Compact high performance through-air bonding apparatus

Abstract

A high performance through-air equipment is provided. The through-air equipment includes a through-air roller configured to move in rotation about a first axis, and a high flow tortuous air path within the equipment, the high flow tortuous air path including a path extending through a feed conduit, through the through-air roller, and also through a discharge conduit. The through-air equipment also includes a plurality of turning vanes within the high flow tortuous path, the turning vanes positioned to direct air flow through the equipment. The through-air equipment has a length, a width, and a height, the length, width, and height collectively defining a volume having a compact configuration. The high flow tortuous air path within the equipment has a length, wherein a ratio of the volume of the through-air equipment to the length of the high flow tortuous air path is less than 20 m 2 .

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates in part to a compact, high-performance through-air apparatus for manufacturing web products. Background Technology

[0002] Through-air hot air equipment typically includes a rigid, air-permeable web-carrying structure, known as a through-air roll. The web is placed on the through-air roll, and as the web-carrying structure rotates, a fan blows air through the walls of the through-air roll to process the web. Through-air rolls usually have multiple openings to allow air to pass through the roll.

[0003] Systems and methods related to through-air drying are typically referred to using the acronym "TAD". Systems and methods related to through-air bonding are typically referred to using the acronym "TAB". Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one embodiment, a high-performance through-flow hot air device is provided. The through-flow hot air device includes a through-flow hot air roller configured to rotate about a first axis, and a highly fluid, circuitous air path within the device, the path including a path extending through a supply duct, through the through-flow hot air roller, and also through an exhaust duct. The through-flow hot air device also includes a plurality of deflecting vanes located within the highly fluid, circuitous air path, the deflecting vanes being positioned to guide airflow through the device. The through-flow hot air device has a length, a width, and a height, the length, width, and height collectively defining a compactly configured volume. The highly fluid, circuitous air path within the device has a length wherein the ratio of the volume of the through-flow hot air device to the length of the highly fluid, circuitous air path is less than 20 m. 2 . Attached Figure Description

[0005] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a through-type hot air device according to one embodiment;

[0006] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a portion of a penetrating hot air device according to one embodiment, including a penetrating hot air roller and an exhaust duct;

[0007] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a through-type hot air device according to one embodiment, including a portion of a supply duct.

[0008] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view cut through the center of the penetrating hot air device, showing the tortuous air path through the exhaust duct according to one embodiment;

[0009] Figure 5 It is a cross-sectional view cut through the supply conduit, showing the tortuous air path through the supply conduit;

[0010] Figure 6 It is a cross-sectional view cut through the front of the penetrating hot air device, showing the tortuous air path from the supply duct into the penetrating hot air roller.

[0011] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a plate according to one embodiment;

[0012] Figure 8 This is a volume comparison of one embodiment with three conventional bonding machine systems;

[0013] Figure 9 This is a front view comparison of one embodiment with three conventional bonding machine systems;

[0014] Figure 10 This is a floor area comparison (i.e., top view) of one embodiment compared to three conventional bonding machine systems;

[0015] Figure 11 It is a chart showing various dimensions and data of one embodiment compared to three conventional bonding machine systems;

[0016] Figure 12 This is a perspective view of a penetrating hot air device according to one embodiment, including a portion of an extraction duct.

[0017] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of a portion of an extraction conduit having a first outlet and a second outlet, according to one embodiment of a through-type hot air device; and

[0018] Figure 14 This is a perspective view of a penetrating hot air device according to one embodiment, wherein all load-bearing surfaces of the external support system are located on a common horizontal plane. Detailed Implementation

[0019] This disclosure relates to through-air hot air equipment configured to produce various products, such as paper, tissue paper, and / or nonwoven webs. Those skilled in the art will recognize that, depending on the context in which the equipment is used, the through-air hot air equipment can be configured as a through-air dryer (TAD) and / or a through-air bonder (TAB). Those skilled in the art will also recognize that the through-air hot air equipment can be used to manufacture various web products that are rolled into their final product form. It should also be recognized that the products may not be rolled and / or may be cut into final products. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that the through-air hot air equipment can be configured to manufacture a variety of products, including but not limited to various films, fabrics, or other web types of materials, and that the equipment can be used for a variety of processes, including mass transfer, heat transfer, material displacement, web handling, and quality monitoring, including but not limited to drying, thermal bonding, sheet transfer, water extraction, web tension, and porosity measurement.

[0020] As described in more detail below, a through-flow hot air device includes a rigid, air-permeable web-bearing structure, referred to as a through-flow hot air roller, configured to rotate relative to another part of the device. The web is placed on the through-flow hot air roller, and as the web moves, a fan can blow air through the walls of the through-flow hot air roller to process the web. The through-flow hot air roller typically has multiple openings to allow air to pass through the structure.

[0021] In summary, the web (i.e., the product) is typically in sheet form and partially wraps around the through-flow hot air roller of the through-flow hot air equipment. The web wraps around a portion of the roller, typically between 90° and 360°, but usually between 180° and 300°. A fan / blower is used to circulate air through the product, and the through-flow hot air roller is typically located within a hood to optimize airflow characteristics. As the product travels through the working area of ​​the equipment with the rotating through-flow hot air roller, the fan / blower circulates air through the walls of the through-flow hot air roller to process the product. A heater may be provided to circulate heated air through the through-flow hot air roller.

[0022] Figure 1An embodiment of a through-flow hot air device 100 is shown. As shown, the through-flow hot air device 100 includes a through-flow hot air roller 10 configured to carry a web 18 and rotate about a first axis 12. As described in more detail below, several embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a through-flow hot air device 100 having a high-flow tortuous flow path within the device. The system includes a fan 60 that directs system air (also referred to as process air) along the flow path into the through-flow hot air roller 10. As described in more detail below, this tortuous flow path enables the overall volume of the device to be smaller than that of conventional through-flow hot air devices.

[0023] Penetrating hot air equipment 100 is typically a very large machine. For example, the length of penetrating hot air roller 10 may be between 1 foot and 30 feet, and the diameter may be between 1 foot and 22 feet.

[0024] The inventors recognized that conventional through-flow hot air equipment typically falls into two categories: (1) compact through-flow hot air equipment, which may be difficult to meet product quality requirements and has low production output; or (2) high-performance, high-volume through-flow hot air equipment, which requires large machine air systems and may be difficult to install in certain machine spaces. Furthermore, these large and bulky high-performance through-flow hot air equipment systems can be expensive. In addition, large, high-performance machines typically have long order delivery times from sale to delivery, including large shipping dimensions starting from the manufacturing point and significant void volume during shipping due to the construction of conventional ductwork. Machine installation can be complex, requiring substantial total effective time (calendar time), skills, and building space.

[0025] Recognizing some of the problems associated with traditional designs, several solutions disclosed herein relate to compact through-flow hot air equipment that incorporates some features of large, high-performance through-flow hot air equipment, offering the following advantages: lower capital costs for consumers, shorter order delivery times, and smaller overall size, which means less building space is required.

[0026] The nature of end-user products drives the demand for closed-loop airflow and temperature uniformity in through-hole hot air bonding equipment. For example, current technology requires manufacturers of through-hole hot air bonding machines to provide large external air systems to meet high-performance requirements such as an air temperature of + / - 1.5°C and a peak-to-peak (peak-to-peak) air pressure supplied to the products to be bonded. As described in more detail below, in one embodiment, through-hole hot air equipment 100 uses a unique combination of different technologies to meet these high-performance requirements while maintaining a small machine footprint and / or a small machine size.

[0027] Furthermore, as described in more detail below, several solutions disclosed herein relate to through-type hot air equipment utilizing panelized construction (paneled structure, prefabricated structure). For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, the through-flow hot air device 100 is made of a plurality of plates 120, which are assembled together to form the through-flow hot air device 100. The inventors recognize that this modular plate design allows for convenient manufacturing, provides compact transport, and / or may also improve accessibility and maintainability. Further details about these plates 120 are available in... Figure 7 It is published here and described in more detail below.

[0028] Now go to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The interior of device 100 will now be described. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Different parts of a through-flow hot air device 100 according to one embodiment are shown. The through-flow hot air device 100 includes a through-flow hot air roller 10, a supply duct 80, and an exhaust duct 90. Figure 2 The through-type hot air roller 10 and the discharge duct 90 are shown (the supply duct 80 is omitted). Figure 3 A through-flow hot air roller 10 and a supply duct 80 (exhaust duct 90 omitted) are shown. In summary, air travels through the supply duct 80, through the through-flow hot air roller 10, and then through the exhaust duct 90. In one embodiment, this is a recirculated air path. In one embodiment, there is a supplemental air damper that allows some fresh air to enter the air path, and a drain that leads to the atmosphere and allows air to exit the air path. This defines a highly fluid, tortuous air path that extends through the supply duct 80, the through-flow hot air roller 10, and the exhaust duct 90. As described in more detail below, this tortuous flow path allows the overall volume of the device to be smaller than that of a conventional through-flow hot air device. The inventors recognize that having a tortuous and / or meandering airflow path makes it possible to achieve a specific desired total airflow path length within a smaller volume. Further details regarding embodiments having an extraction duct configured to discharge to the atmosphere will be described below and in Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown in the image.

[0029] As shown, in one embodiment, the supply conduit 80 branches into a first supply conduit 82 located on the right side of the device 100 and a second supply conduit 84 located on the left side of the device 100, and the discharge conduit 90 is configured between the first supply conduit 82 and the second supply conduit 84. The inventors recognize that the shared common wall between the supply conduit 80 and the discharge conduit 90 is a way to achieve a more compact design. In other words, a first side of the common wall can be used as part of the supply conduit 80, while the opposite second side of the common wall can be used as part of the discharge conduit 90. Further details within the supply conduit 80 and the discharge conduit are described below.

[0030] The inventors recognized that this design enabled the penetrating hot air device 100 to have high-performance airflow characteristics in a compact space. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the penetrating hot air device 100 has a length L, a width W, and a height H, which together define its volume. As further described below, in one embodiment, a high-flow tortuous air path within the device has a length, and the ratio of the volume of the penetrating hot air device 100 to the length of the high-flow tortuous air path is less than 20 m. 2 As discussed in more detail below, the air path length is calculated as the total distance traveled by air molecules as they circulate along the centerline of the duct (i.e., the network of pipes defined by the penetrating hot air roller 10, the discharge duct 90, and the supply duct 80) through the penetrating hot air device and complete a full loop back to their origin. Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, the length L of the device 100 is defined as a dimension substantially parallel to the first axis 12 (i.e., the axis of rotation of the penetrating hot air roller 10). In other words, the first axis 12 is substantially parallel to the length L of the penetrating hot air device 100.

[0031] Now go to Figures 4-6 An embodiment of a high-flow tortuous air path within a penetrating hot air device is shown in more detail. Figure 4 The tortuous air path through the exhaust duct 90 (also referred to as the intake side of the main fan 60) is shown. Figure 5 The tortuous air path through the supply duct 80 (also referred to as the pressure side of the main fan 60) is shown. Figure 6 A shroud formed by a supply conduit 80 and surrounding the through-type hot air roller 10 is shown. (See diagram.) Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, air passes through the interior of the penetrating hot air roller 10, as indicated by arrow A. The air travels along the first axis 12 of the penetrating hot air roller 10, exits from the discharge end of the roller 10, and enters the discharge duct 90, as indicated by arrows B and C.

[0032] like Figure 4As shown, the discharge duct 90 may include a plurality of turning vanes 20a, 20b positioned to guide airflow through the device 100. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the turning vanes 20a, 20b facilitate a smoother and more gradual change in airflow direction within the discharge duct 90, thereby reducing turbulence. Downstream of the turning vanes 20a, 20b, the discharge duct 90 includes a flow straightener 30, which guides airflow by straightening the airflow within the duct. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the flow straightener is typically a section of duct positioned along the airflow axis to minimize the lateral velocity component caused by rotational motion in the airflow. As shown, a heat source 40 may also be provided within the discharge duct 90 to heat the air. The heat source 40 allows the air to travel, as indicated by arrow D. The air then passes through a plurality of mixing plates 50 positioned adjacent to the heat source 40. It should be appreciated that the plurality of mixing plates 50 are configured to mix the air to distribute heat more evenly, thereby achieving a more uniform temperature distribution. The heat source 40 can be an electric heater, a heat exchanger, a direct fixed burner, an indirect fixed burner, or any other thermal energy source.

[0033] After passing through the heat source 40 and the mixing plate 50, the airflow leaves the discharge duct 90 and enters the supply duct 80. For example... Figure 3 As shown, air is drawn in through one or more fans 60 located at the inlets of the first supply duct 82 and the second supply duct 84. As illustrated, regardless of whether the air passes through the first supply duct 82 or the second supply duct 84, the overall airflow path remains consistent with... Figure 5 The same applies. Air initially flows upward through the supply conduit 80, as indicated by arrow E, and through the first static mixer 70a. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a static mixer is a device for continuously mixing fluid materials without moving parts. Figure 5 As shown, the supply duct 80 may include multiple deflector blades 20c, followed by one or more additional static mixers 70b, 70c, as indicated by arrow F. The airflow then passes through another set of deflector blades 20d and extends downwards to the outer diameter of the penetrating hot air roller 10, as indicated by arrow G. As described above, the airflow path then passes through the penetrating hot air roller, as... Figure 4 and Figure 6 As indicated by the middle arrow A. Repeat this recirculated air path.

[0034] Those skilled in the art will understand that the exact locations of components within the discharge duct 90 and supply duct 80 may vary depending on the embodiment. Various air mixing devices (steering vanes 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, flow straightener 30, mixing plate 50, and static mixers 70a, 70b, 70c) contribute to improving the performance of the through-flow hot air device 100 to provide flow and temperature uniformity. In one embodiment, mixing begins and is permitted throughout the tortuous air path. Forced mixing may be present upstream of fan 60, and a static mixer may be present downstream of fan 60. Localized directional mixing may also be present between the steering vanes 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment, the steering blades 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d are configured to deflect the air path by at least about 90° within the supply duct 80 and / or the discharge duct 90. It should be understood that other geometries may be provided in another embodiment.

[0035] Now go to Figure 7 The image shows a plate 120 that can be used to construct the wall of a penetrating hot air device 100. (Example) Figure 1 As shown, the penetrating hot air device 100 can have a plate structure including multiple plates 120. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 7 As shown, plate 120 may have a substantially rectangular or square shape. In one embodiment, plate 120 is used to form Figure 1 The outer wall shown and Figures 2-6 The inner wall shown defines a tortuous air path. The plate structure differs fundamentally from conventional through-flow hot air equipment typically made with conventional ductwork. Conventional ductwork structures are often undesirable because they typically require large shipping dimensions from a manufacturing perspective, and because the construction of conventional ductwork can result in significant void volumes during transport. The inventors recognized that instead of fitting multiple individual duct segments together to form the air system ducts, these plates 120 can be used to form a plate-like cavity pattern to create the supply duct 80 and the exhaust duct 90. This can facilitate manufacturing, shipping, and installation. Figure 7 In the specific embodiment shown, plate 120 includes an inner plate portion 150 and an outer plate portion 160. An insulating layer 130 and a plate support 140 for rigidity are sandwiched between the inner plate portion 150 and the outer plate portion 160. As described above, in one embodiment, a common wall may be present between the supply conduit 80 and the discharge conduit 90. Regarding... Figure 7 The inner plate portion 150 can be used as part of the supply duct 80, while the outer plate portion 160 can be used as part of the discharge duct 90. It should be recognized that this can result in an overall compact design for a through-flow hot air device.

[0036] Now go to Figures 8-11 The overall dimensions of the through-flow hot air device 100 compared to conventional systems will now be described more fully. As mentioned above, one of the advantages of this disclosure is that the tortuous air path inside device 100 allows for a more compact configuration of the through-flow hot air device compared to conventional through-flow hot air devices with comparable air path lengths. Figure 8 This is a volume comparison of one embodiment of the through-hole hot air device 100 with three conventional through-hole hot air bonding machine systems. As shown in the figure, the above-described through-hole hot air device 100 has a smaller length, a smaller width, and a smaller height, which also results in a smaller volume. Figure 1 and Figure 8 As shown, in one embodiment, device 100 has a substantially cubic shape.

[0037] It should be understood that, Figures 8-11 In the diagram, the box shown is a rectangular cuboid (i.e., a right-angled rectangular prism), which encloses the entire piping system and its supports. The machine's lateral length ( Figure 1 The length L shown is the distance spanning the width of the web, or the distance from the Tending Side to the Drive Side of the system's projection onto the ground. This dimension can also be referred to as the lateral length. Machine direction length ("MD"), and Figure 1 The width W shown is the distance of the system's projection onto the ground in the direction of travel of the produced web. Machine height is the height from the base elevation to the top of the piping system (e.g., ...). Figure 1 The height H shown.

[0038] Figure 9 This is a front view comparison of one embodiment of the through-flow hot air device 100 with three conventional through-flow hot air bonding machine systems. As shown, the through-flow hot air device 100 has a smaller width and height than the three conventional through-flow hot air bonding machine systems.

[0039] at last, Figure 10 This is a floor area comparison (i.e., top view) of one embodiment compared to three conventional through-hole hot air bonding machine systems. As shown, the through-hole hot air device 100 has a more compact floor area due to its smaller length and width.

[0040] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating an embodiment with... Figures 8-10Various dimensions and data are shown in the comparison of the three conventional bonding machine systems. Air path length is measured as the total distance air molecules must travel when circulating through the air system along the centerline of the pipe network / duct and completing a full loop to return to their origin. In one particular embodiment, the air path length of the aforementioned penetrating hot air device 100 is approximately 29.5 meters. In other embodiments, the air path length is at least approximately 20 meters, 25 meters, 30 meters, 35 meters, 40 meters, 45 meters, or 50 meters. It should be recognized that these lengths may be sufficient to meet the aforementioned high-performance airflow requirements. It is worth noting that... Figure 11 The diagram illustrates one embodiment of the penetrating hot air device 100, where the ratio of the device's volume to the length of the highly fluid, tortuous air path is less than 20m. 2 This contrasts with traditional bonding machines A, B, and C, where the ratio of the volume of the through-type hot air equipment to the air path length is 30-40m. 2 Specifically, for a conventional bonding machine A, the ratio of the volume of the through-type hot air device to the air path length is 36.9m. 2 For a traditional bonding machine B, the ratio of the volume of the penetrating hot air device to the air path length is 32.5m. 2 Finally, for the traditional bonding machine C, the ratio of the volume of the penetrating hot air device to the air path length is 30.0m. 2 .

[0041] It should be understood that, in one embodiment, the ratio of the volume of the penetrating hot air device to the length of the highly fluid tortuous air path is less than 30m. 2 In another embodiment, the ratio of the volume of the penetrating hot air device to the length of the highly fluid, tortuous air path is less than 20m. 2 15m 2 10m 2 or 5m 2 .like Figure 11 As shown, in one embodiment, the volume ratio of the penetrating hot air device to the length of the highly fluid, tortuous air path is approximately 10.3m. 2 .

[0042] Now go to Figure 12 The following describes one embodiment of a penetration hot air device, which includes an extraction duct 170 in fluid communication with a high-flow tortuous air path. As shown, the extraction duct 170 includes an outlet 172 configured to extract air from the device 100 to the atmosphere. Extracting air to the atmosphere ensures proper balance of the penetration hot air device. The amount of air extracted to the atmosphere may vary depending on the product's permeability, combustion process, and / or other variables.

[0043] The location of the extraction conduit 170 and how air is removed can affect the overall efficiency of the system. As shown in this particular embodiment, the extraction conduit 170 is located near the discharge conduit 90, which minimizes pressure loss within the tortuous air path. However, in another embodiment, it is conceivable that the extraction conduit 170 is located near another part of the high-flow tortuous air path (such as, but not limited to, the supply conduit 80 and the through-flow hot air roller 10).

[0044] like Figure 12 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the extraction conduit 170 includes a diverter 174 configured to help control the amount of air drawn into the atmosphere through the outlet 172. In one embodiment, the diverter 174 can extend and retract into the discharge conduit 170 to control the amount of air drawn into the atmosphere. Figure 12 As shown, the diverter may include a curved section and may be, for example, spoon-shaped, to guide air through the extraction duct and to outlet 172. It is also conceivable that the diverter 174 may be configured to minimize pressure loss within the tortuous air path. Figure 12 As shown, the device may have multiple deflector vanes 176 positioned within the extraction duct 170 to guide airflow through the extraction duct 170 and further reduce pressure loss. Furthermore, as described above, fans and / or dampers may be provided within the high-flow tortuous air path to control the airflow rate through the device 100.

[0045] Figure 13 Another embodiment of a through-type hot air device with extraction conduit 170 is shown. Figure 13 Many of the components shown are related to Figure 12 The components shown are similar to those described above and are therefore given the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the extraction conduit 170 includes a first outlet 178 configured to extract air from within the device into the atmosphere. Figure 12 Compared to the outlet 172 located on the front side of the extraction conduit 170 shown, in this particular embodiment, the first outlet 178 is located on the rear side of the extraction conduit 170. As shown, a plurality of deflector vanes 176 may be located within the extraction conduit to guide airflow through the extraction conduit 170 and out through the first outlet 178. Figure 13 As shown, the steering blade 176 can be angled or bent backward toward the outlet 178 (which is consistent with...). Figure 12 The steering blade 176 shown is angled in opposite directions toward the outlet 172.

[0046] In one embodiment, Figure 13 The extraction catheter 170 shown also includes a second outlet 180, configured for inspecting the interior of the device. Figure 13As shown, the second outlet 180 may include an inspection door that an operator can selectively open to access the interior of the tortuous air path. The inventors recognize that having a second outlet 180 spaced apart from the first outlet 178 may be desirable so that the interior of the device can be inspected. As shown, the extraction conduit 170 may include a branched conduit comprising the first outlet 178 and the second outlet 180, and it is envisioned that the branched conduit may be substantially T-shaped with the adjacent discharge conduit 90. It should also be understood that the first outlet 178 and the second outlet 180 may be adapted to allow air to be drawn into the atmosphere from one or both of the first outlet 178 and the second outlet 180.

[0047] Figure 14 An embodiment of a penetration-type hot air device is shown, which is similar to Figure 1 The aforementioned penetrating hot air device shown in the figure, therefore, similar components are given the same reference numerals. Figure 14 An external support system 200 connected to the supply conduit 80 and the discharge conduit 90 is further shown, wherein the external support system 200 is configured to secure the supply conduit 80 and the discharge conduit 90 to the ground 210. As described above, the supply conduit 80 and the discharge conduit 90 can have a compact design with a shared common wall. As described above and as... Figure 14 As shown, these supply conduits 80 and discharge conduits 90 can be made of multiple plates 120 that form the outer wall of the penetrating hot air device 100. It should be understood that, in Figure 14 In this embodiment, the interiors of the supply conduit 80 and the discharge conduit 90 are not visible. In this particular embodiment, the external support system 200 includes a plurality of vertical columns and horizontal beams comprising a frame system extending between the supply conduit 80 and the discharge conduit 90 and the ground 210. As described below, in other embodiments, other types of external support systems may be used. Figure 14 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, all load-bearing surfaces from the supply conduit 80 and the discharge conduit 90 to the external support system 200 are located in a common horizontal plane 220. As shown, the common horizontal plane 220 is substantially parallel to the ground 210.

[0048] The inventors recognized that, conversely, in existing designs of through-flow hot air systems, the load-bearing surfaces from the air system (i.e., supply and exhaust ducts) to the external support system are not all located within a common horizontal plane. For example, in existing designs, the load-bearing surfaces lie on multiple planes. In existing designs, expansion relief joints are typically required at the load-bearing surfaces to compensate for thermal growth in the through-flow hot air system. The inventors recognized this as undesirable. The inventors further recognized that, as Figure 14One advantage of having all load-bearing surfaces of the supply conduit 80 and discharge conduit 90 to the external support system 200 located in a common horizontal plane 220 is that it eliminates the need for expansion relief joints. The common horizontal plane 220 can also utilize a single central fixed support that minimizes thermal expansion near the penetrating hot air roller 10, which also reduces the required sealing gap around the roller 10 and improves process efficiency. It should be recognized that in another embodiment, other types of external support systems can be used with the aforementioned unique common horizontal plane 220, as this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0049] exist Figure 1 In one exemplary embodiment shown, the through-flow hot air device 100 also includes a trolley 14 configured to receive the through-flow hot air roller 10. As shown, the trolley 14 may include a plurality of wheels 16, and the trolley 14 is configured to slide out of the device 100 (along a first axis 12) to load the through-flow hot air roller 10 onto the trolley 14. Thereafter, the trolley 14 and the through-flow hot air roller 10 are configured to slide into the through-flow hot air device. It should be understood that the trolley 14 configuration allows for easier access to the through-flow hot air roller 10 for maintenance.

[0050] It should be understood that specific types of through-type hot air rollers 10 may vary, as this disclosure is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the through-type hot air roller 10 may be a trough-style roll obtained from Valmet (see, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,040,038, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). In another embodiment, the through-type hot air roller 10 may be configured differently and may be, for example, a Honeycomb roller obtained from Valmet.

[0051] In addition, such as Figures 2-5 As shown, in one exemplary embodiment, the through-flow hot air roller 10 has a single discharge end connected to the discharge duct 90. It should also be appreciated that the above concept can be incorporated into through-flow hot air devices with different discharge configurations (including, but not limited to, dual-discharge-end configurations). Furthermore, although in Figures 2-5 The diagram shows an axial discharge configuration, but it is envisioned that the device may include axial or radial discharge configurations.

[0052] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, in one embodiment, the aforementioned through-flow hot air device can be used on a through-flow hot air bonding machine, while in another embodiment, the aforementioned through-flow hot air device can be used on a through-flow hot air dryer, as this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0053] Although several embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, those skilled in the art will readily conceive of various other methods and / or structures for performing the described functions and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more advantages described herein, and each of these variations and / or modifications is considered to fall within the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or can determine, many equivalents of the particular embodiments of the invention described herein using only conventional experimentation. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are presented by way of example only and fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents; the invention can also be practiced in ways other than the specific descriptions and claims. The invention relates to each individual feature, system, article, material, and / or method described herein. Furthermore, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods (if such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods are not contradictory) is included within the scope of the invention.

[0054] All definitions used herein should be understood as control over dictionary definitions, definitions incorporated by reference in other documents, and / or the general meaning of the defined terms.

[0055] The indefinite articles “a” and “an” used in this specification and claims shall be understood as “at least one” unless expressly indicated to the contrary.

[0056] The phrase “and / or” as used in this specification and claims should be understood to mean “any one or both” of the elements so combined, that is, elements are present together in some cases and separately in others. In addition to the elements expressly specified in the “and / or” statement, other elements may be selectively present, whether related to or unrelated to the particularly identified elements, unless there is an explicit indication to the contrary.

[0057] All references, patents and patent applications and publications cited or referenced in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Claims

1. A high-performance penetrating hot air device, comprising: A penetrating hot air roller is configured to rotate about a first axis. A high-flow tortuous air path, located within the device, includes a path extending through a supply duct, through the penetrating hot air roller, and also through an exhaust duct; Multiple steering blades are positioned within the high-flow tortuous air path to guide airflow through the device. The penetrating hot air device has a length, width, and height, which together define a compact volume; and The high-flow tortuous air path inside the device has a length of at least 20 m, and the ratio of the volume of the penetrating hot air device to the length of the high-flow tortuous air path is less than 20 m. 2 .

2. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1 further includes one or more flow straighteners, the flow straighteners being positioned within the high-flow tortuous air path and configured to guide airflow through the device.

3. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, wherein the penetrating hot air roller has a single discharge end connected to the discharge duct.

4. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, having a plate structure, the plate structure comprising a plurality of plates, the plurality of plates being assembled together to form the penetrating hot air device.

5. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, wherein the first axis is substantially parallel to the length of the penetrating hot air device.

6. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, wherein the supply duct of the high-flow tortuous air path within the device is branched to include a first supply duct located on the right side of the penetrating hot air device and a second supply duct located on the left side of the penetrating hot air device.

7. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 6, wherein the discharge conduit is located between the first supply conduit and the second supply conduit.

8. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 6, wherein the second supply conduit is a mirror image of the first supply conduit.

9. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 6, wherein the first supply duct located on the right side of the penetrating hot air device includes a first set of deflecting blades and a second set of deflecting blades configured to deflect the air path.

10. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 9, wherein the second supply duct located on the left side of the penetrating hot air device includes a third set of deflecting blades configured to deflect the air path and a fourth set of deflecting blades configured to deflect the air path.

11. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 9, wherein both the first set of deflecting blades and the second set of deflecting blades are configured to deflect the air path by at least 90° within the first supply duct.

12. The high-performance penetrating hot air device of claim 1, further comprising one or more static mixers located within the high-flow tortuous air path, the static mixers being positioned to guide airflow through the device.

13. The high-performance penetrating hot air device of claim 2, wherein the discharge duct further includes a heat source, and wherein one or more flow straighteners are positioned near the heat source.

14. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge duct further includes a heat source, and wherein the discharge duct further includes a plurality of mixing plates near the heat source.

15. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the volume of the penetrating hot air device to the length of the high-flow tortuous air path is less than 10 m. 2 .

16. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, further comprising: A trolley configured to receive the penetrating hot air roller, wherein the trolley has multiple wheels, and wherein the trolley and the penetrating hot air roller are configured to slide into the penetrating hot air device.

17. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, wherein the device has a basic cubic shape.

18. The high-performance penetrating hot air device of claim 1, further comprising an extraction conduit in fluid communication with the high-flow tortuous air path, wherein the extraction conduit is configured to draw air from the device into the atmosphere.

19. The high-performance penetrating hot air device of claim 18, wherein the extraction conduit is positioned near the discharge conduit.

20. The high-performance penetrating hot air device of claim 18, wherein the extraction duct includes a branched duct, the branched duct including a first outlet configured to extract air from the device to the atmosphere and a second outlet configured to inspect the interior of the device.

21. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 20, wherein the bifurcated duct is substantially T-shaped.

22. The high-performance penetrating hot air device of claim 18, further comprising a diverter in the extraction duct, wherein the diverter can extend and retract into the discharge duct to help control the amount of air extracted into the atmosphere.

23. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 18 further includes a plurality of deflecting blades positioned within the extraction duct for guiding airflow through the extraction duct.

24. The high-performance penetrating hot air device of claim 18, further comprising at least one of a fan and a damper located within the high-flow tortuous air path, configured to control the airflow rate through the device.

25. The high-performance penetrating hot air device of claim 1, further comprising an external support system connected to the supply conduit and the discharge conduit, wherein the external support system is configured to secure the supply conduit and the discharge conduit to the ground, and wherein all load-bearing surfaces from the supply conduit and the discharge conduit to the external support system are located in a common horizontal plane.

26. The high-performance penetrating hot air device of claim 25, wherein the common horizontal plane of the external support system can be supported by a single fixed support.

27. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, further comprising at least a first plate having a first side and an opposing second side, the first side forming part of the supply conduit and the second side forming part of the discharge conduit.

28. The high-performance penetrating hot air device according to claim 1, wherein, The supply duct extends across most of the length and height of the penetrating hot air device; and The discharge duct extends across most of the height of the penetrating hot air device.

29. A high-performance penetrating hot air device, comprising: A penetrating hot air roller is configured to rotate about a first axis. A high-flow tortuous air path, located within the device, includes a path extending through a supply duct, through the penetrating hot air roller, and also through an exhaust duct; Multiple steering blades are positioned within the high-flow tortuous air path to guide airflow through the device. The penetrating hot air device has a length, a width, and a height, which together define a compact volume. The supply conduit extends across most of the length and height of the penetrating hot air device; and The discharge duct extends across most of the height of the penetrating hot air device.

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