Apparatus and method for regulating an amount of binder following a thread

Abstract

Apparatus (10) adapted to regulate an amount of binder that follows a wire (99), wherein the apparatus (10) comprises at least one first row of tines (111) which is parallel and displaceably arranged to at least one second row of tines (122), and wherein a guide path for the wire (99) is formed across the rows of tines (111, 122) and a displacement of at least one row of tines (111, 122) changes the guide path. A method for regulating the amount of binder using tines (101) is also described.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REGULATING A QUANTITY OF BINDER FOLLOWING A THREAD The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for regulating an amount of binder agent that follows a thread. The apparatus can be referred to as a binder regulator designed to regulate an amount of binder that follows a fiber thread. Known technique and its disadvantages When forming a laminate, for example a hollow fiberglass mast, a technique is used known as filament winding. A fiber thread infused with a binder is placed on a rotating core using a filament winder that is moved back and forth parallel to a rotating axis see for the core. The core rotation speed and the filament winder movement speed can can be adjusted. By changing the speed ratio between the core and the filament winder, it is possible to adjust the amount of fiber thread that is placed on the core, and which is possible to place on the core- nen in a radial direction and in an axial direction. The fiber thread used for this is discussed preferably as a filament as the fiber thread is formed from a plurality of smaller threads. For example- for example, a fiber thread filament with a diameter of 4 millimeters can be formed from several thousand fiber threads. The function of the binder is to bind the fiber strands together and give the hollow fiberglass mast strength, as the binder hardens after the fiber thread and binder have been applied to the core. The proportion of binder is often stated as a weight percentage of a final laminate weight and can be, for example: should be between 25% and 27%. For example, a fiberglass mast weighing 100 kg will be formed from 75 kg of fiber thread and 25 kg of binder. The binder is added to the fiber thread by an impregnation process where the fiber thread is fed through a binder vessel containing a liquid binder. It is important that the fiber- The thread is saturated with binder to avoid dry areas in the laminate being produced. When the fiber thread is pulled up by the binder vessel, the fiber thread therefore has an excess of binder the agent that must be scraped off the fiber thread. According to the known technique, the scraping can, for example, pelvis is made by pulling the fiber thread through a scraper nozzle, or through a passive, flat scraper comprising an upper and a lower plate, or between two rotating rollers, or by a combination of the aforementioned techniques. Scrapers according to the prior art have several problems more:  The fiber threads are joined with a knot, and if the knot is too large, the thread can break when the knot passes the scraper.  When the thread is saturated with binder, any excess binder will drain off the fiber thread between the filament winder and the core. The binder that flows off the fiber The thread is to be considered waste, and results in the loss of a valuable raw material.  The saturation of binder in the fiber thread is affected by temperature, thread speed, thread quality and type of binder. It can therefore be difficult to maintain a constant laminate weight when one or more of the aforementioned factors change.  To add a constant amount of filament onto a conical core, the rotary the speed of the core. In practice, this results in increased production time and increased costs. Solutions are therefore being sought that can reduce the loss of binder and at the same time make the production of laminate more efficient. The invention aims to remedy or reduce at least one of the disadvantages of prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative to prior art. The purpose is achieved by the features set forth in the description below and in the following the patent claims. General description of the invention The invention is defined by the independent patent claims. The dependent claims defines advantageous embodiments of the invention. The invention relates in a first aspect to an apparatus for regulating an amount of binder which follows a thread, the apparatus comprising a first tines holder with a first set of tines and a second tine holder with a second set of tine. Each of the tine sets includes at least one tine row where each tine row comprises at least two tines with a central axis. The first the tin set and the other tin set are parallel and displaceably arranged to each other in one axial direction. The pin sets, in a neutral position, form a straight-line guide path for the thread and in a shifted position they form an angled guide path. The device is referred to in technical terms as a binder regulator. The thread can be a filament intended. The thread can be a fiber thread. In this context, tin holder can be understood as a device arranged to hold at least one tine. Two adjacent tine in a tine row form a wire pass- The two adjacent tines mentioned can be referred to as a tine pair. The wire passage may have a width that creates a free space between the wire and the adjacent tines so that the wire does not comes into contact with the tines if there is a slight twist in the wire or if the tine rows are slightly offset. The apparatus may comprise a plurality of wire passages. The number of wire passages may be equal to number of threads wound on a core, for example 16. More than one thread can be drawn through The rows of tines may advantageously be arranged perpendicular to the wire. An axial direction can be understood herein as the longitudinal direction of the tine holder and the tine rows. A straight-line guide path means that the wire passes through the device in a straight line. With an angled guide path it can be understood that the thread does not pass through the ap- the parade in a straight line. The effect of changing the guide path as described herein is that binder can be scraped off the thread in a controlled and adjustable way, thereby optimizing the amount of binding the means that follows the thread to the core. The effect of the device comprising at least two rows of tines is that the wire can be scraped off in two sides as scraping on two sides gives a more homogeneous scraping and better distribution of the remaining binder than if the thread is scraped off on only one side. The viscosity of the binder can be affected by temperature and thread quality. By scraping- can be regulated as the invention describes, it is possible to keep the amount of binder which follows the thread to the core constantly, even though viscosity, temperature and thread quality vary res. The straight guide path can be formed when the tine sets are in a neutral position. it can then pass through the appliance without coming into contact with any tines, so that This means that no adhesive is scratched. By shifting at least one set of tines, an angled guide path can be provided in the a tangential contact surface is formed between the wire and at least one pin. This contact surface acts as a scraper for the binder. The contact area increases with increasing displacement of the tine row. Maximum scraping is achieved when the tine row is offset to its maximum. The central axis of peaks belonging to the same peak row may be parallel. The central axes may be perpendicular to a plane formed by a plurality of threads. The effect of tines belonging to the same tine row being parallel is that a plurality of threads that passing through the device will have similar guide paths and thus have similar scraping. By having the center axes arranged perpendicularly to a plane formed by several threads, the threads get an equal passage through the tines. The first set of tines and the second set of tines can together comprise at least three tines rows which are alternately arranged to the first set of tines and to the second set of tines. The effect of an alternating arrangement of the tine rows of the first set of tine and the The second set of teeth is that the thread is alternately scraped off the binder on a first side and a other side. In addition to better abrasion, such alternating contact can also provide better distribution. of the binder on the thread. The thread is pulled through the binder regulator, and the This creates a stretch in the thread. If the thread is a filament with a round cross-section, the tension causes the filament's cross-section to form a flat and rectangular shape when the filament is drawn along the surface of the tip. By flattening the filament, the overall strength of the filament increases attacked against the tip. This exposes a larger proportion of the strands in the filament. This increases the scraping effect while distributing the binder across multiple strands of the filament compared to a filament with a round cross-section. The more tines a thread has in contact, the better the scraping and distribution of the binder. The tines of the first set of tines may project from a first tines holder surface and tines those belonging to the second set of tines can project from a second tines holder surface. The first tine holding surface and the second tine holding surface may be arranged so that they facing each other. The effect of the first tine holding surface and the second tine holding surface being arranged against each other, is that an enclosing passage for the wire through the apparatus can be formed, so that the thread maintains its path in the event of any slack. The enclosing passage can also be advantageous when threading the thread, because it cannot move unintentionally. The The first row of tines can extend upwards while the second row of tines can extend downwards. The first tine holding surface may be arranged below the second tine holding surface, in which the tines arranged to the tine holding surfaces provide a vertical position. Furthermore, an opposing arrangement of the tine rows can provide a simple design of the tine holder. wherein each of the first and second tine holders can form a rectangular and simple shape. The first and second rows of tines may be interdigitated. such that a distance between the times and an opposing tenon surface is less than the diameter on the filament. The first and second rows of tines may have the same height. A second tine holder arranged above a first tine holder can be removed thereby to simplifies threading the thread by allowing the thread to be threaded vertically instead of horizontally. When the thread is through the first row of tines, the second tine holder can be arranged above the first the tine holder so that a closed passage is created for the wire. The first tine holding surface and the second tine holding surface may be arranged so that they facing the same way. The effect of the first tine holder surface and the second tine holder surface facing the same way, is that the thread can be threaded vertically without first removing one of the tine holders. If the the first and second tine holding surfaces are arranged so that the tines project downwards, is achieved the additional effect that the binder can flow directly into an underlying collection tank This can reduce the amount of binder spilled on the device. If the first tine holding surface and the second tine holding surface are arranged so that the tines point in the same direction, upwards or downwards, the thread can be threaded through it at the same time the first and second row of tines. In an embodiment where the first and second rows of tines project in the same direction, the tine holders can derne include corresponding grooves so that the pin holders can overlap each other in a common plane. The tine holders can then, for example, be designed as an E. One of the tine sets may be movable and the other of the tine sets may be immovable. ke-displaceable. The effect that one tin set can be displaceable while the other tin set can be fixed, or non-displaceable, is that the construction of the apparatus can be made simpler than if both tin sets are displaceable. In an embodiment where the rows of tines project in opposite directions from each other, the first and The underlying tooth set is advantageously fixed. The apparatus may include an actuator for displacing at least one of the tine sets. The actuator may, for example, be a linear actuator or, preferably, a rotary actuator. The displacement of at least one of the tine sets can thus be provided by a rotatable actuator. tutor. The effect of a rotary actuator is that a rotary actuator can be made more compact than a linear actuator, for example a cylinder. The rotary actuator may be a rotary cam disc. The rotatable cam disc may have an outer diameter where the difference between a largest diameter and a smallest diameter corresponds to a maximum displacement of the smallest one row of tines. The rotary actuator may comprise an electrically operated motor with a drive shaft, and the cam disc may be arranged on the drive shaft. The cam disc may abut against a first end portion of the tine holder. The tine holder can rest in its other end part against a spring that presses the tine holder against the cam disc. The actuator can, as mentioned above, in an alternative embodiment be linear, for example a cylinder. The actuator may be driven by a fluid. The apparatus may be connected to a programmable device arranged for an automatic tic displacement of at least one of the tines. The effect of connecting the binder controller to a programmable device is to enable automatic movement of at least one tine set to thereby be able to provide bring an automatic adjustment of the scraping effect. For example, the binder regulator can be programmed for a small scraping when applying the beginning and end of the winding process, and a larger scraping in a middle part of the winding This allows the inner and outer layers of fiber thread to be saturated, while a smaller amount of binder can be added between the layers. Furthermore, the programmable device can be connected to sensors for, for example, air temperature temperature, binder temperature and thread tension. The information from these sensors and Any other sensors can be used to regulate the position of the tine rows. In an alternative embodiment, the apparatus may comprise a sensor adapted to detect actual amount of binder that follows the thread out of the filament winder. This allows the tinder to The position of the sensor can be further optimized. Such a sensor can be optical, for example. In a second aspect, the invention relates to a method for regulating binder which follows a thread, the method comprising the step of; a. arranging the wire across a first set of tines comprising at least one row of tines and a second set of tines comprising at least one row of tines, the first set of tines and that the second tin set is parallel and displaceably arranged to each other in an axial straight- ning, and the tine sets in a neutral position create a straight-line guide path for the thread. With at least one first row of tines arranged parallel and displaceably to at least one second row of tines row, it is meant herein that a relative displacement between the first and the second row of tines One or both rows of tines can be movable. Method for regulating binder following a thread, wherein the method may further include the step of: b. to displace at least one set of tines thereby forming an angled guide path for the thread. The angled guideway described herein may also be referred to as a toothed guideway. path, a portion of the guide path forming a plurality of straight guide segments between a plurality of tines. The angle between the plurality of guide segments can be changed when at least one tine- set is shifted. Method for regulating binder following a thread, wherein the method may further include the step of: c. connect the device to a programmable device; and d. program the device so that at least one set of tines is displaced according to a pro- grammed sequence. The effect of being able to program the device so that at least one set of tines is shifted according to to a programmed sequence, is that the amount of binder supplied to the thread can be regulated automatically throughout the filamentation process. By regulating the amount of binder that follows the thread, the consumption of binder can be reduced, and the filamentation process can be streamlined. The programmed sequence may include at least one logarithm arranged to provide an automatic displacement of at least one of the tine rows based on signals from at least one transmitter south. For example, by measuring the temperature of air and binder, and the viscosity of binder. part, the device can automatically adjust the setting of the tin and thereby the amount of binder agent that follows the thread. The programmed sequence may include a sensor that measures the actual amount of binding agent that follows the thread. Example of execution In the following, an example of a preferred embodiment is described which is contemplated shown on accompanying drawings, where: Fig. 1 shows in perspective a binder regulator arranged on a filament winder; Fig. 2 shows on a larger scale the binder regulator shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the binder regulator in Fig. 2 from the front; Fig. 4 shows the binder regulator in Fig. 2 from above; and Fig. 5 shows on a larger scale a section of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 shows a schematic diagram of different guide paths for a wire; and Fig. 7 shows a schematic diagram of how different numbers of tine rows can be arranged. net. Figure 1 shows a filament winder 1 comprising a slide 20 with a binder regulator 10, a binder vessel 200, a collection vessel 220 and a core wire guide 230. The slide 20 is displaced alternately in one direction B and in an opposite direction C parallel to a rotating core's center axis (not shown). A thread 99 is fed from a spool 98 and down into the binder vessel 200, where the thread 99 is added to a A plurality of guide rollers 201 form a guide path for the thread 99 through the binder vessel 200 so that the thread 99 is saturated with binder. The thread is then passed 99 through the binder regulator 10. The collection vessel 220 is arranged below and after the binder regulator 10 and collects binder that is scraped off or that runs off of the thread 99. The collection vessel 220 comprises an end portion 221 provided with an outgoing thread guide 222. From the outgoing thread guide 222, the thread 99 is guided to the core thread guide- a 230. The thread 99 is pulled in a direction A when the core rotates as the thread 99 is attached to the core. Figures 2 - 4 show one embodiment of the binder regulator 10. A detailed and A simplified section of Figure 3 is shown in Figure 5. The thread 99 can be passed through the binder regulator. clean 10 in a direction A or in a direction B as shown in Figure 2. The binder regulator 10 comprises a frame 150 which connects the binder regulator 10 with the slide 20 shown in Figure 1. The binder regulator 10 comprises a first tin holder 110 with a first tines set 111 and a second tines holder 120 with a second tines set 122. The first set of tines 111 is shown with three rows of tines 100. The second set of tines is shown with two rows of tines 100. Each row of tines 100 is shown with 32 tines 101 with an equal mutual The tines 101 have an end face 102 (shown in Fig. 5) and a The central axes 101XA of the tines 101 are parallel. The tines 101 of the first tine set 111 project from a first tine row surface 1110. The tines 101 of the second tine set 122 project from a second tine row. surface 1220. The two tine row surfaces 1110, 1220 are arranged opposite each other and with an in- distance of the load which gives a clearance Y (Fig. 5) between the end surfaces 102 of the tines 101 and the respective, opposing tine row surfaces 1110, 1220. The tine rows 100 are arranged in a perpendicular to the wire's 99 guiding direction A and can be displaced in an axial direction X. The guiding direction The element A is arranged perpendicular to the axial direction X. The binder regulator 10 includes an actuator 130. The actuator 130 is provided with a rotatable cam disc 131. A first end 123 of the second tine holder 120 abuts against the cam disc 131. A second end 124 of the second tine holder 120 abuts against a pressure spring 125 which presses the second tine holder 120 against the cam disc 130. When the cam disc When the tine holder 130 is rotated, the second tine holder 120 and the second tine set 122 will be displaced in direction X so that the guide path of the thread 99 through the binder regulator 10 is changed, as shown in Figure 6. In front and behind the tines 111, 122 there is a guide shaft 117 arranged to hold the wire 99 at a constant vertical distance between the first tines- the holder 110 and the second tine holder 120. Figure 6 shows how the guide path of the thread 99 changes when the second set of tines 122 shifts ves relative to the first set of tines 111. In a position P1, the sets of tines 111, 122 are in a neutral position, so that a straight guide path is formed for the wire 99. The guide path is perpendicular to the tooth sets 111, 122. In a position P2, the second set of teeth 122 is offset by a distance X1 relative to neutral. position, so that the wire 99 touches a plurality of tines 101, forming an angled feed- ring path for the wire 99. The slightly angled guide path shown in position P2 provides a medium scraping effect of the binder. In a position P3, the second set of teeth 122 is offset by a distance X2 relative to neutral. position. The guide path here forms a maximum angled guide path for maximum de- scraping effect. The rotatable cam disc 130 shown in Figures 1-4 is arranged to provide a stepless displacement of the second set of teeth 122. Figure 7 shows the first tin set 111 and the second tin set 122 with a total of two, three, four and five tine rows 100. With three or more tine rows 100, the tine rows 100 are arranged alternately to the first set of teeth 111 and to the second set of teeth 122, as the figure shows. It should be noted that all of the above embodiments illustrate the invention, but does not limit it, and professionals in the field will be able to design many alternative embodiments forms of communication without departing from the scope of the attached requirements. The requirements shall refer to The numbers in parentheses should not be seen as limiting. The use of the verb "to encompass" and its various forms does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not mentioned in the claims. The indefinite articles "a", "an" or "a" before an element does not exclude the presence of multiple such elements. The fact that certain features are recited in different dependent claims indicates not that a combination of these features cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

1. Apparatus (10) adapted to regulate an amount of binder following a thread (99), characterized in that the device (10) comprises; - a first tines holder (110) with a first tines set (111); - a second tines holder (120) with a second set of tines (122); wherein each of the tine sets (111, 122) comprises at least one tine row (100) and wherein each row of tines (100) comprises at least two tines (101) with a center axis (101XA), in that the first set of tines (111) and the second set of tines (122) are parallel and slidably arranged to each other in an axial direction (X), and the tin sets (111, 112) in a neutral position creates a straight-line guide path for the wire (99) and in a forward- The pushed position creates an angled guide path for the wire (99).

2. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1, wherein the center axes (101XA) of the tines (101) are even the same row of tines (101) are parallel.

3. Apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first the tin set (111) and the second tin set (122) together comprise at least three tin- dereks (100) which are alternately arranged to the first set of tines (111) and to the second set of tines (122).

4. Apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tines (101) belonging to the first tin set (111) protrudes from a first tin holder surface (1110) and the tines (101) of the second set of tines (122) project from a second tine holder surface (1220).

5. Apparatus (10) according to claim 4, wherein the first pin holder surface (1110) and the the second tine holder surface (1220) is arranged so that they face each other.

6. Apparatus (10) according to claim 4, wherein the first pin holder surface (1110) and the the second tine holder surface (1220) is arranged so that they face the same direction.

7. Apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the tine sets (111, 122) are displaceable and the other of the tine sets (111, 122) is not ke is displaceable.

8. Apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus comprises a rotatable actuator (131), and wherein the displacement of at least one of the tines- the sets (111, 122) are provided by the rotatable actuator (131).

9. Apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus (10) is connected to a programmable device arranged for an automatic displacement of at least one of the tine sets (111, 122).

10. Method for regulating an amount of binder following a thread (99), characterized in that the method comprises the step of; a. arranging the wire (99) across a first set of tines (111) comprising at least one tines row (100) and a second tines set (122) comprising at least one tines- row (100), the first set of tines (111) and the second set of tines (122) are arranged parallel and displaceably to each other in an axial direction (X), and the tine sets (111, 122) in a neutral position form a straight-line guide path of the thread (99).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises the step to: b. displacing at least one set of tines (111, 122) thereby forming an angled guide path for the wire (99).

12. A method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the method further includes the step of: c. connect the device (10) with a programmable device; and d. program the apparatus so that at least one set of tines (111, 122) is displaced in according to a programmed sequence.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the programmed sequence comprises signal from at least one sensor arranged on the device, the value of the signal affecting where how much the tine sets (111, 122) should be offset relative to each other.