Patent Application
20050151295
The invention relates to a method for spinning and texturing a multifilament composite yarn as well as an apparatus for carrying out the method.
A generic method as well as a generic apparatus for spinning and texturing a multifilament composite yarn are disclosed in EP 0 784 109 A2 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,320.
For producing a textured composite yarn by the method disclosed in the referenced patents, a plurality of yarn components are initially spun from a thermoplastic melt by a spinning means, then cooled, and separately pretreated in parallel side-by-side relationship. The yarn components are jointly withdrawn from the spinning means by a withdrawal system, and drawn before undergoing texturing. For texturing the component yarns, the latter are textured jointly or parallel in side-by-side relationship and subsequently combined to form a composite yarn.
The known method is directed to changing the appearance of the composite yarn by a separate compacting step, essentially by separately entangling or separately texturing the differently dyed yarn components. However, such visual properties represent only a part of the properties of the yarn which are desired for further processing. For the use and application of fabrics produced from such composite yarns, such as, for example, carpets, the physical properties, such as strength and elongation take priority over visual properties. In this respect, the known method and the known apparatus play only a subordinate role in the production of qualitatively superior composite yarns.
Likewise, the method disclosed in EP 0 861 931 A2 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,442,923, attempts to influence in particular the visual properties of a composite yarn formed from yarn components by separate and individual treatment of yarn components. In this process, freshly spun and drawn yarn components, or drawn individual yarns that are unwound from a package, are separately treated in different ways by entangling, texturing, or false twisting, and combined to a composite yarn.
It is an object of the invention to provide a generic method for spinning and texturing a multifilament composite yarn as well as a generic apparatus for carrying out the method, which permit producing qualitatively superior textured composite yarns with optimized physical and visual properties.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus, which permit treating parallel spun yarn components or yarns with greatest flexibility until they are wound.
The invention is based on the knowledge that after spinning, yarn components that are parallel spun from a basic polymer, may have an individual molecular structure as a result of adding different additives, for example, different dyes. When advancing and drawing the yarn components jointly, this individual molecular structure will lead to different physical properties, in particular different strengths. This is where the invention comes into play, in that at least one of the yarn components is drawn separately and independently of the other yarn components before being textured. It was thus found that in the production of a composite yarn from an individual polypropylene yarn that had been dyed blue, and a second undyed polypropylene yarn, different draw ratios lead to respectively maximum strengths with simultaneously the least residual elongations in the yarn components. Thus, the blue dyed yarn component required a draw ratio of 1:2.5, and the undyed yarn component required drawing at the ratio of 1:3.5. With that, the invention permits the purposeful influencing of the physical properties of the yarn components in a manner that it is possible to produce a composite yarn of maximum strength, while having simultaneously a minimal residual elongation.
To obtain during the spinning of the yarn components a drawing that is adapted to the characteristics of the yarn component, an advantageous further development proposes to withdraw a yarn component during spinning separately and independently of the other yarn components at a withdrawal speed that differs from the withdrawal speeds of the other yarn components.
In a preferred embodiment of the method, wherein to each yarn component a plurality of separate feed roll systems are associated, which withdraw the yarn components during the spinning separately and advance them separately for drawing, it is possible to adjust on each of the yarn components the maximum strength with the least residual elongation. With that a very uniform and qualitatively superior crimp can be realized in each of the yarn components after texturing.
To improve the visual properties of the composite yarn, it is possible and advantageous to entangle the yarn components separately before drawing by means of a pressurized fluid.
To obtain an as uniform and superior crimp as possible when texturing the yarn components after spinning, it is preferred to apply the stuffer box principle in the texturing step. To this end, it is possible to compress the yarn components after drawing either separately or jointly to form a yarn plug in a stuffer box chamber. Because of the great strength of the yarn components, it is possible to reach very great yarn plug densities, which result in an intensive formation of loops and curls in the individual filaments of the yarn components and, thus, in an intensive crimp.
Before winding the composite yarn, the latter is formed preferably by entangling or texturing the yarn components. The choice in which way the yarn components are combined to the composite yarn is essentially determined by the desired visual properties of the composite yarn. For example, to obtain in the case of a multicolor yarn a distinct, accentuated mixed color, it is preferred to produce the composite yarn after separately texturing the yarn components by entangling.
To carry out the method, a withdrawal system is provided which is formed by a plurality of feed roll systems, with at least one feed roll system being associated to one of the yarn components. The yarn component being drawn by the one feed roll system is thus drawn separately and independently of the other yarn components.
The feed roll system associated to the one yarn component is made for separate operation and control, so that an individual adjustment is possible for withdrawing and drawing the yarn component.
The highest flexibility for carrying out the method is ensured by an advantageous further development of the apparatus, wherein the feed roll systems are associated to the yarn components such that each of the yarn components is withdrawn and drawn independently of adjacent yarn components.
In this arrangement, the feed roll systems can be operated or controlled individually or in groups.
For texturing the yarn components, the texturing means is formed preferably by a feed nozzle and a stuffer box chamber cooperating with the feed nozzle. The feed nozzle is preferably operated with a hot conveying medium, so that the yarn components or the formed yarn plug undergo a thermal treatment at the same time. For cooling the yarn plugs emerging from the stuffer box chamber, a cooling unit is provided which cools the yarn plugs by means of a cooling medium.
The method and the apparatus of the invention are also suited for producing a composite yarn, whose yarn components are spun from different polymers. In this connection, it is possible to spin basically all known polymer materials, such as, for example, polyamide, polyester, or polypropylene.
In the case that the composite yarn is produced from feed yarn packages, it is advantageous to apply the method of the invention wherein the yarns are parallel spun from a polymer melt, cooled, and drawn before being textured, separately and independently of one another by a plurality of feed roll systems that are associated to the yarns. After drawing, the yarns are separately textured and each wound to a package. It is also preferred to use the method for the production of identical yarns. The individual treatment of the yarn components until they are wound is however used preferably in the case of different quality of the yarns.
In the following, the methods of the invention are described in greater detail by means of several embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention with reference to the attached Figures, in which:
The apparatus as shown in
Downstream of the spin beam 2, a cooling shaft 4 is provided, through which the groups of extruded filaments advance, so that the filaments emerging at approximately the melt point are cooled. To this end, the cooling shaft 4 could connect, for example, to an air flow system, which blows cooling air substantially transversely toward the filaments. After cooling the filaments, the filament groups associated to respective spinnerets 3.1-3.3 are combined to form a yarn component 6.1-6.3 by yarn guides 5.1-5.3 at the outlet of the cooling shaft 4.
Downstream of the spinning means 1 is a withdrawal means 10 for withdrawing the yarn components 6.1-6.3 from the spinnerets 3.1-3.3. The withdrawal means 10 is formed by a plurality of feed roll systems 14.1-14.6 which are associated to each of the yarn components 6.1-6.3. Thus, the yarn component 6.1 is withdrawn from the spinning means 1 by feed roll system 14.1, the yarn component 6.2 by feed roll system 14.2, and the yarn component 6.3 by feed roll system 14.3. The feed roll systems 14.1-14.6 are each formed by a driven godet and an associated companion roll, which are looped by the respective yarn component several times. In particular, the drives of the feed roll systems 14.1-14.3 are controllable independently of one another, so that it is possible to adjust a withdrawal speed that is adapted to the particular yarn component.
To be able to draw the yarn components 6.1-6.3 in full, the feed roll systems 14.1-14.3 are each followed by an additional feed roll system 14.4-14.6. Thus, the yarn component 6.1 advances through feed roll systems 14.1 and 14.4, the yarn component 6.2 through feed roll systems 14.2 and 14.5, and the yarn component 6.3 through feed roll systems 14.3 and 14.6. The feed roll systems 14.4-14.6 are operated preferably likewise independently of one another by separate drive units. In the case that all yarn components 6.1-6.3 are removed by the withdrawal means 10 at the same yarn speed, the feed roll systems 14.4-14.6 can be activated preferably via a common control unit. In this case, it would also be possible to combine the individual drives of the feed roll systems 14.4-14.6 to a group drive. In the cases, in which the withdrawal means 10 removes the yarn components 6.1-6.3 at different yarn speeds, for example, to realize visual effects on a composite yarn, the drives of the feed roll systems 14.4-14.6 are separately operated and controlled.
To pretreat the yarn components 6.1-6.3, a pretreatment means 8 is provided between the spinning means 1 and the withdrawal means 10. The pretreatment means 8 is formed by yarn lubrication units 7.1-7.3 associated to each of the yarn components 6.1-6.3 and subsequent entanglement nozzles 9.1-9.3. In this arrangement, a lubricant is applied to each of the yarn components 6.1-6.3 independently of the others. Subsequently, the filaments of the yarn components undergo an entanglement, each in its associated entanglement nozzle 9.1-9.3. With that a yarn cohesion is essentially produced for the further treatment of the yarn components 6.1-6.3.
The further treatment of the yarn components 6.1-6.3 occurs downstream of the withdrawal means 10 in a texturing means 11 and an aftertreatment means 12. In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of the device according to the invention as illustrated in
After having been drawn, the yarn components 6.1-6.3 are jointly textured and combined to the composite yarn 21. The composite yarn 21 that is produced by the method of the invention distinguishes itself by great uniformity in its physical properties. It is thus possible and advantageous to produce high-strength yarns. Depending on desire and requirements for visual properties, it is possible to operate with a plurality of treatment steps.
In the embodiment of
For texturing the yarn components 6.1-6.3, the texturing means 11 is formed by separate feed nozzles with associated stuffer box chambers. Thus, the texturing means 11 is composed of feed nozzles 15.1-15.3 and their associated stuffer box chambers 16.1-16.3. Downstream of the stuffer box chambers 16.1-16.3 are cooling units 17.1-17.3. The feed nozzles 15.1-15.3 and the stuffer box chambers 16.1-16.3 can be arranged in separate housings or in a common housing. Likewise, the cooling units 17.1-17.3 can be replaced with one structural unit, along which three parallel yarn plugs advance. Essential in the embodiment shown in
The withdrawal means of the embodiments shown in
Associated to each of the yarn components are, a lubrication means 7.1, 7.2, an entanglement nozzle 9.1, 9.2, a first feed roll system 14.1, 14.3, a second feed roll system 14.2, 14.4, a feed nozzle 15.1, 15.2 with a stuffer box chamber 16.1, 16.2, a cooling unit 17.1, 17.2, a first withdrawal godet 18.1, 18.3, an entanglement nozzle 9.1, 9.2, as well as a second withdrawal godet 18.2, 18.4 one following the other in the path of the advancing yarn. An arrangement of this type is particularly suited for producing different yarns 21.1, 21.2 within a spinning apparatus. When spinning the yarns, it is then possible to take into account in particular individually adjusted withdrawal speeds and draw ratios.
The described embodiments for carrying out the method of the invention are exemplary in their arrangement and selection of the treatment units. Additional pretreatment or aftertreatment steps and means may be introduced to be able to perform, for example, additional treatments on the yarn components before or after texturing them, or to carry out additional treatments on the composite yarn. Likewise, the type and the construction of the texturing means is exemplary. To adjust defined crimps, the yarn components may also be textured, each with different parameters. In the case of separate texturing, it is also possible to apply different texturing methods. The separate adjustment of the draw parameters on the yarn components provides a high flexibility in the production of textured composite yarns.
Likewise, the configuration of the feed roll system in the illustrated embodiments is exemplary. It would thus be possible to construct all or part of the feed roll systems with respectively two driven godets. Both godets of a feed roll system could be operated at the same or different circumferential speeds. In addition, one or both godets of a feed roll system could include heating means to be able to perform a thermal treatment on the yarns.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102 36 826.0 | Aug 2002 | DE | national |
The present application is a continuation of international application PCT/EP2003/008810, filed 8 Aug. 2003, and which designates the U.S. The disclosure of the referenced application is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP03/08810 | Aug 2003 | US |
| Child | 11054195 | Feb 2005 | US |
