basis of a predefined movement pattern present in the control device.
Movement patterns which have already been tried and tested and the resulting colouration of the composite thread 1 can thus easily be retrieved. Examples of conceivable movement patterns are the changing movement along a line, circular or elliptical movements which have already been mentioned. However, three-dimensional movement patterns are also possible. On the other hand, the movement pattern could also meet particular specifications, such as, for example, a particular, constant discharge angle of one of the individual threads 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 from the entangling device 7.
The individual threads 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 are, for example, each entangled with different compressed air set-point values of a compressed air supply 7.1.z, 7.2.z, 7.3.z.
The compressed air set-point values can also be changed during the production of the crimped composite thread 1 if this results in a desired colouration of the composite thread.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2022 003 999.0 | Oct 2022 | DE | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20240133083 A1 | Apr 2024 | US |
